Swedish Proverbs and Sayings

Swedish proverbs are influenced by the people's history, the Bible and modern sources. They reflect at times the climate, conditions, and people high up north, and do it typically in terse ways, that is, by brief statements. Enjoy the selection of Swedish proverbs to ponder - over 200 so far.

We praise in order to be praised in return. - Man bermmer fr att bli bermd igen. A stern creditor is [often] a poor payer. - En strng krvare r [ofta] en slt betalare. All are not men that wear trousers (some women are mannish and some men are womanish). - De r inte alla karlar som br byxor. Many who kiss the child mean the nurse. - Man kysser barnet och menar amman. I suspected this might happen, said the one that was kicked out. - Det ante mej, sa han som blev utsparkad. We know others by ourselves, sid the loafer about the lice. - P sej sjlv knner man andra, sa luffaren om lssen. Let the other party be heard too (before you judge). (From Latin: Audiatur et altera pars). - M ven den andra parten hras. We notice faults of others and easily forget our own. - Man mrker andras fel och glmmer sina egna. The damage of another is soon forgotten. - Annans skada glmmes snart. Do not judge all you see, do not believe all you hear, do not do all you can, do not say all you know, do not eat all you have, let no one know what you have in your heart or in your wallet. - Dm ej allt du ser, Tro ej allt du hr, Gr ej allt du kan, Sg ej allt du vet, Frtr ej allt du har, Lt ingen veta vad du har i hjrtat eller pungen. All are not virgins that carry wreaths. [i.e. bridal wreaths].

- De r inte jungfrur alla som br kransar [ls: brudkrona]. By being in front everywhere one may get a telling-off. - Allestdes framme fr ofta nsbrnna. Alms do not decrease, going to church does not hinder. (One does not become poor by sharing with the poor, and there is time enough for duties even though one devotes some time to devotion.) - Allmosa minskar inte, kyrkogng hindrar inte. Things are always rotten for me, said the farmer when they ran out of sacrament wine precisely when he wanted to go forward. - Alltid ska det va jkligt fr mej, sa bonden, nr nattvardsvinet tog slut just nr han skulle g fram. Seriousness and pleasure should thrive together. - Allvar och gamman trives grna samman. When the child is weened, the nurse is fired. - Nr barnet r avvant, fr amman avsked. Other times other customs [and manners]. - Andra tider andra seder. It is well to learn from the errors of others, since there is not time enough to make all of them by yourself. - Gott lra av andras fel, eftersom man inte hinner beg alla sjlv. Pay back with the same coin (get even). - Betala med samma mynt. Give equal in reply, answer according to the call. - Ge lika gott igen, ge svar p tal. One does not accept praise from anybody. - Man tar inte emot berm av vem som helst. The waiting man gets the wind behind him (: success). - Bidande man fr medvind. The bee has a sting but honey too. - Biet har gadd men ocks honung. Who proves too much proves ingenting. - Den som bevisar fr mycket bevisar ingenting. Recognize gladly great exploits, but wait a while first. - Erknn grna stordd, men *Behind the mountain there are people too.

- Bakom berget finns ocks folk. Paid work progresses slowly. - Betalt arbete gr lngsamt. The poorest payer is the best collector of his own credits. - Den smste betalaren r den bste indrivaren av sina egna fordringar. The modest one gets nothing. - Den beskedlige fr ingenting. He gets a tailwind who bothers to wait. - Den fr br (medvind) som bida gitter. Nothing beneath the sun is lasting. - Ingenting under solen r bestndigt. One talks against praise in order to hear it once again - Man sger emot berm fr att f hra det en gng till. A successful writer has a good memory and hopes that others do not have it. - En lyckad berttare har gott minne och hoppas att andra inte har det. A hardworking man is better than a crowd of loafers. - En arbetsam mnniska r bttre n en hop dagdrivare. The perch has a good time, it drinks when it wants to [reads:when it pleases] - Abborren har goda dagar, han dricker nr han vill [ls: nr han behagar] How long was Adam in Paradise? (one should be prepared that happy conditions won't last, or won't get prolonged). - Hur lnge var Adam i paradiset? Nobility follows the man. - Adelskap fljer med mannen. Nobility follows the man's line at a wedding. - Adelskap foljer manslinjen vid gifterml. Lawyers and soldiers are the Devil's playmates. - Advokater och soldater r satans lekkamrater. Big [legal] processes make well dressed lawyers and naked parties. - Stora processer gr vlkldda advokater och nakna parter. Fools and stubborn people make rich lawyers [through processes]. - Drar och envist folk gr rika advokater. When a lawyer dies, the Devil follows him to his grave (like a relative). - Nr en advokat dr, fljer fan honom till graven.

