What are Proverbs?

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

Čovek mora da prihvati negativne događaje koji su van njegove kontrole.
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.

Ljude sa ozbiljnim problemima obično ne sluše preporuke koje primaju.
All cats are grey in the dark. People are undistinguished until they have made a name.

Dok se po nečemu ne razlikuju, svi su međusobno jednaki.
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.

Vreme teče sporije kada čoveka ne zanima ono što radi.
All is fair in love and war. Things that are done in love or war can often be excused.

U ljubavi i ratu svi postupci su opravdani.
All’s well that ends well. There is a solution to everything even though there are doubts.

Dobro je ono što se završi sa dobrim rezultatom.
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.

Sigurna manja dobit je dragocenija nego neizvesna veća mogućnost.
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link. The strength of a group depends on each individual member.

Čvrstina lanca određena je njegovom najslabijom karikom.
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.

Ponašanje se može promeniti, ali priroda ostaje nepromenjena.
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.

Svaki čovek ima svoje posebne preference.
Better be alone than in bad company. Be careful in the choice of the people you associate with.

Samotnost je bolja nego loše društvo.
Better flatter a fool than fight him. It’s better to avoid disputes with stupid people.

Bolje je ne ulaziti u debate sa osoba manjeg intelekta.
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.

Pametnije je odustati od male štete nego da nastavljate i izgubitete 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.

Čovekova prva obaveza je brinjenje o vlastitoj 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 je čovek preopterećen poslom, nema prostora 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.

Nema razloga da preuzimateš rizike koji nisu potrebni.
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 pokušavaj ako nisi siguran da uspešeš.
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.

Osobe sa manjom inteligencijom obično su najrazgovornije ili najglasnije.
Every ass likes to hear himself bray. People like to listen to themselves talking.

Čini se da svi obožavaju da čuju svoj glas.
Every cloud has a silver lining. There is a positive or hopeful side to every unpleasant situation.

Čak i u najvećim neuspesima postoje pozitivne strane.
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.

Svaki čovek je skovač svoje budućnosti.
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.

Bliskost sa nekim može dovesti do manjeg poštovanja prema toj osobi.
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.

Onaj koji prvi pravi pristup devojci, ona je i njegove namere.
Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. One should learn from one’s mistakes.

Ako me jednom obmaneš, tvoja je greška; ako me dvaput obmaneš, moja je greška.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Inexperienced people act in situations that more intelligent people would avoid.

Malo iskusne osobe deluju u prilikama koje razumni 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.

Ponudi mu malo, a on će hteti sve.
Give someone enough rope and they will hang themselves. Give someone a little and they will want more – some people are never satisfied.

Ustupimo li mali prostor, on će tražiti sve više.
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 je čovek blagajan, oko njega se skupljaju prijatelji.
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.

Dozvoljavanje da vas nešto iritira uđe u vašu egzistenciju čini je komplikovanijom.
If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride. Wishing alone is of no use; you must act as well.

Samo tražnja bez truda ne vodi do ostvarenja. (da je dovoljno želeti, bogati bi bili svi.)
Ignorance is bliss. Possible interpretation: What you do not know causes no worry or sadness.

Ono što ne poznajete ne može vas povrediti.
It’s no use crying over spilt milk. Don’t express regret for something that has happened and cannot be remedied.

Žaljenje za onim što je već izgubljeno nema smisla.
J
Justice delayed is justice denied. If the law is applied too late, there is no justice.

Kada se zakon primeni prekasno, pravda ostaje nezadovoljena.
K
Knowledge is power. Znanje je moć.
Kill one to warn a hundred. Warn many by punishing a few.

Kažnjavanjem malog broja obezbedite upozorenje za većinu.
Kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Destroy something that would be a source of wealth or success.

Uništiti izvor iz kojeg dolaze dobitci.
Kindness begets kindness. If you are kind to people, they will be kind to you.

Ljubaznost koju iskazujete drugima biva vam vraćena.
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 uključuj se u igru koju ne razumeš.
Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. Education is something you keep forever.

Znanja koja steknete provode ostatak vašeg životnog puta.
Least said soonest mended. The more discreet you are, the less damage you cause.

Veća opreznosta sa tajnostima znači manju štetu.
Let bygones be bygones. Let’s forgive and forget past quarrels.

Zaboravite stare sporove iz prošlosti.
Lightning never strikes in the same place twice. An unusual event is not likely to occur again in exactly the same circumstances.

