Proverbs and Sayings
“He that tak's what he haes never wants.”
This refers to the person that dislikes to borrow, who, rather than ask for his neighbour's hammer, will drive his nail with the crook or even a stone.
Often the man most willing to help lacked the power or the means to do so, and this is very comprehensively expressed in the following proverb:
“The riven sleeve keeps the haand back.”
Again:
“They that hae a riven sleeve mann hadd their tongue.”
This has a different meaning. The “riven sleeve” here refers to something one would hide, as a fault; hence one must not be censorious of the shortcomings of others who have similar failings.
“It's ill ta gi'e a naked man claes.”
“The spillin' haand never wants.”
“Better a timmer cap o' my ain, than a siller
cup that's borrowed.”
“A man may live by a' his kin, but by his
neighbour he canna win.”
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