Traditional Hungary Wisdom

Aki másnak vermet ás, maga esik bele.

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

Scheming to harm others ultimately brings ruin upon yourself.

Nem esik messze az alma a fájától.

“The apple does not fall far from its tree.”

Children resemble their parents in character and behavior.

Addig nyújtózkodj, amíg a takaród ér.

“Stretch only as far as your blanket reaches.”

Live within your means and do not overreach your resources.

Jobb ma egy veréb, mint holnap egy túzok.

“Better a sparrow today than a bustard tomorrow.”

A small certain gain now is worth more than a bigger uncertain one later.

Ki korán kel, aranyat lel.

“He who rises early finds gold.”

Diligence and an early start bring good fortune and reward.

Lassan járj, tovább érsz.

“Walk slowly, and you will get further.”

Careful, steady effort achieves more than reckless haste.

Nem mind arany, ami fénylik.

“Not all that glitters is gold.”

Appearances can be deceiving; surface shine does not guarantee true worth.

Egy fecske nem csinál nyarat.

“One swallow does not make a summer.”

A single good sign is not proof that a larger trend has truly arrived.

Ne igyunk előre a medve bőrére.

“Do not drink in advance to the bear's skin.”

Do not celebrate or count on a result before it has actually happened.

Aki nem dolgozik, ne is egyék.

“He who does not work shall not eat.”

Only those who contribute effort deserve to share in the reward.

Sok kicsi sokra megy.

“Many littles make a lot.”

Small, repeated contributions accumulate into something substantial.

Türelem rózsát terem.

“Patience bears roses.”

Enduring patience eventually yields something beautiful and worthwhile.

Aki szelet vet, vihart arat.

“He who sows the wind reaps the whirlwind.”

Reckless or harmful actions bring consequences far greater than intended.

Vak vezet világtalant.

“The blind leads the sightless.”

An incapable guide leads followers who are equally lost.

Ahány ház, annyi szokás.

“As many houses, so many customs.”

Every household or community has its own distinct ways of doing things.

Kicsi a bors, de erős.

“The pepper is small, but strong.”

Size is no measure of strength; small things can carry great power.

Aki mer, az nyer.

“He who dares, wins.”

Courage and willingness to take risks lead to success.

Amilyen az anya, olyan a lánya.

“As is the mother, so is the daughter.”

A daughter tends to inherit or reflect her mother's traits.

Jobb félni, mint megijedni.

“Better to be fearful than to be frightened.”

A little caution beforehand is wiser than being caught by surprise.

Aki keres, talál.

“He who seeks, finds.”

Persistent effort toward a goal eventually leads to success.

Sok beszédnek sok az alja.

“Much talk has much dregs.”

Excessive talking tends to produce mostly empty or worthless content.

Nem zörög a haraszt, ha a szél nem fújja.

“The dry leaves do not rustle unless the wind blows them.”

A rumor or disturbance rarely arises without some real underlying cause.

Két dudás nem fér meg egy csárdában.

“Two bagpipers cannot fit in one tavern.”

Two strong-willed leaders rarely coexist peacefully in the same place.

Amit ma megtehetsz, ne halaszd holnapra.

“What you can do today, do not postpone to tomorrow.”

Act on your tasks promptly rather than delaying them.

Éhség a legjobb szakács.

“Hunger is the best cook.”

When truly hungry, even the simplest food tastes wonderful.

Jó pap holtig tanul.

“A good priest keeps learning until death.”

True wisdom requires lifelong learning; one is never finished growing.

Amilyen a mosdó, olyan a törülköző.

“As is the washbasin, so is the towel.”

Treatment given tends to be matched by treatment received in return.

Ki mint vet, úgy arat.

“As one sows, so shall one reap.”

The outcomes you receive in life reflect the effort and choices you made.

Nyugtával dicsérd a napot.

“Praise the day only at its close.”

Do not judge something a success until it has fully run its course.

A hallgatás arany, a beszéd ezüst.

“Silence is golden, speech is silver.”

Restraint in speaking is valued even more highly than eloquence.

Ki mint veti ágyát, úgy alussza álmát.

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

You must live with the results of the choices and preparations you made.

A szükség törvényt bont.

“Necessity breaks the law.”

In truly desperate circumstances, people set aside normal rules to survive.

A hazugságnak rövid lába van.

“A lie has short legs.”

Dishonesty does not travel far before it is discovered.

Amilyen az apja, olyan a fia.

“As is the father, so is the son.”

A son tends to inherit or mirror his father's character.

Nincs rózsa tövis nélkül.

“There is no rose without thorns.”

Nothing good comes entirely free of difficulty or cost.

Aki alszik, nem vétkezik.

“He who sleeps does not sin.”

Rest and stillness keep a person out of trouble and temptation.

Aki hazudik, az lop is.

“He who lies also steals.”

Dishonesty and dishonest gain are seen as two sides of the same fault.

Aki korpa közé keveredik, megeszik a disznók.

“He who mixes with the bran gets eaten by the pigs.”

Associating with bad company eventually leads to a bad fate.

Addig üsd a vasat, amíg meleg.

“Strike the iron while it is hot.”

Act on an opportunity while conditions are favorable, before it passes.

Ne szólj szám, nem fáj fejem.

“Do not speak, my mouth, and my head will not ache.”

Staying silent spares a person the trouble that careless words would bring.

Kutyából nem lesz szalonna.

“No bacon will ever come from a dog.”

A person's fundamental nature cannot be changed no matter how much effort is spent.

Nem jó zsákban macskát venni.

“It is not wise to buy a cat in a sack.”

Never commit to a deal or purchase without first examining exactly what you are getting.

Ajándék lónak ne nézd a fogát.

“Do not look a gift horse in the mouth.”

Do not criticize or judge the value of something that was freely given to you.

Ki mint él, úgy ítél.

“As one lives, so one judges.”

A person's opinions and judgments are shaped by the life they themselves have lived.

Éhes embernek kenyér jár az eszében.

“A hungry man's mind runs on bread.”

Unmet basic needs dominate a person's thoughts until they are satisfied.

A szomszéd fűje mindig zöldebb.

“The neighbor's grass is always greener.”

People tend to imagine that others' circumstances are better than their own.

Lassú víz partot mos.

“Slow-moving water wears away the riverbank.”

A quiet, patient, or seemingly harmless force can bring about great change over time.

Nagy fába vágta a fejszéjét.

“He struck his axe into too large a tree.”

He took on a task far beyond what he was actually capable of handling.

Vak tyúk is talál szemet.

“Even a blind hen finds a grain of corn now and then.”

Even someone with little skill can succeed occasionally, purely by chance.

Aki fél a farkastól, ne menjen az erdőbe.

“He who fears the wolf should not go into the forest.”

If you are not willing to face danger, do not put yourself in situations where it is likely.