This article studies various procedures for the translation of sayings and proverbs. These intricate didactic expressions mirror the cognitive action of people, as well as their century-old wisdom, presenting a challenge to the translator. In the article four main procedures of translation of sayings and proverbs are dealt with: parallel equivalent, functional analog, occasional loan translation and descriptive expression. The process of translation is complicated and places major importance on varied linguistic and extralinguistic factors, like the denotative and connotative meanings of the expressions, their metaphorical base and the cognitive-pragmatic capacity, the context, the background knowledge of the recipients of the target language, links between history and society of two cultures, etc. The object of study in this article are the procedures used in the translation of sayings and proverbs found in the French version of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes.