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: н 8 of 15 | < Prev Next >

- H -
На безры́бье и рак -- ры́ба.	Something is better than nothing. Literal: On a fishing lull, even a crayfish is fish.
На Бо́га наде́йся, а сам не плоша́й.	Trust in God, but lock your car. Literal: Hope for God, but do not be reliant.
На Бо́га поло́жишься -- не обло́жишься.	Literal: If you rely on God, you won't fail.
На брю́хе шёлк, а в брю́хе щёлк.	All hat and no cattle. Literal: On the belly there is silk, and in the belly - just a click.
На весь свет не угодишь.	If you try to please all you will please none.
На вкус и цвет това́рищей нет.	There's no accounting for taste. Literal: There are no friends in tastes and colors.
На во́ре ша́пка гори́т.	A guilty mind betrays itself. Literal: A thief's hat is burning.
На всех не угоди́шь	He who pleased everybody died before he was born. Literal: You cannot please everybody.
На вся́кого мудреца́ дово́льно простоты́.	Homer sometimes nods. Literal: For each wise man there are plenty of fools.
На зе́ркало не́ча пеня́ть, ко́ли ро́жа крива́.	Literal: If your face looks skewed, don't blame the mirror.
На ловца́ и зверь бежи́т.	Speak of the devil, and he appears. Literal: Prey runs into a trapper.
На миру́ и смерть красна́.	Together with your people even the death is respectable.
На то и щу́ка в мо́ре, что́бы кара́сь не дрема́л.	Literal: The pike in the sea is there to make the crucian to stay alert.
На халя́ву и у́ксус сла́док.	Vinegar that is free, is sweeter than honey. Literal: Even vinegar is sweet when for freebie.
На что и шапка, коли головы нет.	Не that has nо head needs no hat.
На чужо́й карава́й рот не разева́й.	Don't keep your mouth open. Literal: Don't open your mouth to eat other people's bread.
На чужо́й рото́к не наки́нешь плато́к.	It is impossible to throw a shawl over someone's mouth. Literal: you can't throw a handkerchief over somebody's mouth.
На чужо́й сторо́нушке рад свое́й воро́нушке.	The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet. Literal: In the foreign country you are glad to see even the crow from your land.
На чужо́м го́ре сча́стья не постро́ишь.	Literal: One can't build one's happiness on others' grief.
На языке́ мёд, а на се́рдце -- лёд.	A honey tongue, a heart of gall. Literal: On the tongue there's honey, and on the heart there's ice.
Назва́лся гру́здем -- полеза́й в ку́зов.	If you undertook something, do it; If you pledge, don't hedge. Literal: If you called yourself a milk-mushroom -- get into the basket!
Назло мужу сяду в лужу.	To bite off one's nose to spite somebody's face.
Нашла́ коса́ на ка́мень.	Diamond cut diamond.; You have met your match. Literal: The scythe has hit a stone.
Не бо́ги горшки́ обжига́ют.	It is not the gods who burn our pots. Literal: It's not gods who make pots.
Не бо́йся соба́ки, что ла́ет, а бо́йся той, что молчи́т и хвосто́м виля́ет.	It's the quiet ones you gotta watch. Literal: Don't be afraid of the dog who barks, but be afraid of the one who is silent and wags its tail.
Не буди́ ли́ха, пока́ спит ти́хо.	Don't trouble till trouble troubles you; Let sleeping dogs lie. Literal: Don't wake up trouble while it sleeps quietly.
Не́ было бы сча́стья, да несча́стье помогло́.	A blessing in disguise. Literal: I would have had no luck, if not for misfortune.
Не́ было у ба́бы хлопо́т, так купи́ла порося́.	You've asked for trouble. Literal: The woman had no trouble, so she bought a piglet.
Не в свои сани не садись.	Do not try to sit in the sledge not belonging to you.
Не в силе правда, в правде сила.	Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true. Literal: Truth is not in power, rather power is in truth.
Не всё коту́ ма́сленица, бу́дет и вели́кий пост.	Life's not all beer and skittles; Life's not all wine and roses; I never promised you a bed of roses Literal: Not every day is a Shrovetide, in time it will be a Lent.
Не всё то зо́лото, что блести́т.	All that glitters is not gold. Literal: Not every glittering thing is gold.
Не говори́ гоп, пока́ не перепры́гнешь.	Don't count your chickens before they hatch. Literal: Don't exclaim "Up" having not yet made a jump.
Не гони́ коня́ кнуто́м, а гони́ коня́ рублём.	Money makes the mare go. Literal: Don't drive the horse with a whip, but drive the horse with a ruble.
Не да́вши сло́ва -- крепи́сь, а да́вши -- держи́сь.	Don't make a promise you can't keep. Literal: Not having given a word try to prevent to promise, but having had given a word be strong.
