# Slovak proverbs

Proverbs from all Slovak speaking parts of the world.

## A

* Aká matka, taká Katka.
** English equivalent: Like mother, like daughter.
** "Daughters may look and behave like their mothers. This is due to inheritance and the example observed closely and daily."
** Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 137. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.
* Aký otec, taký syn.
** English equivalent: Like father, like son.
** "Sons may look and behave like their fathers. This is due to inheritance and the example observed closely and daily."
** Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 170. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.
* Ani strom naraz nezotnú.
** English equivalent: Little strokes fell great oaks.
** "A difficult task, e. g. removing a person/group from a strong position, or changing established ideas cannot be done quickly. It can be achieved gradually, by small steps, a little at a time."
** Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 252. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.

## C

* Čím viac tým lepšie.
** Translation: The more the merrier.
** Slovensképohl'ady. Tlačou kníhtlačiarskeho účastinárskeho spolku. 1900. p. 408.

## D

* Darovanému koňovi na zuby nepozeraj.
** Do not look at teeth of gifted horse.
** English equivalent: Never look a gift horse in the mouth.
** Meaning: "Don't criticize gifts.."
* Dobrý počiatok - polovica práce.
** English equivalent: Well begun, is half done.
** "Starting properly ensures the speedy completion of a process. A – beginning is often blocked by one or more obstacles (potential barriers) the removal of which may ensure the smooth course of the process."
** Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 228. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.
* Dvakrát meraj a raz rež.
** Measure twice, cut once.
** English equivalent: Measure twice, cut once.
** "Think longer than do something stupid quickly." or "Think before you speak out."

## I

* I z čítaného vlk berie.
** English equivalent: Cats eat what hussies spare.
** "What a person tries to keep back through meanness is just as likely to be wasted anyway."
** Pickering, David (1997). "X". Cassell Dictionary of Proverbs. Continuum International Publishing Group, Limited. p. X. ISBN 978-0-304-35020-9.
** Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 641. ISBN 0415096243.

## J

* Jablko nepadá ďaleko od stromu.
** An apple does not fall far from the tree.
** "Children observe daily and — in their behaviour — often follow the example of their parents."
** Ústav svetovej literatúry a jazykov (1984). Slavica Slovaca. Vydavatel'stvo Slovenskej akadémie vied.. p. 88.
** Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 259. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.
* Jedna lastovička leto nerobí.
** One swallow creates no summer.
** English equivalent: One swallow does not make a summer.
** "Do not feel sure or rejoice noticing a favourable sign. The appearance of a single sign of a favourable event is not yet a definite indication of its coming. It may be an unrelated, sporadic appearance."
** Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 49. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.
** Jazykovednýústav L̕udovíta Štúra (1979). Kultúra slova. Vydavatelʹstvo Slovenskej akadémia vied.. p. 274.

## K

* Každý si je strojcom svojho šťastia.
** Everyone is creator of his own fortune.
** English equivalent: Every man is the smith of his own fortune.
** Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 388. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.
* Kde sa nič nezaseje, tam sa nič nenaveje.
** What you reap is what you sow.
** Strauss (1998). Concise Dictionary of European Proverbs. Routledge. p. 394. ISBN 0415160502.
* Krátka správa lepšia ako dlhá pravda.
** English equivalent: A bad compromise is better than a good lawsuit.
** Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 68. ISBN 0415096243.
* Kto chce jadro, musí orech prehryznúť.
* Bez práce nie sú koláče.
** There are no cakes without work.
** English equivalent: No pain, no gain.
** Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 680. ISBN 0415096243.
* Kto sa hanbí, má prázdne gamby.
** English equivalent: Fortune favours the bold.
** "Come, pluck up a good heart; speak the truth and shame the devil."
** Françoid RabelaisFifth Book (1564)
** Strauss (1998). Concise Dictionary of European Proverbs. Routledge. p. 394. ISBN 0415160502.
* Kto druhému jamu kope, sám do nej spadne.
** He who digs a pit for others, will fall in it himself.
** Strauss, Emmanuel (1994). Dictionary of European Proverbs, Volym 1. Routledge. p. 651. ISBN 0415096243.
* Kto nepracuje, nech neje.
** He who does not work is without food.
** English equivalent: He that will not work, shall not eat.
** "Without due effort one is not entitled to the fruits of the work."
** Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 256. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.
* Kto šetrí, má za tri.
** He who saves has three times more.
** English equivalent: A penny saved is a penny earned.
* Kuj železo za horúca.
** Translation: Forge iron while it is hot.
** English equivalent: Make hay while the sun shines.
** "Do before it is too late to act."

