Russian Proverbs

116 genuine Russian proverbs, each matched with an English proverb that means the same thing. Some use the same image; many say it in a completely different way. Each comes with a word-for-word translation and its meaning.

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• Кровь не вода (Krov' ne voda) — Family bonds are stronger than other relationships. Literally: Blood is not water.
• Одна голова хорошо, а две лучше (Odna golova khorosho, a dve luchshe) — Collaboration and diverse perspectives lead to better solutions. Literally: One head is good, two are better.
• Без труда не вынешь и рыбку из пруда (Bez truda ne vynesh' i rybku iz pruda) — You must work hard to achieve results. Literally: Without effort you can't even pull a fish from the pond.
• Как аукнется, так и откликнется (Kak auknetsya, tak i otkliknetsya) — Your actions will eventually return to affect you. Literally: As you call into the woods, so it echoes back.
• Слово — серебро, молчание — золото (Slovo — serebro, molchanie — zoloto) — Sometimes it's better to say nothing. Literally: Speech is silver, silence is gold.
• Там хорошо, где нас нет (Tam khorosho, gde nas net) — What others have always seems better than what you have. Literally: It's good wherever we aren't.
• Лучше синица в руках, чем журавль в небе (Luchshe sinitsa v rukakh, chem zhuravl' v nebe) — It's better to have something certain now than to risk it for something uncertain in the future. Literally: Better a titmouse in the hands than a crane in the sky.
• Навык мастера ставит (Navyk mastera stavit) — Repeated practice leads to mastery. Literally: Skill makes the master.
• Рыбак рыбака видит издалека (Rybak rybaka vidit izdaleka) — People with similar interests or characteristics tend to associate with each other. Literally: A fisherman spots a fisherman from afar.
• Москва не сразу строилась (Moskva ne srazu stroilas') — Great things take time and patience. Literally: Moscow wasn't built all at once.
• Нет худа без добра (Net khuda bez dobra) — There is always something positive in every difficult situation. Literally: There's no bad without good.
• Семь раз отмерь, один раз отрежь (Sem' raz otmer', odin raz otrezh') — Think carefully before acting. Literally: Measure seven times, cut once.
• По одёжке встречают, по уму провожают (Po odyozhke vstrechayut, po umu provozhayut) — Appearances can be deceiving. Literally: They greet you by your clothes and see you off by your mind.
• Цыплят по осени считают (Tsyplyat po oseni schitayut) — Don't assume success before it happens. Literally: Chicks are counted in autumn.
• У семи нянек дитя без глазу (U semi nyanek ditya bez glazu) — Too many people involved can ruin a project. Literally: With seven nannies, the child loses an eye.
• Кто рано встаёт, тому Бог подаёт (Kto rano vstayot, tomu Bog podayot) — Those who act first gain advantage. Literally: God gives to whoever rises early.
• Лучше поздно, чем никогда (Luchshe pozdno, chem nikogda) — Doing something late is better than not doing it at all. Literally: Better late than never.
• Любопытной Варваре на базаре нос оторвали (Lyubopytnoy Varvare na bazare nos otorvali) — Being too inquisitive can lead to trouble. Literally: Nosy Varvara had her nose torn off at the market.
• Голь на выдумки хитра (Gol' na vydumki khitra) — Difficult situations inspire creative solutions. Literally: The poor are clever at inventing.
• Яблоко от яблони недалеко падает (Yabloko ot yabloni nedaleko padaet) — Children often resemble their parents. Literally: The apple falls not far from the apple tree.
• Что посеешь, то и пожнёшь (Chto poseesh', to i pozhnyosh') — Your actions determine your outcomes. Literally: What you sow, you will reap.
• Нет дыма без огня (Net dyma bez ognya) — Rumors or signs usually indicate some truth. Literally: No smoke without fire.
• Тише едешь — дальше будешь (Tishe edesh' — dal'she budesh') — Consistency and patience lead to success. Literally: The slower you ride, the farther you get.
• Не всё то золото, что блестит (Ne vsyo to zoloto, chto blestit) — Appearances can be misleading. Literally: Not all that glitters is gold.
• Чего себе не хочешь, того и другому не твори (Chego sebe ne khochesh', togo i drugomu ne tvori) — Treat people the way you want to be treated. Literally: What you don't want for yourself, don't do to another.
