A Few of My Favorite Russian Proverbs (with their literal translations)
- Большой секрет – знает весь свет. Big secret–the whole world knows.
- Борода не делает философом. A beard doesn’t make a philosopher.
- В темноте все кошки серы. All cats are gray in the dark.
- В Ту́лу со свои́м самова́ром не е́здят. No one brings a samovar to Tula. (Tula is famous as the city where samovars were manufactured. This is the equivalent of “Don’t bring coal to Newcastle.”)
- Волко́в боя́ться – в лес не ходи́ть. If you’re afraid of wolves, don’t go to the woods.
- Говорить правду – потерять дружбу. Tell the truth–lose friends.
- Доверя́й, но проверя́й. Trust, but verify.
- Доно́счику – пе́рвый кнут. The informer is whipped first.
- Друг познаётся в беде́. You get to know your friend in trouble. (A friend in need is a friend indeed.)
- Дру́жба дру́жбой, а де́нежкам счёт. Friendship is friendship, but count money.
- Знать всё – значит не знать ничего. To know everything is to know nothing.
- И у стен бывают уши. And even walls have ears.
- Когда́ де́ньги говоря́т, тогда́ пра́вда молчи́т. When money talks, truth shuts up.
- На чужо́м го́ре сча́стья не постро́ишь. One can’t build happiness upon another’s grief.
- Назва́лся гру́здем – полеза́й в ку́зов
. If you called yourself a mushroom–get in the basket. (Sort of like, “don’t just talk the talk–walk the walk.”)THIS IS NOT CORRECT. THIS ACTUALLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MUSHROOMS OR BASKETS. I GOT THE INCORRECT TRANSLATION FROM THIS SITE. THIS ACTUALLY MEANS “In for a penny, out for a pound.”- Не ошиба́ется тот, кто ничего́ не де́лает. He that does nothing makes no mistakes.
NB: any translation mistakes are mine
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