ProverbChallengeRussian origin

За битого двух небитых дают (Za bitogo dvukh nebitykh dayut)

Meaning: Someone who has been through hardship is worth more than the inexperienced.

Literally: For one who's been beaten, you'd get two who haven't

Example: “Возьми на работу того, кто уже ошибался. За битого двух небитых дают.” — Hire the one who has already made mistakes: experience is worth twice as much.

Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, German, and 2 more languages

  • English: Adversity makes a man wise, not rich.
  • French: Vent au visage rend un homme sage (literally: Wind in the face makes a man wise)
  • Spanish: De los escarmentados nacen los avisados (literally: From those who have learned the hard way come the wary)
  • Japanese: 艱難汝を玉にす (Kannan nanji o tama ni su) (literally: Hardship polishes you into a jewel)
  • German: Durch Schaden wird man klug (literally: Through harm one becomes wise)
  • Dutch: Door schade en schande wordt men wijs (literally: Through loss and shame one grows wise)
  • Chinese: 吃一堑，长一智 (Chī yí qiàn, zhǎng yí zhì) (literally: Fall into a ditch, gain in wit)

Origin: For one man who has been beaten, you'd get two who haven't, so the experienced one is worth double.

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