árinni kennir illur ræðari

Icelandic

Etymology

From árinni (“the oar”) the dative definite form of ár (“oar”) + kennir (“someone ascribes, someone blames”) a form of kenna (“to ascribe, to blame”) + illur (“bad”) + ræðari (“a rower”); meaning "a bad rower blames his oar", or "a bad rower ascribes his rowing to the oar".

Proverb

árinni kennir illur ræðari

1. a bad workman always blames his tools, a poor workman blames his tools