Romanian proverbs

 

Fã-te frate cu dracu pânã treci puntea.

means:Call the Bear 'uncle' till you are safe across the bridge.
The Danger past and God forgotten.

Faptele grãiesc mai apãsat decât vorbele.

means:Actions speak louder than words.
Deeds, not words.

Pe unde a sãrit capra trebuie sã sarã si iada.

means:Where the dam leaps over, the kid follows.
As the old cock crows, so crows the young.

O gurã numai are omul si urechi douã, dar dimpotrivã mai mult grãieste decât ascultã.

means:

Nature has given us two ears, two eyes and but one tongue; to the end we should hear and see more than we speak.
Nu e frumos ce e frumos, e frumos ce-mi place mie.
means:Fair is not fair, but that which pleases.
The crow thinks her own birds fairest.Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Unul adunã, altul risipeste.

means:After a great getter comes a great spender.
After a thrifty father, a prodigal son.

E rãu când astepti de la mâna altuia.

means:He that is fed at another's hand may stay long ere he be full.
Who depends upon another man's table often dines late.

Pisica opãritã fuge si de apã rece.

means:A scalded Cat fears cold water.
A burnt Child dreads the fireHe that has been bitten by a Serpent is afraid of a rope

Whom a Serpent has bitten, a lizard alarms.

Dupã bucurie vine întristare.

means:After joy comes annoy.
Sadness and gladness succeed each other.

Cine râde la urmã râde mai bine.

means:He laughs best who laughs last.
He who laughs last, laughs longest.
Putin si des face mult.
means:Many small make a great.
Many drops make a shower.

Penny and penny laid up will be many.

Vecin bun ai nimerit, mare bine-ai dobândit.

means:A good neighbor, a good morrow.
A near neighbor is better than a far-dwelling kinsman.

Înainte de a porunci învatã a te supune.

means:He that cannot obey cannot command.
He commands enough that obeys a wise man.No man can be a good ruler unless he has first been ruled.

Cu chei de aur si de argint se deschid portile raiului.

means:

He that will enter into paradise must have a good key.
Tãcerea e ca mierea.
means: Quietness is a great treasure.
Silence is golden.

Cine va sã mãnânce miezul trebuie mai întâi sã spargã coaja.

means:He that will eat the kernel must crack the nut.
He that would eat the fruit must climb the tree.

Cine nu cârpeste spãrtura micã are necaz sã dreagã borta mare.

means:Who repairs not his gutter repairs his whole house.
A stitch in time saves nine.

Sub piatra cea mai frumoasã, scorpia ascunsã zace.

means:There is a scorpion under every stone.
Snake in the grass.

Mai bine o datã: na! decât tot: stai cã ti-oi da!

means:One "TAKE IT" is more worth than two "Thou shalt have it".
Better to have than wish.One today is worth two tomorrows.

În unire stã tãria.

means:Union is strength.
United we stand, divided we fall.

Butia goalã sunã mai tare.

means:Empty vessels make the greatest sound.
Apa furatã e mai plãcutã.
means:Stolen waters are sweet.

Forbidden fruit is sweet.

La tinerete cine nu lucreazã, la bãtrânete râiazã.

means:An idle youth, a needy age.
If you lay upon roses when young, you'll lie upon thorns when old.
Gresind învatã omul.
means:By ignorance we mistake, and by mistakes we learn.
Failure teaches success.

Mistakes are often the best teachers.

La mâncare sã ai cumpãtare si la bãuturã sã fii cu mãsurã.

Means: Eat at pleasure, drink by measure.

Prin depãrtare dragostea se uitã.

Means: Long absent, soon forgotten.
Out of sight, out of mind.

Cum îti vei gãti, asa vei prânzi.

Means: As you bake, so shall you eat.
As they brew, so let them bake.
As you make your bed, so you must lie on it.

As they brew, so let them drink

Ciorba încãlzitã mult stricã la stomac.

Means: Cabbage twice cooked is death.
Take heed of reconciled enemies and of meat twice boiled.
A broken friendship may be soldered, but will never be sound.

