Serbian proverbs

Б

• Cyrillic: Бог високо, a Русија далеко. - Latin: Bog visoko, a Rusija daleko.
  • Translation: God is high above, and Russia is far away. (Meaning that help is far and unlikely.)

• Cyrillic: Бог је прво себи браду створио. - Latin: Bog je prvo sebi bradu stvorio.
  • Translation: God created the beard on himself first. (Meaning that everybody looks after himself first.)

• Cyrillic: Боље врабац у руци, него голуб на грани. - Latin: Bolje vrabac u ruci, nego golub na grani.
  • Translation: A sparrow in the hand is better than a pigeon on the branch. (A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.)

В

• Cyrillic: Врана врани очи не вади. - Latin: Vrana vrani oči ne vadi.
  • Translation: A crow doesn't pick out another crow's eyes. (A thief does not steal from another thief)

Г

• Cyrillic: Гвожђе се кује док је вруће. - Latin: Gvožđe se kuje dok je vruće.
  • Translation: Iron is worked when it's still hot. (Strike while the iron is hot.)

• Cyrillic: Где je много бабица, килава cу деца. - Latin: Gde je mnogo babica, kilava su deca.
  • Translation: Where there are many midwives, children will be feeble. (Too many cooks spoil the broth.)

• Cyrillic: Где ти много обећавају, малу торбу понеси. - Latin: Gde ti mnogo obećavaju, malu torbu ponesi.
  • Translation: Where people are promising much to you, bring a small bag. (Similar to There is no free lunch.)

Д

• Cyrillic: Да падне на леђа,разбио би нос. - Latin: Da padne na leđa,razbio bi nos.
  • Translation: If he fell onto his back, he'd break his nose. (when the person is very unlucky)

• Cyrillic: Дала баба динар да се ухвати у коло, а два да се пусти. - Latin: Dala baba dinar da se uhvati u kolo, a dva da se pusti.
  • Translation: Grandma gave a dinar to dance, and two to stop. (Be careful what you wish for.)

И

• Cyrillic: Ивер не пада далеко од кладе. - Latin: Iver ne pada daleko od klade.
  • Translation: A splinter doesn't land far from the trunk. (An apple doesn't fall far from the tree.)

• Cyrillic: Иcпeци пa peци. - Latin: Ispeci pa reci.
  • Translation: Bake it and then say it. (Finish what you start before you brag about it).

К

• Cyrillic: Кад мачке нема, мишеви коло воде. - Latin: Kad mačke nema, miševi kolo vode.
  • Translation: When cat is absent, mice dance. (When the cat's away, the mice will play.)

• Cyrillic: Ко вино вечера, воду доручкује. - Latin: Ko vino večera, vodu doručkuje.
  • Translation: Who has wine for dinner, he has water for breakfast. (You can't avoid paying consequences for your deeds)

• Cyrillic: Ко другоме јаму копа сам у њу пада. - Latin: Ko drugome jamu kopa sam u nju pada.
  • Translation: Who digs a trap for others ends up in it himself. (What goes around, comes around.)

• Cyrillic: Ко рано рани, две среће граби. - Latin: Ko rano rani, dve sreće grabi.
  • Translation: One who gets up early is doubly lucky. (The early bird gets the worm.)

• Cyrillic: Ко с ђаволом тикве сади, о главу му се обију. - Latin: Ko s vragom tikve sadi, o glavu mu se obiju.
  • Translation: If one sows pumpkins with the devil, they will bash onto one's head. (Similar to As you sow, so you shall reap.)

• Cyrillic: Кo нeмa у глави, имa у нoгaмa. - Latin: Ko nema u glavi, ima u nogama.
  • Translation: Who doesn't have in his head has in his feet. (Absent-minded do the work twice)

• Cyrillic: Ко сeје ветар, жање олују. - Latin: Ko seje vetar, žanje oluju.
  • Translation: Who sows wind will harvest storm. (Similar to As you sow, so you shall reap.)

• Cyrillic: Ко уме, њему две. - Latin: Ko ume, njemu dve.
  • Translation: The one who can gets two. (Skilled worker is paid double.)

• Cyrillic: Ко учи знаће, ко штеди имаће. - Latin: Ko uči znaće, ko štedi imaće.
  • Translation: Those who study will know, those who save will have.

Л

• Cyrilic: Лепа реч и гвоздена врата отвара. - Latin: Lepa reč i gvozdena vrata otvara.
  • Translation: A kind word opens even the iron doors. (You can succeed in anything by being polite.)

Н

• Cyrillic: На млађима свет остаје. - Latin: Na mlađima svet ostaje.
  • Translation: The world is left to the young.

