Anes payit never cravit (no more debts, no more bothers). The French go further when they say: "A man is the richer for paying his debts." I am afraid the truth of this adage might fail to strike the Scotchman at first sight. The only privilege of a proverb is to be incontestable. This French proverb smacks of the sermon, it oversteps the mark.
A cat may look at a king. One man is as good as another. This illustrates the independence of the Scotch character.
Be a frien' to yoursel', an sae will ithers. "Help yourself and Heaven will help you."
We'll bark oursels ere we buy dogs sae dear. A good maxim of political economy: "Don't pay others to do what you can do for yourself."
A' Stuarts are na sib to the King: All Stuarts are not related to the King. The French say: "The frock does not make the monk."
Guid folk are scarce, tak care o' me. The Normans say: "Good folks are scarce in the parish, take care of me."
He that cheats me ance, shame fa' him; he that cheats me twice, shame fa' me. A proverb that well illustrates Scotch caution.
The fear of the devil has inspired many Scotch proverbs, which are in constant use still.
The de'il's nae sae ill as he's caaed. A delicate little compliment to his Satanic Majesty: the Scot is right, one never knows what may happen, it is as well to make friends with the mammon of unrighteousness. A personage who receives so few compliments is likely to remember with pleasure the folks who pay them.
The same neat spirit of flattery is visible in the following proverb: