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Ukrainian Proverbs

Sayings of Ukrainian origin

Begat a son and your name will live forever.

A woman’s beauty cannot warm a winter’s night.

A good, warmed vodka makes a carnation bloom inside your stomach.

The obliging fool is worse than an enemy.

No matter how hard you try, a bull will never give milk.

Women and dogs set men together by their ears.

A husband wants to have a healthy wife; a brother wants to have a rich sister.

The church is near, but the way is icy. The tavern is far, but I will walk carefully.

Borrowed bread lies heavy on the stomach.

The fatter the flea the leaner the dog.

You don’t really see the world if you only look through your own window.

Flies will not land on a boiling pot.

No man deserves punishment for his thoughts.

Luck always seems to be against the man who depends on it.

Wisdom is in the head, not in the beard.

Drunkards know no danger.

Live one century – study one century.

Keep fire away from straw.

The church is near, but the way is icy.

The earth will cover the doctor’s mistakes.

For a job we need time. For fun we need one hour.

An only son becomes a drunkard or a thief.

Drink a glass of wine after your soup and you will be stealing a ruble from the doctor.

Ukraine is a sovereign state in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Belarus to the northwest, Poland and Slovakia to the west, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova to the southwest, and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south and southeast, respectively. Ukraine is currently in territorial dispute with Russia over the Crimean Peninsula which Russia invaded and annexed in 2014 but which Ukraine and most of the international community recognise as Ukrainian. Including Crimea, Ukraine has an area of 603,628 km2 (233,062 sq mi), making it the largest country entirely within Europe and the 46th largest country in the world, and a population of about 44.5 million, making it the 32nd most populous country in the world.

Kiev is the capital and largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River.

Ukrainian is the official language of Ukraine; its alphabet is Cyrillic. The dominant religion in the country is Eastern Orthodoxy, which has strongly influenced Ukrainian architecture, literature and music.
To see a friend no road is too long. (An excerpt from Wikipedia)

More Ukrainian Proverbs and sayings

Stupid as a Russian.

He gives straw to his dog and bones to his horse.

Speak highly of the lake, but stay on the bank.

It is light grief that can take counsel.

Work and you will be strong; sit and you will rot.

Only when you have eaten a cockroach do you appreciate soup.

No wind is too cold for lovers.

If the devil is powerless, send him a woman.

Love will find a way. Indifference will find an excuse.

The earth will cover the doctor’s mistakes.

Keep fire away from straw.

A crow will never be a falcon.

The rooster won’t do it, unless the hen asks for it.

Those sitting above can easily spit on those below.

The word “enough” does not exist for water, fire and women.

Only when you eat a lemon do you appreciate what sugar is.

He is guilty who is not at home.

No matter how hard you try, the bull will never give you milk.

A friendly word is better than a heavy cake.

When the banner is unfurled, all reason is in the trumpet.

Your head is not only for putting a hat on.

Who laughs at you also cries for you.

To him that you tell your secret you resign your liberty.

If you marry a young woman, make sure your friends stay outside.

A hungry wolf is stronger than a satisfied dog.

A woman is not a harmonica that you put aside when you have used it.

Every disadvantage has its advantage.

Fire starts with sparks.

There are no old friendships in business.

Born quick, born blind.

He who licks knives will soon cut his tongue.

The malicious cow disturbs the entire herd.

If you chase 2 hares at the same time, you will catch neither of them.

Act swiftly, think slowly.

A dream is sweeter than honey.

Love will find a way. Indifference will find an excuse.

No cook ever died of starvation.

A friendly word is better than a heavy cake.

Your head is not only for putting a hat on.

With a friendly word you get farther than with a club.

A hungry wolf is stronger than a satisfied dog.

The malicious cow disturbs the whole herd.

The lame man laughs at the blind.

He is guilty who is not at home.

Black souls wear white shirts.

There are many lies but barely one truth.

The devil always takes back his gifts.

The fear of death takes away the joy of living.

