Afghanistan

We have a saying in Afghanistan that you can't send a kiss through a messenger.
Fareed Mazdak.

Austria

I kiss your hand, gracious lady.
Austrian greeting.

China

China has no legal definition of pornography, and anything showing a naked body or even kissing can be considered obscene.
Los Angeles Times.

Denmark

Kisses are the messangers of love.
Proverb.

Who takes the child by the hand takes the mother by the heart.
Proverb.

England

You have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince.
Embroidered on a silk cushion on Princess Diana's bed.

A many kisses he did give:
And I returned the same
Which made me willing to receive
That which I dare not name.
Aphra Behn 1640-1689

Eskimo

Two would greet each other in the traditional manner by rubbing noses together.
Asen Balikci in the Netsilik Eskimo 1970

France

Some fine night the doors will open, and I'll be... I hope before long to crush you with a million kisses burning as though beneath the equator.
Napoleon Bonaparte in a letter to Josephine his then wife.

In every love affair, there is one who kisses, and one who turns the cheek.
French proverb.

Lovers can live on kisses and cool water.
Old French proverb.

Germany

He's (my boyfriend) promised to kiss me on the other side of the (Berlin) wall.
Britta Kiehen.

No one can forbid an honourable kiss.
German proverb.

Giving kisses, stealing kisses,
Is the world's chief occupation.
Ludwig Holty 1748-1776 from Mailied.

Oh what falsehood lies in kisses!
Heine 1797-1856 from Return Home

Greece

A kiss must last long to be enjoyed.
Greek proverb.

Hebrew

When a knave kisses you, you count your teeth.
Hebrew proverb

The kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Bible, Proverbs 27:6

Hungary

I kiss your hand.
Hungarian greeting.

Good coffee should be black like the devil, hot like hell, and sweet like a kiss.
Hungarian proverb.

Frequent kisses end in a baby.
Hungarian proverb.

India

In India kissing is just not done.
Mira Nair film director.

Ireland

Kiss me, I'm Irish!
Irish saying.

Italy

Sweetest the kiss that's stolen from weeping maid.
Claudian 365-408.

He who has taken kisses, if he take not the rest beside, will deserve to lose even what was granted.
Ovid from The Art of love.

He who shall never be seperated from me kissed my mouth all trembling.
Dante from Inferno.

Japan

The Japanese never know when they are friendly enough to kiss.
Joseph Bunetto on Japanese greeting customs.

Jewish

Rather an honest slap than a false kiss.
Yiddish proverb.

Better a slap from the wise than a kiss from a fool.
Yiddish proverb.

Give your ear to all, your hand to a friend, but your mouth only to your wife.
Yiddish proverb.

Malaysia

Rules against kissing exist because Malaysians are a prudish lot.
Mat Saat Zaki, Psychologist.

Malta

Kisses are like almonds.
Maltese proverb.

Mexico

Kisses are first, and cusses come later.
Mexican proverb.

Paraguay

Paraguayans kiss each other on the cheek just to say hello.
Carlos Gwynn.

Poland

I kiss your hands.  I fall at your feet.
Polish greeting.

Romania

A cunning person's kiss is like that of a mosquito.
Romanian proverb.

Russia

My elbow is close, but I cannot kiss it.
Russian proverb.

Saudi Arabia

You cannot change relations....simply by kissing cheeks.
Saudi political analyst.

A sponge to wipe out the past; a rose to make the present sweet; and a kiss to salute the future.
Arabic proverb.

Spain

Many kiss the hand they wish cut off.
Spanish proverb.

He that wipes the child's nose kisseth the mother's cheek.
Spanish proverb.

A kiss without a mustache is like an egg without salt.
Spanish proverb.