Bulgarian proverbs

Proverbs from all Bulgarian speaking parts of the world.

A

• Ако сам не си помогнеш, и господ не може да ти помогне.
  • English equivalent: Heaven helps those who help themselves.
  • Khileva, Stela (1998). Obrechenata: roman. Zhazhda. p. 40. 

Б

• Бързата работа - срам за майстора.
  • Translation: Hasty work - shame for the craftsman.
  • English equivalent: Haste makes waste.
  • Грим, Братя. Приказки. TRUD Publishers. p. 321. ISBN 9545285990. 

• Бързата кучка слепи ги ражда.
  • Translation: The hasty bitch gives birth to blind puppies.
  • English equivalent: Haste makes waste.
  • Писаров, Николай (2001). Хищнико братко. TRUD Publishers. pp. 232. ISBN 9545282835. 

B

• В мътна вода лесно се лови.
  • English equivalent: It is good fishing in troubled waters.
  • I"n taking advantage of chaotic conditions one can easily serve one's own purposes."
  • {{cite book | last1 = Paczolay | first = Gyula | year = 1997 | title = European Proverbs in 55 languages | publisher = DeProverbio.com | page = 391 | pages = 527 | isbn = 1-875943-44-7}

Г

• Голям залък лапни, голяма дума не казвай.
  • Translation: Take a big bite, don't say a big word.
  • English equivalent: A man of words and not of deeds, is like a garden full of weeds.
  • Meaning: Act, don't talk.
  • Kanchev, Ivan (2009). Diccionario español-búlgaro/búlgaro-español. Ediciones AKAL. pp. 1032. ISBN 8446030934. 

Д

• Да би мирно седяло, не би чудо видяло.
  • Translation: If you had been calm, you wouldn't have seen a miracle.
  • Meaning: If you had been watching your actions, you wouldn't have suffered from consequences.
  • Гълъбов, Константин (1970). Петко Славейков. Живот, Дейност, Творчество. Наука и изкуство,. pp. 265. 

E

• Една лястовичка пролет не прави.
  • Translation: One swallow doesn't make a spring.
  • Meaning: A solitary event is no indication that a major change is taking place.
  • Bošković-Stulli (1983). Usmena književnost nekad i danas. Prosveta. p. 505. ISBN 954528353X. 

К

• Капка по капка - вир става.
  • Translation: Drop by drop - a whole lake becomes.
  • Meaning: No matter how small, each contribution matters.
  • English equivalent: Many a mickle makes a muckle.
  • Filipov, Dimitŭr (2003). Димитър Стоянов по пътя на идеала. TRUD Publishers. p. 328. ISBN 9545283726. 

• Който нож вади, от нож умира.
  • He who pulls out a knife, by knife shall die.
  • English equivalent: Live by the sword, die by the sword.
  • Meaning: "Those who engage in aggression or violence will meet their death in a similar way."
  • Source for meaning of English equivalent: Martin H. Manser (2007). The Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-8160-6673-5. 
  • Li︠u︡bomir D. Andreĭchin; Petŭr Nikolov Dinekov (1962). Ezik i stil na bŭlgarskite pisateli: izsledvanii︠a︡ i ochert︠s︡i. Izd-vo na Bŭlgarskata akademii︠a︡ na naukite. p. 58. 

М

• Много баби, хилаво бебе.
  • Translation: Тоо many midwives deliver a sickly baby.
  • English equivalnent: Too many cooks ruin the broth.
  • Meaning: When too many people give advice, things do not work.
  • Воронин, Андрей. Кръстословица за Слепия. TRUD Publishers. ISBN 9545289309. 

Н

• На вълка вратът му е дебел, защото си върши работата сам.
  • Translation: The wolf has a thick neck, because he does his job on his own.
  • English equivalent: If you want a thing done right, do it yourself.
  • Чернески, Чавде. 139 документа : Кой, как и защо разпиля, разпродава и унищожава спастреното от книжовните имоти на българите в Македония и Одринско и други безценни издания?. Chavde Cherneski. p. 160. ISBN 9543237093. 

• На лъжата краката са къси.
  • Translation: A lie's legs are short.
  • English equivalent: A lie has short legs.
  • Meaning: Lies cannot go far.
  • Kanchev, Ivan (2009). Diccionario español-búlgaro/búlgaro-español. Ediciones AKAL. p. 176. ISBN 8446030934. 

• Не оставяй днешната работа за утре
  • Translation: Don't leave today's work for tomorrow.
  • Romanian equivalent: Ce poți face azi, nu lăsa pe mâine.
  • Каменов, Йордан (1995). Преди и сега – равно на всякога. Fliorir Publishing House. p. 11. ISBN 9548226448. 

• Няма дим без огън.
  • Translation: There is no smoke without fire.
  • Meaning: There is a reason for everything that happened.
  • Other meaning: A rumour contains some truth.
  • Андреев, Коста (2004). Есента на Първия: Роман. TRUD Publishers. p. 163. ISBN 9545284706. 

• Насила хубост не става.
  • Translation: You can't make something beautiful by force.
  • English equivalent: You can lead a horse to the water but you can't make it drink.
  • Meaning: You can give someone an opportunity, but you can't force him to take advantage of it.
  • Ганчев, Марко (2002). Смешна тъга. Fliorir Publishing House. p. 247. ISBN 9548226723. 

П

• Помогни си сам, за да ти помогне и Господ.
  • Translation: Aid yourself and the lord will help you.
  • English equivalent: Heaven helps those who help themselves.
  • Meaning: When in trouble first of all every one himself should do his best to improve his condition.
  • Source for meaning: Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 150. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 
  • Cholakova, Kristalina (2008). Речник на българския език (2 ed.). Prof. Marin Drinov. p. 372. 

• Приятел в нужда се познава.
  • Translation: A friend is recognised in need.
  • English equivalent: A friend in need is a friend indeed.
  • Ginina, Ginina, Nikolova, Sakŭzova (1965). A Bulgarian textbook for foreigners. Naouka i izkustvo. p. vii. 

• Пилците се броят наесен.
  • Translation: Chickens are to be counted in the autumn.
  • English equivalent: Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.
  • Стратиев (2002). Избрано: Белетристика. Труд. p. 356. 

С

• С един куршум - два заека.
  • Translation: With one bullet - two rabbits.
  • English equivalent: Kill two birds with one stone.
• Сговорна дружина, планина повдига.
  • English: An organised group lifts a mountain.
  • English equivalent: Many hands make light work.
  • Panaĭotov, Николова (1999). Bŭlgarii︠a︡--20. vek: almanakh. ИКТрудидр.. p. 1255. 

Т

• Тихите води са най-дълбоки.
  • English equivalent: Still waters run deep.
  • "Silent Men, like still Waters, are deep and dangerous."
  • Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia (1732)
  • net. ДиагнозаТийн. Alexander Nenov. p. 72. 

Ч

• Човек предполага, Господ разполага.
  • English equivalent: Man proposes, God disposes.
  • Калоянов, Анчо (2003). Девети. TRUD Publishers. p. 487. ISBN 9545283998.