• Не до жиру, быть бы живу (Ne do zhiru, byt' by zhivu) — When you need help, you accept what's offered. Literally: Never mind fat, as long as we stay alive.
• Пустая бочка пуще гремит (Pustaya bochka pushche gremit) — Those who know the least often talk the most. Literally: An empty barrel rattles loudest.
• В тихом омуте черти водятся (V tikhom omute cherti vodyatsya) — Quiet people often have great depth of character. Literally: Devils live in a still pool.
• Не той собаки бойся, что громко лает, а той, что исподтишка хватает (Ne toy sobaki boysya, chto gromko laet, a toy, chto ispodtishka khvataet) — People who make threats rarely carry them out. Literally: Don't fear the dog that barks loudly, fear the one that bites on the sly.
• В чужой монастырь со своим уставом не ходят (V chuzhoy monastyr' so svoim ustavom ne khodyat) — Adapt to local customs when visiting a new place. Literally: You don't bring your own rulebook to someone else's monastery.
• Сучец в чужом глазу видишь, а в своём и бревна не видишь (Suchets v chuzhom glazu vidish', a v svoyom i brevna ne vidish') — Don't criticize others if you have the same faults. Literally: You see the speck in another's eye, not the log in your own.
• Лучше один раз увидеть, чем сто раз услышать (Luchshe odin raz uvidet', chem sto raz uslyshat') — Visual information communicates more effectively than text. Literally: Better to see once than hear a hundred times.
• В гостях хорошо, а дома лучше (V gostyakh khorosho, a doma luchshe) — Home is where you feel most comfortable. Literally: Visiting is nice, but home is better.
• Поспешишь — людей насмешишь (Pospeshish' — lyudey nasmeshish') — Rushing leads to mistakes and wasted effort. Literally: Hurry and you'll make people laugh.
• Куй железо, пока горячо (Kuy zhelezo, poka goryacho) — Act quickly when the opportunity presents itself. Literally: Forge the iron while it's hot.
• На миру и смерть красна (Na miru i smert' krasna) — Unhappy people seek others who are also suffering. Literally: Among people, even death is fine.
• С волками жить — по-волчьи выть (S volkami zhit' — po-volch'i vyt') — If you can't win against something, align with it. Literally: Live with wolves, howl like a wolf.
• Бережёная копейка рубль бережёт (Berezhyonaya kopeyka rubl' berezhyot) — Saving money is just as valuable as earning it. Literally: A saved kopeck saves a ruble.
• Благими намерениями вымощена дорога в ад (Blagimi namereniyami vymoshchena doroga v ad) — Good plans are worthless without follow-through. Literally: The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
• Как нажито, так и прожито (Kak nazhito, tak i prozhito) — Things obtained without effort are easily lost. Literally: As it was earned, so it was spent.
• Лес рубят — щепки летят (Les rubyat — shchepki letyat) — Progress requires sacrifice. Literally: When the forest is felled, chips fly.
• С глаз долой — из сердца вон (S glaz doloy — iz serdtsa von) — We tend to forget things or people we don't see. Literally: Out of the eyes, out of the heart.
• Один в поле не воин (Odin v pole ne voin) — Strength comes from unity. Literally: One man in the field is no army.
• Взялся за гуж, не говори, что не дюж (Vzyalsya za guzh, ne govori, chto ne dyuzh) — Once committed to something, go all the way with it. Literally: Once you've taken the harness strap, don't say you're not strong enough.
• Бережёного Бог бережёт (Berezhyonogo Bog berezhyot) — It's wiser to be cautious than to take unnecessary risks. Literally: God protects those who protect themselves.
• Из огня да в полымя (Iz ognya da v polymya) — Escaping one bad situation only to end up in a worse one. Literally: Out of the fire and into the flames.
• Будет и на нашей улице праздник (Budet i na nashey ulitse prazdnik) — Everyone will have their moment of success or good fortune. Literally: There will be a holiday on our street too.
• Нет розы без шипов (Net rozy bez shipov) — Even the best things have their drawbacks. Literally: No rose without thorns.
• Друг познаётся в беде (Drug poznayotsya v bede) — True friends show their worth during difficult times. Literally: A friend is known in trouble.
• Под лежачий камень вода не течёт (Pod lezhachiy kamen' voda ne techyot) — Those who keep moving avoid stagnation (or commitments). Literally: Water doesn't flow under a lying stone.
