- Cyrillic: Бог је прво себи браду створио. - Latin: Bog je prvo sebi bradu stvorio.
- Translation: God created the beard on himself first. (Meaning that everybody looks after himself first.)
- Cyrillic: Боље врабац у руци, него голуб на грани. - Latin: Bolje vrabac u ruci, nego golub na grani.
- Translation: A sparrow in the hand is better than a dove on the branch. (A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.)
- Cyrillic: Видела жаба где се поткивају коњи па и она дигла ноге. - Latin: Videla žaba gde se potkivaju konji pa i ona digla noge.
- Translation: A frog has seen a horse getting new shoes so she (frog) offers her foot as well. ( copy cat resulting in bad taste/outcome)
- Cyrillic: Врана врани очи не вади. - Latin: Vrana vrani oči ne vadi.
- Translation: A crow doesn't pick out another crow's eyes. (Birds of a feather flock together)
- Cyrillic: Где je много бабица, килава cу деца. - Latin: Gde je mnogo babica, kilava su deca.
- Translation: Where there are many midwives, children will be feeble. (Too many cooks spoil the broth.)
- Cyrillic: Где ти много обећавају, малу торбу понеси. - Latin: Gde ti mnogo obećavaju, malu torbu ponesi.
- Translation: Where people are promising much to you, bring a small bag. (Similar to There is no free lunch.)
- Cyrillic: Да падне на леђа,разбио би нос. - Latin: Da padne na leđa,razbio bi nos.
- Translation: If he fell onto his back, he'd break his nose. (when the person is very unlucky)
- Cyrillic: Дала баба динар да се ухвати у коло, а два да се пусти. - Latin: Dala baba dinar da se uhvati u kolo, a dva da se pusti.
- Translation: Grandma gave a dinar to dance, and two to stop. (Be careful what you wish for.)
- Cyrillic: Ивер не пада далеко од кладе. - Latin: Iver ne pada daleko od klade.
- Translation: A splinter doesn't land far from the trunk. (An apple doesn't fall far from the tree.)
- Cyrillic: Иcпeци пa peци. - Latin: Ispeci pa reci.
- Translation: Bake it and then say it. (Think before you speak).
- Cyrillic: 3а добрим коњем прашина се диже. - Latin: Za dobrim konjem prašina se diže.
- Translation: Beyond a good stallion there's a lot of dust.
- Cyrillic: Кад мачке нема, мишеви коло воде. - Latin: Kad mačke nema, miševi kolo vode.
- Translation: When cat is absent, mice dance. (When the cat's away, the mice will play.)
- Cyrillic: Ко вино вечера, воду доручкује. - Latin: Ko vino večera, vodu doručkuje.
- Translation: Who has wine for dinner, he has water for breakfast. (You can't avoid paying consequences for your deeds)
- Cyrillic: Ко другоме јаму копа сам у њу пада. - Latin: Ko drugome jamu kopa sam u nju pada.
- Translation: Who digs a trap for others ends up in it himself.
- Cyrillic: Ко рано рани, две среће граби. - Latin: Ko rano rani, dve sreće grabi.
- Translation: One who gets up early is doubly lucky. (The early bird gets the worm.)
- Cyrillic: Ко с ђаволом тикве сади, о главу му се обију. - Latin: Ko s vragom tikve sadi, o glavu mu se obiju.
- Translation: If one sows pumpkins with the devil, they will bash onto one's head. (Similar to As you sow, so you shall reap.)
- Cyrillic: Кo нeмa у глави, имa у нoгaмa. - Latin: Ko nema u glavi, ima u nogama.
- Translation: Who doesn't have in his head has in his feet. (Absent-minded do the work twice)
- Cyrillic: Ко сeје ветар, жање олују. - Latin: Ko seje vetar, žanje oluju.
- Translation: Who sows wind will harvest storm. (Similar to As you sow, so you shall reap.)
- Cyrillic: Ко уме, њему две. - Latin: Ko ume, njemu dve.
- Translation: The one who can gets two. (Skilled worker is paid double.)
- Cyrillic: Ко учи знаће, ко штеди имаће. - Latin: Ko uči znaće, ko štedi imaće.
- Translation: Those who study will know, those who save will have.
- Cyrilic: Лепа реч и гвоздена врата отвара. - Latin: Lepa reč i gvozdena vrata otvara.
- Translation: A kind word opens even the iron doors. (You can succeed in anything by being polite.)
- Cyrillic: На млађима свет остаје. - Latin: Na mlađima svet ostaje.
- Translation: The world is left to the young.