Business is business (and will not be mixed with feelings and charity). - Affr r affr. A business is good, when both parties make a good bargain. - En affr r god, nr bda parterna gr en god affr. All days' evening is not come (No one knows what may happen before life is over; still, all hope is not lost). - Alla dagars afton r inte kommen. You don't know what may happen before evening (before you die). - Du vet inte vad som kan hnda innan aftonen. Evening song with drinks: morning song with coughs. - Aftonsng med dryck, morgonsng med hosta. The well-bred child chastizes itself (said when someone accidentally hurts himself or herself). - Snllt barn agar sig sjlv. If we reject the chaff, we may easily lose the kernel. - Ratar man agnarna, kan man ltt g miste om krnan. The is unnecessary to make a fuss of (make up to) any sort of thrash. - Det r ondigt krusa fr alepinnar. Alder fences don't last more than a year (Poor matierial results in nonlasting quality). - Grdsgrd av al hller inte mer n ett r; av dligt material fr man ohllbart arbete. All is not for all. - Allt r inte fr alla. Not all who fold their hands, are praying. (watch out for hypocrites). - Alla ber inte som knpper ihop hnderna. Where all limp, everybody thinks he walks straight. - Nr alla linkar, tror var och en att han gr rtt. Now the fairytale is over (the fun is over now). - Nu r sagan all. It will once come to pass as the old goose quacked. [read: vrpte] (heritage can be easily wasted). - Det blir fulle en gng --- som gamla gsen varp [ls: vrpte]). Who is in front everywhere often gets a nose-burn. - Allestdes framme fr ofta nsbrnna. Who is everywhere is nowhere.

- Den som r allestdes r ingenstdes. The public is an animal with many heads (and many different wills). - Allmogen r ett djur med mnga huvuden. Charity does not lessen you, going to church does not hinder you. (One does not become poor by sharing with the poor, and there may be time enough for duties and chores even though one spends some time on sound devotions). - Allmosa minskar inte, kyrkogng hindrar inte. Charity supports both the giver and receiver. - Allmosa r till fromma bde fr den som fr och fr den som ger. Those who want to share the gains, shall also share the losses. - Den som vill vara med om vinsten fr ocks knnas vid frlusten. "It may come in handy," said the maid, she took the cradle along with her. - Alltid kan den bli bra till ngot, sa pigan, tog med sig vaggan. Everything comes round. - Allting gr igen. Being serious and having a good time thrive together. - Allvar och gamman faller vl [ls: trives grna] samman. The joke is the weapon of the witty; being serious is the shield of the stupid (he needs it). - Skmtet r den kvickes vapen; allvaret r den dummes skld. The old have the calendar in their bodies (rheumatism predicts the weather like the old almanacs). - De gamla har almanackan i kroppen. Old men carry the almanac in their bones. - Gubbar har almanackan i benen. Amen [to the text], said the minister, he hit the old lady in the head with the New Testament. (. - Amen [p texten], sa prsten, slog kringen med lsten. Many caress the child for the sake of the wet nurse. - Mngen smeker barnet fr ammans skull. One kisses the child and means the nurse. - Man kysser barnet och menar amman. When the child is weaned, they say goodbye to the nurse.

