So I got inspired by Tam at inProgress this week with her mention of ‘sayings’.
Anyway, I thought I’d enlighten you to some auld (old) Scottish pearls of wisdom, and some commonly heard phrases amongst us Scots. Feel free to add your own in the comments!
“Haud yer wheesht!” – Be quiet! (commonly said by many parents and teachers across the land)
“Stick in til ye stick oot!” – Eat up
“Mony freens gae a happy life” – friendship brings happiness
“Ye cannae shove yer granny aff a bus” – Take care of your granny.
“It’s no the ramblin’ cart that fa’s first o’er the brae” - It’s not always the person you expect that will die first
“Hae a guid whittle at yer belt” – Always have a good answer ready
“Dinnae clothe yer language in ragged attire” – Don’t spoil what you say by using bad language
“Ye cannae sell the coo and sup the milk too” – You can’t have it both ways
“A scabbit sheep will smit a hail herself” – One evil person can infect a group.
“The wan wi’ the ladder’s as bad as the thief” - Don’t associate with rogues.
“Lang may yer lum reek – an’ may he huv the coal tae fill it” - May you live long and prosper
“East, west, hame’s best” – There’s no place like home (except I know EAST is best 
)
“A minister’s gey obvious, but cunnin’!” – You can recognise a minister, but you can’t preach to him
“Nae faith’s gey dry” - Life without faith is meaningless
“Did’ye think I came up the Clyde on a banana boat?” – Do you think I’m stupid?
“She’s a skinny malinky lang legs!” – She’s tall and thin (yeah, I remember when people said that about me before I stopped growing at 13.)
“Gae it oot and gies it back” - What we give, we have
“Honest men dinnae carry salmon under their coat”- There’s no need to hide something gained with honest work
“He that winna be counselled, cannae be helped” – If you ignore advice, you’ve only got yourself to blame
“Langest at the fireside, soon finds the cauld” – Those who are spoiled find it difficult to cope in hard times
“I’ll give ye laldie!” – I’ll give you more than just a telling off
“Mockin’s catchin’!” If you mock someone, you mock yourself
“Do weel, and dreid nae shame” – You have nothing to be ashamed of if you do your best
“A wee keek back keeps ye on the richt path” – Life’s experiences guide you forward
“When petticoats woo, breeks may come speed” – You can work that one out for yourself.
“The rain is God’s way o’ cleanin’ the coos!” – The Scottish weather has a purpose.