## L

* Lakomec je rovný svini, len po smrti činí.
** English equivalent: A covetous man does nothing that he should till he dies.
** "Few rich men own their property. The property owns them."
** Robert Ingersoll, Address to the McKinley League, New York, 29th October 1896
** Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 79. ISBN 0415096243.
* Láska prechádza žalúdkom.
** The love goes through the stomach.
** English equivalent: The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
* Lepšie neskoro ako nikdy.
** English equivalent: Better late than never.
** "It is better that somebody arrives or something happens later than expected or desired, than not at all."
* Lepší vrabec v hrsti ako holub na streche.
** English equivalent: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
** Better sparrow in the hand than pigeon on the roof.
** "Something you have for certain now is of more value than something better you may get, especially if you risk losing what you have in order to get it."
* Lož má krátke nohy.
** English equivalent: A lie has short legs.

## M

* Mrcha vták, čo do vlastného hniezda nečistí.
** English equivalent: It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest; Don't wash your dirty linen in public.
** "Don't speak ill off yourself and the groups you belong to."
** Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 466. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.

## N

* Nepľuj do pohára, z ktorého si pil.
** English equivalent: Cast no dirt into the well that gives you water.
** "People who can put themselves in the place of other people – who can understand the workings of their minds, need never worry about what the future has in store for them."
** Dale Carnegie, How To Win Friends And Influence People (1934)
** Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 634. ISBN 0415096243.
* Nesúď knihu podľa jej obalu.
** English equivalent: Don't judge a book by its cover.
** Meaning: "Do not form an opinion about something or somebody based solely on outward appearance."
* Nešťastie v hre, šťastie v láske.
** English equivalent: Unlucky in game, lucky in love.

## P

* Pes, ktorý šteká, nehryzie.
** Translation: Dog that barks does not bite.
** English equivalent: Barking dogs seldom bite.
** Meaning: "Someone who threatens too much does this to frighten his enemies but in fact doesn’t have enough courage to do anything about it."
* Po boji je každý generál.
** Translation: After a battle everyone is a general.
** Meaning: "It is easy to say you know best after all the worst possibilities were tested and you know everything about the situation."
* Po každej búrke príde slnko.
** Translation: After every storm comes the sun.
** Meaning: "After experiencing sad events, there is always the end to them."
* Pomaly ďalej zájdeš.
** English equivalent: Slow but sure wins the race.
** Translation: You will slowly get further.
* Prázdny sud najviac duní.
** Translation: Empty barrel rumbles the most.
** English equivalent: It is not the hen that cackles the most that lay the most eggs.
** Meaning: He who advertises for himself the most can not achieve the greatest results.
** slovenská, vied, Štúra (1995). Slovenskáreč: časopis pre výskum a kultúru slovenského jazyka. p. 136.
* Priateľa si drž blízko, nepriateľa ešte bližšie.
** Translation: Keep your friend close, enemy even closer.
** Meaning: "Have someone to back you up, but watch your enemy so you know his intentions sooner than your friend's."
* Prísť k niečomu, ako slepá kura k zrnu.
** English equivalent: Even a blind pig may occasionally pick up an acorn.
** Meaning: "An incompetent person or an unsystematic approach is bound to succeed every now and then by chance."
** Source for meaning of English equivalent: Martin H. Manser (2007). The Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 75. ISBN 978-0-8160-6673-5. Retrieved on 8 September 2013.
** Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 36. ISBN 0415096243.
* Pýcha predchádza pád.
** English equivalent: Pride comes before the fall.

