See also :
Many Polish proverbs are translations of Latin or German proverbs, while many others came from the Bible. The process of adapting and mixing proverbs between nations in Central Europe lasted for centuries, and in fact many proverbs now should be considered international rather than having a specific national origin.
Here are some examples of Polish proverbs. TR! in front of foreign proverbs means that they are exactly or almost the same as Polish ones. (germ.: german, eng.: english, lat.: latin, fr.: french).
- Baba z wozu, koniom lzej.
- Bez pracy nie ma kolaczy
- lat.: Sine labore non erit panis in ore.
- eng.: Without work there won't be any bread in your mouth.
- TR! eng.: The end justifies the means.
- TR! fr.: La fin justifie les moyens.
- eng.: Still waters are the deepest; Still waters run deep.
- Co dwie glowy to nie jedna
- TR! eng.: Two heads are better than one
- TR! eng.: Time is money.
- Czlowiek czlowiekowi wilkiem
- TR! lat.: Homo homini lupus est.
- TR! eng.: Man is man's wolf.
- Czego Jas sie nie nauczy, tego Jan nie bedzie umial
- TR! germ.: Was Hänschen nicht lernt, lernt Hans nimmermehr.
- eng.: You can't teach an old dog new tricks
- Duch chetny lecz cialo mdle.
- TR! eng.: The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
- Gdzie kucharek szesc, tam nie ma co jesc
- germ.: Viele Köche verderben den Brei.
- eng.: Too many cooks spoil the broth.
- I Herkules dupa kiedy wrogow kupa (this is vulgar one, however)
- TR! lat.: Nec Hercules contra plures
- Jestem czlowiekiem i nic co ludzkie nie jest mi obce
- TR! lat.: Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto.
- TR! eng.: I'm human and nothing that is human is to me strange.
- Kota nie ma, myszy harcuja
- TR! eng.: When the cat's away the mice will play.
- Kto rano wstaje, temu Pan Bog daje
- germ.: Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund.
- eng.: The early bird gets the worm.
- Kto szybko daje, dwa razy daje.
- TR! lat.: Bis dat, qui cito dat.
- TR! eng.: He who gives quickly gives twice.
- TR! germ.: Das Eisen schmieden, solange es heiss ist.
- TR! eng.: Strike while the iron is hot; Make hay while the sun shines
- TR! eng.: Better late than never
- Lepszy wrobel w garsci niz golab na dachu.
- TR! germ.:Besser ein Spatz in der Hand, als eine Taube auf dem Dach.
- eng.: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
- Nie dziel skory na niedzwiedziu.
- germ.: Man soll das Fell des Bären nicht verteilen, bevor man ihn erlegt hat.
- eng.: Don't count your chickens before they are hatched.
- Nie od razu Krakow zbudowano.
- germ.: Rom ist auch nicht an einem Tag erbaut worden.
- eng.: Rome wasn't built in a day.
- Nieznajomosc prawa szkodzi.
- TR! lat.: Ignorantia iuris nocet.
- TR! eng.: Being ignorant of law harms.
- Nie wszystko zloto co sie swieci.
- TR! germ.: Es ist nicht Alles Gold, was glänzt.
- TR! eng.: All that glitters is not gold.
- O umarlych mowi sie dobrze, albo wcale.
- TR! lat.: De mortuis nihil nisi bene.
- TR! eng.: Of the dead, nothing but good.; Say only good things about the dead.
- O wilku mowa, a wilk tuz tuz.
- eng.: Talk of the devil - and the devil appears.
- Pieklo jest wybrukowane dobrymi checiami.
- TR! eng.: The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
- TR! lat.: Manus manum lavat.
- TR! eng.: One hand washes the other.
- germ.: Eile mit Weile.
- eng.: More haste, less speed. TR! Hasten slowly!
- TR! lat.: Festina lente !
- TR! eng.: Seek and ye shall find.
- Ten sie smieje, kto sie smieje ostatni.
- TR! germ.:Wer zulezt lacht, lacht am besten.
- TR! eng.: He who laughs last, laughs longest.
- Wlazles miedzy wrony, krakaj jak i one.
- germ.: Andere Länder; andere Sitten.
- eng.: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
- Wszedzie dobrze ale w domu najlepiej.
- eng.: East or West home is best.; There is no place like home.
- Wszystko dobrze, co sie dobrze konczy.
- TR! germ.: Ende gut, alles gut.
- TR! eng.: All's well that ends well.
- Wszystkie drogi prowadza do Rzymu.
- TR! eng.: All roads lead to Rome.
- Zlej baletnicy rabek spodnicy (przeszkadza).
- eng.: A bad workman always blames his tools.
/Talk?
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