A crow will never be a falcon.

Only cheese in a mousetrap can be free.

May his memory be eternal.

The mother remembers her youth and so does not trust her daughter.

God is looking for those who come to Him.

An apple is never far from the apple tree.

Drunkards know no danger.

Wisdom is in the head, not in the beard.

God sits on high and he sees far.

If the devil is powerless, send him a woman.

When one dog barks at nothing, a dozen will bark with him.

Fools love not the wise, drunkards love not the sober.

Love tells us many things that are not so.

The devil likes to hide behind a cross.

Deficiencies come by the kilo and go by the gram.

Who gives in need, gives double.

It is good fishing in streamy water.

Either dance well or start drinking.

With patience, it is possible to dig a well with a teaspoon.

Love tells us many things that are not so.
The glory and the freedom of Ukraine has not yet died) is the national anthem of Ukraine

Ukrainian National Anthem ( English Lyrics):

Ukrainian glory and the freedom,
has not yet died!
Still upon us brave brothers,
Fate shall smile!
Our enemies will vanish
Like dew in the sun;
We too shall rule
In our country.
Soul and body we will lay down
For our freedom
And show that we brothers
Are of the Cossack nation,
Hey, hey dearest brothers
Onward take to battle
Hey, hey, time to rise,
Time to gain freedom!
Nalyvaiko, Zalizniak
And Taras Triasylo
Call us from beyond the grave
To the holy battle.
Recall the famous death of
Chivalrous Cossacks
Not to lose vainly
Our youth.
Soul and body …
Oh Bohdan, Bohdan
Our great hetman
What for did you give Ukraine
To wretched muscovites?!
To return her honor,
We lay our heads
We shall call ourselves Ukraine’s
Faithful sons!
Soul and body …
Our Slavic brothers
Already took up arms
No one shall see
That we should stay behind.
Unite together all,
Brothers Slavs:
So that enemies perish,
And freedom comes!
Soul and body …

Even more Ukrainian Proverbs and Sayings

  1. Зігрійся сонцем улітку, запасися дровами на зиму. (Enjoy the sun in summer, stock up on firewood for winter.)
  2. Не засмучуй серце заздрістю, бо заздрість — сильна річ. (Don’t sadden your heart with envy, for envy is a powerful thing.)
  3. Без труда не виткнеш кабана з грязі. (Without effort, you won’t pull a pig out of the mud.)
  4. Як пан, так і слуга. (Like master, like servant.)
  5. Годуй дружбу, щоб була на радість, а не на згубу. (Nurture friendship for joy, not destruction.)
  6. Що посієш, те й пожнеш. (As you sow, so shall you reap.)
  7. Не лізь у воду, поки не взнав, якої вона глибини. (Don’t jump into water until you know its depth.)
  8. Більшість не завжди має рацію. (The majority is not always right.)
  9. Говорити легко, а робити складно. (Talking is easy, doing is difficult.)
  10. Лінь стане голодним узимку. (Laziness will make you hungry in winter.)
  11. Іншому тяжко — собі легко. (It’s hard for others, easy for oneself.)
  12. Гроші не пахнуть. (Money doesn’t smell.)
  13. Краще один раз побачити, ніж сто разів почути. (Better to see once than to hear a hundred times.)
  14. Хто не працює, той не їсть. (Who does not work, does not eat.)
  15. Гетьманщина козацька наша гордість. (Hetmanate is our Cossack pride.)
  16. Сам собі кузнець свого щастя. (Be the blacksmith of your own happiness.)
  17. Із зайвим не розмовляй — не встигнеш йому порадити. (Don’t waste time talking to the unnecessary, you won’t have time to advise them.)
  18. Перша любов і остання — завжди в серці залишається. (First and last love always stays in the heart.)
  19. Більш питань — більше відповідей. (More questions, more answers.)
  20. Хто сіє вітер, той жне бурю. (Who sows the wind, reaps the storm.)
  21. Чужим рушай, своїм не займай. (Go for what’s foreign, leave your own alone.)
  22. Дурна голова – ногам заважає. (A foolish head impedes the feet.)
  23. Береженого Бог береже. (God helps those who help themselves.)
  24. Багато шуму з нічого. (Much ado about nothing.)
  25. Гарно говорити – не мудрість. (Talking nicely doesn’t make you wise.)
  26. В кожному дереві є своя сова. (Every tree has its own owl.)
  27. Гріх – мов змія: скритися не може. (Sin is like a snake: it can’t hide.)
  28. Де тонко, там й прорветься. (Where it’s thin, it will break through.)
  29. Де росте молодь, там світло. (Where youth grows, there’s light.)
  30. Де було, там і буде. (What has been will be.)
  31. Випадковість – це ім’я Бога для незнайомців. (Chance is God’s name for strangers.)
  32. Берегись громадської думки, а то ніколи не доживеш до своєї. (Beware of public opinion, or you’ll never live to see your own.)
  33. Без бога – нікуди. (Without God, you’ll get nowhere.)
  34. Без душі немає й тіла. (Without soul, there’s no body.)
  35. Важко піти вгору, а легко зійти. (It’s hard to go up, but easy to go down.)
  36. Дарованому коневі в зуби не дивляться. (Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.)
  37. Гроші не пахнуть. (Money has no smell.)
  38. Голод – не тітка, а незнайомка. (Hunger is not an aunt, but a stranger.)
  39. Життя ніби гірський потік: хто зберігає каміння, тому й більше є. (Life is like a mountain stream: whoever keeps the stones has more.)
  40. Краще пізно, ніж ніколи. (Better late than never.)
  41. Квіти на грядках, баби в хаті. (Flowers in the garden, women in the house.)
  42. Лінивій навіть сонце зайде. (Even the sun will set for a lazy person.)
  43. Любиш кататись – люби й саночки возити. (If you love to slide, you should love to carry sleds.)
  44. Мовчання – золото. (Silence is golden.)
  45. На ворога мила вода. (For an enemy, water is sweet.)
  46. Більше голів — менше розуму. (The more heads, the less sense.)
  47. Важко научить стару собаку новим трюкам. (It’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks.)
  48. Господь Бог не турбується про зброю, яку має той, хто йде з правдою. (God is not concerned with the weapon of one who walks in truth.)
  49. Де не кинь, то на Україну виходить. (No matter where you go, it always comes back to Ukraine.)
  50. Живи, як хочеш, а помреш, як мусиш. (Live as you want, but die as you must.)
  51. З кожною квіткою — свій запах. (Every flower has its own scent.)
  52. Із грішми хліб не печуть. (Money doesn’t bake bread.)
  53. Ліпше зібрати вісім годин грибів, ніж два мішки картоплі. (It’s better to gather eight hours of mushrooms than two sacks of potatoes.)
  54. Мало робіт, багато мрій. (Few tasks, many dreams.)
  55. На безробітті тільки час забирається. (Unemployment only takes away time.)
  56. Обіцянки — гострий ніж для душі. (Promises are a sharp knife for the soul.)
  57. Прихопив кульку — тягни до краю. (If you’ve caught a ball, pull it to the edge.)
  58. Робота не з вовка звіря робить. (It’s not the wolf’s wildness that makes the work.)
  59. Страх — великий радник. (Fear is a great adviser.)
  60. Трудом на землі країна стоїть. (The country stands by the hard work of its people.)
  61. У чужому монастирі своє правило не діє. (Your own rules don’t apply in someone else’s monastery.)
  62. Фарту немає — але дух береже. (Luck is not there, but the spirit keeps it.)
  63. Хочеш миру — готуйся до війни. (If you want peace, prepare for war.)
  64. Ціна відповідає якості. (The price corresponds to the quality.)
  65. Чиста робота — наше багатство. (Clean work is our wealth.)
  66. Швидкої допомоги немає. (There is no quick help.)