• Не по хорошу мил, а по милу хорош (Ne po khoroshu mil, a po milu khorosh) — Perception of beauty is subjective and personal. Literally: Not dear because handsome, but handsome because dear.
• Где тонко, там и рвётся (Gde tonko, tam i ryvotsya) — A group's effectiveness is limited by its weakest member. Literally: Where it's thin, that's where it tears.
• С лица не воду пить (S litsa ne vodu pit') — Physical appearance is superficial; character matters more. Literally: You don't drink water from a face.
• В гостях хорошо, а дома лучше (V gostyakh khorosho, a doma luchshe) — No matter where you go, home remains the best place. Literally: Visiting is nice, but home is better.
• Русский человек задним умом крепок (Russkiy chelovek zadnim umom krepok) — Past decisions are always clearer in retrospect. Literally: A Russian is strong in hindsight.
• Бог правду видит, да не скоро скажет (Bog pravdu vidit, da ne skoro skazhet) — Justice takes time but eventually arrives. Literally: God sees the truth but doesn't tell it soon.
• Цель оправдывает средства (Tsel' opravdyvaet sredstva) — A good outcome excuses questionable methods. Literally: The end justifies the means.
• Берись дружно, не будет грузно (Beris' druzhno, ne budet gruzno) — Tasks are easier when shared among many people. Literally: Lift together and it won't be heavy.
• Не откладывай на завтра то, что можно сделать сегодня (Ne otkladyvay na zavtra to, chto mozhno sdelat' segodnya) — Avoid procrastination. Literally: Don't put off till tomorrow what can be done today.
• Горбатого могила исправит (Gorbatogo mogila ispravit) — People can't fundamentally change their nature. Literally: Only the grave will straighten a hunchback.
• Без кота мышам раздолье (Bez kota mysham razdol'ye) — People behave freely when authority is absent. Literally: Without the cat, the mice run free.
• Своя рубашка ближе к телу (Svoya rubashka blizhe k telu) — Take care of your own family before helping others. Literally: Your own shirt is closer to your body.
• Дарёному коню в зубы не смотрят (Daryonomu konyu v zuby ne smotryat) — Don't question the value of a gift. Literally: You don't look a gifted horse in the teeth.
• Пришла беда — отворяй ворота (Prishla beda — otvoryay vorota) — Troubles often come all at once. Literally: Trouble has come, so open the gates.
• Все дороги ведут в Рим (Vse dorogi vedut v Rim) — There are many ways to reach the same goal. Literally: All roads lead to Rome.
• Век живи — век учись (Vek zhivi — vek uchis') — Learning is a lifelong process. Literally: Live a lifetime, learn a lifetime.
• О вкусах не спорят (O vkusakh ne sporyat) — Everyone has their own preferences and choices. Literally: One doesn't argue about tastes.
• Старого учить — что мёртвого лечить (Starogo uchit' — chto myortvogo lechit') — It's difficult to change established habits. Literally: Teaching the old is like healing the dead.
• Лиха беда начало (Likha beda nachalo) — Starting something new requires the most courage. Literally: The trouble is only in starting.
• Делать из мухи слона (Delat' iz mukhi slona) — Don't exaggerate small problems. Literally: To make an elephant out of a fly.
• Голод — лучший повар (Golod — luchshiy povar) — Food tastes better when you're truly hungry. Literally: Hunger is the best cook.
• Капля камень точит (Kaplya kamen' tochit) — Persistent small efforts accomplish what force alone cannot. Literally: A drop wears away stone.
• Скажи мне, кто твой друг, и я скажу тебе, кто ты (Skazhi mne, kto tvoy drug, i ya skazhu tebe, kto ty) — The company you keep reflects and shapes your own character. Literally: Tell me who your friend is and I'll tell you who you are.
• Молчи — за умного сойдёшь (Molchi — za umnogo soydyosh') — Saying nothing is often wiser than speaking without knowledge. Literally: Keep quiet and you'll pass for clever.
• Рыба гниёт с головы (Ryba gniyot s golovy) — Problems in an organization or society start at the top, with its leaders. Literally: The fish rots from the head.
• Здоровье дороже богатства (Zdorov'ye dorozhe bogatstva) — Good health is more valuable than any material possession or social status. Literally: Health is dearer than riches.
