ProverbHuman Nature
Polish origin
Polish originZłej baletnicy przeszkadza i rąbek u spódnicy
Meaning: People who lack skill always find something to blame.
Literally: A bad ballerina is hindered even by the hem of her skirt
Example: “Przegrał mecz i obwinia buty. Złej baletnicy przeszkadza i rąbek u spódnicy.” — He lost the match and blames his shoes: a bad workman always blames his tools.
Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, German, and 3 more languages
English: A bad workman always blames his tools
French: Les mauvais ouvriers ont toujours de mauvais outils (literally: Bad workers always have bad tools)
Spanish: El mal escribano le echa la culpa a la pluma (literally: The bad scribe blames the pen)
Japanese: 弘法筆を選ばず (Kōbō fude wo erabazu) (literally: Kōbō does not choose his brush)
German: Wenn der Reiter nichts taugt, ist das Pferd schuld (literally: When the rider is no good, the horse gets the blame)
Portuguese: O mau artífice culpa a ferramenta (literally: The bad craftsman blames the tool)
Dutch: Een kwaad werkman vindt nooit goed gereedschap (literally: A bad workman never finds good tools)
Russian: Нечего на зеркало пенять, коли рожа крива (Nechego na zerkalo penyat', koli rozha kriva) (literally: Don't blame the mirror if your face is crooked)
Origin: The rhyme of baletnicy and spódnicy (skirt) makes the excuse sound as flimsy as it is.
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