Polish proverbs
From Wikiquote
Collection of Polish proverbs ordered by alphabet: Polish original proverbs are here accompanied with English translations.
WARNING!!! Mostly Word for Word translations!!! UWAGA!!! Głównie tłumaczenia dosłowne!!!
A - B - C - D - E - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - R - S - T - V - W - Z
[edit] B
- Baba z wozu, koniom lżej
- Word-for-word translation: When a woman has got off a wagon, horses have an easier time
- Meaning: It's all the better when an unhelpful person gets out of the way.
- English equivalent: Lighten your load!
- Bez pracy nie ma kołaczy
- Word-for-word translation: No labour, no oilcakes
- Latin equivalent: Sine labore non erit panis in ore
- English equivalent: No pain, no gain
- Bredzi jak Piekarski na mękach
- Word-for-word translation: S/he talks gibberish like tortured Piekarski
- Meaning: S/he's lying.
- Bogatemu to i diabeł dzieci kołysze
- Word-for-word translation: A rich man even has the devil to lull his children
- Meaning: All circumstances always turn advantageous for a rich man, in contrast to the poor man, who is always unlucky. Money eases the way to everything.
- English equivalent: The rich man gets his ice in the summer and the poor man gets his in the winter
- Bez soli smutna biesiada
- Word-for-word translation: Without salt the feast is spoiled
- English equivalent: Salt is the spice of life!
[edit] C
- Czekaj, tatka, latka
- Word-for-word translation: Wait for years, daddy
- Latin equivalent: Ad calendas Graecas (until Greek calendas) - i.e. until never (the Greeks did not celebrate the day of calendas)
- English equivalent: You can wait till the cows come home
[edit] D
- Duch chętny, lecz ciało mdłe
- English equivalent: The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
- Dobrego i karczma nie zepsuje, a złego i kościół nie naprawi
- Word-for-word translation: A good man even in a tavern won't be spoiled, a wicked one even in the church won't mend their ways
- Dobrego (nawet) karczma nie zepsuje, a złego (nawet) kościół nie uratuje
Same meaning but the second one rhymes unlike the previous proverb.
- Word-for-word translation: A good man even in a tavern won't be spoiled, not even (a) church can save a bad man.
- Dobry żart tynfa wart
- Word-for-word translation: A good joke is worth a tynf (an old Polish penny)
- Meaning: A compliment for a good joke.
- Dopóty dzban wodę nosi, dopóki mu się ucho nie urwie
- Word-for-word translation: A jug carries water until its handle breaks off
[edit] G
- "Gdy kota nie ma, myszy harcują"
- English equivalent: When the cat's away the mice will play
- Gdy pies je, to nie szczeka, bo mu miska ucieka
- Word-for-word translation: When the dog eats, he doesn't bark, or his food will run away
- Meaning: Don't talk with your mouth full.
- Gdzie kucharek sześć, tam nie ma co jeść
- Word-for-word translation: Where there are six cooks, there is nothing to eat
- German equivalent: Viele Köche verderben den Brei
- English equivalent: Too many cooks spoil the broth
- Gadał dziad do obrazu, a obraz do niego ani razu
- Word-for-word translation: A beggar talked to a picture, but picture answered nothing
- English equivalent: Like talking to the wall
- Gdy się człowiek spieszy, to się diabeł cieszy
- Word-for-word translation: When a man is in a hurry, the devil is happy
- English equivalent: Haste makes waste
- Gdzie diabeł nie może, tam babę pośle
- Word-for-word translation: Where the Devil can't go, he'll send a woman
- Meaning: Women often cause trouble.
- Gdzie drwa rąbią, tam wióry lecą
- Word-for-word translation: Where wood is being chopped, shavings fly
- English equivalent: Where there's smoke, there's fire
- Gdzie dwóch się bije, tam trzeci korzysta
- Word-for-word translation:
- Where two people fight against each other, the third one wins
- Where two are fighting (arguing, suing); it is another who benefits
- Word-for-word translation:
- Gdzie zgoda tam i siła
- English version: With unity there is strength
- Gość w dom - Bóg w dom
- Word-for-word translation: Guest coming into house - God coming into house (essence of Polish hospitality)
- Meaning: A guest in the house, is like God in the house
- Grosz do grosza, a będzie kokosza
- Word-for-word translation: Add up your pennies, and buy a hen
- English equivalent:
- Every penny adds up
- A penny saved is a penny earned [Benjamin Franklin]
[edit] I
- I Herkules dupa, kiedy wrogów kupa
- Word-for-word translation (vulgar): Even Hercules is a wimp, when he must fight against heaps of enemies
- Latin version: Nec Hercules contra plures
- Idzie luty, podkuj buty
- Word-for-word translation: When February comes, hobnail your shoes
[edit] J
- Jak Kuba Bogu, tak Bóg Kubie
- Word-for-word translation: As Jake treats God, God will treat Jake
- English equivalent: Turnaround is fair play
- Jak sobie pościelesz, tak się wyśpisz
True spelling: Jak sobie pościelisz, tak się wyśpisz
-
- Word-for-word translation: You rest the way you have made your bed
- English equivalent: As ye sow, so shall ye reap
[edit] K
- Kowal zawinił a Cygana powiesili
- Word-for-word translation: The blacksmith was guilty, but they hanged the Gypsy
- Meaning: The scapegoat suffers not for his faults
- Kruk krukowi oka nie wykole
- Word-for-word translation: The crow won't peck an eye of another crow
- Kto daje i zabiera ten się w piekle poniewiera
- Translation: Who gives and then takes it back goes to hell (is mistreated in hell).
