Aubrey Jacobus wrote on 14 dec 2010

Auf ein Gunaf brentz Hittle - ( approx - A thief
feels his hat is on fire ) meaning " you have a guilty conscience "
Is this example widely known or are there variations of it.

".. brentz .." =.. brent das .."

In Dutch Jiddisj:
"Dem gannef brent de hiet"
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gannef

Other forms found on the web:
"on de/da/duh gonif brent a hittle"
"Oifen goniff brent dos hittel"
"Afn gonif brennt das hittel/hitl"
"Ahfen Ganef Brent Dos Hittel"
"Bie ah gonniff brent ah hittel"
"Oyf en ganef brent dos hittel/hitl"
"afn ganev brent di hittel"
"Oifen ganev brent doos hittel"

Its the thief's hat/cap that burns"
guilty man is always self-conscious
==

"Oifen goniff in a tsilinder brent nit dos hittel"
"Afn ganef in tsilinder brent dos hitl nit"
a thief with a top-hat the hat does not burn"
thief with connections/money is not self-conscious.
<http://kehillatisrael.net/docs/yiddish/yiddish_pr.htm>

"trogn tsilinders" wearing top-hats [cylinders]
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylinder_hat>
==
btw:
"Az du kukst oif hoichen zachen halt tsu dos hitl"
when you look to the heights, hold on to your hat.

--
Evertjan Hannivoort.
The Netherlands.
(Please change the x'es to dots in my emailaddress)