Дарёному коню в зубы не смотрят
With accent marks:
Дарёному коню́ в зу́бы не смо́трят.
Translation:
Do not look at a given horse's teeth.
Meaning:
In the old days, when buying horses, people determined the age of a horse by the teeth. Sometimes, having received a horse as a present, some began to complain that they were given a walking antiquity...
This Russian proverb should be understood as follows: never say that you don’t like a gift or that it is bad. This will offend the giver while he really wanted to please you. It is not polite. Be sure to day thank you. And do not forget that not everyone has the opportunity to make expensive gifts.
Other Russian proverbs
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A holy place is never empty.
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Лучше синица в руках, чем журавль в небе
A titmouse in hands is better than a crane in the sky.
-
Без труда не выловишь и рыбку из пруда
Without labor, you can not even catch a fish in the pond.
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Кабы знал, где упасть, так соломки бы подстелил
If I knew where I would fall, I would lay some straw there.
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Лучше один раз увидеть, чем сто раз услышать
Better to see once than hear a hundred times.
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You can't command to the heart.
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~ Seven babysitters make the kid to lose an eye.
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Measure seven times, cut one.
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