Home

proVERBS

9 Czech / English

Jedna vlaštovka jara nedělé

Translation:
One swallow of spring on Sunday (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

Equivalent:
One swallow does not make a summer

notes:
In the languages of southern Europe, the equivalent proverb usually has 'spring' rather than 'summer', because migrating swallows arrive earlier there than they do in northern Europe

Meaning:
You cannot infer a general rule or norm from just a single case

Equivalents in other languages

Kámen často hýbaný neobroste mechem

Translation:
Stone often Jarring neobroste moss (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

Equivalent:
A rolling stone gathers no moss

Meaning:
Always moving from place to place or job to job stops a person from accumulating much
(A proverb that is of little relevance, in these days of job insecurity and short-term work contracts)

Equivalents in other languages

Romance language family

[FRE]Pierre qui roule n'amasse pas mousse
A stone that rolls amasses no moss

[ITA]Pietra mossa non fa muschio
A stone that is moved does not make moss

[SPA]Piedra movediza, nunca el moho la cobija
Moss never shelters a moving stone

[Rom]Peretii au urechi si strazile ochi
Stone which rolls from place to place does not pick up moss

[POR]Pedra que muito rola, não cria musgo
Moss doesn't grow on a rolling stone

[Cat]Pedra movedissa no cria molsa
Stone moss jiggly no breeding

[PRO]Car qui sovent sa rauba trossa, jamai non culhirà mossa
Because the stone rolls often it will never cultivate moss

Germanic language family

[Swe]Den sten som öfta vändes blir icke mossbelupen
The stone which was used often becomes non mossy (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

[Fri]?
Help!

[Nor]Der gror ikke muse på rullande stein
There does not grow mouse on a roll suitable stone (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

[GER]Am rollenden Stein wächst kein Moos
A rolling stone grows no moss

[DUT]We hebben hulp nodig bij het vertalen van dit spreekwoord
A rolling stone gathers no moss

[DAN]Rullende sten samler ingen mos
Rolling stone gathers no moss (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

Slavic language family

[Slk]Kameň čo sa moc obracia machom neobrastie
Stone as much moss turning neobrastie (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

[CES]Kámen často hýbaný neobroste mechem
Stone often Jarring neobroste moss (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

[CRO]Koji se kamen mnogo premeće, neće mahovinom obrasti
Which is a lot of turning over stones, will be overgrown with moss (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

[POL]Kamień często poruszany, mchem nie obrośnie
No moss matures on a stone often moved

Finno-Ugric language family

[EST]Veereval kivil ei ole sammalt
A rolling stone does not have moss (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

[HUN]Nem mohosodik az a kő meg, melyet gyakran mozgatnak
The stone that is often moved does not become moss-covered

[FIN]Vierivä kivi ei sammaloidu
A rolling stone does not gather moss

Baltic language family

[Ltv]Akmens, ko vienmēr valsta, nekad neapsūno
The stone which always Sates neapsūno (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

[Lit]Ir akmou, vietoj gulėdamas, apželia
And akmou, instead of lying, overgrown (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

Celtic language family

[Iri]Ní chruinnigheann cloch reatha caonach, ach cruinnigheann meach siubhail míl
A running stone does not gather moss, but a travelling bee gathers honey

[Gae]Cha chinn cóinneach air clach an udalain
Moss does not grow on a much turned stone

[Wel]Carreg a dreigla, ni fwsoga
A rolling stone gathers no moss

[Bre]We need help in translating these proverbs
A stone rolling or driven by a dog will never gather moss

Maltese (an Arabic language)

[Mal]Ġebla titgerbeb ma trabbix ħażiż
A rolling stone gathers no moss

Language isolates

[Bas]Harri erabiliak ez du goroldiorik izaten
The moss stone is used (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

Všechny cesty vedou do Rima

Translation:
All roads lead to Rome (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

Equivalent:
All roads lead to Rome

notes:
In proverbs from Muslim countries, Mecca is the city to which all roads lead

Meaning:
This suggests that it is possible to achieve the same goal by different paths

Equivalents in other languages

Romance language family

[FRE]Tous les chemins mènent á Rome
All roads lead to Rome

[ITA]Tutte le strade conducono a Roma
Se si parla inglese molto bene e italiano è la tua lingua madre, invia a me, Tony Randall, una e-mail per discutere la traduzione di questi venti proverbi

[SPA]Todos los caminos llevan a Roma
All roads take you to Rome

[Cat]Tots els camins porten a Roma
All roads lead to Rome (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

[POR]Todos os caminhos levam a Roma
All roads lead to Rome

Germanic language family

[DAN]Alle veje fører til Rom
All roads lead to Rome (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

[DUT]We hebben hulp nodig bij het vertalen van dit spreekwoord
All roads lead to Rome

[GER]Alle Wege führen nach Rom
All roads lead to Rome

[Nor]Alle veier fører til Rom
All roads lead to Rome (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

[Swe]Alla vägar föra till Rom
All roads lead to Rome

Slavic language family

[CES]Všechny cesty vedou do Rima
All roads lead to Rome (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

[CRO]Svi putevi vode u Rim
All roads lead to Rome (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

[Slk]Všetky cesty vedú do Ríma
All roads lead to Rome

[POL]Wszystkie drogi prowadzą do Rzymu
All roads lead to Rome

Finno-Ugric language family

[EST]Iga talu öuest läheb tee Peterburki
(From the courtyard of each farm a road leads to St. Petersburg)

[HUN]Minden út Rómába vezet.
All roads lead to Rome

[FIN]Kaikki tiet vievät Roomaan
All roads lead to Rome

Baltic language family

[Lit]Visi kelai i Ryma veda
All Kelai i Ryma leads (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

[Ltv]Visi ceļi ved uz Romu
All roads lead to Rome

Language isolates

[Bas]Bide asko izaten dira mendi gailurrera igotzeko
There are many ways to climb to the summit of the mountain (by Google Translate: to be improved shortly)

Darovanému koni na zuby nekoukej!