Не за то во́лка бьют, что сер, а за то, что овцу́ съел.	Love the sinner, but hate the sin. Literal: The wolf is beaten not for being grey, but for having eaten a sheep.
Не зна́я бро́ду, не су́йся в во́ду.	Wait for the cat to jump. Literal: Don't wade into a river without knowing a ford.
Не име́й дру́га пота́тчика, а име́й дру́га попере́чника.	Literal: Don't have a friend who always agrees with you, but have a friend who argues with you.
Не име́й сто рубле́й, а име́й сто друзе́й.	A faithful friend is better than gold. Literal: Don't have hundred rubles, rather have hundred friends.
Не клади́ все я́йца в одну́ корзи́ну.	Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Literal: Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Не ме́сто кра́сит челове́ка, а челове́к -- ме́сто.	It isn't the place that graces the man, but man the place. Literal: It isn't the place that graces the man, but man the place.
Не красна́ изба́ угла́ми, а красна́ пирога́ми.	A fine cage does not fill a bird's belly. Literal: The house is good not for its wealth, but for its cordial and hospitable owners.
Не мечи́те би́сер пе́ред сви́ньями.	Don't cast your pearls before swine. Literal: Don't cast beads in front of pigs.
Не мытьём, так ка́таньем.	By hook or by crook. Literal: If not by washing, then by rolling.
Не надобен и клад, коли в семье лад.	A family that lives in love and accord does not need any treasures. Literal: Treasure is not required when there is harmony in the family.
Не ошиба́ется тот, кто ничего́ не де́лает.	He who makes no mistakes makes nothing. Literal: Only he who does nothing makes no mistakes.
Не плюй в коло́дец -- пригоди́тся воды напи́ться.	Never cast dirt into that fountain of which you have sometime drunk.; Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Literal: Do not spit into a well--it may be useful to drink water.
Не по словам судят, а по делам.	Actions speak louder than words. Literal: They judge not by words, but by deeds.
Не по́йман -- не во́р.	Innocent till proven guilty. Literal: Unless caught stealing, one is not a thief.
Не рой друго́му я́му, сам в неё попадёшь.	Curses like chickens come home to roost. Literal: Don't dig a pit for somebody to fall into, or you will end up in it yourself.
Не руби́ сук, на кото́ром сиди́шь.	Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Literal: Don't hack the branch you are sitting on.
Не сади дерева корнем кверху.	Do not plant a tree with its root upward.
Не спра́шивай ста́рого, спра́шивай быва́лого.	Ask not the old, but the old-timer. Literal: Don't ask the old one, ask the experienced one.
Не суди́те и да не суди́мы бу́дете.	Judge not, lest ye be judged. Literal: Don't judge and you won't be judged.
Не так стра́шен чёрт, как его́ малю́ют.	The devil is not so terrible as he is painted. Literal: The devil is not as scary as they paint (draw) him.
Не учи́ учёного.	Don't teach fish to swim. Literal: Do not teach a learned person.
Незва́ный гость ху́же тата́рина.	Uninvited guest is worse than a Tatar. Literal: An unsolicited guest is worse than a Tatar.
Нем, как ры́ба.	Silent as a grave. Literal: Mute as a fish.
Нет ды́ма без огня́.	There is no smoke without fire. Literal: There is no smoke without fire.
Нет ничего невозможного.	Nothing is impossible.
Нет плохи́х судо́в, нет плохи́х ветро́в, есть плохи́е капита́ны.	Literal: There are no bad ships or winds, there are bad captains.
Нет ху́да без добра́.	Every cloud has a silver lining. Literal: There's no bad without the good.
Ни бэ, ни мэ, ни кукаре́ку.	Literal: Neither 'baaah', nor 'maaah', nor even 'cock-a-doodle-do'.
Ни к селу́, ни к го́роду.	Neither here nor there Literal: Not for village, not for town.
Ни пу́ха, ни пера́.	Good luck! Literal: Neither bird's down, nor feather.
Ни ры́ба, ни мя́со.	Neither fish nor flesh. Literal: Neither fish nor meat.
Ни складу ни ладу.	Neither rhyme nor reason; You told it through your hat; You lied through your teeth. Literal: Neither rhyme nor harmony.
Ничего святого.	Nothing is sacred for you.
Ничто не вечно под луной.	Morning sun never lasts a day.
Ничто не ново под луной.	There is nothing new under the sun.
Но́вая метла по-но́вому метёт.	A new broom sweeps clean.; In with the new and out with the old. Literal: A new broom sweeps in a new way.
Новые хозяева -- новые законы.	New lords, new laws.

8 of 15 | < Prev Next >

Index of Russian proverbs and sayings

Got questions?

Ask them in the Russian Questions and Answers — a place for students, teachers and native Russian speakers to discuss Russian grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and other aspects of the Russian language.