Yiddish proverbs - God

God is an honest payer, but a very slow one.

God loves the poor and helps the rich.

God will provide. If only God would provide until He provides!

God gave burdens, also shoulders.

God created a world full of little worlds.

If God wants people to suffer, he sends them too much understanding.

The nearer to the synagogue, the farther from God.

May God protect you from goyisha hands and yiddishe tongues.

He falsifies who renders a verse just as it looks.

A child’s tear rends the heavens.

Prayers go up and blessings come down.

If God lived on earth, all his windows would be broken.

A table is not blessed if it has fed no scholars.

It’s a good idea to send a lazy man for the Angel of Death.

The whole world is a dream, and death the interpreter.

A man comes from the dust and in the dust he will end - and in the meantime it is good to drink a sip of vodka.

God made man because he loves stories.

Dear God: You do such wonderful things for complete strangers; why not for me?

Image: The Great Synagogue in Dohàny Street, Budapest by Jackfre2

Yiddish proverbs - love

Love is blind; jealousy sees too much.

Love tastes sweet, but only with bread.

A heart is a lock: you need the right key for it.

Love enters a man through his eyes, a woman through her ears.

For a little love, you pay all your life.

Thieves and those in love both love darkness.

When the heart is full, the eyes overflow.

The eyes are the mirror of the soul.
You can't force anyone to love you or lend you money.

A maiden is like velvet - come on, fondle her!
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Yiddish proverbs - friends and enemies

A good friend is often better than a brother.
A good enemy is better than a bad friend.

A good friend you get for nothing, an enemy you have to buy.

You buy yourself an enemy when you lend a man money.

Rejoice not at your enemy's fall, but don't pick him up, either.

One old friend is better than two new ones.

Make new friends, but don't forget the old ones.

A friend remains a friend up to his pocket.

Treat me like a rabbi; watch me like a thief.

When a thief kisses you, count your teeth.

Mountains cannot meet, but men can.

Image: ‘Two men playing chess in Taras Schevchenko park’ from olechko

Ship's log - June 2010

As above, so below; as within, so without; a sedentary lifestyle and stress are showing up in the body. I had a bit of low blood pressure last weekend, not a pleasant experience. Fortunately I was off this week and generally I have spent the time relaxing and eating healthy. I have never eaten so much fruit in my life. I feel much better, but I will be going in for a full check up and service soon. There is nothing like feeling ill to produce a shift in one’s thinking patterns and in one’s priorities. We know health is the top priority but didn’t someone say knowledge is only integrated when we take action?

Do not let competing priorities get in the way of good health. Paul Limburg

When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied. Herophilus