Table of Contents:

Serbian Proverbs and Sayings

Some Other Favorite Proverbs at almost the very end

References

SERBIAN PROVERBS AND SAYINGS

Ako ini dobro, ne udaraj u veliko zvono. If you do good, dont bang into big
bells.

Ako je ko lud ne budi mu drug. Whoever is crazy, dont be their friend.

Ako kantar ne valja, ti budi ispravan. Even though the scale is wrong, you
be right.

Ako komijska kua gori, gledaj u svoju. If the neighbors house is on

fire, check your own.

Ako ne pone nee ni zavriti. If you dont start, you wont finish.

Ako zlo nee na tebe, a ti bei od njega. If evil wont be after you, you
run away from it.

Ako eli jezgro, slomi ljusku. If you want the core, break the shell.

Ako sreu ne sretne, nee je ni stii. If you dont meet luck, you wont catch
her.

Ako zima ustima ne ujede, ona repom oine. If winter doesnt bite, it swooshes with
its tail.

Bolje je jedanput zaplakati nego sto puta uzdahnuti.It is better to once cry than to sigh
hundred times.

Bolje je ne obeati nego re ne odrati. It is better not to promise than

to break your word.

Bolje je pokliznuti nogom nego jezikom. It is better to slip with foot than
with tongue.

Baci dobro niz vodu, voda e opet tebi da donese. Throw away good downstream, the
water will still bring to you.

Badava je dobro seme kada je ravo oranje. Good seed is wasted when the plowing
is bad.
Batina ima dva kraja. A beating stick has two ends.

Biser ne valja pred svinje bacati. Dont cast pearls in front of swine.

Boj se Boga, ali i onoga koji se Boga ne boji. Be afraid of God and of those who are
not afraid of God.

Bolest i planinu obori, a kamoli oveka. Illness can take down a

mountain, and certainly a man.

Bolje je biti malo lud, nego malo pametan. It is better to be a little crazy than a
little smart.

Bolje je svoje jaje, nego tua kokoka. Better to have your own egg than
someone elses hen.

Bolje svata jesti, nego svata govoriti. Better to eat whatever than to speak
whatever.

Bolje potena smrt, nego sramotan ivot. Better honest death than shameful
life.

Budalu ne rui, ve mu savet prui. Dont badmouth a fool, but give him
advice.

Bez zdravlja nema bogatstva. No health, no wealth.

Bez muke nama nauke. No knowledge without effort.

Bolje vrabac u ruci, nego soko na grani. Better a sparrow in your hand than an eagle
on the tree.

Dete mnogo milovano nikad dobro vaspitano. A child too much catered to is never
well raised.

Dri se novog puta i starog prijatelja. Hang onto a new road and an old
friend.

Drvo se na drvo naslanja a ovek na oveka. A tree leans on a tree, and a man leans on a
man.

Dok ne iskopa nov bunar, ne pljuj u stari. Until you dig a new well, dont spit into
the old one.

Da je maeha dobra u bati bi se sejala. If a step mother was a good thing, she would
have been grown in garden.

Da nema vetra pauci bi nebo pomreili. If it werent for the wind, the spiders would
net the whole sky.
Da se rei kupuju, manje bi se govorile. If words had to be paid for, they
would be spoken less.

Dobro je teko videti, a lako se pozna. Good is hard to see, and easy to
recognize.

Dok srce ne zaboli, ne moe oko zaplakati. Until the heart is in pain, the eye
cannot cry.

Daleko od oiju, daleko od srca. Far from sight, far from heart.

Dobar glas daleko ide, a lo jo dalje. Good reputation goes far, and bad one
even further.

Dva puta meri, a jednom seci. Measure twice and cut once.

Dok jednom ne smrkne drugome ne svane. Until one gets it bad, the other one
doesnt get it good.

Davljenik se i za slamku hvata. A drowning man tries to reach for a

straw.

Dobra devojka sama se udaje. Loosely: Good product sells itself.

In this case, product is a young lady trying

to get married.

Dobra ena praznu kuu ini da je puna. A good woman makes an empty
house seem full.

Dravi ne duguj, sa andarima ne druguj, a eni tajne ne kazuj. Dont owe to the
government, dont fraternize with police, and
dont tell secrets to your wife.

Dravu uvaj od neprijatelja, a enu od prijatelja. Protect the country from enemies, and
wife from friends.

Gledaj napred, al se osvrni i nazad. Look forward, but glance back too.

Gde nevolja rua, tu i tuga veera. Where the trouble has lunch, grief has
dinner.

Gde se stariji ne uju, tu Bog ne pomae. Where the Elders are not heard, God
doesnt help.

Gde velika zvona zvone tu se mala ne uju. Where big bells ring, the little ones are
not heard.

Gvoe se kuje dok je vrue. Iron is cast while hot.

ovek se nada dok god je due u njemu. Man hopes as long as he is
alive.

uvaj se oveka koji nije kadar suzu da pusti. Be aware of the man who cannot shed
a tear.

ovek eli od svakog da je bolji, a od sina da je gori. A man wants to be better than
anyone and worse than his own son.

ovek sve daje za obraz, a obraz ni za ta. Man gives everything for his reputation, and
reputation for nothing.

ovek bez slobode kao riba bez vode. A man without freedom is like a fish
without water.

uturom se pregrabi i najvee bure. With a cup you can empty the biggest
barrel.

ovek pokae pravo lice u tri sluaja: u besu, u bogatstvu i u pijanstvu. Man shows his true
face in three cases: in anger, in wealth, and
in drunkness.

Kad oi govore, usta ute. When eyes speak, mouth is silent.

Konju, eni i puci ne treba verovati. Dont trust your horse, gun, and
women.

Kaalj, uga i ljubav ne mogu se sakriti. Cough, skin disease and love
cannot be hidden.

Kad ovek nema svoga dobra, tue zlo premee. When a man has no good fortune of
his own, he gets busy with others
misfortune.

Kad srce gori, iz usta dim izlazi. When the heart is on fire, there is some
smoke coming out of the mouth.

Ko staro ne krpi, ni novo ne nosi. Who doesnt patch the old, doesnt wear the
new either.

Koju vodu mora piti, nemoj je mutiti. Whatever water you must drink, dont
muddy it.

Krpi rupu dok je manja. Patch the hole while still small.

Ko do dvadeset ne zna, do trideset nema, teko kui koja ga ima.

Who doesnt know until age of 20, doesnt

have until the age of 30, is a burden for his
household.
Ko se ljudi ne stidi, ljudi se ne boji. Who is not ashamed of people, has no
fear of people.

Koji se pas silom u lov vodi, taj zeca ne hvata. The dog who is taken by force to hunt
will not catch any rabbits.

Ko lae za tebe, lagae i protiv tebe. Whoever lies for you, will also lie
against you.

Ko ne plati rukom, taj e duom. Who doesnt pay with their hands, will pay
with their soul.

Ko visoko leti, nisko pada. Whoever flies high, falls down low.

Ko ne plati na mostu, platie na upriji. Whoever doesnt pay on the bridge,

will pay on the bridgeworks.

Lako je ljubav stei, ali je teko zadrati. It is easy to find love, but hard
to keep it.

Ljubav je puna i meda i jeda. Love is full of honey and grief.

Lako je iza est volova plug drati. It is easy to hold the plow behind six
oxen.

Lako je tuim rukama vrelo gvoe hvatati. It is easy to grab hot iron with
someone elses hands.

Ludi boj biju, a mudri vino piju.

Lepa re gvozdena vrata otvara.

Ne ceni vola po rogovima ni oveka po brkovima.

Ne boj se smrti, nego zla ivota. Dont be afraid of death, but of bad
life.

Ne valja pljuvati pa lizati. Its bad to spit then lick.

Ne zamahuj ako ne sme da udari. Dont raise your hands up if you

cannot strike.

Ne moe se dlanom sunce zakloniti.

Nema zime dok ne padne inje, ni prolea dok sunce ne sine, ni radosti dok ne deli s kime.

Nije sramota pasti, sramota je ne dii se. its not a shame to fall down, its a
shame not to get up.

Novac sitno zvei, al se daleko uje.

Nemoj da te pita starost gde ti je bila mladost. Dont make your old ask age ask you
where your young age went.

Ne kai sve to zna, ne ini sve to moe, ne veruj sve to uje. Dont tell
everything you know, dont do everything
you can, dont believe everything you hear.

Nije siromah ko malo ima, ve ko mnogo eli.

Nije zlato sve to sija.

Zao glas i ptice nose.

Zlato se u vatri probira, ovek u nevolji. Gold is tested in fire, man in

trouble.

ena e samo onu tajnu uvati koju ne zna. A woman will keep only the secret she
doesnt know.

enu mnogo ne mazi nego je pripazi. Dont cater too much to your wife but
watch over her.

ena mua nosi na licu, a mu enu na koulji. Wife carries her husband on her face,
and husband carries his wife on his shirt.

edan konj vode ne probira. A thirsty horse is not choosey about which
water to drink.

Od ljubavi se ne ivi al se za nju gine. It is not possible to live from love but
people die for it.

Obraz ide s glavom.

Obeanje, ludom radovanje. Promises are fools joy.

Pored suha drveta i sirovo izgori. Near the dry wood, the green wood
burns too.

Prazna vrea ne moe uspravno da stoji.

S polja gladac a unutra jadac. Flawless outside, and faulty inside.

Sitna maka mieve ne lovi. A small cat cannot catch mice.

Svaka je kvoka na svom gnezdu jaka. Every hen is strong on her own nest.

Svaka muka za vremena, a sramota zavijeka. Any trouble runs its course, but shame
always stays.

Starog sluaj al ne idi za njim. Listen to the old one, but dont follow
him.
Siroto dete samo sebi pupak vezuje. A poor child has to tie its own
umbilical cord.

Teko vuku za kojim psi ne laju. Poor is the wolf after which dogs dont
bark.