Nesvakidašnje situacije se retko dešavaju pod sličnim uslovima.
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.

Pre nego što delujete, pomislite na to šta može slediti.
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.

Od lošeg polazišta sozdati nešto vrednovano.
Man proposes, God disposes. Our destiny depends on God’s will.

Božja volja određuje putanju naše sudbine.
Many hands make light work. Sharing work makes work easier.

Deljenje poslova čini rad laganijim.
Marry in haste, repent at leisure. If you get married too quickly, you may spend all your life regretting it.

Brak u žurbi donosi žaljenja.
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 nagonja ljude da je zadovolje.
Never put off till tomorrow what can be done today. Don’t postpone something you can do now.

Ne odlagaj do sutra ono što mogu da budeš uradio danes.
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.

Čovek ne može biti istovremeno verdan dvema gospodarima.
No man is an island. We all need other people.

Svako se oslanja na druge, niko nije potpuno samostalan.
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.

Bez rizika nema osvajanja.
O
Once bitten, twice shy. After an unpleasant experience, people are careful to avoid something similar.

Ko je straživao od zmije, boji se i maloga guština.
One good turn deserves another. You should be helpful to someone who helps you.

Trebao bi uzvratiti pomoć onome ko ti je korisna.
One today is worth two tomorrow. What you have today is better than what is promised or hoped for.

Sadašnje vlasništvo vredi više od budućih obećanja.
One man’s meat is another man’s poison. People don’t always like the same things.

Ljudi različitih sklonosti biraju razičite stvari.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. What is useless to one person could be valuable to another.

Ono što je jednome od malog značaja, drugome je od velike vrednosti.
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.

Što je dalje od vida, to je dalje 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.

Taj koji razumno koristi male iznose često bude nepažljiv sa većim sumama.
Practice makes perfect. Doing something repeatedly is the only way to become good at it.

Redovnom praksom dostiže se savršenstvo.
Practise what you preach. Do yourself what you advise others to do.

Tvoja dela trebaju biti usklađena sa tvojim rečima.
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.

Onaj koji visoko uzdiže svoj nos brzo će ostati bos.
Procrastination is the thief of time. Delaying an action for too long is a waste of time.

Prokrastinacija oduzima dragoceno vreme.
Put all your eggs in one basket. Risk everything by relying on one plan (by putting all one’s money in one business).

Ulažući sve u jedan pokušaj, rizikuješ sve.
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.

Za pravo obavljanje nečega potrebno je vreme.
S
Save me from my friends. Friends can be more dangerous than enemies.

Ponekad prijatelji prete veću opasnost nego neprijatelji.
Saying is one thing, doing is another. People don’t always do what they announce.

Često čini se drugačije nego što se kaže.
Short reckonings make long friends. Debts paid quickly encourage friendship.

Dugove otplaćene bez odlaganja 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.

Propuštanjem da iskažeš nezadovoljstvo nevaljalom detetetu, rizikuješ da ga razmaziš.
Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me. Physical attacks may harm me, but cruel words will not.

Bodovne povrede mogu nauditi telu, ali neprijatne reči nisu u stanju to da učine.
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.

Često uspeh dostiže one koji su ga najmanje zaslužili.
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.

Onaj koji ranije vstane dve sreće hvata.
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.

Sporiji napredak često donosi bolje rezultate.
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.

Raznolikost čini život bogatijim i zanimljivijim.
Virtue is its own reward. You should not expect praise for acting in a correct or moral way.

Čin budenja dobrog čoveka je sam 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.

Kada ne trosiš besmisleno, biti ćeš spremljen kada nešto zatrebaš.
What the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over. If a person doesn’t know about something, it cannot hurt them.

Ono što ne znamo nije u stanju da nas povrede.
What a man says drunk, he thinks sober. People speak more freely under the influence of alcohol.

Pijanac čini očiglednim ono što trezan čuva u sebi.
When the cat’s away, the mice play. People misbehave when their boss, or the person in authority, is absent.

U odsustvu mačke, miševi slobodno čine šta žele.
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.

Trebalo bi da poštuješ navike naroda kroz čiju zemlju putruješ.
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.

Tamo gde je volja jaka, tamo se nalazi i put.
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.

Ako meni pružiš pomoć, onda ću i ja tebi.

Leave a Reply