Czechia — quotes, proverbs & wisdom

Bez práce nejsou koláče.

“Without work, there are no cakes.”

Nothing worthwhile comes without effort.

Kdo jinému jámu kopá, sám do ní padá.

“He who digs a pit for another falls into it himself.”

Trying to harm others often backfires on the wrongdoer.

Ráno moudřejší večera.

“The morning is wiser than the evening.”

Difficult decisions are best made after a night's rest, not in the heat of the moment.

Tichá voda břehy mele.

“Still water erodes the banks.”

A quiet, calm person can be more powerful or cunning than they appear.

Kdo šetří, má za tři.

“He who saves has enough for three.”

Frugality and saving bring security and abundance later.

Lepší vrabec v hrsti než holub na střeše.

“Better a sparrow in the hand than a pigeon on the roof.”

A modest, certain gain is better than a large but uncertain one.

Bez peněz do hospody nelez.

“Without money, do not climb into the pub.”

Do not attempt things you cannot afford to follow through on.

Není všechno zlato, co se třpytí.

“Not all that glitters is gold.”

Appearances can be deceiving; not everything valuable-looking is truly valuable.

Kdo pozdě chodí, sám sobě škodí.

“He who comes late harms only himself.”

Tardiness carries its own punishment; latecomers lose out.

Trpělivost růže přináší.

“Patience brings roses.”

Good things come to those who wait and endure with patience.

Host do domu, Bůh do domu.

“A guest into the house is God into the house.”

Guests should be welcomed with generosity and respect, as a blessing.

Jak se do lesa volá, tak se z lesa ozývá.

“As you call into the forest, so it echoes back.”

How you treat others is how you will be treated in return.

Kdo hledá, najde.

“He who seeks, finds.”

Persistent effort eventually leads to success.

Padá kosa na kámen.

“The scythe strikes the stone.”

Two equally stubborn or strong-willed people have clashed.

Sytý hladovému nevěří.

“The well-fed man does not believe the hungry one.”

Those who are comfortable often fail to understand the struggles of those in need.

Všude dobře, doma nejlépe.

“Everywhere is good, but home is best.”

No matter how pleasant other places are, home remains the most comforting.

Kdo chce psa bít, hůl si vždycky najde.

“He who wants to beat a dog will always find a stick.”

A person determined to find fault will always invent a pretext.

Do třetice všeho dobrého i zlého.

“All things, good and bad, come in threes.”

Events, whether fortunate or unfortunate, are often believed to occur in sets of three.

Neštěstí nechodí samo.

“Misfortune never comes alone.”

Bad events tend to arrive in succession rather than singly.

Práce kvapná, málo platná.

“Hasty work is worth little.”

Rushed work tends to produce poor results.

Mluviti stříbro, mlčeti zlato.

“Speaking is silver, silence is golden.”

Restraint in speech is often more valuable than talking.

Kdo dřív přijde, ten dřív mele.

“Whoever comes first, grinds first.”

Priority and advantage go to those who arrive earliest.

Jak si kdo ustele, tak si lehne.

“As you make your bed, so shall you lie in it.”

People must live with the consequences of their own choices.

V nouzi poznáš přítele.

“In need, you recognize a friend.”

True friendship reveals itself in times of hardship.

Něco za něco.

“Something for something.”

A fair exchange requires giving something in return for what is received.

Krásou se nenajíš.

“You cannot fill your stomach on beauty.”

Physical beauty alone does not provide real, lasting sustenance or value.

Kdo maže, ten jede.

“He who greases, travels.”

Things move smoothly for those willing to smooth the way, often through favors.

Všeho moc škodí.

“Too much of everything is harmful.”

Excess, even of good things, can cause harm; moderation is wise.

Ranní ptáče dál doskáče.

“The early bird hops further.”

Those who start early achieve more than those who delay.

Není kouře bez ohně.

“There is no smoke without fire.”

Rumors or suspicions usually have some basis in truth.

Kdo se bojí, nesmí do lesa.

“He who is afraid must not go into the forest.”

Achieving something worthwhile requires accepting risk.

Dvakrát měř, jednou řež.

“Measure twice, cut once.”

Careful preparation prevents costly mistakes.

Co oči nevidí, to srdce nebolí.

“What the eyes do not see, the heart does not grieve over.”

Ignorance of a problem spares one from worrying about it.

S čím kdo zachází, tím také schází.

“He who deals in something perishes by it.”

Those who rely on dangerous means often meet their end through those same means.

Líná huba, holé neštěstí.

“A lazy mouth is pure misfortune.”

Being too timid or lazy to ask for help or information leads to hardship.

Účel světí prostředky.

“The end justifies the means.”

Some believe a sufficiently good goal justifies whatever methods are used to reach it, though the saying is often invoked critically.

Co můžeš udělat dnes, neodkládej na zítřek.

“What you can do today, do not put off until tomorrow.”

Procrastination wastes time; tackle tasks as soon as you are able.

Lež má krátké nohy.

“A lie has short legs.”

Deception cannot travel far or last long before it is discovered.

Tak dlouho se chodí se džbánem pro vodu, až se ucho utrhne.

“The jug goes to the well for water so many times that the handle finally breaks off.”

Repeated wrongdoing or risk-taking eventually catches up with the one who keeps testing their luck.

Boží mlýny melou pomalu, ale jistě.

“God's mills grind slowly, but surely.”

Justice may take a long time to arrive, but it eventually comes.

Když se dva perou, třetí se směje.

“When two people fight, the third one laughs.”

A bystander often benefits when two rivals waste their energy fighting each other.

Sliby chyby.

“Promises, mistakes.”

Promises are made carelessly and broken just as easily, so they should not be fully trusted.

Co se v mládí naučíš, ve stáří jako když najdeš.

“What you learn in youth is, in old age, like finding something valuable.”

Skills and knowledge gained early in life continue to serve and reward a person for the rest of their days.

Mluv, jak ti zobák narostl.

“Speak as your beak has grown.”

Speak plainly and naturally in your own voice, rather than putting on false airs.

Neříkej hop, dokud nepřeskočíš.

“Do not say "hop" until you have jumped.”

Do not celebrate success before a task is genuinely completed.

Kam vítr, tam plášť.

“Wherever the wind blows, that is where the coat goes.”

Describes an opportunistic person who shifts their views or loyalty to whatever direction is currently favorable.

I mistr tesař se někdy utne.

“Even a master carpenter sometimes cuts himself.”

Even the most skilled and experienced people occasionally make mistakes.

Prázdný sud nejvíc duní.

“An empty barrel booms the loudest.”

People with the least real substance or knowledge often talk the most loudly and confidently.

Kdo nic nedělá, nic nezkazí.

“He who does nothing spoils nothing.”

Often said ironically about those who avoid effort or risk simply to escape blame for failure.

Co je psáno, to je dáno.

“What is written is given.”

Once an agreement or fact is put in writing, it is treated as fixed and binding.