Torba je najtea kada je prazna. A bag is most heavy when empty.

Teko onoj kui gde dima nema. Too bad for a house without smoke.

(they are either too poor to keep a

stove going, or sick, or .)

to pree preko zuba ode preko brda. Whetever goes over the teeth, goes
over the hills.

U sreu se uzda lud, a pametan u svoj trud. Fools have faith in good luck, smart ones
have faith in their effort.

U kojoj kui mu enu bije, tu sree nije. There is no happiness in a house where the
hunsband beats his wife.

U zdravom telu, zdrav duh. In healthy body, healthy spirit.

Jedno krivo drvo, ceo tovar raspe. One crooked stick, ruins the whole
slew.

Jezik je vie glava posekao nego sablja. Tongue cut more heads than
sword.

Iz krivog odaka dim pravo izlazi. From the crooked chimney, smoke still comes
out straight.

(A marriage party came to look at a girl, who

had cross-eyes. They said: nice house, but
the chimney is crooked. She said: from the
crooked chimney, the smoke still comes out
straight.)

Iz prazne kue i mievi bee. From an empty house even mice ran
away.

Drvo se savija dok je mlado. A tree is bent while young.

Voda sve opere osim crna obraza. Water can wash everything except a
bad reputation.

Vrana vrani oi ne vadi. A crow doesnt peck the eyes of

another crow.
Vo se vezuje za rogove a ovek za re. A bull is tied by his horns and a man
by his word.

Ko prvi devojci, njegova devojka. Whoever gets to the girl first, gets the
girl.

Ko rano rani, dve srece grabi. Getting up early is double luck.

Early bird catches two worms.

Ko se dima ne nadimi, taj se vatre ne ogreje. Without being smoked out, cannot get warm
by the fire.

Dok sa nekim ne pojede dak soli ne zna kakav je. Until you eat a sack of salt with
a man, you dont know

what he is like

I koljke iz dosade bisere prave Even shells make pearls out of

boredom

Zasviraj ali i za pojas zadeni. Play your flute but put it back too.

Pravda gmie ali stie. Justice crawls but arrives.

dala baba banku da ue u kolo, dala bi i dve samo da izae... Old woman gave one
dollar to get into the dance, she would give
two to be able to get out.

Tudja ruka svrab ne cese. A strangers hand cannot scratch the itch.

Pita se od govana ne pravi Cannot make a pie out of shit

Ne ui svinju da svira klavir. Svinja e se samo iznervirati, a ti e samo izgubiti vreme.

Dont teach a swine to play piano. Swine will

just lose its temper, and you will just lose
your time.

Sta mozes danas, ne ostavljaj za sutra. Whatever you can do today, dont
leave for tomorrow.

Cija sila, toga i pravda.

Bolje je nemati, nego otimati. It is better not to have, than to grab by

force.
Bolje je neznalica no tvrdoglavica. It is better not to know then to be
stubborn.

Bolje je pokliznuti nogom nego jezikom.

Bolje je s mudrim pakati nego s ludim pevati. It is better to cry with the wise than to
sing with the

crazy.

Bolje je svoje jaje nego tudja kokos.

Bez alata nema ni zanata! Without tools there is no craft.

Bez muke nema nauke!

Bivsi prijatelj je gori nego neprijatelj. A former friend is worse than enemy.

Brak bez dece je dan bez sunca. Marriage without children is like a day
without sunschine.

Bolestan se pita, a zdravom se daje. Ask the sick, and give to the healthy.

Bolje je dobroga sluziti, nego rdjavu zapovijedati. It is better to serve a good person
than to command a bad person.

Vremenu se valja pokoravati it is prudent to comply with the times.

Um caruje, snaga klade valja Mind is the king, force is the laborer.

Vie vredi to ena utedi nego to mu zaradi. It is worth more whan wife
saves than what husband

earns.

Ko dvaput slae, trei put mu se ne veruje. Who lies twice, third time is not taken
seriously.

Nije siromah ko malo ima, ve ko mnogo eli. It is not poor who has little, but who
wants too much.

Pravda je spora, ali dostina. Justice is slow, but arrives.

Ako je go, ali je soko. Maybe he is naked, but he is an eagle.

Ako je i koliba, naa je. Maybe it is a hut, but it is ours.

Ako je ko lud, ne budi mu drug.

Ako mi ne moe pomoi, nemoj mi odmagati. If you cannot help me, dont
deter me.

Ako nee zlo od tebe, bei ti od zla. If evil wont run away from you, you
run away from it.

Ako ti mogu kupiti kapu, pamet ne mogu. I can buy you a hat, but not the brains.

Ako zna ta ti je bilo, ne zna ta e ti biti. If you know what happened, you dont know
what will happen.

Ako enu tue, svoju sreu tue. If you beat your wife, you beat your
good fortune.

Bei kud ti je volja, od sebe ne utee. You can run anywhere you want, you wont
run away from yourself.

Blago onome ko zna da ne zna, a hoe da zna. Blessed is the one who knows that he
doesnt know, and wants to know.

Bogat je ko nije duan, a mlad ko je zdrav. Rich is the one who is not in debt, and young
the one who is healthy.

Bolan se pita, a zdravom se daje. (when serving people food etc, you just give
it to them without asking.)

Bolje je dobroga sluiti, nego ravom zapovedati.

Bolje je i malo s blagoslovom, negoli i dosta s prokletstvom. Better a little with a

blessing then a lot with a curse.

Bolje je imati ravu godinu, nego ravog suseda. Better to have a bad harvest than a
bad neighbor.

Bolje je ne poeti, nego ne doeti. Better not start then not to finish.

Bolje je nemati, nego otimati.

Bolje je neznalica no tvrdoglavica. Better unlearned than stubborn.

Bolje je pokliznuti nogom nego jezikom.

Bolje je s mudrim plakati nego s ludim pevati.
Bolje je svoje jaje nego tua koko.
Bolje je u kolibi pevati nego u dvoru plakati. Better sing in a hut then cry in a
palace.

Bolje mrav mir nego debela parnica. Better a skinny peace than a fat
lawsuit.
Bolje se s junakom biti, nego s rom ljubiti.
Bolje slep oima, nego slep pameu. Better blind in eyes then blind in mind.

Bolji je dobar glas nego zlatan pas. Better a good reputation but a golden
belt.

Bolji je i crn kola nego prazna torba. Better a burnt cake than an empty
bag.

Brat brata nad jamu vodi, ali u jamu ne mee. Brother takes his brother to a hole but
doesnt put him in there.

Brdo se s brdom ne moe sastati, a ivi se ljudi sastanu. A hill cannot meet another hil,
but live people meet each other.

Bui vie ko manje razloga ima. The less reason, the louder the person.

ija sila, toga i pravda. Whoever wins, makes the law.

ovek je tvri od kamena, a slabiji od jajeta. Man is harder than stone and weaker
than eggshell.

ovek eli da je od svakoga bolji, a od sina da je gori.

ovek se ui dok je iv, pa opet lud umre. Man learns as long as he lives, and yet dies a
fool.

uvaj bele novce za crne dane. Keep white monies for black days.

uvaj se onoga ko stavlja obraz pod opanak. Be aware of the one who puts his cheek
under his shoe. (this is hard to translate,
because cheek also means reputation.)

Da je stei ko to rei, svi bi bogati bili. If it were as easy to get rich as it is to talk,
everyone would be rich.

Da ga zemlja ne vue sebi, poleteo bi. If the earth didnt hold him down, hed
fly.

Da padne na lea, razbio bi nos. If he fell on his back, he would break

his nose.

Dobra ovca mnogo ne bleji, ali mnogo vune daje. Good sheep doesnt baa a lot, but
gives a lot of wool.

Dobro je lasno zaboraviti, a zlo nikada.

Dobro se ne pozna dok se ne izgubi. Good is not known until lost.

Dok je lea, bie i samara. As long as there are backs, there will
be saddles.

Dok je iba tanka, treba je ispravljati. While the branch is young, it should be
straightened.

Drvo bez grane i ovek bez mane - ne mogu biti. A tree without a branch and a man
without a fault cannot be.

Drvo se na drvo oslanja, a ovek na oveka.

Duboka voda je bistra, a plitka mutna. Deep water is clear, shallow is murky.

Gde brat brata ne voli, tu nema sree. Where a brother doesnt love his brother,
there is no happiness.

Gde je srea, tu je i nesrea. Where there is happiness, there is also

unhappiness.

Gde nije ene, tu nije ni kue. Where there is no woman, there is no

home.

Gde se god sastanu ljudi, ocjenjuju druge, a sebe ne. Wherever there are people
meeting, they always judge others, and not
themselves.

Gde velika zvona zvone, tu se mala ne uju.

Gde je ija kua tu je i sredina sveta. Where is someones house, there is the
center of the universe.

Gde je stida, tu je i potenja. Where there is shame, there is

honesty.

Gde zlato gospoduje, razlog se ne uje. Where gold rules, reason cannot
be heard.

Gde zlato govori, usta ute. Where gold speaks, mouth is silent.

Gospodskom smehu i vedru nebu ne valja verovati, jer se zaas promene.

Rich persons laughter and clear sky are not

to be trusted, because they can change
instantly.

Gvoe ree i drvo i kamen, ali i njega ra jede. Iron cuts both wood and stone,
but is eaten by rust.

Hoe li da te svi mrze, reci svakome ko je ko. If you want everyone to hate you, tell
them exactly what they are like.
I ljude posluaj, i svoje pameti imaj. Listen to other people, and also have
your own wits.

I najmudriji da proda sve to ima, ne moe da kupi sve to nema. Even if the wisest
sold everything he had, he couldnt buy
everything he didnt have.

I sunce prolazi kroz kaljava mesta ali se ne okalja. Sun passes through muddy places and
never gets muddy itself.

I zid ima ui, i plot ima oi. Walls have ears, fences have eyes.

Ide vreme, nosi breme. Time flies, brings burdens.

