What are some of your favorite proverbs in a language other than English?

[Anonymous]

My mom used to always say "todo tiene solución menos la muerte" (Spanish). It means there’s always a solution or fix to a problem - everything but death.

[Anonymous]

InSpain there’s one something like, “If you don’t like soup, you will get 2 bowls of it.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Russian proverb - «Without effort, you won't even catch a fish from the pond.»

Another Russian one

“Who are you talking to? Is there a mouse in your pocket “

[Anonymous]

In Brazil, there's a branch for every monkey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Russian proverb - «Without effort, you won't even catch a fish from the pond.»

Another Russian one

“Who are you talking to? Is there a mouse in your pocket “

Interesting. I’m Russian and never heard the “mouse” one (definitely know the one with the fish from the pond).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My Serbian grandfather would say, “In Serbia, men are men and women are men.”

Not surprising that Serbia is such a s--hole

[Anonymous]

I speak Gen-X. Whenever I think of proverbs, I think of several "Life in Hell" strips. This comic was created by Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons. I've linked one below or you can just put [life in hell Groening proverbs] into Google.

https://images.app.goo.gl/n1REYdJHyJFbf6xk8

The strips come up right away in Google (as images).

Sample proverb:

"Do not blow into a bear's ear."

For those on DCUM tracking the progress of AI, the AI summary offers incorrect but still funny commentary about a fake proverb authored by Matt Groening.

AI incorrectly offers: "While "Life in Hell" is known for its humor and satire, it doesn't directly feature a specific set of "proverbs" in the traditional sense. However, the series is filled with memorable lines and observations that resonate with many. One notable example, according to The Quotations Page, is the quote about love: "Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come.""

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Russian proverb - «Without effort, you won't even catch a fish from the pond.»

Another Russian one

“Who are you talking to? Is there a mouse in your pocket “

Interesting. I’m Russian and never heard the “mouse” one (definitely know the one with the fish from the pond).

Yep, I never heard the mouth one either
Speaking of Russian proverbs, my favorite one would be "do what seems right and come what might" - not a perfect transition, and might not even be originally Russian, but still ..

[Anonymous]

Some good Yiddish ones:

Man plans, God laughs.

If it is someone's fate to drown, he can drown in a spoonful of water.

If a girl can't dance, she says the musicians can't play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Russian proverb - «Without effort, you won't even catch a fish from the pond.»

Another Russian one

“Who are you talking to? Is there a mouse in your pocket “

Interesting. I’m Russian and never heard the “mouse” one (definitely know the one with the fish from the pond).

Also Russian and never heard that one about a mouse. Didn’t recognize the one about yesterday/tomorrow.

FWIW, one of my favorites from Russian is “we’ll cry when the beatings start” - “будут бить, будем плакать». It means that if and when the bad things happen, we’ll react appropriately, but until then it’s life as usual.

Another, a bit coarse one - when the whorehouse is losing money, you change the girls not the beds. Oh how I wish I could quote it at work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mom used to always say "todo tiene solución menos la muerte" (Spanish). It means there’s always a solution or fix to a problem - everything but death.

We agree on death, but unlike what the Americans say, the Spanish have a solution for taxes.

[Anonymous]

Two from Chinese:
Kill the chicken to scare the monkey
The hills are high and the emperor is far away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some good Yiddish ones:

Man plans, God laughs.

If it is someone's fate to drown, he can drown in a spoonful of water.

If a girl can't dance, she says the musicians can't play.

Oh, that one is so similar to a Russian saying that bad dancers blame nuts (or legs if nuts are too salty for the audience)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some good Yiddish ones:

Man plans, God laughs.

If it is someone's fate to drown, he can drown in a spoonful of water.

If a girl can't dance, she says the musicians can't play.

My favorite manager told me his Jewish grandma used to say:

"Whatever you own, owns you."

It's about having too much stuff and house maintenance troubles.

[Anonymous]

Man go to bed with itchy butt, wake up with stinky finger.
- My old Asian neighbor