Dupã a noastrã scãpare, nici un sfânt cinste mai are.

Means: The danger past and God forgotten.
Once on shore, we pray no more. The river past and God forgotten.
Call the bear uncle' till you are safe across the bridge.

Chipul omului e oglinda sufletului.

Means: The face is the index of the mind.

Buruieni se gãsesc si în cea mai bunã grãdinã.

Means: No garden without its weeds.
On fat land grow foulest weeds.

Sãrutã mâna pe care n-o poti tãia.

Many kiss the hand they wish cut off.
Cumpãtul tine sãnãtatea omului si hãrnicia tine averea.

Means:

Industry is fortune's right hand, and frugality her left.

Tot sacul îsi gãseste peticul.

Means: Every Jack must have his Jill.
There is not so bad a gill, but there's as bad a will.

Sade hârbul în drum si râde de cei ce trec.

Means: The kettle calls the pot black-brows.
The pot calls the kettle black.
Thou art a bitter bird, said the raven to the starling. The frying-pan said to the kettle, "Avaunt, black brows!"

Cum este tara asa si obiceiurile.

Means: Every land has its own law.
So many countries, so many customs

Glia trebuie aratã si fecioara mãritatã.

Means: All meats to be eaten, and all Maids to be wed.

Nu tot ce poartã rasã si camilafcã e cãlugar.

Means: All are not saints that go to church.
All are not merry that dance lightly.
All are not hunters that blow the horn.

Cui pe cui se scoate.

Means: One nail drives out another.
One poison drives out another.
One devil drives out another.

Copacul nu cade dintr-o loviturã.

Means:An oak is not felled at one stroke.
Many strokes fell great (tall) oaks.

Când cei rãi nu se pedepsesc, cei buni se nãpãstuiesc.

Means: Pardoning the bad is injuring the good.
Who pardons the bad, injures the good.
He that helps the evil hurts the good. Mercy to the criminal may be cruelty to the people.

Întrebarea trece marea.

Means: He that nothing questions, nothing learns.
Cine se ia dupã muscã ajunge la bãlegar.

Means:

He that takes the raven for his guide will light on carrion.

Cine spune mult face putin.

Means: The greatest talkers are the least doers.
They brag most that can do least.
Nu e orfan cel fãrã tatã si mamã, ci cel fãrã învãtãturã. Means: Better unborn than untaught.

Iertarea e rãzbunarea cea mai bunã.

Means: The noblest vengeance is to forgive.
Pardons and pleasantness are great revenges of slanders.

Cine poate astepta are tot ce vrea.

Means: All things come to those who wait.
Everything comes to him who waits.

Ca vremea nici un dascãl mai bun.

Means: Years know more than books.

Faptele grãiesc mai apãsat decât vorbele.

Means: Actions speak louder than words.
Deeds, not words.

Unde vezi mãtãnii multe, departe, sã nu te muste.

Means: Beads about the neck and the devil in the heart.
The cross on his breast and the devil in his heart.

Copiii si nebunii spun adevãrul.

Means: Children and fools tell the truth.
Children and fools cannot lie.
Drunkards and fools cannot lie.

Fuga e rusinoasã, dar e sãnãtoasã.

Means: He that fights and runs away may live to fight another day.

Cine furã azi un ou, mâine va fura un bou.

Means: He that will steal an egg will steal an ox.

Tatãl adunã paiele ca aurul, fiul risipeste aurul ca paiele.

Means: After a thrifty father, a prodigal son.
The father buys, the son bigs, the grandchild sells, and his son begs.
After a great GETTER comes a great spender.

Unde e mitã, acolo si nedreptate.

Means: Who receives a gift sells his liberty.
Bound is he that gifts taketh.

Cine moare spânzurat nu moare înecat.

Means: He that is born to be hanged shall never be drowned.
No flying from fate/ The fated will happen / What must be, must be.

Bate fierul cât (pânã) e cald.

Means:Strike while the iron is hot.
Make hay while the sun shines / Hoist your sail when the wind is fair.

Nu mãsura pe altii cupalma ta.

Means: Don't judge every one by your own measure.        