I loncem o kamen ili kamenom o lonac, teko loncu svakojako. The pot bangs on the
stone, or the stone bangs on the pot, it is difficult for the pot no matter what

Izvan oiju, izvan srca. Far from sight, far from heart.

Jezik kosti nema, ali kosti lomi. Tongue has no bones, but breaks
bones.

Kad bi se sve pameti iznele na vaar, svak bi se svoje maio.

If you put all brains out on a fair, everyone

would grab for his own.

Kad ovek tone i za vrelo gvoe se hvata. When a man drowns, he grabs even
for hot iron.

Kad je volje i zlo ide na bolje. Where there is good will, even bad
trouble gets better.

Kad najvie grmi, najmanje kie pada. When it thunders the most, it rains the
least.

Kad sultan nazebe, raja kija. When the king catches a cold, the
people sneeze.

Kako dolo onako i prolo. As it came, it went.

Ko ljude ne slua, ni ovek nije. Who doesnt listen to people, is not a

man.

Ko mnogo zbori - ili mnogo zna ili mnogo lae. Who speaks a lot either knows
a lot or lies a lot.

Ko nee brata za brata, on e tuina za gospodara. Who doesnt want a brother for his
brother, takes a stranger for the rules.
Ko nema sokola i kukavici se veseli. Who doesnt have a hawk, gets happy
even with a cookoo bird. (pun with gender also means female vs male children)

Ko nosi, ne prosi. He who caries, doesnt have to beg.

Ko prati tu posao, svoj zaboravlja. Who follows others business, forgets

his own.

Ko se seli, taj se ne veseli. He who is moving is not cheerful.

Ko u nebo pljuje na obraz mu pada. Who spits at the sky, it falls on his
cheak.

Ko u krmu ide, tuu decu hrani. Who goes to the tavern, feeds other
peoples children.

Koja se ne rekne, ona se ne uje. Word never spoken is word never

heard.

Kupuj prvo suseda, pa posle kuu. Buy the neighbor first, then the house.

Ludi boj biju, a mudri vino piju.

Ljudi se po odelu sretaju, a po pameti prate. People meet based on clothes, but follow
each other based on brains.

Ljudi su gusto posejani, ali retko niu. People are densely planted, but
seldom grow.

Mnogo aova treba dok se istina sahrani. Many showels are needed to bury the
truth.

Ne boj se onoga kome nisi dobro uinio. Dont be afraid of the person that you
werent nice to.

Ne zna da besjedi, a ne ume da uti. He doesnt know how to speak, but he

cannot be silent.

Nemogoe pojedoe, a nekee sve popie. Couldnts ate it all, nothanks drunk it
all.

Nesta blaga, nesta prijatelja. When the wealth is gone, friends are
gone.

Nije siromah ko malo ima, ve ko mnogo eli.

Nov bunar kopaj, u star ne pljuj. Dig a new well, and dont spit into the old
one.
Novci sitno zvee, al' se daleko uju. Money has a quiet sound but is heard
far.

Oteto - prokleto. Grabbed by force is cursed.

Otkud sam se nadao da me sunce ogreje, otuda me led bije.

Where I was hoping for some warmth from

the sun, there is icy cold blowing at me.

Poto se kola slome, mnogi put kazuju. When the car breaks, many
show the way. ?

Potuj, ako hoe da si potovan. Respect, if you want to be respected.

Prav se smeje, a kriv se krije. Honest laughs, guilty hides.

Ra jede gvoe, a tuga srce. Rust eat the iron, sadness eats the
heart.

Starost je bolest od koje svako umire. Old age is disease from which
everyone dies.

Svud je proi, al' je doma doi. Its nice to go everywhere, even nicer to
come back home.

to danas ne potroi, to si stekao. Whatever you dont spend today, you

earned.

to je svaije, to je niije. Whatever is everybodys, is nobodys.

to je vie brdo, to je dublja dolja. The taller the hill, the deeper the
valley.

to vie sile, vie i zla. More force means more evil.

Tko nije sluio, ne ume ni zapovedati. Who didnt serve, cannot command.

Tue je sve lepo, ali je svoje najlepe. Others stuff is all nice, but own is the
nicest.

Uini oveku sto puta dobro, a jedanput ne uini - sve je zaboravljeno. Make good to a
person for hudred times, and miss once
everything is forgotten.

Vie vredi to ena ustedi nego to mu zaradi.

Voda svata opere do crna obraza.

Zaludu mi je biser kad mi grlo davi. Wasted is this pearl when it strangles
me around neck.
Zid rui vlaga, a oveka briga. Wall breaks down with moisture, and
man with worry.

Zver zvera, ptica pticu - ovek oveka jede. Animal animal, bird bird man man
eats.
Bogata je teko darovati, sita gosta jo tee astiti. It is hard to gift a rich man, even
harder to host a visitor arriving with a full stomach.

Bolje da te smrt preka digne, nego suza siromaka stigne. Better to die early then to live
to poverty tears.

Da je srce tvre od kamena, opet bi ga rastopilo zlato. If the heart were harder than
stone, still gold would melt it.

Dobro mi je i boljem se nadam; u em hodim, u tome i spavam. I am fine and hoping for
better; whatever I wear by day is what I wear
to sleep. (meaning: I am poor, have only one
suit.)

Ko jedan put slae, drugi put zaludi kae.

Koji zdravo die nos, taj e skoro ii bos.

Nema zime dok ne padne inje; ni prolea dok sunce ne sine; ni radosti dok ne deli s kime.

There is no winter until there is snow; no

spring until there is sunshine; and no joy
until it is shared with someone.

Ne pada sneg da pokrije breg, nego da svaka zver svoj trag pokaze.

Nikad zao na gorega nee, vrana vrani oi ne vadi. Evil person never attacks worse than
him, crow doesnt peck eyes of another crow.

Uini dobro, ne kaj se; uini zlo, nadaj se. Do good, and have no remorse; do
bad, and hope.

Batina ima dva kraja.

Biser ne valja pred svinje prosipati.
Dobrom oveku sve dobro stoji.
Dri se novog puta i starog prijatelja.

Inat je nesrean zanat. Spite is a unhappy craft.

Jeftina raba kasu prazni. Cheap goods empty the piggy bank.

Krivac se i senke boji. Guilty one is afraid even of shadows.

Lasno je zdravome bolesnoga savetovati. It is easy for the healthy one to advise
the sick.
Najpre ispred svoje kue poisti. First sweep in front of your own house.

Od samoe nita gore nema. Nothing worse than loneliness.

Vesela mladost najvea je radost. Cheerful youth is a big joy.

Zbog sirotog sunce greje. Sun schines for the poor.

Zlato je isto i u prljavoj kesi. Gold is clean in a dirty bag.

Pas laje vetar nosi. Dog barks wind blows.

Moze samo da mi pljune pod prozor. He can just spit under my window. (meaning:
he cannot do anything to me.)

Nije ljubav paradichkom csorba. Love is not a simple potato soup.

(paradichkom csorba= supa od paradjza,vrlo jednostavno jelo, jednostavna stvar)

Lako je tuim srcem po trnju mlatiti It is easy to beat the thorny bushes
with anothers heart

Ili ne pokuavaj, ili dovri.

-Rugale se ruge... pa postae druge! Making fun of others became the

same.

- Nemoj babu na konja! (kad se na silu neto radi) Dont put an old woman on a war
horse.

Stoji mu ko zabi gace.

Probira nadje otira

Ko se jednom opee i u hladno duva Who gets burned once, blows into cold
(to cool it down)

Koga zmija ujede taj se i gutera boji. Who gets bit by a snake is afraid of a
lizard.

Ko rano rani, dve srece grabi.

Ko drugome jamu kopa, sam u nju upada. Who digs a hole for others, falls into it
himself.

Vuk dlaku menja, ali cud nikako. Wolf changes coats, but not his nature.
Biser ne valja pred svinje bacati

Prazna vreca ne moze uspravno da stoji Empty bag cannot stand up

straight.

Gde nevolja ruca tu i tuga vecera

Da je maceha dobra u basti bi se sejala

Dok jednom ne smrkne, drugom ne svane

iz krivog odzaka, dim pravo izlazi

Lako je iza sest volova plug drzati It is easy to hold the plow behind six
oxen

Ludi boj biju, a mudri vino piju Fools fight, wise get together and
party

Koji se pas silom u lov vodi, taj zeca ne hvata

Sto se grbo rodi, vreme ne ispravi If born crooked, time cannot straighten
it

Ako cinis dobro ne udaraj u veliko zvono

Sto prodje preko devet zuba ode preko devet brda whatever passes over nine teeth goes
over nine hills

Spolja gladac a unutra jadac

Svaka je kvocka na svom gnezdu jaka

Ne moze se dlanom sunce zakloniti Cannot cover the sun with the palm

Ne ceni vola po rogovima ni coveka po brkovima Dont judge the bull by his horns and
man by his

moustache

Bez starog vola nema duboke brazde Without old bull, there is no deep
plowing

Ko umije, njemu dvije Whoever is handy, scores double

Jak vetar prvo najvise drvece obara. Strong wind topples the tall trees first.
neke od Baba Micinih:
Preko prece naokolo blize Shortcut is short and roundabout is closer

Sto je babi milo, to joj se i snilo What she wants, she sees

Ne pada sneg dapokrije breg, nego da svaka zverka trag svoj otkrije

Nema hleba bez motike. No bread without

Lepa rec i gvozdena vrata otvara.

S kim si, taki si. Who you are with, thats what you are
like.

Niko se nije naucen rodio. Nobody was born knowing.

Cega se pametan stidi, lud se hvali. What the wise is ashamed of, fools are proud of.

Pusti pevca na prag, ode na pajantu. Let the rooster to the doorstep, he will go to town.

Na muci se poznaju junaci. Trouble reveals heros.

Ko se cuva, i Bog ga cuva. God takes care of those who take care of
themselves.

