What are Proverbs?

Proverb Explanation Meaning
A
Accidents will happen. Some unfortunate events must be accepted as inevitable.

Treba se pomiriti sa nemilim događajima na koje čovek ne može da utiče.
Actions speak louder than words. What a person actually does is more important that what they say they will do.

Dela govore više od reči.
Advice is least heeded when most needed. When a problem is serious, people often do not follow the advice given.

Kada ljudi imaju ozbiljan problem, često se ne pridržavaju datog saveta.
All cats are grey in the dark. People are undistinguished until they have made a name.

Svi ljudi su isti dok se po nečemu ne istaknu.
All good things come to those who wait. Patience brings rewards.

Ko čeka, dočeka.
All that glitters is not gold. Appearances can be deceptive.

Nije zlato sve sto sija.
All days are short to Industry and long to Idleness. Time goes by slowly when you have nothing to do.

Dani prolaze sporo kada je čoveku dosadno.
All is fair in love and war. Things that are done in love or war can often be excused.

Sve je dozvoljeno u ljubavi i ratu
All’s well that ends well. There is a solution to everything even though there are doubts.

Sve je dobro što se dobro svrši.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It is easier to prevent something from happening than to repair the damage or cure the disease later.

Bolje sprečiti nego lečiti.
A bird in hand is worth two in a bush. It’s better to keep what you have than to risk losing it by searching for something better.

Bolje vrabac u ruci, nego golub na grani.
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link. The strength of a group depends on each individual member.

Lanac je jak koliko i njegova najslabija karika.
A good beginning makes a good end. If a task is carefully planned, there’s a better chance that it will be done well.

Po jutru se dan poznaje.
A leopard cannot change its spots. It is not possible for a bad or unpleasant person to become good or pleasant.

Vuk dlaku menja, ali ćud nikada.
A man is known by the company he keeps. A person’s character is judged by the type of people with whom they spend their time.

S kim si, takav si.
A stitch in time saves nine. It’s better to deal with a problem at an early stage, to prevent it from getting worse.

Bolje sprečiti nego lečiti.
A swallow does not make the summer. One good event does not mean that everything is alright.

Jedna lasta ne čini proleće.
As you sow, so shall you reap. You have to accept the consequences of your actions.

Kako sejes tako ces požnjeti.
B
Beauty is only skin deep. A person’s character is more important than their appearance.

Lepota je prolazna.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Different people have different tastes.

Različiti ljudi imaju različite ukuse.
Better be alone than in bad company. Be careful in the choice of the people you associate with.

Bolje biti sam nego u lošem društvu.
Better flatter a fool than fight him. It’s better to avoid disputes with stupid people.

Bolje je izbegavati rasprave sa glupim ljudima.
Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know. It’s better to deal with somebody difficult but familiar, than change and risk dealing with somebody worse.

Bolje je imati posla sa nekim ko je težak ali poznat, nego da tražite promenu i imate posla sa nekim gorim.
Better late than never. It’s better to do something, even if it’s late, than not do it at all.

Bolje ikad nego nikad.
Better lose the saddle than the horse. It’s better to stop and accept a small loss, rather than continue and risk losing everything.

Bolje je stati i prihvatiti mali gubitak, nego nastaviti i izgubiti sve.
Blood is thicker than water. Family relationships are stronger than relationships with other people.

Krv nije voda.
C
Charity begins at home. A person’s first duty is to help and care for his own family.

Dužnost je čoveka da prvo vodi računa o svojoj porodici.
Cleanliness is next to godliness A clean body is just as important as a pure soul.

Čisto telo je važno koliko i čista duša.
Clothes don’t make the man. Appearances can be deceiving.

Odeća ne čini čoveka.
Constant occupation prevents temptation. When you work you avoid temptation.

Kada čovek puno radi nema vremena za iskušenja.
D
Diamond cuts diamond. Refers to two people equally matched in wit or cunning.

Ovo se odnosi na dva čoveka koji su ravnopravni po veštinama.
Diligence is the mother of good fortune. Hard work brings rewards.

Bez muke nema nauke.
Discretion is the better part of valour. It is useless to take unnecessary risks.

