Monthly Occitan proverb

 

The Occitan proverb of July talked about walnuts, now, in August, the other nice autumn fruit is ripening:

Agost sec, septembre banhat,

Aurem braves castanhas

August dry, September wet

Will bring us nice chestnuts

Winter is winter

 

Val mai un lop dins lo troupèl qu'un mes de febrièr trop bèl

Better having a wolf in the herd than a nice month of February

We had frost these last weeks and now some rain. This is the right weather for the winter season in our latitudes. Cold in winter helps regulating all sorts of pathogens while snow and rain improve the levels of aquifers and limit the consequences of summer heat waves. Old proverbs issued by rural and farming societies often stress the need of long, cold and wet enough winters.

These people knew that life can be full of bad surprises and that we are lucky when we face one we can deal with. Indeed it is easier chasing a wolf than influencing short term weather stresses or dealing with climate change long term adverse effects.

Too nice winters lead, among other, to early blooming and losses of fruit in case of late frost. Their frequency is part of the scientific studies to assess how fast and deep the climate is changing.

So, waiting for better days and nice walks later that year, let’s watch a good film, read a good book or play a good game with relatives, friends or online…

Happy new year! in Occitan language

 

A l'An que ven, se sèn pas mai, seguem pas mens ! 

To the coming year, if nobody is added to the family, let’s have nobody gone

Used to wish relatives at 12pm on December 31 

Too late!

Passat la fèsta,Passat lo sant.

Missed the feast, missed the saint

Comparable to: « closing the stable door after the horse has bolted”, trying to stop something bad happening when it has already happened and the situation cannot be changed.

But in contradiction with this other proverb: “It’s never too late to mend”

Have to find an umbrella

Plòu totjorn sus los pus banhats

It always rains on the wettest

Could be compared with the English proverb: “It never rains but it pours”,  with a bit of irony against unlucky people having always problems without being able to avoid them.

Eureka!

Bal mai un que sap que cent que cercon

One who knows is worth more than hundred who are looking for it

Occitan proverb

 

I a pas res de pus valent qu'un fenhant que se met en colèra

There is no harder worker than a lazy man when he is angry

Keep looking for it!

Trapariás pas d'aiga dins la mar

You would not find water in the sea

used to say my grandmother to my grandfather when he could not find something that was just in front of his nose. 

Monthly Occitan proverb

Deman farà jorn !

Tomorrow is another day!

Expression to be said when postponing thinks to be done but that nobody wants/can do today. This is similar to the expression “mañana!” used in Spanish to postpone something cumbersome.

With the clock on the bell tower of the small village of Saint-Amancet on the slope of the Black Mountain, you could read this little warning for all who tend to be late: Es ouro ! (Time’s up!).

Reminder my grandfather used to make when we were late for the meal while the work was waiting in the farm. And to be sure that all the kids understood him well he insisted “before the right time, it is not yet the time, and after the right time, it is no longer the time!”

See you soon… or later !

 

I a pas que las montanhas qui ne s’encontran pas.

Only mountains cannot meet.

To be said when leaving a friend for a very long time but with the strong hope of seeing him back one day.