Pricam ti pricu, a ti se smesi. Take my story with a smile.

Od ljubavi se ne zivi. It is impossible to live on love alone.

Ides ko grlom u jagode. Going to pick strawberries just by letting them fall
in your mouth?

Ako koza laze, rog ne laze. If the goat is lieing, her horn isnt.

Ko hoce vece, izgubi iz vrece. Who wants more, loses what is already in the sack.

Niko se nije naucen rodio. Nobody was born learned.

Dok se mlada obuce, i svadba se provuce. By the time the bride got dressed, the wedding was
over.

Nikad nije kasno da se ljubi strasno. Its never too late for a true love.

Some are duplicates, keeping them in cyrilic, which gives it the right flavor.
 . From a small stick grows a big tree.

. There is little use from early

cherry tree and
beautiful woman.

. There is no harder fort than a word.

, . From evil there is no worse, and from

good there is no
better.

. There is nothing worse than a moody

mean person.

, .
, .
.

, .

, . Sheep baa when they are thirsty, and

people when they
have drunk.

. Words can tie and untie.

. It is a bad man who find joy in others

misfortune.

, . Smart man gives, a donkey doesnt.

.
.

. Impossible to hold two

watermelons under one
armpit.

. Honest man is easily swindled.

, .
, .

- , - .
If we drink like cattle, there will be enough. If
we drink like people there will be too little.

, .
, .
, .
 , .
, .

, .
If you want to be mean to a man, wish that
his wife dies.

, .

, .
If someone didnt get it with mothers milk,
he wont make it up with cows milk.

.
.
.

, .

.Mother in law doesnt remember that

she used
to be a daughter in law.

, .
.

. Full cat doesnt hunt mice.

, .

, . Apples that ripen late, stay fresh long.

, . Habit is one trouble, and unlearning is

two
troubles.

, .
.
, , .
.
.

, .
Its a bad idea to be lid on every pot and
spice in every soup.

, .

, . Dont do good, so that the unseen

doesnt find you.
 , . Dont do evil, so that you dont get it
even worse.

.
.

, . Its not devil looking for man, but man

looking for devil.

. Dont rinse your mouth with everyone.

, . Big trees grow for a long time, but fall

down quickly.

. There is no burden without a child.

, ,
.
.
, .
.
.
.
.
.

. Tongue stabs into heart.

. Tongue cut more heads than sword.

- , - .
No more wine no more talking, no more
wealth no more friends.

, .

. Woman is an evil necessary for life.

. . Woman relies on her crying, and

criminal on lieing.

, .
, .
.

, .
Nobody can shame anyone else until he
shames himself.
 .
, .
, .

. No evil goes unnoticed.

.
.

, . Wealthy eats when he wants, and poor

when he can.

, .

, . Water can wash all kinds of things,

except a dirty
tongue.

.
, .

. Better to drip than to flow.

.
Better to break up a monastery than two
young people.

, .
.
, .

, .
Better to have a smart enemy than a crazy
friend.

, .
.
, .
.
, .

, .
Judge ox by thickness of its neck, and girl by
her mother.

, .
.
, .
 .
.

, . If marriage was good, the devil would

be married too.

, .
.
- .
, .
.
.
- .
.

. Poor is the one who has nobody of his

own in troubled
times.

.
.
, .
, .
, , .

. Hold your word like a sieve holds

water.

- , - . When you have you are

everyones. When you dont
have nobodys.

.
, .
, .
, .
.
.
, .

. Speak so that I can see you.

. Womens tongue is worse than

Turkish sword.

, .
.
 .
, .

, . Misfortune comes fast and leaves slow.

. Spite eats the soul like rust eats iron.

.
.
, .
.
.
, .
.

, . Lioness gives birth to only one, but a

lion.

.
, .

. Much is gained by the one who

doesnt buy trinkets.

. Much time is needed to grow a

man out of a child.

, .
, .
, .

. When feathers get strewn, it is difficult

to recollect
them.

, . When old dog barks, it is prudent to

check what it is.

, . When eyes speak, mouth is silent.

, .

. Remorse is the medicine for every

wrongdoing.

- ; - .
, .
, .
 , . Who breaks faith, the faith will him.

, .

, , .
, .
.
. Who is not ashamed of people is also
not afraid of God.

, .

. Who rides in anothers car, wont get

far.

, .
How much is from the earth to the sky, thats
how much is from a man to a no-man.

, . Dont trust your horse, gun and

woman.

, kurcu . Dont trust your horse, gun and penis.

I kad kune, majka blagosilja. Even when she curses, mother

blesses.

Vrana vrani oci ne vadi.

Zlatan lanac slobodu ne pruza. Golden chain doesnt provide

freedom.

Zlo nista ne radi u pola. Evil doesnt do anything half

way.

GROUP I Lexical and Semantic Congruence

Examples:
Alls well that ends well Sve je dobro to se dobro svri
No smoke without fire Gdje ima dima ima i vatre
Attack is the best form of defense Napad je najbolja odbrana
Barking dogs never bite Pas koji laje ne ujeda
Birds of a feather flock together Svaka ptica svome jatu leti
Silence is golden cutanje je zlato
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth Oko za oko, zub za zub
A fault confessed is half redressed Ko priznaje pola mu se prata
A friend in need is a friend indeed U nevolji se prijatelj poznaje
The end justifies the means Cilj opravdava sredstva
Prevention is better than cure Bolje sprijeciti nego lije(iti
One swallow does not make a summer Jedna lasta ne cini proljece
Never look a gift horse in the mouth Poklonjenom konju se ne gleda u zube

GROUP II - Lexical Incongruence, Semantic Similarity

Examples:
Fight fire with fire Klin se klinom izbija
Talk of the devil Mi o vuku, a vuk na vrata
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree Iverje ne pada daleko od klade
You can't eat your cake and have it too Ne moe imati i jare i pare
The cat is out of the bag Dolo djelo na vidjelo
The game is not worth the candle Skuplja pita od tepsije
A great tree attracts the wind Za dobrim konjem praina se die
Might makes right Sila boga ne moli
Long absent, soon forgotten Daleko od ociju, daleko od srca
Give him an inch and he will take a mile Da mu prst a on hoce ruku
Pusti pevca na prag, ode na pajantu.
Let the rooster to the doorstep, he will go to town.
Bird once snared fears all bushes Koga su zmije ujedale taj se i gutera plai; Ko se o
mlijeko opekao duva i u jogurt; Ko se opekao i u hladno duva
The early bird catches the worm Ko rano rani dvije srece grabi; Ko prvi djevojci njegova
Djevojka
It's the last straw that broke the camel's back To je kap koja je prelila cau
Make hay while the sun shines Gvodje se kuje dok je vruce

GROUP III - American English Phraseologisms without Equivalents in Serbian

These need to be interpreted less metaphorically
Examples:
Put your money where your mouth is Start doing as you say
Curiosity killed the cat Curiosity can be dangerous
A rising tide will lift all boats An overall improvement will affect all individual segments
Don't cry over spilled milk Regrets are not productive and bring no avail
Don't judge a book by its cover Essence and real quality lies within
Don't throw out the baby with the bath water Do not be overly critical and neglect
positives things
Scratch my back and Ill scratch yours Mutual help results in synergy
Keep a low profile Do not attract much attention
Keep your powder dry Be ready and alert
Marching to a different drummer To disobey authority and pursue own principles
Close but no cigar Almost right, but still insufficiently so
Everything is coming up roses Positive developments and the feeling of joy related
therewith
The fat is in the fire; The genie is out of the bottle Events have started and their course
cannot be reversed
To have a bigger fish to fry To have a more important matter to attend to
A shot in the arm An influx of energy, financial or another kind of assistance
It's all smoke and mirrors It is a fallacious and deliberate illusion
 SERBIAN SAYINGS AND IDIOMS
Sarena laza

Doterati cara do duvara push the king to the wall

... kosta ko svetog Petra Kajgana costs as much as St. Peter paid for the

scrambled eggs

Mlatiti praznu slamu beat empty hay

Lupa kao Maksim po diviziji

Plakati kao godina

Trapav kao slon u staklarskoj radnji

Raspampriu te ko mae mukatlu i will tear you up like a kitten would

tear up a geranium

plant

Ko luda Nasta

Popu pop,bobu bob

Nezgodan ko kratko cebe Testy like blanket too short

Isece ga ko biciklo balegu

Glup kao tocilo dumb like grinding stone

Bistar ko ministar smarter like minister

Pade u sevdah ko sljiva u balegu

Tera mak na konac insisting to string poppy seeds

Leglo mu je ko budali samar

Stoji mu ko zabi gace fits him like panty on a frog

----similar:
To pour oil on fire Dolijevati ulje na vatru
Have something up the sleeve Imati neto u rukavu
Black sheep Crna ovca
It makes my hair stand (up) on the end Die mi se kosa na glavi
It's the tip of the iceberg To je vrh ledenog brijega

Looking for a needle in a haystack Traiti iglu u plastu sijena

To go through the mill Pro&i sito i reeto
Over my dead body Samo preko mene mrtvog
He who laughs last, laughs best Ko se zadnji smije najsla)e se smije
Let the dust settle Nek' se slegne praina
The last drop that makes the cup run over Kap koja je prelila (au
Read between the lines ,itati izme)u redova

Get up on the wrong side of the bed Ustati na lijevu nogu

Out of the blue Kao grom iz vedra neba
Comparing apples and oranges Porediti babe i abe
Have a screw loose Fali mu daska u glavi
To reinvent the wheel Izumiti toplu vodu
Kick against the pricks I&i uz dlaku; Bosti se s rogatima
In his shoes Na njegovom mjestu
It's a piece of cake To je ma(iji kaalj

Radoznao kao koza Curious like a goat

Ruzan kao lopov Ugly like a thief

Pokondirena tikva Uppity pumpkin

Sta tu izvodis besne gliste. Stop acting out like rabid earthworms.