- Kto rano wstaje, temu Pan Bóg daje
- Meaning: He who gets up early, is rewarded by God.
- German: Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund.
- English: The early bird gets the worm.
- Kto szybko daje, dwa razy daje
- Latin version: Bis dat, qui cito dat
- English translation: He who gives quickly gives twice.
- Każdego ciągnie do złego
- Translation: Everyone is tempted to evil.
- Kropla do kropli i będzie morze
- Translation: Drop after drop, there will be a sea
- English equivalent: In unity, there is strength
- Kto ma sadło temu snadno
- Kto ucieka, winnym sie˛ staje
- Translation: Running away makes you guilty.
- Kuj żelazo, póki gorące
- German translation: Das Eisen schmieden, solange es heiss ist.
- English equivalent:
- Strike while the iron is hot
- Make hay while the sun shines
- Kto nie słucha Ojca i Matki, ten sie słucha psiej skóry
- Translation: Who is not (listening to) obeying their parents, is listening to dogs skin
- Meaning: If you don't learn from your parents, you'll learn from the school of hard knocks.
[edit] L
- Lepiej późno niż wcale
- English equivalent: Better late than never
- Lepsza jedna panna, niż cztery wdowy
- Translation: One maiden is better than four widows.
- Lepsze wrogiem dobrego
- Translation (and English equivalent): Better is the enemy of good.
- Los szczęście rzuca, ale nie każdy je łapie
- Translation: Fate throws fortune, but not everyone catches.
- Lepszy wróbel w garści niż gołąb na dachu
- Translation: A sparrow in your hand is better than a pigeon on the roof.
- English equivalent: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
- Ładnemu we wszystkim ładnie
- Translation: A pretty person looks pretty in every clothing.
[edit] M
- Między młotem a kowadłem
- Translation: Between the hammer and the anvil
- English: Between a rock and a hard place; between the devil and the deep blue sea.
- Musi to na Rusi, w Polsce jak kto chce
- Translation:
- Must to" is good in Russia, in Poland it's as one pleases
- In Russia it's as you must, in Poland as you wish.
- Translation:
- Myszy harcują, gdy kota nie czują
- Translation: Mice play around, when they don't smell the cat
- English equivalent: When the cat's away, the mice will play.
[edit] N
- Najlepsze mienie - czyste sumienie
- Translation: The best asset is a clean conscience
- Na kogo kruki, na tego wrony
- Alternative: Siła złego na jednego
- Translation: the one attacked by ravens is also attacked by crows (i.e. used when one is unfairly attacked from all sides by a large number of enemies).
- English equivalent: All against one.
- Na pochyłe drzewo wszystkie kozy skaczą
- Translation: All goats jump onto leaning trees
- English equivalent: People take advantage if you let them.
- Nie masz na upór lekarstwa
- Translation: You can't heal stubbornness
- Nie ma tego złego co by na dobre nie wyszlo
- Translation: Bad things often turn out to be good for you
- "Nie mów o nikim, nie będą o tobie."
- Translation: Don't talk about others, they won't talk about you.
- Nie wszystko się godzi, co wolno
- Translation: Not everything that's allowed is agreeable
- English equivalent: Not everything legal is ethical.
- Nie chwal dnia przed zachodem słońca
- Translation: Don't praise the day before sunset
- Meaning: Don't give unearned praise(credit)
- Nie dziel skóry na niedźwiedziu
- Translation: Don't share the skin while it's still on the bear
- English equivalent: Don't count your chickens before they are hatched
- Nie mów „hop”, póki nie przeskoczysz
- Translation: Don't say 'up', before you have jumped
- Nie od razu Kraków zbudowano
- Translation: Not at once Krakow was built
- English equivalent: Rome wasn't built in a day
- Nieznajomość prawa szkodzi
- Translation: ignorance of law is harmful
- Latin equivalent: Ignoratia iuris nocet
- English Equivalent: Ignorance is not an excuse
- "Nie wszystko złoto, co się świeci."
