James Wood, comp. Dictionary of Quotations. 1899.
Danish Proverb
A royal heart is often hid under a tattered coat.
A short cut is often a wrong cut.
A silent man’s words are not brought into court.
A wound never heals so well that the scar cannot be seen.
Beauty carries its dower in its face.
Better suffer for truth than prosper by falsehood.
Better the world know you as a sinner than God as a hypocrite.
Big words seldom accompany good deeds.
Blame is the lazy man’s wages.
Call not the devil; he will come fast enough without.
Care, and not fine stables, makes a good horse.
Children are certain sorrows, but uncertain joys.
Children are the poor man’s wealth.
Correction is good, administered in time.
Daylight will come, though the cock does not crow.
Diligent working makes an expert workman.
Do as others do, and few will laugh at you.
Don’t despise a slight wound or a poor relative.
Earnest and sport go well together.
Efter en god Avler kommer en god Oder—After an earner comes a waster.
Egen Arne er Guld værd—A hearth of one’s own is worth gold.
Eggs and oaths are easily broken.
En villig Hielper töver ei til man beder—One who is willing to help does not wait till he is asked.
Ene i Raad, ene i Sorg—Alone in counsel, alone in sorrow.
Enough is great riches.
Envy does not enter an empty house.
Even that fish may be caught which resists most stoutly against it.
Every fool thinks himself clever enough.
Every little fish expects to become a whale.
Every little helps, as the sow said when she snapt at a gnat.
Every man carries an enemy in his own bosom.
Every man has his lot, and the wide world before him.
Every man must carry his own sack to the mill.
Every one finds sin sweet and repentance bitter.
Every one rakes the fire under his own pot.
Fader og Moder ere gode, end er Gud bedre—Father and mother are kind, but God is kinder.
Fagerhed uden Tugt, Rose uden Hugt—Beauty without virtue is a rose without scent.
Falsehood is the devil’s daughter, and speaks her father’s tongue.
Favour and gifts disturb justice.
Fine words without deeds go not far.
Flowers are the pledges of fruit.
Follow the customs or fly the country.
Fools need no passport.
Fortune often knocks at the door, but the fool does not invite her in.
Gammel Mands Sagn er sielden usand—An old man’s sayings are rarely untrue.
Give alms, that thy children may not ask them.
Give only so much to one that you may have to give to another.
God gives the will; necessity gives the law.
God help the sheep when the wolf is judge.
God Konge er bedre end gammel Lov—A good king is better than an old law.
God never sends mouths but He sends meat.
Godt Haandværk har en gylden Grund—A good handicraft rests on a golden foundation.
Gold is tried in the fire, friendship in need.
Good counsel is no better than bad counsel, if it is not taken in time.
Great lords have great hands, but they do not reach to heaven.
Guds Raadkammer har ingen Nögle—To God’s council-chamber we have no key.
He is nearest to God who has the fewest wants.
He is not a bad driver who knows how to turn.
He is not yet born who can please everybody.
He must cry loud who would frighten the devil.
He must stand high who would see his destiny to the end.
He who is of no use to himself is of no use to any one.
He who says what he likes must hear what he does not like.
He who tastes every man’s broth often burns his mouth.
He who would be everywhere will be nowhere.
If a beard were all, the goat would be winner.
If the beard were all, the goat might preach.
If you can’t heal the wound, don’t tear it open.
It is a poor horse that is not worth its oats.
It is bitter fare eating one’s own words.
It is good to lend to God and the soil; they pay good interest.
It is time enough to doff your hat when you see the man.
Jest with your equals.
Jo ædlere Blod, jo mindre Hovmod—The nobler the blood, the less the pride.
Jo argere Skalk, je bedre Lykke—The greater knave, the better luck.
Jo mere af Lov, jo mindre af Ret—The more by law, the less by right.
Joy is like the ague; one good day between two bad ones.
Keep your mouth and keep your friend.
Kill no more than you can salt.
Kind words don’t wear the tongue.
Kisses are the messengers of love.
Labour has a bitter root but a sweet taste.
Let a saint be ever so humble, he will have his wax taper.
Let every bird sing its own note.
Love’s plant must be watered with tears and tended with care.
Make yourself an ass, and you’ll have every man’s sack on your shoulders.
Many a one labours for the day he will never live to see.
Many are fain to praise what is right and do what is wrong.
Many have too much, but none enough.
No man is so tall that he need never stretch, nor so small that he need never stoop.
No one falls low unless he attempt to climb high.
No one gets into trouble without his own help.
No one is rich enough to do without his neighbour.
Ofte er Skarlagens Hierte under reven Kaabe—There is often a royal heart under a tattered coat.
Old signs do not deceive.
Ond Gierning har Vidne i Barmen—There is a witness of the evil deed in one’s own bosom.
Ondt bliver aldrig godt för halv værre kommer—Bad is never good till worse befall.
One hand full of money is more persuasive than two full of truth.
One man is born to money, and another to the purse.
Praise a fool and you may make him useful.
Rather an egg to-day than a hen to-morrow.
Rest is good after the work is done.
Riches and favour go before wisdom and art.
Riches are often abused, never refused.
Riches breed care, poverty is safe.
Rust consumes iron, and envy consumes itself.
Sight before hearsay.
Slander expires at a good woman’s door.
Smuler ere og Bröd—Even crumbs are bread.
Store Ord giöre sielden from Gierning—Big words seldom accompany good deeds.
To circumstances and custom the law must yield.
Under white ashes there often lurk glowing embers.
Unwilling service earns no thanks.
Unworthy offspring brag most of their worthy descent.
Vice is learned without a schoolmaster.
Weighty work must be done with few words.
When every one minds his own business the work is done.
When it rains porridge, the beggar has no spoon.