Proverbs

Russian-English Proverbs

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Contained Proverbs:

EN> Actions speak louder than words.
RU> A man is judged by his deeds, not
by his words.

EN> After a storm comes a calm.
RU> The sun will shine into our yard too.

EN> After a meat comes mustard.
RU> One does not sharpen the axes
(after the right time they are needed).

EN> After rain comes fair weather.
RU> After a storm (comes) fair weather,
after sorrow (comes) joy.

EN> All are not thieves that dogs bark at.
RU> All are not cooks that walk with long
knives.

EN> All cats are gray in the dark.
RU> All cats are gray at night.

EN> All in good time.
RU> Every seed knows its time.

EN> All is fish that comes to the net.
RU> Any fish is good if it is on the hook.

EN> All lay loads on a willing horse.
RU> The one who draws (a cart) is urged on.

EN> All roads lead to Rome.
RU> All roads lead to Rome.

EN> All's well that ends well.
RU> All's well that ends well.

EN> All that glitters is not gold.
RU> All is not gold that glitters.

EN> Among friends all things are common.
RU> (One does not regret giving) one's own
ear-ring to one's dear friend.

EN> The appetite comes with eating.
RU> The appetite comes during a meal.

EN> An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
RU> Onion treats seven ailments.

EN> As you brew, so you must drink.
RU> As you cooked the porridge,
so must you eat it.

EN> As you make your bed, so you must lie on it.
RU> As you make you bed, so you will sleep.

EN> As you sow, so you reap.
RU> You will reap what you will sow.

EN> A bad workman always blames his tools.
RU> It is a bad workman that has a bad saw.

EN> The bait hides the hook.
RU> One may make up a soft bed (for somebody),
but still it will be hard to sleep in.

EN> Barking dogs seldom bite.
RU> You needn't be afraid of a barking dog,
but you should be afraid of a silent dog.

EN> The best is often the enemy of the good.
RU> One does not look for good from good.

EN> Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow.
EN> Better a dove on the plate than a wood
grouse in the mating place.

EN> Better bend the neck than bruise the forehead.
RU> You cannot break through a wall with your
forehead.

EN> Better late than never.
RU> Better late than never.

EN> Better the foot slip than the tongue.
RU> Better to stumble than make a slip of tongue.

EN> Between two stools you fall to the ground.
RU> One who sits between two chairs may easily
fall down.

EN> Beware of silent man and still water.
RU> Beware of a quiet dog and still water.

EN> A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
RU> A sparrow in the hand is better than
a cock on the roof.

EN> A bird may be known by its song.
RU> A bird may be known by its flight.

EN> Birds of a feather flock together.
RU> One fisherman sees another from afar.

EN> The bull must be taken by the horns.
RU> Take the bull by the horns.

EN> The burnt child dreads the fire.
RU> Once burned by milk you will blow
on cold water.

EN> By doing nothing we learn to do ill.
RU> Idleness is the mother of all vices.

EN> A cat in gloves catches no mice.
RU> You can not pull a fish out a
pond without labor.

EN> A cat may look at a king.
RU> No money is taken for just looking
(at somebody or something).

EN> The cat shuts its eyes when it steals
the cream.
RU> He would exclaim "Ah!" looking at
himself.

EN> The cat would eat fish and would not wet her feet.
RU> One would like to eat fish, but not like to
get into the water.

EN> A chain is no stronger than its weakest link.
RU> Where something is thin, that's where it tears.

EN> A closed mouth catches no flies.
RU> A fly will not get into a closed mouth.

EN> The cobbler should stick to his last.
RU> There will be trouble if the cobbler
starts making pies.

EN> A cock is bold on his own dunghill.
RU> Any sandpiper is great in his own swamp.

EN> Constant dropping wears away a stone.
RU> A drop hollows out a stone.

EN> The cow knows not the worth of her tail
till she loses it.
RU> We do not care of what we have, but we
cry when it is lost.

EN> The cowl does not make the monk.
RU> Not everyone who has a cowl on is a monk.