- Cyrillic: На муци се познају јунаци. - Latin: Na muci se poznaju junaci.
- Translation: You can tell a fearless in times of trouble. (When the going gets tough, the tough get going.)
- Cyrillic: Најтамније је испод свјеће. - Latin: Najtamnije je ispod svece.
- Translation: Its the darkest underneath the candle. (What you seek could be near you yet unnoticed.)
- Cyrillic: На невидишу нема кривице. - Latin: Na nevidišu nema krivice.
- Translation: If it isn't seen, there's no guilt. (If you do something without being caught it isn't done.)
- Cyrillic: Не можe и паре и јаре. - Latin: Ne može i pare i jare.
- Translation: You cant have the goat and the money. (You cant have the cake and eat it)
- Cyrillic: Не можe крушка да роди јабуку. - Latin: Ne može kruška da rodi jabuku.
- Translation: A pear tree cannot bear an apple. (People turn out just like their parents. Similar to "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.")
- Cyrillic: Не сeј тикве где још нису никле! - latin: Ne sej tikve gde jos nisu nikle!
- Translation: Don't plant pumpkins where they never sprouted! (Don't waste your time trying things which are proven won't work.)
- Cyrillic: Нема ватре без дима. - Latin: Nema vatre bez dima.
- Translation: There is no fire without smoke. (Where there is smoke there is fire.)
- Cyrillic: Нема мирног детета ни младе бабе. - Latin: Nema mirnog deteta ni mlade babe.
- Translation: There's no quiet child nor young grandmother.
- Cyrillic: Нема хлеба без мотике! - Latin: Nema hleba bez motike!
- Translation: There's no bread without hoe! (You cannot make omelets without eggs. Similar to Only hard work pays off.)
- Cyrillic: Није злато све што сија. - Latin: Nije zlato sve što sija.
- Translation: Gold is not all that shines. (All that glitters is not gold.)
- Cyrillic: Oбeћaње лудoм рaдoвaње. - Latin: Obećanje ludom radovanje.
- Translation: Promise makes a fool happy. (Do not be fooled by empty promises.)
- Cyrillic: Пас који лаје не уједа. - Latin: Pas koji laje ne ujeda.
- Translation: The dog that barks doesn't bite. (Barking dogs seldom bite; to be full of empty threats.)
- Cyrillic: Правити од комарца магарца. - Latin: Praviti od komarca magarca.
- Translation: To make a donkey out of a mosquito. (To make a mountain out of a molehill.)
- Cyrillic: Прво скочи па реци хоп. - Latin: Prvo skoči pa reci hop.
- Translation: First leap, and then say "hop"! (Do something before you brag about it.)
- Cyrillic: Птица раноранилицa прва црва нађе. - Latin: Ptica ranoranilica prva crva nađe.
- Translation: The early bird catches the first worm.
- Cyrillic: Ружној девојци огледало криво. - Latin: Ružnoj devojci ogledalo krivo.
- Translation: An ugly girl blames the mirror. (A bad craftsman blames his tools.)
- Cyrillic: Само слога Србина спасава - Latin: Samo Sloga Srbina Spasava
- Translation: Only unity saves the Serbs.
- Cyrillic: Свуда пођи, својој кући дођи. - Latin: Svuda pođi, svome domu dođi.
- Translation: Go everywhere, but come back home. (There's no place like home).
- Cyrillic: Тиха вода брег рони. - Latin: Tiha voda breg roni.
- Translation: Quiet water wears down a shore. (Anything is possible with time.)
- Note: this proverb uses an archaic word for river shore (breg), whereas today that word has changed its meaning and signifies 'mountain'.
- Cyrillic: Трипут мери, једном сеци. - Latin: Triput meri, jednom seci.
- Translation: Three times measure, one time cut. (Measure thrice, cut once; think first, act later.)
- Cyrillic: У том грму чучи зец! - Latin: U tom grmu čuči zec!
- Translation: That's the bush where the hare squats! (to find a solution to the problem)
- Cyrillic: Уздај се у се и у своје кљусе! - Latin: Uzdaj se u se i u svoje kljuse!
- Translation: Trust yourself and your horse! (If you want to get things done, do it yourself.)
- Cyrillic: Умиљато јагње две овце сиса. - Latin: Umiljato jagnje dve ovce sisa.
- Translation: Cuddly lamb sucks two ewes. (Similar to Flattery will get you anywhere.)
- Cyrillic: Што можеш данас, не остављај за сутра. - Latin: Što možeš danas, ne ostavljaj za sutra.
- Translation: What you can do today do not leave off for tomorrow. (Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.)
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