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I know you can't translate everything directly, sometimes it doesn't make sense, specially when it comes from quotes.

What would be the best intepretation of the following quotes?:

What goes around comes around

Like father like son

The above were random examples. It would be great if you can provide as many as you can think of and also if you know the other way around (from Spanish to English) of, say for example:

Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo

No hay mal que por bien no venga

I have no idea of how to say that in English. Do all quotes have their English counterpart?

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2  
Each of these phrases should be asked as a separate question. – Flimzy♦ Jan 3 '12 at 0:34
1  
In general you may find the idiom dictionary at tomisimo.org/idioms useful. – Peter Taylor Jan 4 '12 at 10:37
I have closed this question as it is (at least) 4 questions in one. I think each of your question is good and valid, but bundling too many questions into one makes the site more difficult to use (it also reduces your potential for rep earned from up votes!) I suggest re-asking for each phrase as an individual question. – Flimzy♦ Jan 12 '12 at 18:08
@Flimzy fair enough – César Jan 12 '12 at 18:38

closed as not constructive by Flimzy♦ Jan 12 '12 at 18:06

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3 Answers

up vote 2 down vote accepted

Quotes like this (in Spanish refranes) are very hard to translate because they are very dependent on your location. There are some with direct translation:

When pigs fly ~ Cuando los cerdos vuelen

Like father like son ~ De tal palo tal astilla

Then there are some that have the same meaning, but different wording:

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush ~ Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando.

Two in distress makes sorrow less ~ Las penas compartidas saben a menos

Here you can find a good list of refranes in English and Spanish, and here a list of refranes in Spanish with an explanation of what they mean.

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up vote 1 down vote

Like father like son has a direct equivalent in De tal palo tal astilla.

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up vote 1 down vote

What goes around comes around could be translated as Arrieritos somos y en el camino nos encontraremos

Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo --> There's no substitute for experience googling I've found too Don´t teach your grandmother how to suck eggs but I don't know if it's really common.

no hay mal que por bien no venga --> Every cloud has a silver lining or When live gives you lemons make lemonade

If you're looking for a source you have the wikipedia entry about spanish proverbs and the same for English proverbs

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