ROADSIDE REST

Better to Be a Rich Man's Dog Than a Poor Man's Saint — or, Proverbs Are Universal

With bread, meat, cheese, and garnish, you can concoct an English snack worthy of its inventor, the Earl of Sandwich. But with the same and similar ingredients, plus certain herbs and spices, you may create a Mexican taco.

The English language of Arizona, the lingo if you will, is likewise enriched by a European tongue introduced to the region more than 450 years ago. Spanish words and phrases flavor our Southwestern vocabulary, even as corruptions. "Buckaroo" was as close as the American cowboy could pronounce vaquero. And "lariat" for la reata and "savvy" for sabe.

As complete proverbs, or dichos, Spanish mirrors and embellishes folk wisdom handed down through generations of English-speaking peoples. "That's that," we say, "all said and done." Dicho y hecho. And since the application of proverbs is universal, Spanish refranes are also contradictory. "Misery loves company," we believe, but "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." So go dichos: El dinero habla (Money talks). Musico pagado toca mal son. (A paid musician plays a poor tune, or the best things in life are free.) Dichos, like English maxims, are of a moment and of a need.

"The Mexican proverb," educator Gary Soto tells us, "is the verbal property of common people. It is a condensed saying, some pithy remark from a man leaning on his plow or a woman with her elbows up on a table as she listens to the chisme'gossip' of a neighbor."

So we may quarrel with precise translations, but not the deeper meanings, of refranes peculiar to our region: El que canta, sus males espanta. He who sings will scare his troubles away.

Poco a poco se anda lejos. Little by little one goes far. Perseverance wins the race.

El mejor torero es el de la barrera. The best bullfighter is the one in the box seats, a Monday morning quarterback.

El que quiera saber sus defectos, que se case ye el que quiera saber cualidades, que se muera. One who wants to know his defects should marry; one who wants to know his qualities should die.

El que demonios da, diablos recibe. He who gives demons gets devils, or sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.

Mas vale ser perro de rico que santo de pobre. Better to be a rich man's dog than a poor man's saint. De tu casa a la ajena, con la barriga llena. From your house to your neighbor's, go with a full stomach - don't burden your friends with your troubles.

El carnicero de hoy es la res de manaña. Today's butcher is tomorrow's beef.

Al que tiene caballada le dan un potro y al que no tiene le quitan otro. He who has many horses is given a colt, and he who has none loses another one. The rich get richer; the poor get poorer.

El que con lobos anda a aullar se enseña. He who keeps company with wolves learns to howl. Bad habits are acquired from bad companions.

No le tengan miedo al chile aunque lo vean colorado. Don't be afraid of the chile pepper, even though it's so red, or, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Cuando mires a tu vecino lavar, pon la tuya a remojar. When you see your neighbor washing, put yours to soak. Follow the good example of your neighbor.

Ganar un pleito es adquirir un pollo y perder una vaca. To win an argument is to gain a chicken and lose a cow.

Estan mas cerca mis dientes que mis parientes. My teeth are closer than my relatives, or first things first; I take care of number one.

Cada quien puede hacer de sus calzones un papalote. Every man has the right to make a kite from his breeches, or, it's okay to be a little crazy.

Solo lo barato se compra con el dinero. Money buys only what is cheap, or, money can't buy happiness.

La falta un real para el peso. He lacks the change to complete the dollar, or, he's a little soft in the head.

Mientras dura, vida y dulzura. While it lasts, a good life and great pleasure. Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.

En cuestion de puercos todo es dinero, y en cuestion de dinero todos son puercos. Regarding pigs, all is money; regarding money, all are pigs. Although you could add, money is the greed of all men.

No todo lo que relumbra es oro. All that glitters is not gold.

Del arbol caido todos hacen leña. From the fallen tree everybody makes firewood, or, easy pickin's.

La verdad padece pero no perece. Truth suffers, but it does not perish. Truth will endure.

La amistad sincera es un alma repartida en dos cuerpos. True friendship is one soul shared by two bodies, like two peas in a pod.

Despues de la lluvia, sale el sol. After a rainstorm, the sun will shine, or, every cloud has a silverver lining.

Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho. From the saying to the doing is a long way, or, easier said than done.

Dame donde me siente que lo hallare donde me ecueste. Give me a place to sit, and I will find a place to lie down, or give them an inch, and they'll take a mile.

A cada santo se le llega su funcion. Every saint has his feast day. Every dog has his day.

A gato viejo, raton tierno. To an old cat, a tender mouse. In reference to old men who fall in love with young women.

Solo Dios basta. Only God is enough.