Translation:
Beggars can not be choosers!

Equivalent:
Look not a gift horse in the mouth

Meaning:
You should accept gifts willingly and without highlighting their shortcomings

Equivalents in other languages

Romance language family

[LAT]Noli equi dentes inspicere donati
Don't inspect the teeth of a horse that's been given to you

[FRE]À cheval donné on ne regarde pas a la bouche
One does not look in the mouth of a horse that's given

[ITA]A caval donato non si guarda in bocca
Do not look in the mouth of a horse tha has been given

[SPA]A caballo regalado, no le mires el diente
Do not look at the tooth of a horse that's been given

[Rom]Peretii au urechi si strazile ochi
Don't search the horse that's been given to you in the teeth

[PRO]A chivau donat fau pas agachar lei dents
One should not inspect the teeth of a horse that's given

[POR]A cavalo dado, não se olha o dente
Do not look at the teeth of a gift horse

[Cat]A cavall donat/regalat no li miris el dentat

Germanic language family

[Swe]Given häst ska man inte skåda i munnen

[Nor]Ein skal ’kje skoda gjeven gamp på tennene

[DUT](Moenie) ’n gegewe perd (nie) in die bek kyk nie

[Fri]?
Help!

[DAN]Man skal ikke skue given hest i munden

[GER]Einem geschenkten Gaul sieht man nicht ins Maul
A gift horse in the mouth can not be seen

Slavic language family

[POL]Darowanemu koniowi nie patrzy się w zęby
Beggars are not looking at teeth

[Slk]Darovanému koňovi nenačím do očí hľadieť

[CES]Darovanému koni na zuby nekoukej!
Beggars can not be choosers!

Finno-Ugric language family

[FIN]Ei lahjahevosen suuhun ole katsomista
You do not look in the mouth of a gift horse

[HUN]Ajándék lónak ne nézd a fogát!
Do not look at the teeth of a horse that has been given

[EST]Kes kingitud hobuse suhu vaatab?
Who looks into the mouth of a gift horse?

Baltic language family

[Ltv]Dāvātam zirgam zobos neskatās

[Lit]Dovanų žirgui į dantis neveizi

Celtic language family

[Wel]Edrych yn llygad ceffyl benthyg
To look a gift horse in the mouth

[Iri]Ná féachtar fiacla an chapaill a bronntar

Maltese (an Arabic language)

[Mal]Jekk taqla’ żiemel tħarisx lejn ix-xedaq

Host první den zlato, druhý den stříbro, a třetí měď: honem domů jeď

Translation:
The guest is gold the first day, silver the next day and copper the third

Equivalent:
Fresh fish and new-come guests smell in three days

Meaning:
The prolonged stay of a guest cause annoyance and upset the rhythm of the house

Equivalents in other languages

Romance language family

[LAT]Post tres saepe dies vilescit piscis et hospes
A fish and a guest often go bad after three days

[FRE]L'hôte et le poisson après trois jours puent
Guest and fish stink after three days

[ITA]L'ospite e il pesce dopo tre giorni ti rincresce
You regret the guest and the fish after three days

[SPA]El huésped y el pez a tres días hiede
The guest and the fish stink after three days

[POR]O peixe fresco e recém-chegado convidados cheiro em três dias
A fresh fish and recently-arrived guests smell in three days

[Cat]L‘hoste és com el peix menut: al cap de tres dies put

Germanic language family

[Swe]Färsta dagen är man gäst, andra dagen en börda, tredje dagen en pest
One is a guest on the first day, a burden on the second, and a plague on the third

[Fri]We need help in translating these proverbs
Long(-staying) guest, stinking guest

[DUT]Een driedaagse gast is een last

[GER]Gast und Fisch sind nach drei Tagen nicht mehr frisch
Guest and fish are no longer fresh in three days

[DAN]En fisk og en gæst Iugter ilde den tredje dag

[Nor]Fisken og gjesten tek det til å lukta av når tri dagar er lidne

Slavic language family

[Slk]Ryba a hosť na tretí deň smrdí dosť
Fish and guests on the third day stink a lot

[POL]Gość, ryba trzeciego dnia cuchnie
Guests stink of fish on the third day

[CES]Host první den zlato, druhý den stříbro, a třetí měď: honem domů jeď
The guest is gold the first day, silver the next day and copper the third

[CRO]Vsakoga gosta tri dni dosta
For any guest three days are enough

Finno-Ugric language family

[EST]Kauane külaline haiseb nagu kala
A long-staying guest smells like fish

[HUN]Harmadnapra mind a hal, mind a vendég büdös
On the third day all fish and all guests stink

[FIN]Kalat ja vieraat alkavat haista kolmessa päivässä
Fishes and guests start smelling in three days

Baltic language family

[Lit]I trčéią dieną svečias ir žuvis pasmirsta

[Ltv]Zivs un ciemiņš trešajā dienā smird

Celtic language family

[Bre]We need help in translating these proverbs
Help!

[Wel]Mae pysgod a gwesteion yn drewi ar ol tridiau

Language isolates

[Bas]Arraina eta arroza, heren egunac carazes, campora deragoza

Lepší sýkora v ruce, než jeřáb pod nebem

Translation:
Better a sparrow in the hand than the crane in the air

Equivalent:
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

notes:
The word 'bush' has two meanings, both a small round tree and an unfarmed unpopulated area of land with many trees and bushes.

Meaning:
Something you have for certain now is of more value than something better you may get, especially if you risk losing what you have in order to get it.