Neapolitan Proverbs

The Amalfi Coast is a stretch of coastline in the State of Salerno in Southern Italy. In 1997, UNESCO listed the Amalfi Coast as a World Heritage Site, an outstanding example of a Mediterranean landscape. A little over 22 miles from Naples, which is located in the State of Campania, Amalfi is a relatively easy and breathtakingly beautiful drive. Although I couldn’t find any proverbs attributed specifically to Amalfi, there were several touted as Neapolitan:

• The tongue has no bone—but it breaks bones.
• Strike while the iron is hot.
• No need to rush, says the snail.
• If you act like a sheep, the wolf will eat you.
• Relatives are like shoes: the tighter they are the more they hurt.
• Some ‘friends’ are like an umbrella: when it’s raining you never find it.