• Cyrillic: На муци се познају јунаци. - Latin: Na muci se poznaju junaci.
  • Translation: You can tell a fearless in times of trouble. (When the going gets tough, the tough get going.)

• Cyrillic: Најтамније је испод свјече. - Latin: Najtamnije je ispod svece.
  • Translation: Its the darkest underneath the candle. (What you seek could be near you yet unnoticed.)

• Cyrillic: На невидишу нема кривице. - Latin: Na nevidišu nema krivice.
  • Translation: If it isn't seen, there's no guilt. (If you do something without being caught it isn't done.)

• Cyrillic: Не можe крушка да роди јабуку. - Latin: Ne može kruška da rodi jabuku.
  • Translation: A pear tree cannot bear an apple.

• Cyrillic: Не сeј тикве где још нису никле! - latin: Ne sej tikve gde jos nisu nikle!
  • Translation: Don't plant pumpkins where they never sprouted! (Don't waste your time trying things which are proven won't work.)

• Cyrillic: Нема ватре без дима. - Latin: Nema vatre bez dima.
  • Translation: There is no fire without smoke. (Where there is smoke there is fire.)

• Cyrillic: Нема мирног детета ни младе бабе. - Latin: Nema mirnog deteta ni mlade babe.
  • Translation: There's no quiet child nor young grandmother.

• Cyrillic: Нема хлеба без мотике! - Latin: Nema hleba bez motike!
  • Translation: There's no bread without hoe! (You cannot make omelets without eggs. Similar to Only hard work pays off.)

• Cyrillic: Није злато све што сија. - Latin: Nije zlato sve što sija.
  • Translation: Gold is not all that shines. (All that glitters is not gold.)

O

• Cyrillic: Oбeћaње лудoм рaдoвaње. - Latin: Obećanje ludom radovanje.
  • Translation: Promise makes a fool happy. (Do not be fooled by empty promises.)

П

• Cyrillic: Пас који лаје не уједа. - Latin: Pas koji laje ne ujeda.
  • Translation: The dog that barks doesn't bite. (Barking dogs seldom bite; to be full of empty threats.)

• Cyrillic: Правити од комарца магарца. - Latin: Praviti od komarca magarca.
  • Translation: To make a donkey out of a mosquito. (To make a mountain out of a molehill.)

• Cyrillic: Прво скочи па реци хоп. - Latin: Prvo skoči pa reci hop.
  • Translation: First leap, and then say "hop"! (Do something before you brag about it.)

• Cyrillic: Птица раноранилицa прва црва нађе. - Latin: Ptica ranoranilica prva crva nađe.
  • Translation: The early bird catches the first worm.

Р

• Cyrillic: Ругала се шерпа лонцу, широка му уста. - Latin: Rugala se šerpa loncu, široka mu usta.
  • Translation: A pan was mocking a pot because his mouth is big. (The pot calls the kettle black.)

• Cyrillic: Ружној девојци огледало криво. - Latin: Ružnoj devojci ogledalo krivo.
  • Translation: An ugly girl blames the mirror. (A bad craftsman blames his tools.)

С

• Cyrillic: Само слога Србина спашава - Latin: Samo Sloga Srbina Spasava
  • Translation: Only unity saves the Serbs.

• Cyrillic: Свуда пођи, својој кући дођи. - Latin: Svuda pođi, svome domu dođi.
  • Translation: Go everywhere, but come back home. (There's no place like home).

Т

• Cyrillic: Тиха вода брег рони. - Latin: Tiha voda breg roni.
  • Translation: Quiet water wears down a shore. (Anything is possible with time.)
    • Note: this proverb uses an archaic word for river shore (breg), whereas today that word has changed its meaning and signifies 'mountain'.

• Cyrillic: Трипут мери, једном сеци. - Latin: Triput meri, jednom seci.
  • Translation: Three times measure, one time cut. (Measure thrice, cut once; think first, act later.)

У

• Cyrillic: У том грму чучи зец! - Latin: U tom grmu čuči zec!
  • Translation: That's the bush where the hare squats! (to find a solution to the problem)

• Cyrillic: Уздај се у се и у своје кљусе! - Latin: Uzdaj se u se i u svoje kljuse!
  • Translation: Trust yourself and your horse! (If you want to get things done, do it yourself.)

• Cyrillic: Умиљато јагње две овце сиса. - Latin: Umiljato jagnje dve ovce sisa.
  • Translation: Cuddly lamb sucks two ewes. (Similar to Flattery will get you anywhere.)

Ш

• Cyrillic: Што можеш данас, не остављај за сутра. - Latin: Što možeš danas, ne ostavljaj za sutra.
  • Translation: What you can do today do not leave off for tomorrow. (Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.)