Tiganul când s-a vãzut împãrat, întâi pe tatã-sãu l-a spânzurat.

Means: When a knave is in a plum-tree, he has neither friend nor kin.
Set a beggar on horseback, and he'll ride to the Devil / No pride like that of an enriched beggar.

Legea înainte, siretii dupã ea.

Means: Every law has a loophole.

Nu da cãmasa pentru altii, ca tu sã rãmâi în pielea goalã.

Means:Mind other men, but most yourself.

Firea în zadar ceva a face nu se osteneste, nici de lucrul fãcut vreodatã se cãieste.

Means:Nature does nothing in vain.

Omul cât sã-mbãtrâneascã, tot cere sã mai trãiascã.

Means: None so old that he hopes not for a year of life.

De la un rãu platnic si cu cenusa dupã vatrã sã te multumesti.

Means: From a bad paymaster get what you can.
Of ill debators men take oats.

Cel bogat mãnâncã când vrea, dar cel sãrac când are.

Means: Rich man may dine when he will, the poor man when he may.

Orice lucru este bun la timpul sãu.

Means: Everything is good in its season.

Cine culege trandafiri, trebuie sã se-nghimpe.

Means: He that handles thorns shall prick his fingers.
Who remove STONES bruise their fingers.

Omenia-i mai scumpã ca avutia.

Means: Virtue is a jewel of great price.

Paza bunã trece primejdia rea.

Means: Good watch prevents misfortune.

Dã-mi, Doamne, puterea tânãrului si mintea bãtrânului.

Means: If the young man would and the old man could, there would be nothing undone.

Mai bine un mãgar care te poartã decât un cal care te trânteste.

Means: Better ride on an ass that carries me than a horse that throws me.

Moartea unora este viata altora.

Means: One man's breathe another's death.One man's loss is another man's gain.

Flãmândului si o bucatã de mãmãligã rece i se pare plãcintã.

Means:The cat is hungry when a crust contents her.
Hungry dogs will eat dirty puddings.

De morti nu trebuie sã vorbesti decât de bine.

Means: Say nothing of the dead but what is good.
Never speak ill of the dead / Speak well of the dead.

Mai bine sã te pizmuiascã cineva decât sã te plângã.

Means: Better be envied than pitied.

Unde-i dragoste putinã, lesne-i a gãsi pricinã.

Means: Faults are thick where love is thin.

Cine aleargã dupã doi iepuri nu prinde niciunul.

Means: If you run after two hares, you will catch neither.
Dogs that put up many hares kill none.

Îi dai un ort si-ti ia un cot.

Means: Give him an inch, and he'll take an ell.
Give a clown your finger, and he will take your hand.

Nu judecati ceva înainte de vreme.

Means: Judge nothing before the time.
Cel ce îsi înmulteste stiinta îsi sporeste suferinta.
Means: He that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Much science, much sorrow.

Porumbii nu zboarã fripti în gurã.

Means: To think that larks will fall into one's mouth ready roasted.
He thinks that roasted larks will fall into his mouth.You may gape long enough ere a bird fall in your mouth / If the sky falls we shall catch larks.

Capra roade unde o legi.

Means:

The goat must browse where she is tied.

Blândul mosteneste pãmântul.

Means: The meek will inherit the earth.

Nevoia schimbã legea.
Means: Necessity has no law.

Unul ca nici unul.

Means: One and none is all one.
One is no number.Când n-ai, cãmila de un ban e scumpã.

Means:

A penny at a pinch is worth a pound.

Nu e trandafir fãrã spini.

Means: No rose without a thorn.
Frumos sã privesti furtuna pe mare, dar cam de departe.
Means: Praise the sea, but keep on land.
Praise the hill, but keep below.

Când înveti pe altul, tu atunci mai mult înveti.

Means: Teaching others teacheth yourself.
One learns in teaching.

Vocea poporului, vocea cerului.

Means:The voice of the people, the voice of God.
Cine seamãnã vânt culege furtunã.
Means: They that sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind.

Toate sunt trecãtoare ca ziua de ieri.

Means: Yesterday will not be called again