Proverbs, called provribs, freits or saws in Scots, are short familiar sayings expressing a supposed truth or moral lesson.

A greedie gutsie ee ne’er gat a fou wame        

Greedy persons are never satisfied.

  

A smaa buss is better nor nae bield.          

A small bush is better than no shelter.

 

Auld speugies is ill tae tame.                  

It’s difficult to teach an old dog new tricks.

 

Aa things haes an end, an a pudden haes twa. 

All things have an end, and a sausage has two.

 

Better a tuim hoose nor an ill tainant.    

Better an empty house than a bad    tenant.

 

Fell twa dugs wi the ae bane.                  

Kill two birds with one stone.

 

It’s ill bringin but, whit’s no ben.         

You can’t have your cake and eat it.

 

It’s like butter in the bleck dug’s hause.        

It’s no use crying over spilt milk.

 

Raise nae mair deils nor ye can lig.    

Don’t start anything you can’t stop.

 

Tak help at yer elbucks.             

Heaven helps those who help themselves.

 

That’ll no set the heather alicht.        

That won’t set the Thames on fire.

 

The pruif ee pudden’s ee the preein o’t.        

the proof of the pudding is in the tasting.

 

We can shape wir bairn’s wyliecoat but canna shape thair weird.         

We can shape our children’s clothes but not their fate.

 

Ye canna gaither berries aff a whinbuss.           

Don’t go to ill-tempered people for favours.