Netherlandish Proverbs
 

14 Leave at least one egg in the nest (to keep a "nest egg"; "Save something for a rainy day").
15 He has toothache behind his ears (possibly: to fool others by malingering).
16 a) He is pissing against the moon (to try to do the impossible; 'To bark against the moon" or 'To piss against the wind").
b) He has pissed against the moon (his enterprise has failed).
17 There is a hole in his roof.
18 An old roof needs a lot of patching up.
19 The roof has laths (there are eavesdroppers).
20 There hangs the pot (in the topsy-turvy world the chamber pot instead of the jug serves as an inn sign).
21 To shave the fool without lather (to make a fool of someone; "To take someone for a ride").
22 It is growing out of the window (it cannot be kept secret; 'Truth will out").
23 Two fools under one hood ("Folly loves company").
24 a) To shoot a second bolt to find the first (foolish, misdirected perseverance).
b) To shoot all one's bolts (to use all one's ammunition at once is unwise because there is none left when really needed).
82 He plays on the pillory (having been put to shame, one should not attract attention to oneself; "People who live in glass houses should not throw stones"; also, to make an unjustified presumption).
105 a) He is running as if his backside were on fire (he finds himself in great distress).
b) He who eats fire, shits sparks (whoever undertakes a dangerous venture should not be surprised at its outcome).
106 a) Where the gate is open, the pigs will run into the corn (everything is upside down when there is no supervision).
b) Where the corn decreases, the pig increases (in weight) ("One man's loss is another man's gain").

38 Armed to the teeth.
40 The hen-feeler ("To count one's chickens before they are hatched").
43 He speaks with two mouths (two-faced, deceitful; "To speak out of both sides of one's mouth").
44 One shears sheep, the other pigs (one has the advantage, the other the disadvantage; or, one lives in luxury, the other in need; "rich man, poor man").
45 Great cry and little wool ("Much ado about nothing").
47 Patient as a lamb.
48 a) One winds on the distaff what the other spins (to spread malicious gossip).
b) Watch out that a black dog does not come in between (things could go wrong; or, where two women are together, a barking dog is not needed).
49 He carries the day out in baskets (he wastes his time; "To set forth the sun with a candle").
50 To hold a candle to the Devil (to make friends in all quarters and to flatter everyone; to ingratiate oneself indiscriminately).
51 He confesses to the Devil (to give away secrets to one's enemy).
57 He fills the well after the calf has drowned (measure taken only when an accident has occurred).
63 She puts the blue mantle on her husband (she deceives him; "To place horns on his head").