Beskorisno je preuzimati nepotrebne rizike.
Dogs of the same street bark alike. People from the same background have the same behaviour.

Svaka ptica svome jatu leti.
Don’t bark if you can’t bite. Don’t complain if you can’t enforce your point of view.

Ne zamahuj ako ne smeš da udariš.
Don’t judge a book by its cover. Don’t judge by appearances.

Ne sudi o knjizi po koricama.
E
Easier said than done. What is suggested sounds easy but it is more difficult to actually do it.

Lakše je reći nego uraditi.
Empty vessels make the most noise. The least intelligent people are often the most talkative or noisy.

Ljudi niže inteligencije su najčešće najbričljiviji ili najbučniji.
Every ass likes to hear himself bray. People like to listen to themselves talking.

Ljudi vole da slušaju sebe kad govore.
Every cloud has a silver lining. There is a positive or hopeful side to every unpleasant situation.

U svakom zlu ima i nesto dobro.
Every man has his price. Everyone’s loyalty can be bought for a price.

Sve ima cenu.
Every man is the architect of his own fortune. Life is what you make it.

Svako je krojač svoje sudbine.
Every why has a wherefore. There is an explanation for everything.

Svako zašto ima svoje zato.
F
Failure teaches success. Čovek se uči na greškama.
False friends are worse than open enemies. Gore je imati lažne prijatelje nego otvorene neprijatelje.
Familiarity breeds contempt. Knowing somebody very well may lead to a lack of respect for them.

Ako čoveka dobro poznajete to može dovesti da ga manje poštujete.
Fine words butter no parsnips. No amount of talking can replace action.

Reči ne mogu da zamene dela.
First come, first served. The first person in the line will be attended to first.

Ko prvi devojci, njemu devojka.
Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. One should learn from one’s mistakes.

Prevari me jednom, kriv si; prevari me dvaput, kriv sam sam.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Inexperienced people act in situations that more intelligent people would avoid.

Neiskusni ljudi delaju u sitacijama koje inteligentni izbegavaju.
G
Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade. Nothing is achieved without effort.

Ništa se ne postiže neradom.
Give someone an inch and they will take a mile. Give someone a little and they will want more – some people are never satisfied.

Das nekome prst, a on bi celu ruku.
Give someone enough rope and they will hang themselves. Give someone a little and they will want more – some people are never satisfied.

Das nekome prst, a on bi celu ruku.
God helps those who help themselves. Bog pomaže odvažnima.
Good management is better than good income. Bolje je umeti, nego imati.
I
In times of prosperity friends are plentiful. You have many friends when you have no difficulties.

Kada imate puno novca, onda imate i puno prijatelja.
If a camel gets his nose in a tent, his body will follow. If you let something intrusive enter your life, your life will become difficult.

Ako dozvolite da nešto što vas iritira uđe u vaš život, onda će vam ga to otežati.
If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride. Wishing alone is of no use; you must act as well.

Ne vredi samo želeti nešto, treba i raditi na ostvarenju želja. (da je steći ko što reći, svi bi bogati bili.)
Ignorance is bliss. Possible interpretation: What you do not know causes no worry or sadness.

Šta ne znaš ne može da te boli.
It’s no use crying over spilt milk. Don’t express regret for something that has happened and cannot be remedied.

Ne vredi plakati nad prolivenim mlekom.
J
Justice delayed is justice denied. If the law is applied too late, there is no justice.

Kada se zakon kasno primeni, onda pravda nije zadovoljena.
K
Knowledge is power. Znanje je moć.
Kill one to warn a hundred. Warn many by punishing a few.

Upozorite većinju tako što ćete kazniti manji broj ljudi.
Kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Destroy something that would be a source of wealth or success.

Ubiti gusku koja nosi zlatna jaja.
Kindness begets kindness. If you are kind to people, they will be kind to you.

Ako ste ljubazni prema ljudima to će biti uzvraćeno.
L
Laughter is the best medicine. Smeh je najbolji lek.
Learn to walk before you run. Don’t rush into doing something until you know how to do it.

Ne hvataj se u kolo ako ne znaš igrati.
Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. Education is something you keep forever.

Ono što ste naučili pratiće vas kroz ceo život.
Least said soonest mended. The more discreet you are, the less damage you cause.