## R

* Ráno múdrejšie večera.
** Translation: Morning is wiser (compared) to evening.
** English equivalent: Morning is wiser than the evening.
** Meaning: "Good ideas may come after resting."
* Ryba smrdí od hlavy.
** English equivalent: A fish stinks from the head.
** Meaning: "A corrupting influence often spreads from a leader to the rest of the organization group."
* Rybu treba chytiť za hlavu, nie za chvost.
** English equivalent: You might as well try to hold an eel by the tail.
** Meaning: Don't take a man by his word.
** Strauss, Emanuel (1994). Dictionary of European proverbs (Volume 2 ed.). Routledge. p. 480. ISBN 0415096243.

## S

* Starý a nemá rozum!
** Meaning: Age will not refrain people from acting foolish and imprudently.
** English equivalent: ”Wisdom goes not always by years.”
** Strauss, Emanuel (1998). Concise Dictionary of European Proverbs (Abbreviated ed.). Routledge. p. 39. ISBN 0415160502.

## Š

* Šaty robia človeka.
** English equivalent: Fine feathers make fine birds.
** Translation: Clothing makes a man.
* Šťastie praje pripraveným.
** English equivalent: Fortune favors the bold.
** Meaning: "Those who act boldly are most likely to succeed."

## T

* Tichá voda brehy myje.
** Translation: Silent water washes the shores.
** English equivalent: Still water runs deep.
** Meaning: "Silent person hides many mysteries."
* Trpezlivosť ruže prináša.
** Translation: Patience brings roses.
** English equivalent: Patience is a virtue, and a little will not hurt you.
** Habovštiaková, Katarína; Krošláková, Ema (1996). Frazeologický slovník: človek a príroda vo frazeologii. Veda. pp. 45, 63. ISBN 978-80-224-0477-8.

## V

* Veľké ryby žerú malé.
** Translation: Big fish eat little fish.
** English equivalent: Men are like fish; the great ones devour the small.
** Meaning: "Small organizations or insignificant people tend to be swallowed up or destroyed by those that are greater and more powerful."
** Source for meaning: Martin H. Manser (2007). The Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-8160-6673-5. Retrieved on 1 July 2013.
** Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 420. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.
* Viac hláv, viac rozumu.
** Translation: More heads, more wisdom.
** English equivalent: Two heads is better than one.
** Meaning: "More people can find solution easier."
* V núdzi poznáš priateľa.
** Translation: You will know a friend when in need.
** English equivalent: A friend is known in adversity, like gold is known in fire.
* Vo víne pravda prebýva.
** Translation: There is truth in wine.
** English equivalent: In wine there is truth.
** Meaning: Alcohol consumed removes the inhibition against telling the truth that occasionally one would like to keep secret.
** Source for meaning and proverbs: Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 272. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.
* Vrana k vrane sadá, rovný rovného si hľadá.
** Translation: Crow sits to crow, the equal looks for equal.
** English equivalent: Birds of the same feather flock together.
* Všade dobre, doma najlepšie.
** Translation: Good everywhere, the best at home.
** Meaning: "No place feels as good as home."
* Výnimka potvrdzuje pravidlo.
** English equivalent: The exception proves the rule.

## Z

* Zakázané ovocie chutí najlepšie."
** Translation: Forbidden fruit tastes best.
** English equivalent: Forbidden fruit is sweet.
** Meaning: "Things that you must not have or do are always the most desirable."
* Zíde z očí, zíde z mysle. or Čo oči nevidia, srdce nebolí.
** Translation: It fades from eyes, it fades from mind.
** Translation: The heart does not hurt what eyes do not see.
** English equivalent: Out of sight, out of mind.
** Meaning: "Seeing somebody reinforces the memory while a long absence and the appearance of new impressions may result in a gradual fading of it."
* Zlá zelina nevyhynie.
** Translation: Bad weed never dies out.
** Swedish equivalent: Bad gun powder doesn't go away easily.
** Hofbauer (1998). Slovensko na križovatke: články a prejavy 1997-1998. Juga. p. 28.