ProverbWisdomGerman origin

Man soll den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben

Meaning: Don't celebrate success before it is certain.

Literally: One should not praise the day before the evening

Example: “Wir führen zwei zu null, aber man soll den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben.” — We're two goals up, but don't count your chickens before they hatch.

Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, Italian, and 4 more languages

  • English: Don't count your chickens before they hatch
  • French: Il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tué (literally: Don't sell the bear's skin before killing it)
  • Spanish: No vendas la piel del oso antes de cazarlo (literally: Don't sell the bear's skin before hunting it)
  • Japanese: 捕らぬ狸の皮算用 (Toranu tanuki no kawazan'yō) (literally: Counting the skin of an uncaught raccoon dog)
  • Italian: Non dire gatto se non ce l'hai nel sacco (literally: Don't say "cat" until it's in the sack)
  • Dutch: Verkoop de huid niet voordat de beer geschoten is (literally: Don't sell the skin before the bear is shot)
  • Russian: Цыплят по осени считают (Tsyplyat po oseni schitayut) (literally: Chicks are counted in autumn)
  • Polish: Nie dziel skóry na niedźwiedziu (literally: Don't share out the skin while it's still on the bear)
  • Korean: 김칫국부터 마신다 (Gimchitgukbuteo masinda) (literally: Drinking the kimchi soup first)

Origin: A day can still go wrong before it is over, so judge it only at nightfall.

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