Before the sun rises, the north wind blows — the hardest moment comes just before improvement. Darkest before dawn; the cold wind before spring.
This meteorological proverb from the Alpine piedmont of Piedmont describes a real atmospheric phenomenon: before sunrise, temperatures drop further and the north wind often picks up as the pressure differentials between the mountains and the plain reach their maximum. The farmer or shepherd who knew this also knew that the bitter pre-dawn cold was the signal that dawn itself was near. The proverb became a general counsel of perseverance: when things are worst, the change is closest. In Turin's industrial history, the worst moments of economic depression were sometimes followed by remarkable recovery — the 1930s depression preceded the extraordinary growth of the 1950s; the Fiat crisis of the late 1970s preceded the renaissance of the 1980s.
Piedmontese meteorological proverb from the Alpine foothills. The tramontana wind from the north was a constant presence in Piedmontese life and agriculture.
A Turin factory worker during a difficult industrial period
Ci hanno tagliato mille posti. Dent ch'el sol nasc al tramontana — forse prima che arrivi la ripresa bisogna passare il peggio.
Han suprimido mil puestos. Antes de que salga el sol sopla la tramontana: quiza antes de que llegue la recuperacion hay que pasar por lo peor.
A Piedmontese shepherd before dawn on an alpine pasture
Sento il tramontana — tra mezz'ora sorge il sole. Dent ch'el sol nasc al tramontana. Preparo il fuoco.
Siento la tramontana: en media hora saldra el sol. Antes de que salga el sol sopla la tramontana. Preparo el fuego.
A Torinese doctor to a patient at the worst point of an illness
Oggi sta peggio di ieri. Dent ch'el sol nasc al tramontana — spesso il picco della febbre è il momento prima della guarigione.
Hoy esta peor que ayer. Antes de que salga el sol sopla la tramontana: a menudo el pico de fiebre es el momento previo a la recuperacion.
A Piedmontese artist after a period of creative block
Per sei mesi non riuscivo a dipingere niente. Dent ch'el sol nasc al tramontana — poi ho fatto il mio lavoro migliore.
Durante seis meses no conseguia pintar nada. Antes de que salga el sol sopla la tramontana: luego hice mi mejor obra.