Is fearr an tsláinte ná na táinte
Written for English speakers and editorial rather than sourced. It will get you close enough to be understood, and it is not a substitute for a native speaker. Recorded audio is planned; see About.
When to use it For a get-well card, a retirement, or anyone choosing health over overtime.
About this saying
The herds in this proverb are not decoration: pre-modern Ireland counted wealth in cattle, so ranking health above the herds was ranking it above money itself. The sentence also happens to hold a perfect demonstration of what the síneadh fada does. It contains both ná (than) and na (the), two little words distinguished only by the mark, doing different grammatical jobs three syllables apart. Strip the fadas and the proverb’s own grammar collapses.
Provenance
Where this wording comes from. We publish nothing we cannot point at.
- DictionaryÓ Dónaill, Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla (1977)s.v. sláinte