• Не судите, да не судимы будете (Ne sudite, da ne sudimy budete) — We should refrain from judging others because we ourselves are imperfect. Literally: Judge not, that ye be not judged.
• Нечего на зеркало пенять, коли рожа крива (Nechego na zerkalo penyat', koli rozha kriva) — Incompetent people blame external factors for their failures instead of taking responsibility. Literally: Don't blame the mirror if your face is crooked.
• Голодное брюхо к учению глухо (Golodnoye bryukho k ucheniyu glukho) — People cannot focus on anything else when their most basic needs are unmet. Literally: A hungry belly is deaf to learning.
• Слово не воробей: вылетит — не поймаешь (Slovo ne vorobey: vyletit — ne poymayesh') — Choose your words carefully, for once said they cannot be unsaid. Literally: A word is not a sparrow: once it flies out, you won't catch it.
• Горбатого могила исправит (Gorbatogo mogila ispravit) — Surface appearances can change, but a person's fundamental nature remains the same. Literally: Only the grave will straighten a hunchback.
• Семь раз отмерь, один раз отрежь (Sem' raz otmer', odin raz otrezh') — Take time to plan carefully before acting, to avoid costly and irreversible mistakes. Literally: Measure seven times, cut once.
• Клин клином вышибают (Klin klinom vyshibayut) — New habits, relationships, or ideas can effectively replace and eliminate old ones. Literally: A wedge is knocked out with a wedge.
• Ночью все кошки серы (Noch'yu vse koshki sery) — When darkness obscures differences, all things appear equal or indistinguishable. Literally: At night all cats are gray.
• Беда одна не ходит (Beda odna ne khodit) — Troubles compound—when one disaster strikes, others typically follow in succession. Literally: Trouble doesn't walk alone.
• Старый конь борозды не испортит (Staryy kon' borozdy ne isportit) — Worn-out tools and aging people retain their value and capability despite visible deterioration. Literally: An old horse won't spoil the furrow.
• Клевета что уголь: не обожжёт, так замарает (Kleveta chto ugol': ne obozhzhyot, tak zamaraet) — Regarding this "mud" term in particular, it may possibly reference a technique of building wattle and daub walls by throwing daub (mud mixed with straw) at the wattle, throwing hard enough that some obtained a good key and remained in place; compare slapdash, a pebbledash effect produced by throwing pebbles at a rendered wall. Literally: Slander is like coal: if it doesn't burn, it blackens.
• За битого двух небитых дают (Za bitogo dvukh nebitykh dayut) — Hardship teaches wisdom even when it never fills your pockets. Literally: For one who's been beaten, you'd get two who haven't.
• После драки кулаками не машут (Posle draki kulakami ne mashut) — Counsel offered after the deed is already done is worthless. Literally: You don't swing your fists after the fight.
• Строить воздушные замки (Stroit' vozdushnye zamki) — Imagination costs nothing, but translating dreams into reality requires effort and resources. Literally: To build castles in the air.
• Дома и стены помогают (Doma i steny pomogayut) — A person commands confidence and authority only within their familiar domain, losing that assurance elsewhere. Literally: At home even the walls help you.
• Хочешь есть калачи, так не сиди на печи (Khochesh' yest' kalachi, tak ne sidi na pechi) — Effort and perseverance are necessary prerequisites; you cannot enjoy rewards without enduring the difficult work required to obtain them. Literally: If you want to eat buns, don't sit on the stove.
• Худое колесо пуще скрипит (Khudoe koleso pushche skripit) — The most damaged or weakest part of any system draws attention and creates problems disproportionate to its size. Literally: A bad wheel creaks louder.
• Из двух зол выбирают меньшее (Iz dvukh zol vybirayut men'shee) — When facing unavoidable harm, select the option causing minimum damage rather than suffering the worst possible outcome. Literally: Of two evils one picks the lesser.
• Тише едешь — дальше будешь (Tishe edesh' — dal'she budesh') — Steady, moderate effort sustains progress better than rushed, forceful action that exhausts itself quickly. Literally: The slower you ride, the farther you get.
• Курочка по зёрнышку клюёт, да сыта бывает (Kurochka po zyornyshku klyuyot, da syta byvayet) — Small incremental losses, ignored individually, accumulate into significant depletion over time. Literally: The hen pecks grain by grain, yet gets full.