- Translation: Not all is gold that glitters
- English Equivalent: Not all that glitters is gold.
[edit] O
- O umarłych mówi się dobrze, albo wcale
- Latin: De mortuis nihil nisi bene
- Translation: of the dead speak well or not at all.
- O wilku mowa, a wilk tuż tuż
- Translation: Talk of a wolf and the wolf is here
- Similar to:
- Speak of the Devil (and he will appear)
- Light on a mention
[edit] P
- Panu Bogu świeczkę, a diabłu ogarek
- Translation: Light a candle for God and a candle-stub for the Devil
- Meaning: Everyone has his share
- Paluszek i główka to szkolna wymówka
- Translation: A sore finger and a headache are standard excuses for not going to school
- Patrzy jak cielę na malowane wrota
- Translation: He/She is staring like a calf at the painted gate
- Meaning: He is clueless
- Piękna miska jeść nie daje
- Translation: A beautifully decorated plate won't feed anyone
- Piekło jest wybrukowane dobrymi chęciami
Alternatively: "Dobrymi chęciami piekło jest wybrukowane"
-
- Translation: The road to hell is paved with good intentions
- Pokorne cielę dwie matki ssie
- Translation: A humble calf will feed from two mothers
- English equivalent: Humility gets you everywhere.
- Przyszła koza do woza
- Translation: Goat came to the cart
- Meaning: Someone who earlier refused to accept your help or advice now asks for it.
[edit] R
- Ręka rękę myje (Rączka rączkę myje)
- Translation (and English equivalent): One hand washes the other.
- Latin equivalent: Manus manum lavat
- Śpiesz się powoli
- Translation: Make haste slowly.
- Latin equivalent: Festina lente.
- Deutsch equivalent: Eile mit Weile
- English equivalent: Haste makes waste
[edit] S
- Szlachcic na zagrodzie równy wojewodzie
- Translation: A nobleman at his farmstead is equal to a voivod
- English equivalent: A man's home is his castle
- Szukajcie, a znajdziecie
- English equivalent: Seek and ye shall find
[edit] T
- Tylko trzewik wie, że pończocha dziurawa
- Translation:
- Only the shoe knows the stocking to be torn
- Only the shoe knows that the stocking is torn.
- Meaning: Those close to us know our secrets.
- Translation:
- Ten się śmieje, kto się śmieje ostatni
- Equivalent:
- He who laughs last, laughs the longest
- He laughs best, who laughs last
- Equivalent:
[edit] U
- Ucz się ucz, bo nauka to do potęgi klucz
- Translation: Keep learning because knowledge is the key to power
[edit] W
- Wchodząc między wrony, krakaj jak i one
- Alternatively: Kiedy wszedłeś między wrony, musisz krakać jak i one
- Translation: When among the crows, caw as the crows do
- English Equivalent: When in Rome, do as the Romans do
- Wolnoć Tomku w swoim domku
- Translation: You are free, Tom, in your own home
- Meaning: Do as you please at your own home
- English equivalent: A man's home is his castle
- Wszędzie dobrze, ale w domu najlepiej
- Translation: Everywhere's fine, but best at home
- English equivalent: Home, sweet home
- Wszystko dobre, co się dobrze kończy
- English equivalent: All's well that ends well
- Wszystkie drogi prowadzą do Rzymu
- English equivalent: All roads lead to Rome
- W zdrowym ciele zdrowy duch
- Meaning: In healthy body a healthy spirit resides
- English equivalent: In a sound body, a sound mind.
[edit] Z
- Zobaczysz (coś), jak świnia niebo
- Translation: You will see something as surely as a pig will see the sky. (pigs cannot look up)
- Meaning: In a pig's eye. Or 'It will happen, when pigs fly.' It's not likely.
- English equivalent: When pigs fly
- Za dukata brat sprzeda brata
- Translation: For a ducat, he would sell his own brother
- Z deszczu pod rynnę
- Word-for-word translation: From rain and under the gutter.
- Meaning: Action to improve situation had made it not better or even worse.
- English equivalent: Out of the pot and into the frying pan.
- Złej baletnicy przeszkadza rąbek u spódnicy
- Translation: A bad dancer blames the hem of her skirt
- English equivalent: A bad workman always blames his tools
