Bourd[96] not wi’ bawtie[97] (lest he bite you).  Do not jest too familiarly with your superiors (Kelly), or with dangerous characters.

Bread’s house skailed never[98] While people have bread they need not give up housekeeping.  Spoken when one has bread and wishes something better—­(Kelly).

Crabbit[99] was and cause had.  Spoken ironically of persons put out of temper without adequate cause.

Dame, deem[100] warily, (ye watna[101] wha wytes[102] yersell).—­Spoken to remind those who pass hard censures on others that they may themselves be censured.

Efter lang mint[103] never dint[104].  Spoken of long and painful labour producing little effect.  Kelly’s reading is “Lang mint little dint.”  Spoken when men threaten much and dare not execute—­(Kelly).

Fill fou[105] and hand[106] fou maks a stark[107] man.  In Border language a stark man was one who takes and keeps boldly.

He that crabbs[108] without cause should mease[109] without mends[110].  Spoken to remind those who are angry without cause, that they should not be particular in requiring apologies from others.

He is worth na weill that may not bide na wae.  He deserves not the sweet that will not taste the sour.  He does not deserve prosperity who cannot meet adversity.

Kame[111] sindle[112] kame sair[113].  Applied to those who forbear for a while, but when once roused can act with severity.

Kamesters[114] are aye creeshie[115].  It is usual for men to look like their trade.

Let alane maks mony lurden[116].  Want of correction makes many a bad boy—­(Kelly).

Mony tynes[117] the half-mark[118] whinger[119] (for the halfe pennie whang)[120].  Another version of penny wise and pound foolish.

Na plie[121] is best.

Reavers[122] should not be rewers[123].  Those who are so fond of a thing as to snap at it, should not repent when they have got it—­(Kelly).

Sok and seill is best.  The interpretation of this proverb is not obvious, and later writers do not appear to have adopted it from Fergusson.  It is quite clear that sok or sock is the ploughshare.  Seil is happiness, as in Kelly.  “Seil comes not till sorrow be o’er;” and in Aberdeen they say, “Seil o’ your face,” to express a blessing.  My reading is “the plough and happiness the best lot.”  The happiest life is the healthy country one.  See Robert Burns’ spirited song with the chorus: 

     “Up wi’ my ploughman lad,
       And hey my merry ploughman;
     Of a’ the trades that I do ken,
       Commend me to the ploughman.”

A somewhat different reading of this very obscure and now indeed obsolete proverb has been suggested by an esteemed and learned friend:—­“I should say rather it meant that the ploughshare, or country life, accompanied with good luck or fortune was best; i.e., that industry coupled with good fortune (good seasons and the like) was the combination that was most to be desired. Soel, in Anglo-Saxon, as a noun, means opportunity, and then good luck, happiness, etc.”