Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Russian term or phrase:
Дорого яичко ко христову дню
English translation:
An egg is valuable to the Christ day (Easter)
Added to glossary by
Alexander Ryshow
Aug 25, 2009 16:47
14 yrs ago
Russian term
also an attorney with AML background
Native in: English
Works in: Russian to English, English
Дорого яичко ко христову дню
Russian to English
Social Sciences
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Looking for the appropriate proverb...Thanks in advance!
A woman complaining that his mother is only giving them 1/3 the proceeds of something she's selling, when they are having financial problems. Husband responds with this proverb.
A woman complaining that his mother is only giving them 1/3 the proceeds of something she's selling, when they are having financial problems. Husband responds with this proverb.
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Aug 25, 2009 16:47: changed "Kudoz queue" from "In queue" to "Public"
Sep 1, 2009 05:57: Alexander Ryshow Created KOG entry
Sep 23, 2010 06:31: Alexander Ryshow changed "Field" from "Other" to "Social Sciences"
Proposed translations
+7
3 mins
Alexander Ryshow
Belarus
Belarus
Native in Russian
Specializes in field
Belarus
Aus Liebe zur Sprache
Native in: Russian 
, Belarusian
Works in: German to Russian, German to Belarusian, Russian to Belarusian, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
60
Selected
Every thing is good in its season.
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Note added at 3 мин (2009-08-25 16:50:48 GMT)
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or All in good time.
http://www.wikiproverbs.com/index.php/Дорого_яичко_к_Христов...
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Note added at 5 мин (2009-08-25 16:52:10 GMT)
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That is most appreciated that is given or offered when needed and not too late
- I have a good bow, but it is in the castle
- An umbrella is needed on a rainy day
- An egg is dearest at Easter
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Note added at 5 мин (2009-08-25 16:52:30 GMT)
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http://cab.al.ru/eproverb/sayings_2.html
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Note added at 8 мин (2009-08-25 16:55:42 GMT)
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- A spoon is a treasure at dinner-time
- An egg is valuable to the Christ day (Easter)
- Slow help is no help
- A little too late is much too late
http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:c6i2naFtC8MJ:www.artfac...
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Note added at 8 час (2009-08-26 01:20:56 GMT)
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a spoon is dear when lunch is near
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Victor Zagria
53 mins
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Спасибо за поддержку, Виктор!
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| agree |
Velociraptor
55 mins
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Спасибо за поддержку!
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| agree |
svetlana cosquéric
1 hr
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Спасибо за поддержку, Светлана!
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| agree |
Sergey Gurinovich
1 hr
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Спасибо за поддержку, Сергей!
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| agree |
Pavel Pavlov
3 hrs
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Спасибо за поддержку, Павел!
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| agree |
Blithe
: из той же оперы: a dollar short and a day late
3 hrs
|
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Спасибо за поддержку!
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| agree |
JangF
3 days 23 hrs
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Спасибо за поддержку!
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+2
24 mins
Dr Lofthouse
France
France
Native in English
Works in field
France
When Accuracy Counts -
Native in: English , Italian
Works in: Italian to English, German to English, French to English, and 10 more.
'Beggars can't be choosers'
'eggs are expensive at Easter'
- if the husband is saying that they are fortunate the mother is giving them any money at all, the English saying that would convey this is 'you are looking a gift horse in the mouth'
- if he is telling his wife that they have no choice but to accept 2/3, because 2/3 is preferable to 0, the phrase would be 'beggars can't be choosers'
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Note added at 25 mins (2009-08-25 17:12:45 GMT)
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I mean 1/3, not 2/3 !
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Note added at 1 hr (2009-08-25 18:29:09 GMT)
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depends whether 'dearest' means 'most cherished' or 'most expensive'?
- if the husband is saying that they are fortunate the mother is giving them any money at all, the English saying that would convey this is 'you are looking a gift horse in the mouth'
- if he is telling his wife that they have no choice but to accept 2/3, because 2/3 is preferable to 0, the phrase would be 'beggars can't be choosers'
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Note added at 25 mins (2009-08-25 17:12:45 GMT)
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I mean 1/3, not 2/3 !