EN> Curiosity killed the cat.
RU> Curious Varvara's nose was torn off.

EN> Curses like chickens come home to roost.
RU> Do not dig a hole for somebody else; you
yourself will fall into it.

EN> Curst cows have curt horns.
RU> God does not give horns to a cow that butts.

EN> Cut your coat according to your cloth.
RU> Stretch your legs according to your clothes.

EN> The darkest hours is that before the dawn.
RU> Stormy weather cannot stay all the time,
the red sun will come out, too.

EN> Desperate diseases call for desperate remedies.
RU> You need a sharp axe for a tough bough.

EN> The devil is not so black as he is painted.
RU> The devil is not so frightful as he is painted.

EN> Diamond cut diamond.
RU> The scythe ran into a stone.

EN> Discretion is the better part of valor.
RU> God takes care of the one who takes care
of himself.

EN> Dog doesn't eat dog.
RU> A wolf won't eat a wolf.

EN> Do not cry till you are out of the wood.
RU> Do not praise yourself while going into battle;
praise yourself coming out of battle.

EN> Do not spur a willing horse.
RU> You do not need a whip to urge
on an obedient horse.

EN> Do not wash your dirty linen in public.
RU> Do not carry rubbish out of your hut.

EN> Don't bite off more than you can chew.
RU> Cut down the tree that you are able to.

EN> Don't carry coals to Newcastle.
RU> One does not go to Tula with one's
own samovar.

EN> Don't count your chickens before
they are hatched.
RU> Chickens are counted in autumn.

EN> Don't cross a bridge before you come to it.
RU> There will come a time when the seed
will sprout.

EN> Don't cut the bough you are standing on.
RU> Do not cut the bough you are sitting on.

EN> Don't have thy cloak to make when it begins to rain.
RU> The peasant will not cross himself before
it begins to thunder.

EN> Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
RU> Do not look at gift horse's mouth.

EN> Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.
RU> Do not make an elephant out of fly.

EN> Don't measure other people's corn
by your own bushel.
RU> Do not measure (others) by your
own arshin (=28 inches).

EN> Don't play with fire.
RU> Don't play with fire - you will
burn yourself.

EN> Don't put the cart before the horse.
RU> Do not plant a tree with its root upward.

EN> Don't strike a man when he is down.
RU> A man should not be struck when he is down.

EN> Don't swap horses in the middle of the stream.
RU> You do not swap horses while crossing the ford.

EN> Don't teach a fish to swim.
RU> Do not teach a pike to swim,
a pike knows his own science.

EN> Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs.
RU> Eggs cannot teach a hen.

EN> A drowning man will clutch at a straw.
RU> A drowning man clutches at a straw.

EN> The early bird catches the worm.
RU> God gives to those who get up early.

EN> East or west, home is best.
RU> It is good to be visiting, but
it is better at home.

EN> Empty vessels make the greatest sound.
RU> An empty barrel makes the greatest sound.

EN> The end crowns the work.
RU> The end is the crown of any work.

EN> An Englishman's home is his castle.
RU> One is one's own master on one's own stove.

EN> Every ass likes to hear himself bray.
RU> The tongue speaks, but the head doesn't know.

EN> Every birds likes its own nest best.
RU> Every sandpiper praises its own swamp.

EN> Every cloud has silver lining.
RU> There is no evil without good.

EN> Every cook praises his own broth.
RU> Every merchant praises his own goods.

EN> Every day is not Sunday.
RU> (Life is) not always Shrove-tide
for a cat, there will also be Lent.

EN> Every dog has his day.
RU> There will be a festival
in our street too.

EN> Every family has a skeleton in the cupboard.
RU> Every hut has its own rattles.

EN> Every flow has its ebb.
RU> Good fortune and bad fortune travel
in the same sledge.

EN> Every man has a fool in his sleeve.
RU> There is enough simplicity in every wise man.

EN> Every man is the architect of his own fortune.
RU> Every man is the blacksmith of his fortune.

EN> Every medal has its reverse.
RU> Every medal has two sides.

< End of Russian-English Proverbs >