Some diffiult Russian proverbs

To day we end our little explortation of Russian proverbs, from easy to difficult, collected from the book “Russian context”, Slavica publishers, USA, edited by Eloise M. Boyle and Genevra Gerhart. If you like the proverbs – as I think you should – go on and buy the book! The proverbs are only a small portion of this great collection of Russian language and culture.

Не всякое лыко в строку

Не имей сто рублей, а имей сто друзей

Не плон в колодец: пригодится воды напиться

Чужую беду руками разведу, а к своей ума не приложу. Чужой хлеб мёд горек

Some Russian proverbs of medium difficulty

I continue to day my serie of Russian proverbs collected from the “Russian context”, edited by Eliose M. Boyle and Genevra Gerhart, and available on www.amazon.com.

Близок локоть, да не укусишь. Close is your elbow, but you can’t bite it

Долг платежом красен. A dept is beautiful because of the repayment. Берёшь чужие, а отдаёшь свой. You take somebody else’s (money), but you return your own (money).

Обещанного три года ждут. They waited thre years for what was promised them.

По одёжке встречают, по уму провожают. On the clothing, they meet you, on your brain, they take farewell.

Что дорого, то мило, что дёвшево, то гнило. What is expensive is good, what is cheap, is bad.

Explanation to follow…

Some easy Russian proverbs

The Fridays ahead I will present for you some Russian proverbs. In my Norwegian blog, I present twelve of them, but there are still to many good ones left out, so I’ll present some of them here in my English version as well. I have to thank the excellent work of editors Eliose M. Boyle and Genevra Gerhart, and their book “Russian Context”. It can be easily bought at www.amazon.com.

Береги платье снову, а честь смолоду. Take care of your clothes, while new, take care of your honor, while young.

Скоро сказка сказивается, да не скоро дело делается. Soon is the tale told, but not soon is the deed done.

Слезами горю не поможешь. Tears can’t cure the misfortune.

У семи нянек дитя без глазу. With seven nannies, the child is without watch.

 

Что написано пером, того не вырубишь топором. Бумага всё терпит.

A little education about Narva

I had to go to the Baltics, because my Visa in Russia expired. Although Tallinn is a wonderful city, it is not Russia, not even close, anymore, so I decided to go back as far east as possible, to the bordertown of Narva. Here the population is still for the most made up of Russians, Russian is the language, and across the river Narva, you have a beautiful view over the Russian city of Ivangorod, and the characteristically Russian flatlands and fields. A beautiful castle made up by the Danes on the Estonian side, and an equally beautiful fortress on the Russian side, made up by the Russians, make this a true beauty as a whole. This is the place to be, for a passionate Russian soul in the European union.

I was there, and I decided on the spot, to give a little lecture about the place and the peculiarities, with the area speaking for itself in the background. The lecture is in Norwegian, so you have to learn the language, to really hang on, but heeyy, the language is beautiful, and the sound of it so pleasant, you don’t have to understand, to enjoy. Enjoy!

Arrival Moscow

 

St. Basil

My plane to Moscow had a late arrival at 2130, and was a bit delayed, so I didn’t make it to “Novo Hostel” where I was to stay until sleeping time for me. I paid for to be picked up at the airport by the hostel, which I immedatly regretet, due to I had to pay extra fee for the delay, and it was for to expensive anyway. The hostel is easy to find, even by night, and there are lots of money to be saved by travelling on public transport. From Domodedovo airport it is very convenient now, with the new express train to the Pavlets station. From there you can take the metro anywhere.

Bicycle for rent, Novo Hostel, Moscow. This is it.

The hostel made a poor first impression, but as I write this in retrospect, it very much improved during my stay, and I would easily go back there if I return to Moscow on budget accomodation. You may use wireless Internet for free, and if you don’t have a laptop, there is one in the appartment, and it is almost always free. All throught the week I stayed there I made excellent company with the other guests, and with the host, Alex, who in addition is a decent chessplayer. Challenge him for a game!

Me in Novo Hostel, Moscow

Novo hostel is placed in Kitaj Gorod, and everyone may see at a glance, this is very central. You just go straight ahead down the road (Ulitsa Maroseyka) to the Red square. This glance on the map made me so optimistic, I decided to try the walk without the map, with the result I went straight in the opposite direction. Where there was nothing to see.

What you actually see if you go in the opposite direction up Ulitsa Pokrovka, instead of down ul Maroseyka in Moscow, Kitay Gorod

Novo Hostel shoul be avoided for people allergic to smoke or cats though. People who love smoking and cats, should hesitate no more on deciding where to stay in Moscow.

 

One of the Stalin gotic monsters in Moscow