• Ловить рыбу в мутной воде (Lovit' rybu v mutnoy vode) — Exploiting chaos and confusion allows cunning people to gain unfair advantages over others. Literally: To fish in muddy water.
• Дорого яичко ко Христову дню (Dorogo yaichko ko Khristovu dnyu) — Quick generosity prevents the recipient's anxiety and disappointment, making one gift feel like two. Literally: An egg is precious on Easter Day.
• Плохо не клади, вора в грех не вводи (Plokho ne kladi, vora v grekh ne vvodi) — Temptation proves strongest where safeguards are weakest, inviting transgression. Literally: Don't leave things lying about and lead a thief into sin.
• Если гора не идёт к Магомету, то Магомет идёт к горе (Esli gora ne idyot k Magometu, to Magomet idyot k gore) — When obstacles won't move, adapt your approach rather than exhaust yourself demanding change. Literally: If the mountain won't come to Muhammad, Muhammad goes to the mountain.
• Язык мой — враг мой (Yazyk moy — vrag moy) — A physical misstep heals quickly, but careless words cause lasting damage to relationships and reputation. Literally: My tongue is my enemy.
• Видит око, да зуб неймёт (Vidit oko, da zub neymyot) — Dismissing something as worthless once you've failed to obtain it masks disappointment through false disdain. Literally: The eye sees it, but the tooth can't reach it.
• За двумя зайцами погонишься — ни одного не поймаешь (Za dvumya zaytsami pogonish'sya — ni odnogo ne poymaesh') — Trying to sit on two stools simultaneously leaves you falling between them, unsupported and hurt. Literally: Chase two hares and you won't catch either.
• Довлеет дневи злоба его (Dovleet dnevi zloba ego) — Worrying about tomorrow's troubles prevents you from managing today's actual problems effectively. Literally: Sufficient unto the day is its evil.
• Одна ласточка весны не делает (Odna lastochka vesny ne delaet) — A single favorable occurrence cannot establish a lasting pattern; sustained evidence requires repetition. Literally: One swallow doesn't make a spring.
• Не так страшен чёрт, как его малюют (Ne tak strashen chyort, kak ego malyuyut) — More people fear danger than actually experience it; anxiety often exceeds real harm. Literally: The devil isn't as scary as he's painted.
• Где тонко, там и рвётся (Gde tonko, tam i ryvotsya) — Failure occurs at the point of greatest vulnerability, not where strength exists. Literally: Where it's thin, that's where it tears.
• Сытый голодного не разумеет (Sytyy golodnogo ne razumeet) — Wealth and privilege create invisible barriers preventing the comfortable from understanding the daily struggles of the poor. Literally: The well-fed don't understand the hungry.
• Слово не стрела, а пуще стрелы разит (Slovo ne strela, a pushche strely razit) — Physical injuries fade while harsh speech leaves permanent emotional scars impossible to fully repair. Literally: A word isn't an arrow, but strikes harder than one.
• Привычка — вторая натура (Privychka — vtoraya natura) — Habits ingrained through repetition become as automatic and instinctive as inborn traits. Literally: Habit is second nature.
• Рыбак рыбака видит издалека (Rybak rybaka vidit izdaleka) — People naturally gravitate toward and trust those who share their values, interests, or circumstances. Literally: A fisherman spots a fisherman from afar.
• Браки совершаются на небесах (Braki sovershayutsya na nebesakh) — Destined partners find each other through forces beyond human control, suggesting compatibility transcends deliberate planning. Literally: Marriages are made in heaven.
• Счёт дружбы не портит (Schyot druzhby ne portit) — Settling debts promptly prevents resentment from festering and eroding relationships over time. Literally: Keeping accounts doesn't spoil friendship.
• Всяк сверчок знай свой шесток (Vsyak sverchok znay svoy shestok) — Individuals excel when focusing on their own expertise rather than attempting unfamiliar work outside their competence. Literally: Every cricket, know your own perch.
• Хороший товар сам себя хвалит (Khoroshiy tovar sam sebya khvalit) — Excellent quality requires no advertisement; genuine merit speaks for itself without promotional effort. Literally: Good goods praise themselves.
• Нет пророка в своём отечестве (Net proroka v svoyom otechestve) — Recognition is hardest to win from the people who know you best. Literally: There's no prophet in his own homeland.

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