Talk:Croatian proverbs

This page originates from Croatian WikiQuotes page "Poslovice"

(Moved here from main page ~ MosheZadka (Talk) 12:15, 14 August 2005 (UTC))

B

 * Bog je prvo sebi bradu stvorio.
 * Translation: God first created a beard for himself.
 * English equivalent: before you help others, you must help yourself.


 * Bolje ikad nego nikad.
 * Translation: Better ever than never.
 * English equivalent: Better late than never.

C

 * Čovjek je čovjeku vuk.
 * English equivalent: Man is man's wolf.
 * Latin equivalent: Homo homini lupus est.

G

 * Glava u oblacima.
 * Translation: (To have the) head in clouds.

I

 * Il' kuj, il ne mrči gaćâ!
 * English equivalent: Shit or get off the pot.


 * Imati veće oči od želuca.
 * Translation: To have bigger eyes than the stomach.
 * English equivalent: Your eyes are bigger than your stomach.


 * Ispalo vragu iz torbe.
 * Translation: (Something that has) fallen out of a devil's pouch.
 * English equivalent: untamed.


 * Iver ne pada daleko od klade. 
 * Translation: A splinter doesn't land far from the trunk.
 * English equivalent: The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

J

 * Jabuka ne pada daleko od stabla.
 * Translation: An apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.


 * Jutro je pametnije od večeri.
 * Translation: Morning is smarter than evening.

K

 * Kad mačke nema, miševi kolo vode. 
 * Translation: When cat is absent, mice dance.
 * English equivalent: When the cat's away the mice will play.


 * Kad na vrbi rodi grožđe.
 * Translation: When willows bear grapes.
 * English equivalent: When pigs fly.


 * Kako došlo, tako prošlo.
 * Translation: The way it came is the way it will go.
 * English equivalent: Easy come, easy go.


 * Kao mačka oko vruće kaše. 
 * Translation: Like the cat around the hot meal.
 * English equivalent: Beating around bush.


 * Kruh bez motike.
 * Translation: Bread without shovel.


 * Krv nije voda.
 * Translation: Blood is not water.
 * English equivalent: Blood is thicker than water.

M

 * Mi o vuku, a vuk na vrata.
 * Translation: (speaking) of the wolf as the wolf (comes) to the door.
 * English equivalent: Speak of the devil.
 * Latin equivalent: Lupus in fabula.

N

 * Naći iglu u plastu sijena.
 * English equivalent: Finding a needle in a haystack.


 * Navika je dobar sluga, ali loš gospodar.
 * Translation: Habit is a good servant, but a poor master.


 * Ne laje pas zbog sela.
 * Translation: The dog doesn’t bark because of the village.


 * Ne možeš imati i ovce i novce.
 * Translation: You can’t have both money and sheep.
 * English equivalent: You can’t have a cake and eat it, too.


 * Ne kupuj mačka u vreći.
 * Translation: Don't buy a cat in a bag.
 * English equivalent: Don't buy a pig in a poke.
 * Novac se na novac lijepi.
 * Translation: Money sticks to money.
 * English equivalent: Money hangs around money.

O

 * Od Kulina bana i dobrijeh dana.
 * Translation: Since Koohleen the prince and the good times.


 * Od zla oca, od gore matere!
 * Translation: From bad father, and worse mother"


 * O mrtvima sve najbolje.
 * Translation: Speak only the best of the dead.
 * English equivalent: Don't speak ill of the dead.
 * Latin equivalent: De mortuis nil nisi bonum.


 * Odijelo ne čini čovjeka.
 * Translation: A suit doesn't make a man.
 * English equivalent: You can't tell a book by its cover.
 * French equivalent: L'habit ne fait pas le moine.


 * Odnijeti gaće na štapu.
 * Translation: To end up with underpants on a stick. (i.e. be really poor)


 * Ovca bleji, zalogaj gubi!
 * Translation: The sheep that bleats - loses it's share in food.

P

 * Papir trpi sve.
 * Translation: Paper can withstand anything.
 * Latin equivalent: Epistula non erubescit.


