# The best-known Russian proverbs

The proverbs every Russian speaker knows, with their meaning. Chosen from proverb collections (Wikiquote, Wikipedia) and lists of the most used.

- 9 votes · 14 items
- Dec 19, 2025 · the_wordsmith
- https://even.best/en/l/1252/the-best-known-russian-proverbs

## Top 12

1. **Without effort you can't even pull a fish out of a pond.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Nothing comes without effort. English: no pain, no gain.
2. **The slower you go, the further you'll get.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Calm and careful gets you further. English: slow and steady wins the race.
3. **Moscow wasn't built at once.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Great things take time. English: Rome wasn't built in a day.
4. **The apple doesn't fall far from the apple tree.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Children take after their parents.
5. **An old friend is better than two new ones.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — A tried and tested friend is worth more than new acquaintances.
6. **Measure seven times, cut once.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Think carefully before acting. English: measure twice, cut once.
7. **Chicks are counted in autumn.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Judge results at the end. English: don't count your chickens before they hatch.
8. **Time for business, an hour for fun.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Work first, play later.
9. **If you're afraid of wolves, don't go into the forest.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — If you fear risk, you'll achieve nothing.
10. **The morning is wiser than the evening.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Big decisions are best made with a fresh head. English: sleep on it.
11. **It's nice to be a guest, but home is better.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — There's no place like home.
12. **Better to have a hundred friends than a hundred roubles.** (-1 · ▲0 ▼1) — Friends are worth more than money.
13. **As you sow, so shall you reap.** (-1 · ▲0 ▼1) — Your actions have consequences.
14. **There's no accounting for taste and colour.** (-1 · ▲0 ▼1) — Everyone has their own tastes.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.