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Note added at 1 hr (2009-08-25 18:29:09 GMT)
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depends whether 'dearest' means 'most cherished' or 'most expensive'?
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Tevah_Trans
: That's not what the proverb means, I just don't want to take away your points. It means what Alexander said.
45 mins
|
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its ok :)
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| neutral |
Natalie
: Wrong meaning
1 hr
|
| agree |
Nataly Palamarets
: IMHO it is proper meaning in the context. I.e. meaning of the proverb was changed from negative to positive.
3 hrs
|
| neutral |
Alexander Ryshow
: к сожалению, мимо
8 hrs
|
| agree |
Natalia Klimova
: I vote for your or Judith's variant
9 hrs
|
| neutral |
Michael Korovkin
: please see my comment to Judith
17 hrs
|
+2
44 mins
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth"
...
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Note added at 6 hrs (2009-08-25 23:01:47 GMT)
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Спасибо за поддержку, as they say, Deborah.
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Note added at 6 hrs (2009-08-25 23:01:47 GMT)
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Спасибо за поддержку, as they say, Deborah.
Note from asker:
| I may actually end up using this even with the difference in meaning so that the sentence is recognizable as a proverb. Tough choice though! |
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Velociraptor
: that would be "дарёному коню в зубы не смотрят"
10 mins
|
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Hmmm. Thank you.
|
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| agree |
Dr Lofthouse
: agree (so thats two native English speakers agreeing)
43 mins
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Thank you, Dr. Lofthouse. But are we right?
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| neutral |
Alexander Ryshow
: К сожалению, вынужден указать, что между этой пословицей и пословицей в сабже ничего общего нет.
54 mins
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Thanks, Alexander.
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| neutral |
Natalie
: Wrong meaning, unfortunately
1 hr
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Thanks, Natalie. You're so kind.
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| disagree |
Tatiana Willemsen-Golyandrina
: This proverb has a complete different meaning, sorry.
2 hrs
|
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Thank you, Tatiana.
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| agree |
Natalia Klimova
: will work really well in the context. And this native speaker says that you are right :)
9 hrs
|
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Thank you, Natalia.
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| agree |
Anna Poplavskaya (X)
: Totally agree with Natalia Klimova. Your variant fits perfectly in the context
13 hrs
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Thank you, Anna. This certainly is controversial!
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| neutral |
Michael Korovkin
: Bravo Tatiana G!The birthright claims of"native speakers"notwithstanding(the last resort of the one out of arguments),the proverb is about timeliness–not the humiliation of poverty.That it might be pas a'propos–is a different matter & the writer's problem
17 hrs
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It somehow doesn't seem so simple, but I am out of the discussion at this point. I'm leaving it to the "natives" to duke it out.
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18 hrs
Michael Korovkin
Italy
Italy
Native in Russian
&
English
Works in field
Italy
Native in: English , Russian
Works in: Russian to English, English to Russian, Italian to Russian, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
128
a sure porrige today is better than two promised steaks tomorrow
I've heard it somewhere. It kinda amalgamates together "every vegetable is best in season" and "beggards aren't choosers", doesn't it?
In sum, to every vegetable – it's own social worker :)
In sum, to every vegetable – it's own social worker :)
Reference comments
48 mins
Reference:
http://www.multitran.ru/c/m.exe?a=3&s=%F5%F0%E8%F1%F2%EE%E2%F3%20%E4%ED%FE&sc=310&l1=2&l2=1
напр.
Discussion
Remeber one of the major Economics principles- "tomorrow's money is not worth as much as the same amount today"?
Александр прав, что поговорка используется в прямом смысле. Муж ругает мать за то, что она дает не всю выручку, а только треть. Муж с женой бедствуют, и сумма побольше была бы очень кстати. Вот и весь смысл. (Subject to more context)
Неужели Вы полагаете, что муж ругает свою мать за то, что она не вовремя помогает? Думаю, как раз наоборот.
Beggars can't be choosers/choosy, by the way, is more or less synonymous with the gift horse saying.
Т.е. что бы не дали, и на том спасибо!
Ценно, приятно то, что сделано, получено и т. п. вовремя, в нужный момент.