Što ste diskretniji manje ćete štete naneti.
Let bygones be bygones. Let’s forgive and forget past quarrels.

Hajde da zaboravimo prošle razmirice.
Lightning never strikes in the same place twice. An unusual event is not likely to occur again in exactly the same circumstances.

Nešto nesvakidašnje će se teško ponoviti pod istim okolnostima.
Like father, like son. A son’s character can be expected to resemble his father’s.

Kakav otac takav sin.
Look before you leap. Consider possible consequences before taking action.

Razmislite o posledicama pre nego što nešto uradite.
Love is blind. A person in love does not see the faults of the person he/she loves.

Ljubav je slepa.
M
Make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Manage to produce something good using poor material.

Napraviti nešto kvalitetno od lošeg materijala.
Man proposes, God disposes. Our destiny depends on God’s will.

Naša sudbina zavisi od božje volje.
Many hands make light work. Sharing work makes work easier.

Lakše je uraditi nešto ako se posao podeli.
Marry in haste, repent at leisure. If you get married too quickly, you may spend all your life regretting it.

Venčaj se na brzinu, kaj se natenane.
Men make houses, women make homes. Muškarci prave kuće, a žene dom.
Money begets money. If you have money you can make more money.

Para na paru ide.
N
Necessity is the mother of invention. The need for something forces people to find a way of obtaining it.

Potreba goni ljude da tu potrebu zadovolje.
Never put off till tomorrow what can be done today. Don’t postpone something you can do now.

Što možes danas ne ostavljaj za sutra.
Never say die. Never give up.

Nikad ne odustajte.
Nobody is perfect. Niko nije savršen.
No man can serve two masters. It’s impossible to follow instructions from two different sources.

Nijedan čovek ne može služiti dva gospodara.
No man is an island. We all need other people.

Niko ne stoji sam, svima su nam potrebni drugi ljudi.
No smoke without fire. There could be some truth in the rumour.

Gde ima dima tu i vatre ima.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. You cannot expect to achieve anything if you don’t take risks.

Ko ne rizikuje, taj ni ne dobija.
O
Once bitten, twice shy. After an unpleasant experience, people are careful to avoid something similar.

Koga je zmija ujela, taj se i guštera boji.
One good turn deserves another. You should be helpful to someone who helps you.

Treba pomoći onome ko je tebi pomogao.
One today is worth two tomorrow. What you have today is better than what is promised or hoped for.

Ono što imamo danas je bolje od onoga čemu se nadamo sutra.
One man’s meat is another man’s poison. People don’t always like the same things.

Različiti ljudi ne vole iste stvari.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. What is useless to one person could be valuable to another.

Ono što je nekome beskorisno, drugome je dragoceno.
One swallow doesn’t make a summer. A single satisfactory event does not mean that all the others will be as good.

Jedna lasta ne čini proleće.
Out of sight, out of mind. We tend to forget people who are absent.

Daleko od očiju, daleko od srca.
P
Penny wise, pound foolish. Refers to a person who is careful about spending small amounts of money, but not careful about spending large amounts of money.

Onaj ko pametno troši male svote, nije pažljiv kada troši velike količine novca.
Practice makes perfect. Doing something repeatedly is the only way to become good at it.

Vežbanjem se postiže savršenstvo.
Practise what you preach. Do yourself what you advise others to do.

Ponašaj se u skladu sa onim što pričaš.
Prevention is better than cure. It is easier to prevent something from happening than to repair the damage or cure the disease later.

Bolje sprečiti nego lečiti.
Pride comes before a fall. Don’t be too self-confident or proud; something may happen to make you look foolish.

Ko zdravo diže nos taj će skoro ići bos.
Procrastination is the thief of time. Delaying an action for too long is a waste of time.

Odlaganje zadataka krade vreme.
Put all your eggs in one basket. Risk everything by relying on one plan (by putting all one’s money in one business).

Rizikovati sve tako što se ulaže samo u jedan plan.
R
Revenge is sweet. There is satisfaction in returning an injury.

Osveta je slatka.
Rome was not built in a day. It takes a long time to do a job properly. You should not expect to do it quickly.