- Nr barnet r avvant, fr amman avsked. Other times, other customs (and manners). - Andra tider andra seder. Other years other hairs (old age brings grey hairs with it). - Andra r andra hr. One is also to let the other party be heard (before sentencing - From Latin). - M ven den andra parten hras. We note the faults of others and forget our own. - Man mrker andras fel och glmmer sina egna. The faults of others make no law (a wrong does not become correct because others have done the same crime or mistake. It is no help for a criminal that others have done the same things that he did). - Andras fel gr ingen lag (det hjlper inte den brottslige att andra har begtt (samma brott). The faults of others are the best teachers. - Andras fel lr bst. It's good to learn from the errors of others, since we don't have time to carry out all of them ourselves. - Gott lra av andras fel, eftersom man inte hinner beg alla sjlv. Another's damage is soon forgotten. - Annans skada glmmes snart. The cow of another has always a bigger udder. - Annans ko har alltid strre juver. It's an easy burden that another carries. - Ltt brda som en annan br. When the businessmen sleep, the ad works. - Nr affrsmnnen sover, arbetar annonsen. A nice face is the best letter of recommendation. - Ett gott ansikte r det bsta rekommendationsbrevet. The appetite grows [reads: comes] while one eats; (French: L'appetit vient a mangeant). - Aptiten vxer [ls: kommer] medan man ter. Nothing stimulates the appetite like little on the plate. - Ingenting retar aptiten s som litet p fatet.

We get tired of doing nothing. - Man blir trtt av att g och gora ingenting. Who does not want to work in the heat, will have to starve in the cold. - Den som inte vill arbeta i vrmen, han fr hungra i klden. Work sweetens the sleep. - Arbete gr smnen st. Anyone can tame a shrew but he who has her (for his wife). - Var och en kan tmja en argbigga utom den som har henne (till hustru). Poverty and love are difficult to hide. - Armod och krlek r svra att dlja. Where poverty comes in, love goes out. - Dr armod gr in, gr krlek ut. Who waits for a heritage may have to wait long. - Den som vntar p arv kan f vnta lnge. The wails of heirs are halfway laughter. - Arvingars grt r halvt skratt. Who wants to have something good, will have to seek it where it is. - Den som vill ha ngot gott fr ska dr det finns. Who is insulted for a long time, finally loses his patience. - Den man lnge skymfar mister slutligen talamodet. Envy is the companion of great success. - Avund r lyckans fljeslagare. Envy is the truest form of flattery. - Avunden r den sannaste formen av smicker. The poor man has none to envy him. - Den fattige har inga avandsmn. Don't throw out the child with the bathwater (Don't indiscriminately discard the good along with the valueless. - Man ska inte kasta ut barnet med badvattnet. Slander makes friends part. - Baktal gr vnneskillnad. There would be no slanderers if none would listen to them. - Det funnes inga baktalare, om ingen ville hra p dem. Undeserved curses don't bite a lot.

- Ofrtjnta bannor biter inte [mycket]. From children and fools we may hear the truth (they do not know how to feign). - Av barn och drar fr man hra sanningen. The child is the father of the man (the child's oddities are found even when it has grown up). [A saying by William Wordsworth] - Barnet r mannens fader. All are children (at the start). - Alla r barn. Children travel from the heart to the heart (in that their mother carry them beneath her heart, and keeps them near afterwards). - Barn gr frn hjrtat och till hjrtat. Give the white child so that the black child doesn't cry (don't be unfair to a stepchild). - Man ska ge det vita barnet s, att det svarta inte grter (inte vara orttvis mot sina styvbarn). From children old people arise (Children get old too, eventually). - Av barn blir ocks gammalt folk. We have all been children (and should remember it when we judge the children's wilfulness, mistakes, and offences). - Vi har alla varit barn. It's bad is to have many children and [too] little food. - Illa r att ha mnga barn och litet mat. Many children and little food make thin smoerbroeds (sandwiches). - Mnga barn och liten mat gr tunna smrgsar. One should go out of the way for little children and drunks. - Sm barn och fulla karlar ska man g ur vgen fr. Only child, dear child. - Enda barn krt barn. Children's bread is hard to chew. - Barnabrd r hrdtuggat. Childhood memories last long. - Barnaminnet r lngt. The child's bottom and April weather arre not to be trusted. - Barnrumpan och aprilvdret r inte att lita p.

