| Бог не вы́даст, свинья́ не съест. | God won’t give it away, pigs won’t eat it. |
| Бог плу́та ме́тит. | God marks the crook. |
| Бог правду видит. | There is One that is always on the lookout. Literal: God sees the truth. |
| А дело бывало — и коза волка съедала. | Pigs might fly. Literal: It was happening — a goat was eating up a wolf. |
| Аво́сь да как-нибу́дь до добра́ не доведу́т. | Draw not your bow till your arrow is fixed. Literal: Maybe and somehow won’t make any good. |
| Азбука — к мудрости ступенька. | You have to learn to walk before you can run. Literal: Alphabet is the step to wisdom. |
| Алты́нного во́ра ве́шают, а полти́нного че́ствуют. | Little thieves are hanged, but great ones escape. Literal: The thief who stole an altyn (3 kopecks) is hung, and the one who stole a poltinnik (50 kopecks) is praised. |
| Аппети́т прихо́дит во вре́мя еды́. | Appetite comes with eating. Literal: The appetite comes during eating. |
| Арте́льный горшо́к гу́ще кипи́т. | With a helper a thousand things are possible. Literal: An artel’s pot boils denser. |
| Ахал бы дядя, на себя глядя. | The devil rebuking sin. Literal: The uncle would better gasp looking at himself. |
| Ба́ба с во́зу — кобы́ле ле́гче. | No women, no cry! Literal: It is easier for the mare when a woman gets off the cart. |
| Ба́бушка гада́ла, на́двое сказа́ла. | No one can know for certain. Literal: Granny was telling fortunes, said two things. |
| Ба́бушка на́двое сказа́ла. | No one can know for certain. Literal: Granny said two things. |
| Ба́ры деру́тся — у холо́пов чубы́ треща́т. | When the rich make war it’s the poor that die. Literal: Masters are fighting, servants’ forelocks are creaking. |
| Беда́ никогда́ не прихо́дит одна́. | When it rains, it pours. Literal: Trouble never comes alone. |
| Бедному нужно многое, жадному — всё. | Poverty is in want of much, avarice of everything. |
| Бе́дному оде́ться — то́лько подпоя́саться. | Не that has no money needs no purse. Literal: For a poor man, to dress means to only belt himself. |
| Без кота́ мыша́м раздо́лье. | When the cat is away, the mice will play. Literal: Without a cat mice feel free. |
| Без му́ки нет нау́ки. | Adversity is a good teacher. Literal: Without torture no science. |
| Без отдыха и конь не скачет. | All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Literal: Without rest even the horse doesn’t gallop. |
| Без труда́ не вы́тащишь и ры́бку из пруда́. | No pain, no gain. Literal: Without effort, you can’t even pull a fish out of the pond. |
| Безопасность прежде всего. | Safety first. |
| Береги́ пла́тье сно́ву, а честь смо́лоду. | Look after your clothes when they’re spick-and-span, and after your honour when you’re a young man. |
| Бережёного Бог бережёт. | The Lord helps those who help themselves. Literal: God keeps those safe who keep themselves safe. |
| Бережливость хороша, да скупость страшна. | Economy is a good servant but a bad master. |
| Бери́сь дру́жно, не бу́дет гру́зно. | Many hands make light work Literal: Take hold of it together, it won’t feel heavy. |
| Бе́шеной соба́ке семь вёрст не крюк. | Literal: For a mad dog, seven versts (Russian mile) is not a long detour. |
| Близо́к локото́к, да не уку́сишь. | So near and yet so far. Literal: Your elbow is close, yet you can’t bite it. |
| Бог дал, Бог и взял. | The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away Literal: God gave, God took back. |
| Бог не вы́даст, свинья́ не съест. | Literal: God won’t give it away, pigs won’t eat it. |
| Бог плу́та ме́тит. | Literal: God marks the crook. |
| Бог правду видит, да не скоро скажет. | The mills of God grind slowly. Literal: God sees the truth, but won’t tell soon. |
| Бог правду видит. | There is One that is always on the lookout. Literal: God sees the truth. |
| Бог тро́ицу лю́бит. | Third time is a charm.; Third time is a lucky. Literal: God likes trinity. |
| Бо́гу моли́сь, а добра́-ума́ держи́сь. | Trust in God, but steer away from the rocks. Literal: Pray to God, but hold on to your good mind. |
| Бодли́вой коро́ве Бог рог не даёт. | God does not give horns to cow that butts. |
| Болту́н — нахо́дка для шпио́на. | Loose lips sink big ships. Literal: A chatterbox is a treasure for a spy. |
| Болтуна язык до добра не доведёт. | A fool’s tongue runs before his feet. Literal: The tongue will bring the chatterer no good. |
| Больше слушай, меньше говори. | Be swift to hear, slow to speak. Literal: Listen more, talk less. |
| Большой секрет — знает весь свет. | Every barber knows that. (badly-kept secret) Literal: Big secret — all the world knows. |
| Большо́му кораблю́ — большо́е пла́вание. | A great ship needs deep waters. Literal: For a big ship, a big voyage. |
| Борода не делает философом. | A beard doesn’t make a philosopher. |
| Брань на во́роте не ви́снет. | Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Literal: The scolding won’t hang on one’s collar. |
| Брань не дым — глаза не ест. | Hard words break no bones. Literal: The scolding is not smoke — won’t irritate your eyes. |
| Брюхо сыто, да глаза голодны. | His eyes are bigger than his belly. Literal: The belly is full, but the eyes are hungry. |
| Бу́дет и на на́шей у́лице пра́здник. | There will be our turn to triumph. Literal: There’ll be a holiday in our street too. |
| Будь что будет. | Be that as it may. Literal: Be what will be. |
| Бума́га всё сте́рпит. | A letter does not blush (Epistula non erubescit — Cicero, “Epistulae ad familiares”) Literal: Paper will endure anything. |
| Была́ не была́. | Whatever betide. Literal: There was — there wasn’t. |
| Быть в доме хозяином. | To rule the roost. Literal: To be a host in the house. |
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