Well, "just in the nick of time", I have "to bite the bullet" and write a short post about English idioms, sayings and their equivalence in Spanish. Though nearly "lost at sea" I will explain, or at least try to, the real meanings in their own language and how to use them. But that, probably, will be in another writing, another post.
But, what's an idiom? What's a saying or proverb?
An idiom is a phrase with a figurative meaning different from its literal one, like “kick the bucket” meaning to die, while a saying is a short, well-known expression that conveys a general truth or advice, such as “a stitch in time saves nine,” which means addressing a problem early can prevent it from becoming bigger.
Let's see some examples of Spanish sayings or proverbs and their equivalences in English (idioms will come later...):
1.- Más vale tarde que nunca - “Better late than never”
It’s better to do something late than not do it at all.2.- A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda - “The early bird catches the worm”
Those who start early or put in effort early are more likely to succeed.3.- No hay mal que por bien no venga - “Every cloud has a silver lining”
Every bad situation has some positive aspect to it.4.- En boca cerrada no entran moscas - “Silence is golden”
Sometimes it’s better to keep quiet to avoid trouble.5.- Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando - “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”
It’s better to have a sure thing than to risk it for something better that you might not get.6.- Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente - “Out of sight, out of mind”
If you’re not aware of something, it won’t affect you emotionally.7.- El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta - “Jack of all trades, master of none”
Trying to do too many things at once often means not doing any of them well.8.- Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres - “You are known by the company you keep”
The people you associate with reflect your character.9.- A caballo regalado no se le mira el diente - “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”
Don’t criticize or question something you received as a gift.10.- No hay peor ciego que el que no quiere ver - “None so blind as those who will not see”
The most deluded people are those who choose to ignore the truth.
Despite those examples are not "straight from the horse's mouth" (I have used the Web, sorry), I hope they can give you an idea of the richness of both languages.
To be continued (perhaps)...
P.S. I recommend you reading the book "Red Herrings and White Elephants" by Albert Jack