Sta gledas u mene, jel mi rastu rogovi? Why are you staring at me, am I growing horns?

Drzi se ko pijan plota. Hanging onto it like a drunk for the fence.

Papucic
MACHOISM, BRAVADO, MALE CHAUVINIST PIGS,
AND ABUSE OF CHILDREN:
The following two are from books , not from people. But those books marred people.
Serbia started both World Wars.

Rani sina pa salji na vojsku Srbija se umiriti ne moze. ,

!

Grow your son and send him to fight, Serbia cannot

be subdued.

We should serve our honor and name let it be

unceasing fight.

Batina iz raja izasla. Beating stick came out of heavens. (to beat
children)

Zene su da zbore a ljudi da tvore. Women speak, men do.

Ko nema sokola i kukavici se veseli.
Who doesnt have a hawk, is happy to have a
coockoo bird (pun with words: hawk is
symbol for a male child, coockoo bird for a
crying female. Male kids are the only
valuable kids. So people MUST have a male
child.)

Gaji cerku gaji drugom sluzavku. To raise a daughter is to raise a servant to

someone else. (because she will live with in-
laws).

There should be more proverbs about drinking that there are here. Serbs tend to drink a
little too much, and they drink hard liquor called sljivovica, plum brandy, and also heavy
Turkish coffee. And they smoke like chimneys. And they usually frown, smiles are rare. The
net result: most people age very quickly, their faces are gray. Plus, the food for most
people is heavy and greasy, with a lot of meat and bread and few veggies and fruit, so
most adults are overweight. Young people are usually good looking and slim, because they
are active and they very much DO pay attention to how they are dressed. Until they marry
and have kids (about age of 30). Then the smoking, food, no exercise, etc. gets them.
 SOME SAYINGS FROM SOME FAMOUS PEOPLE
(writers, religious leaders, etc. both in the past
and current)
Branislav Nui misli, izreke, poslovice, mudrosti:

Brak je pismo koje je interesantno samo dok je zatvoreno.

Marriage is a letter that is interesting only while it is

closed.

Mrnja onih koji su zli nije toliko opasna kao njihovo prijateljstvo.

Hatred of the mean ones is not as dangerous as their

friendship.

Brak je jedna od retkih istorijskih pojava kod koje se osvaja potinjava osvojenome.

Marriage is one of rare historical phenomena in which the

conqerer submits to the conquered.

Pravda je ljudima, esto, tea od nepravde.

Justice is often heavier than injustice.

Beskimenjak je u poetku samo gmizao. Uspevi se, poeo je da sike.

Invertebrate was only crawling at first. When he rose up,

he started hissing.

Brak ini troje: ljubav, poverenje i strpljenje.

Marriage is composed of three: love, trust, and patience.

ir na eludcu je zarazna bolest. Oni koji ve imaju ireve stvaraju ih drugima.

Ulcers are infections disease. Those who have ulcers

make sure to make others have them too.

Karijeristi ne ostavljaju nikakav trag za sobom, osim bivih prijatelja.

Carrier oriented do not leave any tracks behind them,

except former friends.

Znanje ima granice, dok neznanje ih nema.

Knowledge has bounds, but no knowledge doesnt.

Moe se radi suknje preskakati plot, ali se to, ni u kom sluaju, ne moe initi u suknji.
Prvi poljubac doe mu kao neka mala matura, posle koje se prelazi u vie razrede, gde se
ui via matematika ljubavi sa svim poznatim i nepoznatim koliinama.

Nije to paradoksalna tvrdnja ako se ree: da se tragedija jae ispoljava u okviru smenoga,
onako kao to je mrka fotografija plastinija u svetlom ramu.

Duan Radovi misli, izreke, poslovice, mudrosti:

Ko prvi devojci njegova devojka. Ko poslednji devojci, njegova ena.

Who gets first to girl, it is his girlfriend. Who gets last, it is

his wife. (Who gets last, it is his child.)

Hrabri mukarci treskaju vratima kad dolaze u kuu, a kukavice samo kad odlaze.

Brave men slam the door when they enter the house, and
cowards only when they leave.

Mukarci itaju novine a ene romane. Mukarcima mnogo vie odgovara mnogo kratkih
uzbuenja, a ene vole jedno, ali da traje dugo.

Mukarci ne mrze ene onoliko koliko viu na njih, niti ene vole mukarce onoliko koliko ih
sliaju i trpe.

Men dont hate women as much as they yell at them, and

women dont love men as much as they listen to them
and tolerate them.

Niko ne veruje lepim enama, suvie su lepe da bi bile verne. Takav je sluaj i sa pametnim
mukarcima.

Nobody trusts beautiful women, they are too pretty to be

faithful. The same case goes for smart men.

Vara se svaki mukarac kad veruje da je pouzdan u enu samo zato to ga ona voli.

Vodite rauna. Da bi svi mukarci mogli varati svoje ene, u tome moraju uestvovati i sve
ene.

Do some math. In order for all those men to cheat on their

women, all women must participate in that.

Ima vie nevernih mueva nego nego nevernih ena. To znai da na jednu nevernu enu
pada nekoliko nevernih mueva.

There are more unfaithful husbands than unfaithful wives.

That means that each unfaithful wife gets several
unfaithful husbands.
ene su kao velike, a muevi kao male kazaljke na satu. Dok ene lako i ivahno optre
ceo krug, muevi se lako pomere do sledee numere.

ene vole da vole, a manje im je vano koga e voleti.Mukarci vole da su voljeni, ali bi
hteli da biraju ko e ih voleti.

Nemojte se eniti zbog noi. Nou moete i spavati. Traite enu koja e vam reiti
probleme danju.

Dont marry because of the night. You can sleep at night.

Look for a woman who will solve your problems during the
day.

Ako reite sve probleme svoje dece, ona nee imati drugih problema sem vas.

If you solve all problems of your children, they wont have

any other problem but you.

im oevi ponu da priaju kako je bilo, deca znaju kako e biti.

As soon as fathers start talking about how it was, children

know how it will be.

Lake bismo vaspitavali decu kada bi ona imala samo ui, a ne i oi.

It would be easier to raise children if they had only ears,

not eyes.

Roditelji se zaprepaste kada uju da im se deca drogiraju. Ne mogu da veruju. Kad su ih

poslednji put videli, nise se drogirala.

Parents get schocked when they hear that their children

do drugs. When they saw them the last time, they didnt
do any drugs.

Samo deca koja ne sluaju mogu biti bolja od svojih roditelja.

Only children who dont listen can be better than their

parents.

Ima nepodmitivih ljudi, to su oni od kojih nita ne zavisi.

There are unbribable people, those that nothing depends

on.

Ne trite za enama, da se ne sudarite sa onima koji od njih bee.

Dont run after women, else you might crash into those
who are running away from them.
Plaimo se nekih ljudi. Oni mnogo vie mogu nego to znaju. Ne dokazujte im da malo
znaju, jer e vam pokazati koliko mogu.

We are afraid of some people. They can a lot more than

they know. Dont prove to them that they know little,
because they will show you how much they can.

Pre nego to krenete da traite sreu, proverite - moda ste ve sreni. Srea je mala,
obina i neupadljiva i mnogi ne umeju da je vide.

Before you start looking for happiness, check maybe you

are already happy. Happiness is small, ordinary and
inconspicuous and many dont know how to see it.

Pre nego to popravite svet, popravite esmu u svom stanu.

Before you fix the world, fix the fawcett in your home.

Svet bi bio mnogo sreniji i lepi kad bi svako samo popravio esmu ili makar zube.

The world would be a lot happier and nicer if everyone

just would fix their fawcett or even only their teeth.

Volite se kad niste zajedno. To je prava ljubav. Ko ume da voli samo kad je zajedno, taj ne
pravi pitanje s kim je.

Love each other when you are not together. That is true
love. Those who can love only when they are together,
dont care with whom they are.

Ako postoje i neke druge, razvijenije civilizacije, na drugim planetama, moda je zemlja
njihov pakao.

If there are more advanced civilizations on other planets,

perhaps Earth is their hell.

Ako ste nekoga zavoleli bez razloga, kasnije e vam ti razlozi sve vie nedostajati.

If you fell in love with someone without any reasons, later

you will increasingly miss those reasons.

Bio je niko i nita, sad je niko i neto.

He was nobody and nothing, now he is nobody and

something.

Istine su sve glasnije, jer su oni koji treba da ih uvaju sve stariji.

Kad je neko glup, ne moete mu to ni dokazati.

 When someone is dumb, you cannot prove them even
that.

Kadrovske liste prave se tajno, u najuem krugu najpoverljivijih. Mora tako, skriveno i
tajno, jer i kriterijumi nisu za javnost.

Mladi moraju da ive nou - bee iz dana koji su okupirali njihovi oevi i dedovi.

Youth has to live at night they run away from the day
time occupied by their fathers and grandfathers.

Niko vam ne zavidi na sposobnosti, ve na uspesima.

Nobody is jelous of your abilities, but your successes.

Dok radite, smatraju vas ludim, a kad neto postignete, srenim.

While you toil, they consider you crazy, and when you
achieve something, lucky.

O svakome se moe govoriti loe, samo je potreban povod.

It is possible to speak badly about anyone, it is just

inducement that is necessary.

Nije teko biti toliko nesrean da bi ovek poeo da pije. Ljude treba odvikavati od nesree,
a ne od alkohola. Nesrea je vei porok.

It is not difficult to be so unhappy to start drinking. People

should be unlearned from unhappiness, not of alcohol.
Unhappiness is the bigger vice.

Poteni su poteni samo zato to ne umeju ili ne smeju da budu nepoteni.

Honest people are honest because they dont know how

or dont dare be dishonest.

Skromnost nije za svakoga. Ona lepo stoji samo onima koji bi imali zbog ega biti
neskromni.

Modesty is not for anyone. It looks good only on those

who have something to be immodest about.

to je manje ono to bi ste hteli ukrasti, sve je vei rizik.