Pitch and tar are the navy seaman's pride. - Beck och tjra r btsmans ra. That our hands show signs of our work, is nothing to be ashamed of. - Det r ingenting att skmmas fr att hnderna br spr av ens arbete. Pray and work (Latin: ora et labora). - Bed och arbeta. Who cannot pray to God, let him go to sea (where he will learn soon enough to fear and pray in anguish or distress). - Den som inte kan bedja till Gud, han fare till sjss. Who has once deceived will ever be a suspect. - Den som en gng har bedragit r alltid misstnkt. Take with you an onion to the funeral (to shed tears more easily). - Tag en lk med till begravningen. When we all do as we please, all the food is eaten and all the girls will be maiden. - Nr var behagar sitt, blir all mat ten och alla pigor flickor). To get may rest on luck, to keep may rest on virtue. - Frvrva r tur, behlla r dygd. What is well-known only seems to be testified. - Beknd sak synest s god som vittnad. The dogs in Lund bark. - Longa honga g (Sknsk) Behind the mountain are people too. - Bakom berget finns ocks folk. Praise makes the good man better, blame makes the bad one worse. - Berm gr den gode bttre, klander den onde vrre. Over-praise is a burden. - Fr mycket berm r en brda. Praise gets closer than blame. - Berm r nrgngnare n klander. Praise is easier got than kept. - Berm r lttare att f n behlla. To praise is to assess (so we don't want to be praised by all and sundry). - Bermma r bedma.

Don't sit among scoffers (do not socialize with such people). - Sitt inte dr bespottare sitta. Prepaid work is slow. - Betalt arbete gr lngsamt. Seriousness and mildness ought to work in unison. - Allvar och mildhet br vara forenade. The bee without a sting collects no honey. - Gaddlst bi samlar ingen honung. A hard-working man is worth more than a crowd of loafers. - En arbetsam mnniska r bttre n en hop dagdrivare. A bee does not touch a withered flower. - Ett bi rr inte vid en vissen blomma. To the one who waits comes the tailwind at last. - Bidande man fr medvind. All cannot have the Bishop for uncle (so one has to try to make it on one's own, then). - Alla kan inte ha biskopen till morbror. Many buy the bearskin before the bear is shot. - Mnga kper bjrnhuden innan bjrnen r skjuten. Shoot the bear before you skin it. - Man ska f bjrnen frrn man flr honom. Do not wake up the sleeping bear (refrain from saying or doing anything which may cause dangerous thoughts or awaken slumbering passions let a settled dispute lie too). - Vck ej bjrn som sover. It's no good to sprick the bear with a needle. - Det r inte gott att sticka bjrn med nl. The bearskin does not bite (the dead one cannot do any damage). - Bjrnskinnet bits inte. The tables are turned (the situation has changed). - Bladet har vnt sig. We are esteemed and treated by the company we keep. - Man r ansedd och behandlad efter det umgange man vljer. PH Who winks to the blind, does work in vain (it's no use to suggest things to those who don't understand).

- Den som vinkar till den blinde, han gr ffngt arbete. When the blind one carries the lame one, both of them gets ahead (since the lame may direct where to go; two or more people with different weaknesses can at times help one another to good results. - Nr den blinde br den lame, kommer de bda fram. It goes off as when the blind fight (all wrong). - Det gr som de blinda slss. Even a blind dove finds a grain of wheat at times. - Blind duva finner ock stundom ett vetekorn. The older the buck gets, the harder his horns get (the older we get, the more stubborn we get). - Ju ldre bocken r, dess hrdare blir hornen. Even after the accusation or rumour has been refuted, a suspicion nonetheless lingers. - Om anklagelsen eller rykttet har vederlagts, sitter nd misstanken kwar. In a good book the best is between the lines. - I en god bok str det bsta mellan raderna. Manure and diligence makes the farmer rich. - Skit och flit gr bonden rik. The farmer should be mightier than his land (having no more land than he can deal with). - Bonden ska vara mktigare n sin jord. Farmers are people too [so to say] (and should be treated decently). - Bnder r ocks folk [s att sga]. Long vouched for is not donated. - Lnge borgat r icke givet. No letters are good letters (bad news may arrive early enough anyway). - Inga brev r goda brev. For the lack one thing, take another, whether better or worse. - Har man inte det ena, fr man ta ngot annat, antingen smre eller bttre. For lack of hens the fox catches crows. - I brist p hns tar rven krkor. It has to be fixed one way or another.

