Denmark — quotes, proverbs & wisdom

Enhver er sin egen lykkes smed.

“Everyone is the smith of their own fortune.”

Each person shapes their own destiny through their own efforts.

Æblet falder ikke langt fra stammen.

“The apple does not fall far from the trunk.”

Children tend to resemble their parents in character and behaviour.

Man skal ikke skue hunden på hårene.

“You should not judge the dog by its hair.”

Do not judge someone or something by outward appearance.

Tomme tønder buldrer mest.

“Empty barrels rumble the most.”

Those who know the least often talk the loudest.

Der er ingen ko på isen.

“There is no cow on the ice.”

There is no danger or cause for worry.

Ud af øje, ud af sind.

“Out of eye, out of mind.”

People or things are quickly forgotten once no longer present.

Bedre en fugl i hånden end ti på taget.

“Better one bird in the hand than ten on the roof.”

A small certain gain is worth more than a large uncertain one.

Man skal smede mens jernet er varmt.

“One must strike while the iron is hot.”

Act at the right moment while the opportunity lasts.

Som man reder, så ligger man.

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

You must accept the consequences of your own actions.

Lige børn leger bedst.

“Equal children play best together.”

People who are alike get along most easily.

Man skal ikke sælge skindet, før bjørnen er skudt.

“One should not sell the bear's skin before the bear is shot.”

Do not count on the rewards of something before it has actually been achieved.

Nød lærer nøgen kvinde at spinde.

“Necessity teaches the naked woman to spin.”

Hardship forces people to find inventive solutions they would otherwise never attempt.

Den, der graver en grav for andre, falder selv deri.

“He who digs a grave for others falls into it himself.”

Scheming to harm someone else often ends up ruining the schemer instead.

Alle gode ting er tre.

“All good things come in threes.”

Good outcomes are often expected or grouped in sets of three.

Den, der ler sidst, ler bedst.

“He who laughs last, laughs best.”

Ultimate success or vindication matters more than an early advantage.

Mange bække små gør en stor å.

“Many small streams make a big river.”

Small, steady contributions accumulate into something substantial over time.

Man skal ikke råbe hurra, før man er kommet over åen.

“One should not shout hurrah before crossing the stream.”

Do not celebrate success before it is fully secured.

Bedre sent end aldrig.

“Better late than never.”

Doing something after a delay is preferable to never doing it at all.

Øst og vest, hjemme bedst.

“East and west, home is best.”

No matter where one travels, home remains the most comfortable and cherished place.

Man skal ikke kaste med sten, når man selv bor i et glashus.

“One should not throw stones when living in a glass house.”

Do not criticise others for faults you share yourself.

Den, der intet vover, intet vinder.

“He who ventures nothing, wins nothing.”

Taking risks is necessary to achieve worthwhile rewards.

Ærlighed varer længst.

“Honesty lasts longest.”

Truthfulness proves more durable and trustworthy than deceit in the long run.

Enhver er sig selv nærmest.

“Everyone is closest to himself.”

People naturally look after their own interests before those of others.

Der er ingen rose uden torne.

“There is no rose without thorns.”

Every good thing comes with some difficulty or drawback attached.

Godt begyndt er halvt fuldendt.

“Well begun is half done.”

A strong, careful start makes the rest of a task much easier to complete.

Man skal høste, mens solen skinner.

“One must harvest while the sun shines.”

Take advantage of favourable conditions while they last.

Tiden læger alle sår.

“Time heals all wounds.”

Pain and grief gradually ease as time passes.

Hvad hjertet er fuldt af, løber munden over med.

“What the heart is full of, the mouth runs over with.”

People inevitably speak about whatever occupies their mind and feelings most.

Kært barn har mange navne.

“A beloved child has many names.”

Something cherished or important tends to be described in many different ways.

Man skal ikke gøre regning uden vært.

“One should not make a reckoning without the host.”

Do not make plans without accounting for the people or factors that will actually decide the outcome.

Der er langt fra tale til handling.

“There is a long way from talk to action.”

Speaking of doing something is far easier than actually doing it.

Løgn har korte ben.

“Lies have short legs.”

Dishonesty does not travel far before it is discovered.

Man kan ikke både blæse og have mel i munden.

“One cannot both blow and have flour in one's mouth.”

It is impossible to do two contradictory things at the same time.

Selv er den bedste dreng.

“Self is the best lad.”

If you want something done properly, it is best to do it yourself.

Nød bryder alle love.

“Necessity breaks all laws.”

In dire circumstances, people will set aside normal rules to survive.

Den, der ikke vil høre, må føle.

“He who will not listen must feel.”

Those who ignore warnings will learn the hard way through experience.

Man skal se sig for, før man springer.

“One should look before one leaps.”

Think carefully about consequences before taking action.

En ulykke kommer sjældent alene.

“Misfortune seldom comes alone.”

Bad events often arrive in clusters rather than singly.

Det er let at være bagklog.

“It is easy to be wise in hindsight.”

Judging past decisions is far simpler than making the right choice at the time.

Man høster, som man sår.

“One reaps as one sows.”

Your actions determine the results you will eventually receive.

Stille vande har dybe grunde.

“Still waters have deep grounds.”

Quiet, unassuming people often hide great depth of thought or feeling.

Ingen regel uden undtagelse.

“No rule without exception.”

Every general rule has cases where it does not apply.

Den, der ikke arbejder, skal heller ikke spise.

“He who does not work shall not eat.”

One must contribute effort to be entitled to the rewards of that effort.

Man skal tage det onde med det gode.

“One must take the bad with the good.”

Accept life's hardships along with its blessings, as both come together.

Bedre alene end i dårligt selskab.

“Better alone than in bad company.”

Solitude is preferable to keeping company with those who bring you harm.

Man kan ikke få både i pose og sæk.

“One cannot have both in the bag and in the sack.”

You cannot have every advantage of two conflicting choices at once.

Man skal ikke bide den hånd, der fodrer en.

“One should not bite the hand that feeds one.”

Do not harm or betray those who support and provide for you.

Den sidste dråbe får bægeret til at flyde over.

“The last drop makes the cup overflow.”

A final, small addition can push accumulated frustration past its breaking point.

Man skal ikke male fanden på væggen.

“One should not paint the devil on the wall.”

Do not dwell on or invite the worst possible outcome by dramatizing it.

Morgenstund har guld i mund.

“The morning hour has gold in its mouth.”

Starting the day early brings the greatest rewards and productivity.