Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Russian Proverbs

NULL

"Bread is the best advice to the hungry."

"Every day is a messenger of God."

"Fear the judge, not the law."

"Go Godward: thou wilt find a road."

"Dwell on the past and you’ll lose an eye. Forget the past and you’ll lose both eyes."

"Patience doesn’t always help, but impatience never does."

"Pray to God, but row for the shore."

"It is not the horse that draws the cart, but the oats."

"The future belongs to those who know how to wait."

"Praise loudly, blame softly."

"The hammer shatters glass but forges steel."

"The greatest king must at last be put to bed with a shovel."

"There’s no good answer to a stupid question."

"When money speaks, truth is silent."

"The tallest blade of grass is the first to be cut by the scythe."

"A bad peace is better than a good war."

"A bird may be known by its flight. (A person is known and judged by his actions or behavior)"

"A chatterbox is a treasure for a spy."

"A clever head but given to a fool."

"A drop of water in the eyes of the Tsar costs the country many handkerchiefs."

"A clever speech (speaker) is pleasant to listen to."

"A fly cannot enter a closed mouth"

"A fool may throw into a well a stone which a hundred wise men cannot pull out."

"A fly will not get into a closed mouth. (It is desirable, and may be more effective, remain silent in some circumstances)"

"A dog on the hay: will neither eat it himself, nor let others eat it."

"A dog is wiser than a woman, he does not bark at his master."

"A drop hollows out a stone. (Persistence will achieve a difficult objective)"

"A fisherman can tell another fisherman from afar."

"A fool hopes to get honey, even from wasps."

"A good merchant has neither money nor goods."

"A good citizen owes his life to his country"

"A girl’s heart is like a dark wood"

"A guest has not to thank the host, but the host the guest"

"A good borrower is a lazy payer."

"A hen pecks one grain at a time, and lives with a full stomach."

"A handful of dirt is pleasing if it's your own land."

"A horse has four legs, but still stumbles."

"A good reputation sits still; a bad one runs about."

"A goose is not a pig's friend."

"A kopeck saves the rouble (, and the rouble guards your head)."

"A little spark may cause a big fire."

"A lonely person is at home everywhere"

"A kind word is like a Spring day."

"A lucky man can stumble upon a treasure while an unlucky one can't even find a mushroom."

"A loss is a gain for mind."

"A magpie brought it on its tail."

"A mere friend will agree with you, but a real friend will argue."

"A man is judged by his deeds, not by his words. (People can say many things ,because talking is easy, but it is more important what person does than what he says he will do)"

"A man should not be struck when he is down. (Never hit an opponent who has fallen, do not attact or hurt a person in misfortune who cannot fight back)"

"A mile walk with a friend has only one hundred steps"