Russian Proverbs and Sayings

This page continues the alphabetical list of Russian proverbs and sayings along with their English versions and literal translations.

А Б В Г Д Е Ё Ж З И Й К Л M Н О П Р С Т У Ф Х Ц Ч Ш Щ Ь Ы Ъ Э Ю Я

Russian proverbs: р-с 11 of 15 | < Prev Next >

- Р -
Рабо́та не волк, в лес не убежи́т.	The work is not like wolf - it would not run in the forest.
Раз на раз не прихо́дится.	You can't expect perfection every time. Literal: Each time it is different.
Раз солга́л -- наве́к лгуно́м стал.	Once a liar, always a liar. Literal: Once you've told a lie, you become a liar forever.
Ранняя пташка червяка ловит.	It is the early bird that catches the worm.
Рождество раз в год бывает.	Christmas comes but once a year.
Рука́ ру́ку мо́ет, вор во́ра кр́оет.	You roll my log and I'll roll yours. Literal: Hands wash each other, a thief covers another thief.
Рука́ ру́ку мо́ет.	You roll my log and I'll roll yours. Literal: Hands wash each other.
Ры́ба гниёт с головы́.	Fish begins to stink at the head. Literal: Fish rots from the head.
Ры́ба и́щет, где глу́бже, а челове́к где лу́чше.	He makes his home where the living is best. Literal: Fish seek for a deep place, men seek for a better place.
Рыба́к рыбака́ ви́дит издалека́.	Birds of a feather flock together. Literal: A fisherman can tell another fisherman from afar.

