# 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.