The proof: Italians have the funniest proverbs

When the cat's away, the mice dance on the table. Yes, even in Italy. Who comes up with these kinds of proverbs? Has there ever been a group of people sitting together to come up with silly phrases? Anyhow, just like Dutch, Italian also has quite a few delightful expressions and wisdoms. Here are the funniest.

‘Gallina vecchia fa buon brodo’
Translate it and you get: from an old hen, you can make good broth.
It means: an older person deserves respect because of their experience.

‘Ogni scarrafone è bello a mamma sua’
Translate it and you get: every cockroach is beautiful in the eyes of its own mama.
It means: own child, beautiful child.

‘Prendere due piccioni con una fava’
Translate it and you get: catch two pigeons with one broad bean.
It means: to kill two birds with one stone.

‘Prendere lucciole per lanterne’
Translate it and you get: mistaking fireflies for lanterns.
It means: to mistake things for something else than they actually are.

‘Chi dorme non piglia pesci’
Translate it and you get: those who sleep, catch no fish.
It means: laziness yields nothing.

‘Le bugie hanno le gambe corte’
Translate it and you get: lies have short legs.
It means: no matter how fast the lie is, the truth will catch up.

‘Passare una notte in bianco’
Translate it and you get: to spend the night in white.
It means: not closing an eye.

‘Tagliare la testa al toro’
Translate it and you get: to cut off the bull's head.
It means: to cut the knot.

‘Gettare la spugna’
Translate it and you get: to throw away the sponge.
It means: to throw in the towel.

‘Stare con due piedi in una scarpa’
Translate it and you get: to stand with two feet in one shoe.
It means: doing two contradictory things at the same time.