Magyar közmondások IV.

Jó bornak nem kell cégér.
Good wine needs no signboard/bush.
Bámul, mint borjú az új kapura.
He stares at the new gate as a calf.
‘He merely looks at something without taking action.’
Borotvaélen táncol.
He dances on a razor-edge.
‘He tries to face danger from two/more sides.’
Kicsi a bors, de erős.
Pepper is small but strong.
Borsot tör valakinek az orra alá.
He crushes pepper under the nose of somebody.
‘He annoys/irritates somebody.’
Falra hányt borsó.
It is like peas thrown against the wall.
‘A vain effort.’
Úgy illik össze, mint bot a tegezbe.
They match as a stick in a quiver.
Minden botnak a végén a feje.
(Nyugtával dicsérd a napot.)
The “head” of each stick is at its end.
(Praise a fair day at night.)
Aki bottal köszön, annak doronggal felelnek.
He who greets with a stick, will be answered with a club.
Bottal üthetik a nyomát.
His footprints can be beaten with a stick.
‘He managed to escape.’
Senki sem tud kibújni a saját bőréből.
Nobody can slip out of his own skin.
‘Nobody can abandon easily his customs/ideas.’
Mindenki a maga bőrét viszi a vásárra.
Every one carries his own skin to the market (i.e. acts at his own risk).
El van maradva egy brosúrával.
He is one pamphlet behind the others.
‘He still thinks/speaks/acts according to the previous guidelines.’
Nem egy nap alatt épült Buda vára.
The castle of Buda was not built in one day.
Egyszer volt Budán kutyavásár.
These was a dog-market in Buda only once.
‘This favourable opportunity was a one-time occasion only.’
Felfelé bukott.
He stumbled upwards.
‘After failing in a job he was moved to higher position.’

C
A cél szentesíti az eszközt.
The purpose consecrates the means.
Minden cigány a maga lovát dicséri.
Every gypsy prises his own horse.
Nem szokta a cigány a szántást.
The gypsy is not accustomed to ploughing.
‘He is compelled to do something, he was previously reluctant to do.’
Még ha cigánygyerekek potyognak/esnek is az égből.
Even if gypsy children are dropped from the sky.
(Come hell or high water.)

CS
Csáky szalmájának tekinti.
He considers it as straw of the landowner Csáky.
‘An expression of negligence instead of due care.’
Csalánba nem üt a ménkű/mennykő.
The sky’s stone does not strike the nettle.
(Weeds don’t spoil.)
Add meg a császárnak, ami a császáré, és az Istennek, ami az Istené.
Give the emperor what is the emperor’s and God what is God’s.
‘Give everyone his due.’
Elásták a csatabárdot.
They have buried the hatchet.
Sok csepp követ váj.
Many drops hollow the stone.
Cserép, zsindely van a háztetőn/házon.
(Fiatal/gyerek van jelen, ill. “a falnak is füle van.”)
There is a tile on the roof.
(Walls have ears.)