The smaller it is what you want to steal, the higher the

risk.

Teko je biti sam, od toga je jedino tee kad su dvoje sami.

It is difficult to be alone, the only thing more difficult is

when two are alone.
Trebalo bi do daljnjeg zabraniti sve govore. Neka svako uradi ono to je hteo da kae.

It would be good to forbid all speeches until further

notice. First, everyone should do whatever he wanted to
say.

Zdravi su samo oni koji jo ne znaju da su bolesni.

Siromah je onaj koji ima para, a bogat je samo onaj koji ih troi.

Poor man is he who has money, and rich is the one who
spends it.

Nije vano da li neko radi ili ne, vaan je samo rezultat.

It doesnt matter if someone works or not, what matters is

the results.

Nae malo moe biti mnogo za one koji nemaju ni malo.

Our little can be a lot for those who dont have even a
little.

Za ivot je najvanije strpljenje. Da bi ste dugo iveli potrebno je mnogo strpljenja.

The most important thing for life is patience. In order to

live long, a lot of patience is needed.

Iz malog tela i velike due, bre izrastu krila, nego kad je obrnuto.

From little body and big soul, wings grow faster, much
faster than from the opposite.

Za razliku od doktora nauka, seljaci imaju vie znanja nego strune spreme.

Differently than doctors of science, farmers have more

knowledge than diplomas.

Vi vredite samo onoliko koliko ste drugima potrebni.

Your are as worth as others need you.

Samo siromani znaju da ima i siromanijih od njih, bogati vide samo bogatije od sebe.

Only poor know that there are more poor than them. Rich
people see only richer than themselves.

Ne morate biti bolji od drugih, budite samo najbolji to moete.

You dont have to be better than others, just be the best

you can be.
Petar Petrovi Njego misli, izreke, poslovice, mudrosti:

U dobru je lako dobar biti, na muci s poznaju junaci!

It is easy to be good while it is good, the trouble reveals

the heros.

ud je enska smijena rabota! Ne zna ena ko je kakve vjere, stotinu e promijenit vjerah
da uini to joj srce udi.

Womens personality is very funny. Woman doesnt know

who is of what faith, she will change hundred faiths to do
what her heart wants.

Ko na brdo ak i malo stoji, vie vidi no onaj pod brdom.

Whoever stands on the hill even a little bit, sees a lot

more than a person on the bottom of the hill.

Bez muke se pjesma ne ispoja, bez muke se sablja ne sakova!

Junatvo je car zla svakojega, a i pie najslae duevno, kojijem se pjane pokoljenja.

Bravado with vanity and pride is the king od a lot of evil,

and the sweetest soul drink with which the generations
are intoxicated.

Blago tome ko dovijek ivi, imao se rata i roditi!

Congrats to the one who lives forever, he was born for a

lot!

Vjena zublja, vjene pomrine nit dogori niti svjetlost gubi.

Strah ivotu kalja obraz esto. Fear ruins the integrity of life all too often.

Oi zbore to im srce veli. Eyes speak what they are told by the heart.

Teko zemlji kuda proe vojska! Poor is the land where soldiers pass through!

Tvrd je orah voka udnovata, ne slomi ga al zube polomi!

Walnut in a shell is a curious fruit: you wont break it but

will break your teeth.

Svak je roen da po jednom umre, ast i bruka ive dovijeka.

Everyone is born to die once. Honor and shame live

forever.
Iz grmena velikoga lafu iza trudno nije, u velikim narodima geniju se gnijezdo vije.

It is not difficult for a lion to live behind a large bush. In

large nations, genius have their bed made for them.

to ljudi hoe, to i vrijeme trpi.

Budale su s oima slepe, koje vide, a zaludu vide.

Fools are blind in their eyes, which see, but see nothing.

Iza tue vedrije je nebo, iza tuge bistrija je dua, iza plaa velje pojaa.

After a rain, the sky is more clear, after a sadness, the

soul is more clear, after a cry, we are more happy.

Kome zakon lei u topuzu, tragovi mu smrde neovjetvom.

Whoever has their law in the violence, his tracks stink of

inhumanity.

Casu meda niko ne popi da je casom zuci ne zagorci.

No one ever drunk a cup of honey without bittering it with

a cup of bile.

Pucina je stoka jedna grdna. Common people are like cattle.

Ivo Andri misli, izreke, poslovice, mudrosti:

Najvea budala nije onaj koji ne umije da ita, nego onaj koji misli da je sve ono to proita istina.

The biggest fool is not the one who doesnt know how to read, but
the one who thinks that everything he reads is the truth.

Ljudi koji sami ne rade i ne preduzimaju nita u ivotu lako gube strpljenje i padaju u pogreke kad sude
o tuem radu.

People who dont work themselves and dont take any initiatives in
life easily lose their patience and make mistakes when judge
someone elses work.

Mi, to se zna, ne ivimo i ne delamo zbog ljudi, nego mimo ljudi, a sve za ljude.

We, that is known, do not live and act because of people, but in
spite of people and everything for people.

Ovaj svet u kom ivimo tako je sazdan da je onaj koji se plai ve izgubljen.
 This world in which we live is built in such a way that whoever is
scared is already lost.

Vrlo rano sam saznao da svaki minut ivota moe biti teak koliko i ivot ceo.

Very early I found out that every minute of life can be as difficult
as the entire life.

Ljudi male pameti retko se trude da ne budu dosadni.

People with little brains seldom put effort to not be pesky.

Mir i spokojstvo, jedina su dobra i najvee dostojanstvo skromnih sudbina i bezimenih

ljudi.Sladostrasnici, kad ivot ula protutnji i sagori, ostaju mrani, gorki i teki sebi i drugima.

Peace and tranquility are the only and the biggest dignity humble
lives and nameless people. Senses lovers, when the life of senses
thunder through and burn down, stay dark, bitter, and heavy to
themselves and others.

Neizvesnost je imanje onih koji nemaju nita i velika nada onih koji nisu navikli na dobro u ivotu.

Uncertainty is the property of those who own nothing and hope of

those who are not used to good in life.

Nita ljude ne vee tako kao zajedniki i sreno preivljena nesrea.

Nothing binds people as much as together and happily overcame

misfortune.

Oduvek je i svuda tako, da se sitni i bezimeni ljudi penju na leeve onih koji su oboreni u meusobnoj
borbi velikih.

It has always been so, that small nameless people climb on the
dead bodies of those who fell in the mutal fight of the great

Sreni i zadovoljni ljudi ne piu nikako, ili jako kratko.

Happy and satisfied people dont write at all, or very succinctly.

Ko je duga veka, taj nadivi sve, pa i svoje zasluge.

Who lives long, he lives longer than everything, including his own
merits.

Na ovek ne ume da se pravovremeno zaustavi ni pri usponu ni pri padu.

Our people dont know how to stop on time while rising or falling.
Ima ljudi iji je ivot tako dobro ispunjen da ni svojom smru ne mogu da nas obeshrabre.

There are some people whose life is so well fulfilled that even their
death cannot discourage us.

Toliko je bilo stvari u ivotu kojih smo se bojali. A nije trebelo. Trebalo je iveti.

There are so many things in life that we were afraid of. No need.
We should have lived.

ivot nikada ne daje ono to obeava, nego uvek vie ili manje od toga.

Life never gives you what it promises, always more or less than
that.

ene, ja ne znam kome ste vi bile blaga kia jutarnja, ali u na ivot ulazite kao pljusci noeni vihorima.

Bezbrina ravnodunost je veliki dar i mono oruje mladosti.

udno je kako je malo potrebo da budemo sreni, a jo je udnije kako nam ba to malo nedostaje

It is weird how little we need to be happy, and even more weird

how exactly that little bit is exactly what we miss.

Da je utanje snaga, a govorenje slabost, vidi se i po tome to starci i deca vole da priaju.

That silence is strength and talking is weakness is obvious from the

fact that elderly and kids love to talk.

Dou tako ponekad vremena, kada pamet zauti, budala progovori, a fukara se obogati.

Ocassionally there come times when brains keep silent, fools start
talking, and crooked get rich.

Lepa dua dublje jeca. More beautiful soul can cry deeper.

Mnogi postignu ono to su hteli, a izgube sve.

Many achieve everything they wanted, and lose everything.

Sumnja i briga vide ono to srea i pouzdanje nikada ne mogu.

Doubt and worry see what happiness and confidence never can.

Rakija mora da progovori kad bilo, kao i nevaljala ena, sveti se onom koji hoe da u njoj uiva tajno a
trajno i obilno.

Bolest je sirotinjska sudbina i bogataka kazna.

Svi pravi ivoti su lepi i teki.

Svi ljudski pokreti proizlaze iz potrebe za napadom ili odbranom.

Beskorisno je u starosti produavati ivot. Treba produavati mladost.

Zato to mogu, i to se usuujuda o svaemu svata kau, oni misle da sve znaju.

Moglo bi se, sa malo preterivanja, kazati da svaka ena ima svoju unapred odreenu dozu suza koju
mora u toku svog ivota da isplae...

Nita nije tee ni stranije nego gledati svet oko sebe oima bive lepotice.

There is nothing harder nor more terrifying than seeing the world
around with the eyes of the former beauty queen.

Dobra je stvar krotka i zdrava ena. ivi i radi kao da ne postoji, a ipak osea da ti pomae.

Niko ne moe da proveri i predvidi udi i nastupe nemirne i puste ene.

Beznaajne rei, dugi pogledi i nesvesni osmejci poveu se u siguran most koji se sam gradi.

Ljubav, kada je iskrena i duboka, lako prata i zaboravlja.

Love, when it is true and deep, easily forgives and forgets.

Celog veka se leimo od nesrenog detinjstva.

Our whole life we heal from our unhappy childhood.

Kad god mi mislimo da su nam se otvorile oi, to obino znai da smo ih za stotinu drugih stvari
zatvorili.

