Пословицы на английском языке с переводом и комментарием, посвященные началу и завершению дел.
All things are difficult before they are easy.
Начало трудно, а конец мудрён.
(When first we try to do something we think that we shall never do it; but as we go on doing it, the whole thing becomes so easy that we wonder why we ever had any difficulty at all.)
All’s well that ends well.
He дорого начало, а похвален конец.
Конец — делу венец.
(It is the end that matters, making up for previous failures and disappointments.)
Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched.
He видав вечера, и хвалиться нечего.
He верь гречихе в цвету — верь в закрому.
(Wait till your difficulties are over before you boast of success.)
First catch your hare.
Весенней озими в засек не сыплют.
(Don’t decide what you are going to do with a thing until it is in your possession. Act prudently and don’t be over-optimistic.)
Don’t put the cart before the horse.
He суйся, середа, наперёд четверга.
He суйся наперёд отца в петлю.
Вперёд батьки в пекло не суйся.
(We should not get things back to front, but we should deal with things in their right order.)
Every oak must be an acorn.
Great oaks from little acorns grow.
От малого большое зарождается.
От искры пожар рождается.
Без копейки рубля не живет.
Малое семя, да велик плод.
(Everything has to have a small beginning.)
Everything must have а beginning.
По капельке море, по зёрнышку ворох.
(Every mighty undertaking was very small when it started. Beginnings are necessarily small, and everything must have a beginning.)
The first blow is half the battle.
Лиха беда почин: есть дыра, будет и прореха.
Почин — делу зачин.
(Whoever gets his first blow in first catches his adversary at a disadvantage.)
It is easy to be wise after the event.
Задний ум хорош, да к делу не гож.
Кабы знать, где упасть, так бы соломки подостлал.
(When something has ended badly, it is easy to say what should have been done to ensure success. Being wise after the event is called ‘hindsight’.)
The mills of God grind slowly.
Бог и слышит, да не скоро скажет.
Бог долго терпит, да больно бьёт.
Бог долго ждёт, да больно бьёт.
Бог рассудит, да не скоро нам скажет.
Не скор бог, да меток.
(Divine retribution may take time but will overtake us in the end.)
Well begun is half done.
Доброе начало — полдела откачало.
Доброе начало — половина дела.
(If you start a thing badly it takes a long time to finish it, because the bad start seriously affects the later work. But if you make a good start, everything follows naturally and easily.)