Potrebno je vreme da bi se nešto odradilo kako treba.
S
Save me from my friends. Friends can be more dangerous than enemies.

Prijatelji nekad mogu biti opasniji od neprijatelja.
Saying is one thing, doing is another. People don’t always do what they announce.

Ljudi ne čine uvek ono što govore.
Short reckonings make long friends. Debts paid quickly encourage friendship.

Brzo otplaćeni dugovi čuvaju prijateljstva.
Snug as a bug in a rug. Feeling very comfortable.

Kao bubreg u loju.
Spare the rod and spoil the child. If you don’t punish a child when he does wrong, you will spoil his character.

Ako ne kazniš dete kada je nevaljalo, onda ćete ga razmaziti.
Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me. Physical attacks may harm me, but cruel words will not.

Fizički napad može me povrediti, ali okrutne reči ne.
Still waters run deep. A quiet person can have much knowledge or wisdom.

Tiha voda breg roni.
A stitch in time saves nine. It’s better to deal with a problem in its early stages, because if you don’t, it will get worse.

Bolje sprečiti nego lečiti.
Stolen fruit is the sweetest. What is forbidden is the most tempting.

Zabranjeno voće je najsladje.
T
Tall oaks grow from little acorns. Great things may come from small beginnings.

Velike stvari kreću od malih.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Children resemble their parents.

Iver ne pada daleko od klade.
The best advice is found on the pillow. After a good night’s sleep we may find an answer to our problem.

Jutro je pametnije od noći.
The devil looks after his own. Success comes to those who deserve it least.

Uspeh dolazi onima koji to najmanje zaslužuju.
The die is cast. A decision has been made and it’s impossible to change it.

Kocka je bačena.
The early bird catches the worm. If you want to do something successfully, you should do it as soon as you can.

Ko rano rani, dve sreće grabi.
The end justifies the means. Wrong or unfair methods may be used if the result of the action is good.

Cilj opravdava sredstvo.
The first step is the hardest. The most difficult thing is to begin.

Početak je najteži.
The more haste, the less speed. A person makes more progress if they do things less quickly.

Veći je napredak ako se stvari ne rade brzo.
The more you have, the more you want. Što više imate, više želite.
The truth is in the wine. People speak more freely under the influence of alcohol.

U vinu je istina.
There is a black sheep in every flock. There is always one who doesn’t behave or perform like the others.

U svakom žitu ima kukolja.
Time is money. Time is valuable and should not be wasted.

Vreme je novac.
Too many cooks spoil the broth. If too many people are involved in something, it will not be done properly.

Puno babica, kilavo dete.
V
Variety is the spice of life. Doing a lot of different things makes life more interesting.

Drugačije stvari čine život zanimljivijim.
Virtue is its own reward. You should not expect praise for acting in a correct or moral way.

Vrlina je sama po sebi nagrada.
W
Walls have ears. Be careful. People could be listening.

Zidovi imaju uši.
Waste not, want not. If you never waste anything, you will have it when you need it.

Ako ne trošiš zaludno, imaćeš kad ti je potrebno.
What the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over. If a person doesn’t know about something, it cannot hurt them.

Ako čovek ne zna nešto, to ga ne može povrediti.
What a man says drunk, he thinks sober. People speak more freely under the influence of alcohol.

Što trezan misli, pijan govori.
When the cat’s away, the mice play. People misbehave when their boss, or the person in authority, is absent.

Kad mačke nema, miševi kolo vode.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. You should adopt the customs of the people or country you are visiting, and behave in the same way.

Treba upražnjavati običaje onih ljudi u čijoj ste zemlji.
When poverty come in the door, love goes out the window. Kad siromaštvo uđe na vrata, ljubav beži kroz prozor.
Where there’s life there’s hope. Dok živiš, dolikuje ti da se nadaš.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. A person with determination will find a way of doing something.

Kada postoji volja, postoji i način.
Y
You are never too old to learn. Nikad niste previše stari da biste naučili nešto novo.
You never know what you can do until you try. Nikad ne znaš šta možeš učiniti dok ne pokušaš.
You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. You help me and I’ll help you.

Pomoći ću ti, ako ti meni pomogneš.

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