When we think that our eyes have opened, it usually means they
closed for hundred other things.

I vrline jednog oveka mi primamo i cenimo potpuno samo ako nam se ukazuju u obliku koji odgovara
naim shvatanjima i sklonostima.

Even the character virtues of another man we can appreciate only

if they are shown to us in the form that suits our understandings
and inclinations.

Od svog porekla i detinjstva ne moe se pobei lako.

From ones roots and childhoot it is not easy to run away.

Svi smo mi mrtvi, samo se redom sahranjujemo...

We are all dead, we just burry ourselves in order.

Veliki praznici i sveani dani mogu da pokau koliko su nam daleki i oni koje smatramo najbliima.
 Big holidays and celebration days can show us how distant are
even those who we consider most close.

Ko prijatelja tumai i analizira, taj ga ne voli.

Who interprets and analyzes his friend, doesnt love him.

Kako korisno i dobro govore ljudi koji umeju da ute!

How wonderfully useful and well speak those who know how to
keep silent!

Kod ljudi koji edno ive ruke su mirne, bele i veito mlade.

Dugi su i zamreni rauni izmeu onih koji imaju i nedaju i onih koji nemaju nita do svojih potreba.

Long and complicated are the affairs between those who have and
dont give and those who dont have anything of their needs met.

Jovan Dui misli, izreke, poslovice, mudrosti:

U braku ena trai sve to joj se dopada i uzme sve to moe oteti.

ena se ne slui laju da napadne, nego da se odbrani.

Lepa je svaka ena osim one koja misli da to nije, i one koja misli da jeste.

Every woman is beautiful except one who thinks she is

not, and one who thinks she is.

ene ne znaju da potuju, nego da vole. Stoga one ne trae ni da vi njih potujete, nego da
ih volite.

Mukarci su hrabri pred smru, a ene pred ivotom.

Mukarci su hrabri pred drugim mukarcem, a ene pred celom sudbinom.

ena iskreno veruje da je mukarac voli samo onda kad zbog nje pati i kad u nju stalno
sumnja.

eni nije dovoljno da dobije najvie od mukareve sree, nego da to vie otme od
njegove slobode.

Kao glad, ni ljubav nema oiju, ali ljubomora nema pameti.

Ljubav je ak i herojstvo, jer trai rtve.

Love is even heroism, because it demands victims.

Mladost i ljubav, to je sve to ivot ima.

Postoji ludilo ljubavi, ali ne i mudrost ljubavi.

There is the craziness of love, but not the wisdom of love.

Samo se u ljubavi i u snrti ljudi mogu da izjednae, i da poslednji stigne prvog.

Only love and death can equalize people, where the last
one overtakes the first.

Dve su prave i najvee ovekove nesree, nemati zdravlja i nemati prijatelja.

Two are real and largest human misfortunes: not having

health and not having friends.

Ljudi koji mrze, to su najpre glupaci, a zatim i kukavice, ali nikad heroji.

People who hate, those are first fools and then cowards,
never heroes.

Svi ljudi imaju iste mane, ali nemaju iste vrline.

All people have the same faults, but not the same virtues.

Prva osobina primitivnog oveka ja da se boji svega to ne razume, a na prvom mestu se

boji pameti.

The first feature of a primitive man is that he is afraid of

everything he doesnt understand, and in the first place
he is afraid of intellect.

Velika je nesrea kad ovek ne zna ta hoe, a prava katastrofa kad ne zna ta moe.

It is a big misfortune when a man doesnt know what he

wants, and a real catastrophy when he doesnt know what
he can.

Veliki ovek sudi oveka po njegovim vrlinama, mali sudi po manama.

A big man judges another by his virtues, a little man

judges another by his faults.

Ko smisao ivota nije traio, taj nije iveo, ali ako ga je traio, nikad nije bio dovoljno
srean.

Treba se uvati vie sebe nego svojih zlotvora.

It is prudent to protect oneself from oneself more then

from ones enemies.

Glupak se naslanja na glupaka, kao slepac na slepca.

 Fool relies on another fool, like a blind man on another
blind man.

Neko ostari kao zlato i mermer, a neko kao cipele.

Some people age like gold and marble, and some like
shoes.

Pola sata govorite o nekom dobro, i vi postanete mirni i blaeni, ak i ponosni na lepotu
svojih oseanja.

Just for hr speak highly about someone, and you will

become peaceful and blissful, even proud about the
beauty of your feelings.

Za samou treba biti sposoban, ak i spreman.

Aloneness requires ability, even readiness.

Retko je ovekov cilj zao, a esto su zla sredstva kojima ostvaruje cilj.

It is seldom that mens goals are evil, and very often that
the means to the goal are evil.

Ima ljudi koji su hrabriji pred smru, nego pred ivotom.

There are people who are more brave in front of death

than in front of life.

Ako mudrac izbegava glupaka, jo vie glupak izbegava mudraca.

A wise man avoids the fool, but the fool avoids the wise
man even more.

to pametan uspe, to esto pokvari ud.

What a smart one succeeds to accomplish, often is spoiled

by moods.

Ko veruje da je srean, on je zaista srean.

He who believes he is happy, is truly happy.

Nema ni jednog ostarelog kralja koji ne bi pristao da bude mlad porunik.

There is no aged king who wouldnt agree to become a young

lutenant.

Svet podnosi starca samo ako je duhovit ili bogat.

The world tolerates old man only if he is witty or rich.

Nikad ovek prema oveku nije pravedan, ni kad voli ni kada mrzi.

A man is never just towards another man, neither when he loves

nor when he hates.

Zavist je uroena u svakom oveku, makar to neki krili a neki u sebi suzbijali.

Jelousy is ingrained in every man, even though some hide it and

some suppress.

Jedino onaj pisac koji enu ne bi "napao" u umi nae je "napasti" ni u knjizi.

Zlo je ko ne ne zna, a uiti se ne da.

It is evil who doesnt know yet doesnt want to learn.

Jedino to mukarci ne oprataju drugom mukarcu, je kad ima lepu enu nego to je
njihova.

The only thing a man cannot forgive another man is if he has a

more beautiful wife.

Ono to u ljudima postoji zversko ne moe se ukrotiti nikakvim poklonom, koliko se to

moe ukrotiti lepom reju.

That which is animal in humans cannot be tamed with any gifts

like it can be tamed with kind words.

Kad bi mladost imala filozofiju starca, ne bi bilo na svetu ni ijednog sunanog dana.

If youth had philosophy of an old man, there would be no single

sunny day.

Makar nesree bile stare koliko i sree, ipak se svetu ini kao da neko zlo nije ni postojalo.

Even if misfortunes were as old as good fortunes, still the world

perceives it as if some misfortune never happened.

Za svaku nau nesreu kriva je ili naa lakoumnost, ili naa gordost, ili naa glupost, ili na
porok.

Each of our misfortunes is to be blamed on our comformity, or

pride, or foolishness, or vice.

Matija Bekovi misli, izreke, poslovice, mudrosti:

Danas medicina od ovjeka moe napraviti sve osim ovjeka.

Nigdje ovjek nije mali kao pred alterom i nigdje mali ljudi nisu vei nego iza njega.
Mene ne zanima istina.Ja znam ko je u pravu.

Glupost je starija od pameti.Da prvi ovek nije bio glup,drugi se nebi ni stvorio.

Budala ima mnogo.Konkurencija je ogromna.

There are many fools. Competition is huge.

Bruka nikad ne ide na ivotinje ,nego na ovjeka.

Demokratija o koju se moe ogreiti - nije demokratija.

Krasti malo je glupo.Zato male lopove i kanjavaju.Ne zbog kradje ve zbog

gluposti,naivnost,prostakluka.

Stealing little is stupid. Thats why small thieves are

punished. Not because of theft but because of foolishness,
naivete, rudeness.

Kad bi se spalio u ime gladnih,prvo bi ti gladni rekli da si idiot: zato si se spaljivao kad si
bio sit?

Nase Sveto pismo je Gorski vijenac.Delo koje ne stari i ije rei ne trule.Znati ga napamet i
znati svako slovo, jedini je nain da ne izgubimo sebe.

Izgleda da smo na Balkan doli iduci za stokom.More nas je sprijeilo da odemo u Afriku u
koju smo se bili zaputili.

Mea Selimovi misli, izreke, poslovice, mudrosti:

Prijateljstvo se na bira, ono biva, ko zna zbog ega, kao ljubav.

ovek, sa godinama, sve manje voli ono to je blizu.

Nema ni jedne religije koja nije bezbono ruila.

There is no single religion which didnt unfaithfully

destroy.

Snivam katkad da sam nezavisan. Ala su to lepi snovi! Ala je to rajsko uivanje.

Neki su gluvi na tue rei, oni su nesrea i sebi i drugima. Ali uvek treba pokuati. Pitae:
zato? Nizato. Da bude manje gluvo i pusto.

Mladost nalazi snage i vremena za sve: mlad ovek ne vidi kraja ni svojoj snazi ni svom
vremenu.

Ljudska linost, najvea svetinja. Human ego, the biggest idol.

Razuman se hrani da ivi, a lud ivi samo da se hrani i goji.

 Wise one eats to live, and a fool to eat and get fat.

ivi nita ne znaju. Pouite me mrtvi kako se moe umreti bez straha, ili bar bez uasa. Jer,
smrt je besmisao, kao i ivot.

Od pamtiveka sinovi su nerazumniji od oeva, ali sreom, sinovi postaju razumniji im

postanu oevi.

Kad bi Bog kanjavao za svako uinjeno zlo, ne bi na zemlji ostalo ni jedno ivo bie.

If God punished for every single wrongdoing, there

wouldnt be a single live being left on the planet.

Vladeta Jeroti misli, izreke, poslovice, mudrosti:

Mo vladanja nad drugim neodoljiva je slast tamne strane ovekovog bia.

to je nauio Jovica, ne ispravi vie Jovan.

What Johhny learns, John cannot rectify anymore.

