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A Few of My Favorite Russian Proverbs (with their literal translations)

elliottholt:

  • 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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