Mieć węża w kieszeni

Meaning: To be very stingy.

Language: Polish

Literally: To have a snake in your pocket

Category: Animals

Origin: A snake guarding the pocket pictures someone who will never let a coin slip out.

Equivalents in other languages

تمخض الجبل فولد فأرا (tamakhaḍa al-jabalu fa-walada fa'ran) — A huge fuss producing a tiny result.
مرغ همسایه غاز است (morgh-e hamsāye ghāz ast) — The grass is always greener next door.
A umbla cu cioara vopsită — To try to deceive people with falsehoods.
Ići niz dlaku — To go smoothly and agreeably.
Að fara í geitarhús að leita ullar — To seek something where it can't possibly be found.
So skaars soos hoendertande — Extremely rare; almost non-existent.

Wyjść jak Zabłocki na mydle — To lose out badly on a deal.
Gdzie kucharek sześć, tam nie ma co jeść — Too many cooks spoil the broth.
trzęsienie ziemi — A sudden, violent upheaval or catastrophic disruption in society, politics, or personal c…
co ślina na język przyniesie — Careless, thoughtless speech; whatever comes to mind without reflection or substance.
błędne koło — A logical fallacy or impossible situation in which the solution requires solving the prob…
ciągnie swój do swego — People naturally gravitate toward and associate with those similar to themselves.

Pour not water on a drowned mouse. — Pointless effort wastes resources when the situation is already beyond remedy.
A drunken night makes a cloudy morning. — Excess indulgence tonight guarantees regret and impaired judgment tomorrow.
Dry bread at home is better than roast beef abroad. — Humble contentment in familiar surroundings surpasses luxury experienced in exile or disp…