Velika je vetina znati razgovarati sa ovekom.

It is a great skill to know how to talk with someone.

Voleti drugog oveka znai i razumeti ga, a svakako i opratati mu. Nije, dodue, lako
voleti oveka onakav kakav jeste, ali samo ako budemo u stanju da ga ne samo prihvatimo
ve da ga i zavolimo upravo onakav kakav jeste, podstai emo ga da postane upravo
onakav kakav moe da bude.

U samoi oveku se otvara put u sopstvenu dubinu, i ako on uspe da sie u nju bez straha
i zaziranja, vratie se obogaen na povrinu, i tek tada, kada je otkrio svoje Ja, imace
otvoren i pravi put prema blinjem, prema Ti.

Sva dostignua moderne tehnike, kao i moderne medicine, uinila su ivot, a sigurno i
smrt, teijim i munijim. Samo -Volja za smisao- moe da nas uini odgovornim i tada tek
spremnim da pomognemeo i sebi i drutvu.

Vladika Nikolaj Velimirovi misli, izreke, poslovice, mudrosti:

Ljudi koji ne mogu vladati svojim srcem, jo manje mogu vladati svojim jezikom.

People who cannot govern their heart, can even less govern their
tongue.
Ljudi koji ne mogu videti svet u sebi, jo manje mogu videti sebe u svetu.

Bezbonik se boji skoropostine smrti, lopov se boji obijaa, ubica se boji maa, gordljivac se boji
sramote, klevetnik se boji suda istine.

Veliko bogatstvo otkriva siromatinu.

Telesni brak je samo simbol duhovnog braka. U telesnom braku prvo pristupaju radosti pa onda gorine,
dok u duhovnom prvo gorine pa radosti.

Civil marriage is only a symbol for soul marriage. In the civil

marriage first are joys then bitterness, and in the soul one, first bitterness then joys.

Vlast je veliko iskuenje i malo je onih koji mogu tom iskuenju odoleti.

Rulership is a great temptation and very few can resist it.

Od pamtiveka vuci kolju jaganjce, a nikada nijedno jagnje nije zaklalao vuka. Pa ipak je u svetu vise
jaganjaca nego vukova.

From time immemorial, wolves kill lambs and no lamb ever killed
a wolf. Yet there are more lambs than wolves in the world.

esto jednog dana kad uini jedan greh, uinie i drugi, i kad pokae jednu vrlinu pokazae i drugu.

Ko ima veliko ima i malo. Who has big, has the little too.

Gospodar due, gospodar je i tela.

Kao to se svea od svee pali, tako i dobro delo od dobrog dela.

Uini dobro i zakopaj pod kamen, ono e od kamena nainiti sebi jezik i objaviti se.

Ko daleko ode sa avolom u etnju, teko se vraa na pravi put.

Who goes far for a walk with the devil, finds it hard to get back on
the right path.

to vie slasti to je manje slatko, to vie gorine to je manje gorko.

The more sweetness makes it less sweet, the more bitterness makes
it less bitter.

Vladanje zastraivanjem je oajno i poslednje sredstvo u rukama nemonih upravitelja jedne zemlje.

Ruling by fear is a desperate and last resort in the hands of

incapable rulers of any country.
Neprolazne vrednosti su dragocenije od prolaznih kao to je venost dragocenija od vremena. A
neprolazne vrednosti ulaze u okvir zdravlja duevnog.

Istina ne zavisi od vremena i nije ni nova ni stara, nego upravo Istina, jue, danas, sutra.

Ako se knjige budu mnoile dananjom brzinom, bie vie uitelja nego uenika i razbie se pamet od
knjige oveku kao ogledalo kad se razbije na stotinu pareta.

If books keep on multiplying at the speed they are currently

multiplying, there will be more teachers than students and mens
brain will break from the books like a mirror breaks into hundred
pieces.

Biranje kraljica lepote moderni je obiaj starih latinskih naroda. U stvari, to je samo jedna veto
prikrivena trgovina belim robljem.

Choosing the beauty queen is a modern custom of ancient latin

people. Actually, it is just a skillfully covered up trade of white
slaves.

Kad ovek misli da je na vrhuncu svog uspeha, tada, u stvari, stoji na granici svoje propasti.

When a man thinks that he is a the summit of his success, he is

actually on the border or his fall.

Lenjost je jedan od smrtnih grehova jer umrtvljuje duu u oveku. Lenjo telo je gnezdo poroka, lenja
dua naseobina avola.

Laziness is one of the cardinal sins because it deadens the soul in

man. Lazy body is a nest for vices, and lazy soul a host for the
devil.

Kad radi, ne gledaj samo korist, i dobit, i uspeh.

When you work, dont just take into account gain, profit, and
success.

Lepota i naslada koju jedan stolar osea pri tesanju, struganju, glaanju i sklapanju drveta ne da se niim
isplatiti.

Beauty and satisfaction that a carpenter feels when cutting,

shaving, polishing and nailing wood cannot be paid by anything.

Moralna lepota, lepota due, srca i karaktera svetli i kroz najrunije lice oveije.

Moral beauty, beauty of soul, heart and character schines even

through the ugliest human face.
Kakvu ljubav prema prijateljima nudi takve e i prijatelje nai.

Whatever love you offer to your friends, thats the kind of friends
you will find.

Ljudi koji ne mogu videti svet u sebi jo manje mogu videti sebe u svetu.

People who cannot see the world in themselves cannot even

phantom themselves in the world.

Ljudi koji ne mogu uestvovati u tuem bolu, jo manje mogu uestvovati u tuoj radosti.

People who cannot participate in someone elses pain can even less
participate in someone elses joy.

Zalud je bure od najskupljeg drveta kad s u njemu dri ukislo vino.

Wasted is the barrel made of the most precious wood when it keeps
the soured wine.

O tri stvari ne uri dok govori: O Bogu, dok ne utvrdi veru u njega. O tuem grehu dok se ne seti
svoga i o sutranjem danu, dok ne svane.

Dont rush to talk about 3 things: about God, until you confirm
Faith in Him; about someone elses wrongdoings, until you
remember you own; and about tomorrow, until it arrives.

Ne prljaj onoga koji se poeo prati nego mu pomozi da se opere.

Dont dirty the one who started washing himself, but help him
wash himself.

Ko nije stradao od poara u sebi, taj e zajaukati kad mu prst opre.

Whoever didnt suffer from burning inside himself, will cry when
his finger gets burned.

Voda se moe upotrebiti za elektrinu vodenicu, ali i za potop sveta.

Water can be used for the mills, but also to flood the world.

Kao to suze teku od velike alosti, ali i od velike radosti, tako strah obuzima oveka od velikog zloina,
ali i od velike rtve.

Ako sam pozvan da se branim ja u utati, ako sam pozvan da branim istinu ja u govoriti.
FROM CULTURES OTHER THAN SERBIAN:

God, make my words sweet, because one day I might have to eat them. Indonesian proverb

Some people drum about their accomplishments with both hands; some people are quiet and work with
both hands; and some are smart and work with one hand and drum with another. Pakistani proverb

Everything worth doing is worth doing well.

If you want to see the world, you must leave the shade of family tree. Osage proverb

The land has eyes, the land has teeth, the land watches, the land knows the truth. Rotuman proverb
(small islands in the Pacific, near Fiji) from movie The land has eyes

The pot leaks whatever is in it.

When a pickpocket meets a saint, he sees only the pockets.

When cow went to Bagdad, she saw only the hay on the streets.

Fall seven times, stand up eight. Japanese proverb

Pray like everything depends on God, and work like everything depends on you. Paramahansa
Yogananda

Pray to Alah to protect your property, but tie your camels. Bedhuin proverb

For those who are awake, life is roses, roses. For those who are asleep, life is roses, roses. For those
trying to wake up, life is thorns, thorns. Gurdjieff
 REFERENCES FOR SERBIAN PROVERBS
The main guy who collected most of this is Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic, who lived in 1800s
and was the main person who worked on the literacy amongst Serbs. He also collected all
folk songs, epics, sayings, etc.

He was a learned man so when Serbia was under Otoman Turks, he had to live abroad.
When Serbia achieved independence, he came back and by order of the ruler worked on
literacy issues. He took the letters from old church Slavic language (spoken only in church)
and simplified it, and made the language spoken amongst the people the official
language. He published his collected folk stories, proverbs, etc. back then and that was
the start of Serbia entering the world of civilized literate Europe. Until then, most people
were illiterate. After than, most people became literate.

He designed the cyrilic alphabet that you see in the proverbs, with 30 letters representing
30 sounds. It was a brand new bold idea, to have ONE LETTER STAND FOR ONE SOUND, no
matter what. So, every A is pronounced like A in baobab, every O is pronounced like O in
orange, every E is pronounced like E in Emily, etc. No tricks! Well, there is a little bit,
some of those sounds are longer or shorter, but its subtle and very small. Very easy to
become literate and read and write Serbian. You can read it or write it in literally 1 minute.
To understand what you are reading is more demanding, since Serbian has 7 cases, and
nouns are genderized. That makes understanding Serbian rather complicated but any
speaker of any latin or Slavic language should be ok. The stressing when pronouncing is
often at the end of the word, which makes it a completely different melody than English.
What makes it more difficult is the tendency of Serbian speakers to joke, use slang, use
double meaning, use puns, refer to history, etc. so speaking Serbian fluently requires quite
a bit of learning and a certain attitude of allowing for play of words.

if you want to see a huge collections of Serbian

SO, to cut it short:
folk proverbs, with EXPLANATIONS as to what the saying
means, check out Vuks books (these are two different books):

http://www.archive.org/stream/srpskenarodnepo01karagoog
only sayings

http://www.archive.org/stream/srpskenarodnepr00karagoog
this one has stories and riddles too

http://ia341213.us.archive.org/1/items/srpskenarodnepr00kara
goog/srpskenarodnepr00karagoog.pdf