 * Pas koji laje, ne grize.
 * Translation: A dog that barks does not bite.
 * English equivalent: His bark is worse than his bite.
 * Latin equivalent: Canis timidus vehementius latrat quam mordet. (Curtius)


 * Po jutru se dan poznaje.
 * Translation: The morning shows how the day will be.
 * Bilbo Baggins: Good morning. Gandalf: What do you mean? Do you wish me a good morning or do you mean that it is a good morning wheter I want it or not? Or perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning? Or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be a good on? Hm? Bilbo Baggins: All of them at once, I suppose.
 * J.R.R Tolkien, The Hobbit (1937)


 * Počisti prvo pred svojim vratima.
 * Translation: First sweep the ground in front of your own door.


 * Pomozi sirotu na svoju sramotu.
 * Translation: Help the poor one for your own shame.


 * Pored takvih prijatelja što će mi neprijatelji.
 * Translation: With such friends, one doesn't need enemies anymore.
 * English equivalent: With friends like those, who needs enemies?


 * Prodati rog pod svijeću.
 * Translation: To sell a horn as if it was a candle.


 * Prodati mačka u vreći.
 * Translation: To sell a cat in a bag.
 * To succeed in selling something useless or of a very poor quality.


 * Prošla baba s kolačima.
 * Translation: The old lady with cakes has already passed by.
 * Now it is too late to act (you have missed the opportunity to do something).


 * Puno baba, kilavo dijete.
 * Translation: Many midwives, child will be lazy.
 * English equivalent: Too many cooks spoil the broth.

R

 * Raditi račun bez krčmara.
 * Translation: To make the bill without the bartender.


 * Ruka ruku mije.
 * Translation: One hand washes the other.
 * English equivalent: You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.
 * Latin equivalent: Manus manum lavat.

S

 * Sit gladnom ne vjeruje.
 * Translation: The well fed one does not believe the hungry one.


 * Svakog gosta tri dana dosta.
 * Translation: Three days of any guest is plenty.
 * English equivalent: Fish and visitors stink after three days.


 * Sve je dobro što se dobro svrši.
 * English equivalent and translation: All's well that ends well.


 * Sve što je dobro kratko traje.
 * Translation: All that's well lasts short.
 * English equivalent: All good things come to an end.


 * Svi putevi vode u Rim.
 * English equivalent and translation: All roads lead to Rome.


 * Strpljen – spašen.
 * Translation: Patient – saved.
 * English equivalent: All things come to he who waits.


 * Što bi gore sad je dolje, a što bi dolje sad je gore.
 * Translation: What once was up now is down and what once was down now is up
 * English equivalent: What goes around comes around.


 * Što je previše, ni s kruhom nije dobro.
 * Translation: What is too much is not good even with bread.

T

 * Teško žabu u vodu natjerati.
 * Translation: It is difficult to chase a frog into the water. (sarcastically)


 * Tko kupuje što mu ne treba, prodavat će što mu treba.
 * Translation: He who buys what he does not need will (eventually have to) sell what he needs.


 * Tko pita, ne skita.
 * Translation: He who asks, need not wander.


 * Tko s malom djecom liježe, popišan se budi.
 * Translation: If one goes to bed with small kids, wakes up wet.


 * Tko se zadnji smije, najslađe se smije.
 * Translation: He who laughs last has the sweetest laugh.
 * English equivalent: He who laughs last laughs best.


 * Tko umije, njemu dvije.
 * Translation: He who can, gets two.


 * Tko želi rata, bio mu u kući.
 * Translation: Who wishes war, may war be in his house.


 * Tri loša ubiše Miloša.
 * Translation: Three bad ones killed Milosh.

V

 * Vrijeme je novac.
 * English equivalent and translation: Time is money.


 * Vuk dlaku mijenja, ali ćud nikada.
 * Translation: The wolf changes his hair, but never his temperament.
 * English equivalent: A fox may change its skin, but never its character.
 * Latin equivalent: Vulpes pilum mutat, non mores.