- С -
С волка́ми жить, по-во́лчьи выть.	Live with wolves, and you learn to howl. Literal: To live with wolves, you have to howl like a wolf.
С высокого места больно падать.	The higher you are, the farther you fall.
С глаз доло́й -- из се́рдца вон.	Out of sight, out of mind. Literal: Out of sight, out of heart.
С дураком шутить опасно.	Never bray at an ass.
С кем поведёшься, от того́ и наберёшься.	Those who sleep with dogs will rise with fleas; You are what your friends are. Literal: From anyone you are in contact you will ever accept something.
С милым рай и в шалаше.	Love in a cottage.
С ми́ру по ни́тке -- го́лому руба́ха.	Little and often fill the purse. Literal: Thread of the world -- shirt for naked.
С парши́вой овцы́ -- хоть ше́рсти клок.	It is good to gain even a flock of wool from the black sheep. Literal: From a scabby sheep, it's better to get at least a flock of wool than nothing at all.
С си́льным не бори́сь, с бога́тым не суди́сь.	Literal: Don't fight with the strong one, don't sue the rich one.
Сам навари́л, сам и ку́шай.	You've made your bed, now lie in it. Literal: You cooked it, so eat it yourself.
Сам погиба́й, а това́рища выруча́й.	Literal: You might die yourself, but you must save the friend.
Свинья́ везде́ грязь найдёт.	Literal: A pig will find mud anywhere.
Сводить концы с концами.	To make ends meet.
Свое́й те́ни не обго́нишь.	Literal: You can't move faster than your shadow.
Свой дом -- лучшее место.	There is no place like home.
Своя́ но́ша не тя́нет.	A burden of one's own choice is not felt Literal: One's own burden doesn't encumber.
Своя́ руба́шка бли́же к те́лу.	Charity begins at home. Literal: One's own shirt is closer to the body.
Свя́то ме́сто пу́сто не быва́ет.	Nature abhors a vacuum; The throne is never vacant Literal: Holy place is never empty.
Сде́лал де́ло, гуля́й сме́ло.	Business before pleasure; Work hard, play hard. Literal: When you have done the job, you may take a walk boldly.
Седина́ в бо́роду, бес в ребро́.	Young saints make old sinners. Literal: Grey hair into beard, devil into rib.
Се́меро одного́ не ждут.	For one that is missing there's no spoiling a wedding. Literal: Seven people don't wait for one.
Семь бед -- оди́н отве́т.	As well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb. Literal: Seven troubles -- one response.
Семь вёрст до небе́с, да всё ле́сом.	To talk a lot of hot air. Literal: Seven versts to heaven, and all the way through the forest.
Семь раз отме́рь, оди́н отре́жь.	Score twice before you cut once. Literal: Measure seven times, cut once.
Семь топоро́в вме́сте лежа́т, а две пря́лки врозь.	Literal: Seven axes lie together, and two distaves -- apart
Се́рдце с пе́рцем, душа́ с чесноко́м.	Literal: Heart with pepper, soul with garlic.
Сила есть, ума не надо.	Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.
Сила солому ломит.	Might goes before right.
Силой милому не быть.	You cannot force people to like you.
Ско́лько верёвочке не ви́ться -- коне́ц бу́дет.	The pitcher goes often to the well, but is broken at last; It will catch up with you in the end. Literal: However much would the string wind, the end will be reached anyway
Ско́лько во́лка ни корми́, он всё в лес смо́трит.	He that will steal a pin will steal a pound. Literal: The wolf being fed enough nevertheless looks in the forest.
Сколько стран, столько и обычаев.	So many countries, so many customs.
Ско́ро ска́зка ска́зывается, да не ско́ро де́ло де́лается.	Easier said than done. Literal: The tale is told quickly, but the job is done slowly.
Скрипучее дерево два века стоит.	A creaking door hangs long on its hinges. Literal: Creaky wood stands during two centuries.
Ску́пой пла́тит два́жды.	If you buy cheaply, you pay dearly., Cheap and nasty, expensive and tasty. Literal: The stingy one pays twice.
Скучен день до вечера, коли делать нечего.	Day-by-day a day goes by. Literal: The day is boring until the evening if there's nothing to do.
Сла́вны бу́бны за гора́ми.	Literal: The tambourines are good when they are behind mountains.
Сло́во -- не воробе́й: вы́летит -- не пойма́ешь.	A word spoken is past recalling. Literal: A word is not a sparrow, once it flies out, you won't catch it.
Сло́во -- се́ребро, молча́ние -- зо́лото.	Talk is cheap, silence is golden. Literal: Word is silver, silence is gold.
Слу́хом земля́ по́лнится.	News spreads like wildfire; News flies fast. Literal: The rumour fills the Earth.
Слы́шал звон, да не зна́ешь, где он.	You told it through your hat. Literal: you heard the ring, but don't know where.
Сме́лость города́ берёт.	Courage overcomes all obstacles. Literal: Bravery takes cities.
Смерть не спросит, придёт да скосит.	When the death comes no tricks can help you.
Сначала думай, потом говори.	First think, then speak.
Сня́вши го́лову, по волоса́м не пла́чут.	What's done is done. Literal: After taking off the head one doesn't(shouldn't) bewail the hair.
Собака лает, но не кусает.	Barking dogs seldom bite.
Собака на сене лежит, сама не ест и другим не дает.	A dog in the manger. Literal: A dog on the hay: will neither eat it himself, nor let others eat it.
Соловья́ ба́снями не ко́рмят.	Fine words butter no parsnips. Literal: The nightingale can't be fed by fables.
Соро́ка на хвосте́ принесла́.	A little bird told me. Literal: A magpie brought it on its tail.
Спрашивай не старого, а бывалого.	Ask not the old, but the old-timer.
Ста́рость - не ра́дость.	An old ape has an old eye; Old age, boy, is no joy. Literal: Old age is no fun.
Ста́рый друг - лу́чше но́вых двух.	Everything is good when new, but friends when old. Literal: An old friend is better than two new ones.
Ста́рый конь борозды́ не испо́ртит.	An old ox makes a straight furrow. Literal: The old horse won't spoil the furrow.
Страшно дело до зачина.	You never know what you can do till you try.
Стре́ляного воробья́ на мяки́не не проведёшь.	Old birds are not caught with chaff. Literal: One can't cheat sparrow, who had been shot at once, with chaff.
Счёт дружбе не помеха.	Even reckoning makes long friends.
Сы́тый голо́дного не разуме́ет: одному́ суп жи́дкий, друго́му -- же́мчуг ме́лкий.	He thinks that all warm is so. Literal: The sat one doesn't understand the hungry one: for one the soup is too thin, for the other -- the pearls are too small.
Сы́тый голо́дному не това́рищ.	It's no use preaching to a hungry man. Literal: The sat one is not a friend of the hungry one.

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Index of Russian proverbs and sayings

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