- Det fr ordnas p ena eller andra sttet. Bare is a brotherless behind (without support from relatives). - Bar r broderls bak. There is seldom cattle without some motley animals. - Sllan fhop utan brokigt nt. A tiny one seems arrogant (to compensate for a feeling of inferiority). - Smvxt man r hgfrdig. A bad reputation is seldom completely amiss. - Dligt rykte r sllan utan grund. There are more motley dogs than the priest's. - Det r fler brokiga hundar n prstens. Peculiar people may show up anywhere. (t) - Sregna mnniskor trffar man lite varstans. It is the crime that causes the shame, and not the punishment (French). - Det r brottet som gr skammen och inte straffet). Small wells are soon drained. - Sm brunnar r snart sta. The deepest well can also be drained. - Den djupaste brunnen kan ocks tmmas. When the well is dry, we know what it's worth (we don't always realize and appreciate the value of a thing until we have lost it). - Nr brunnen r torr, vet man dess vrde. Who digs many wells doesn't get sweet water in all of them. - Den mnga brunnar grver fr inte gott vatten i alla. Poor material yields poor results. - Dligt material ger dligt resultat. Quickly dear and soon forgotten. - Brdkrt glmmes snart. What was bought in a hurry may soon be regretted. - Brdkp ngerkp. Premature purchase is repented. - Frhastat kp ngrar man. There's no hurry, said the shoemaker, he had gruel with his awl.

- Ingen brdska, sa skomakarn, t vlling med sylen. The burnt child shuns the fire. - Brnt barn skyr elden. Self-praise smells badly (or stinks). - Eget berm luktar illa. From damage one may get wiser.* - Av skadan blir man vis. Don't scald your lips on another's soup (don't meddle a lot in the affairs of others). - Brnn inte dina lppar p andras soppa. Don't get scaled by the gruel of another (don't meddle with what is not your business). - Brnn dig inte p annans vlling. We should not burn the light in both ends (don't shorten your life by excessive work and dissipations). - Man ska inte brnna ljuset i bda ndarna. Hard bread does the cheek red. - Hrt brd gr kinden rd. A piece of bread in the pocket is better than a feather in the hat (what is needed for life is more important than outward show). - En bit brd i fickan r bttre n en fjder i hatten. The ring of gold is never so red that it is not dispensed with for bread. - Guldringen r aldrig s rd att han ej gr t fr brd. Who has much, he gets even more (Biblical) - Den mycket har, han fr nd mera. Where are breads in the desert? (where shall we get what we need where there is nothing?) Var taga brd i knen?. Do not hang the bread basket too high (don't give the servants too little food). - Man ska inte hnga brdkorgen fr hgt. Lack of bread [food] forces one to work. - Brdlsa driver till arbete. A quarrel between brothers costs soul and life. - Brdrakiv gr p sjl och liv. A brother's wrath is a devil's wrath.

- Brdravrede djvulsvrede If it weren't for my need to fill my belly, I would have gilded my arm (then I could have afforded some jewelry). - Hade jag inte min buk att fylla, skulle jag min arm frgylla (d hade jag rd till smycken). The stomack is filled earlier than the eye. - Buken mttas frr n gat. Here there will be different buns, said the baker, he "sat down" (shit) on the bread shovel. - Hr ska bli andra bullar, sa bagarn, sket [ls: satte sig] p brdspaden. He who fears every bush, comes late to the wood. (he is poorly suited to something that fears its small discomforts). - Den som rdes fr var buske, han kommer sent till skogs. Who builds something, had better count two dollars for one (be prepared that prices will double). - Den som bygger ska rkna tv riksdaler fr en. We should build with the stones we have (be content with the adequate means we have). - Man fr bygga med de stenar man har. Don't build bigger houses than you may set roofs on. - Bygg ej strre hus n du frmr lgga tak p.