“Away is good, but home is best.”
Borta bra men hemma bäst.
Source: Traditional Swedish proverb, public-domain oral tradition
Traditional Sweden Wisdom
Svenska ordspråk
Folk & Oral Tradition
Who is Traditional Sweden Wisdom?
Traditional Sweden Wisdom gathers the proverbs and sayings (ordspråk) that have been passed down orally among the Swedish people for generations. These lines have no single named author; they are the shared inheritance of farmers, sailors, crofters, and elders who compressed hard-won experience into a few memorable words. Swedish proverbs often draw on the land and its long winters, farm animals, forests, home and hearth, and the practical values of everyday rural life. Above all they reflect the deeply Swedish ideal of "lagom" — the sense that the right amount is neither too little nor too much — alongside themes of diligence, contentment, caution, and gratitude. Many were collected and printed in later centuries, but they live first and foremost in ordinary speech, so small variations exist between regions and retellings. This platform records the widely recognised forms and, in keeping with its accuracy rule, presents them as traditional rather than attributing them to any one person.
Sources: Traditional Swedish oral tradition (svenska ordspråk), public-domain folk wisdom · Swedish proverb collections, public-domain folklore
Quotes by Traditional Sweden Wisdom
“Moderation is best.”
Lagom är bäst.
Source: Traditional Swedish proverb, public-domain oral tradition
“The morning hour has gold in its mouth.”
Morgonstund har guld i mun.
Source: Traditional Swedish proverb, public-domain oral tradition
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“Better one bird in the hand than ten in the forest.”
Bättre en fågel i handen än tio i skogen.
Source: Traditional Swedish proverb, public-domain oral tradition
“The more cooks, the worse the soup.”
Ju fler kockar, desto sämre soppa.
Source: Traditional Swedish proverb, public-domain oral tradition
“One should not cross the stream to fetch water.”
Man ska inte gå över ån efter vatten.
Source: Traditional Swedish proverb, public-domain oral tradition
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“He who gapes for too much often loses the whole piece.”
Den som gapar över mycket mister ofta hela stycket.
Source: Traditional Swedish proverb, public-domain oral tradition
“You do not miss the cow until the stall is empty.”
Man saknar inte kon förrän båset är tomt.
Source: Traditional Swedish proverb, public-domain oral tradition
“Everyone knows the monkey, but the monkey knows no one.”
Alla känner apan, men apan känner ingen.
Source: Traditional Swedish proverb, public-domain oral tradition
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“Alone is strong.”
Ensam är stark.
Source: Traditional Swedish proverb, public-domain oral tradition