Those silly dutch

"De kat uit de boom kijken"

2009-06-09T14:08:00.003+02:00

Dutch saying: "De kat uit de boom kijken"
Literal translation: "Looking the cat out of the tree".
Meaning: Rather than jumping into a situation, one waits and sees how things work out.
English equivalent: "See which way the wind blows".

"Een gegeven paard moet men niet in de bek kijken"

2009-03-13T08:02:00.004+01:00

Dutch saying: "Een gegeven paard moet men niet in de bek kijken"
Literal translation: "One should not look a given horse in the mouth".
Meaning: If you get something for free, you should not criticize it.
English equivalent: Beggars cannot be choosers" ("Do not look a given horse in the mouth" also exists, but I would prefer using a less literal translation).

"Knollen voor citroenen verkopen"

2009-03-11T08:33:00.003+01:00

Dutch saying: "Knollen voor citroenen verkopen"
Literal translation: "Selling turnips as lemons".
Meaning: Pretending something worthless (the turnip) is something of much greater value (the lemon).
English equivalent: Chalk and Cheese (As in: "Selling chalk for cheese").

"Zoals de waard is..."

2009-02-18T21:08:00.002+01:00

Dutch saying: "Zoals de waard is, vertrouwt hij zijn gasten"
Literal translation: "The inkeeper trusts his guests after his own character".
Meaning: If you cannot be trusted yourself, you will be less likely to trust others.
English equivalent: "Ill doers are ill deemers".

"Zoals het klokje thuis tikt, tikt het nergens"

2009-02-18T21:02:00.001+01:00

Dutch saying: "Zoals het klokje thuis tikt, tikt het nergens"
Literal translation: "The clock doesn't tick the same anywhere like it does at home".
Meaning: No matter where you go, home will always be best.
English equivalent: "There's no place like home".

"Men oogst wat men zaait"

2009-02-18T20:53:00.002+01:00

Dutch saying: "Men oogst wat men zaait"
Literal translation: "You harvest what you sow".
Meaning: Everything that happens is a result of your own actions.
English equivalent: "You reap what you sow".

"Kant noch wal raken"

2009-02-18T20:23:00.004+01:00

Dutch saying: "Dat raakt kant noch wal".
Literal translation: "That hits side nor shore".
Meaning: The argument made is absurd.
English equivalent: "Your argument does not hold water".

"De appel valt niet ver van de boom"

2007-08-27T11:20:00.000+02:00

Dutch saying: "De appel valt niet ver van de boom".
Literal translation: The apple doesn't fall far from the tree".
Meaning: Children often resemble their parents.
English equivalent: "A chip of the old block".

"De huid niet verkopen..."

2007-08-27T11:09:00.000+02:00

Dutch saying: "De huid niet verkopen voor de beer geschoten is".
Literal translation: "Don't sell the hide before you shot the bear".
Meaning: Don't make prematuere promises that you might not be able to keep.
English equivalent: "Never count your chickens before they have hatched".

"Al draagt een aap een gouden ring"

2007-08-27T11:04:00.002+02:00

Dutch saying: "Al draagt een aap een gouden ring, het is en blijft een lelijk ding."
Literal translation: Even if a monkey wears a golden ring, it will still be an ugly creature.
Meaning: Even if you make something visually appealing, if it's horrible inside, that will not change.
English equivalent: 'You cannot make a silk purse from a sow's ear".

"De een zijn brood is de ander zijn dood"

2007-08-24T11:35:00.000+02:00

Dutch saying: "De een zijn brood is de ander zijn dood"
Literal translation: One person's death creates work for another person.
Meaning: What appears disastrous to some, might be another man's opportunity.
English equivalent: "One man's meat is another man's poison"

"Tussen wal en schip raken"

2007-08-24T11:17:00.000+02:00

Dutch saying: "Tussen wal en schip raken"
Literal translation: "To end up between the dock and the ship"
Meaning: Either of the two options you have aren't very appealing.
English equivalent: "Between a rock and a hard place"

"Wie een kuil graaft voor een ander..."

2007-08-22T21:49:00.000+02:00

Dutch saying: "Wie een kuil graaft voor een ander, valt er zelf in"
Literal translation: "He who digs a hole for someone else, falls in it himself".
Meaning: If you are trying to plot a scheme against someone, it just might backfire.
English equivalent: Hoist by your own petard

"Lachen als een boer die kiespijn heeft"

2007-08-21T22:00:00.001+02:00

Dutch saying: "Lachen als een boer die kiespijn heeft"
Literal translation: "Laughing like a farmer with a toothache".
Meaning: While someone pretends to be laughing, it is obvious the laugh (or smile) is insincere.
English equivalent: A phony laugh.