Долг платежом красен
With accent marks:
Долг платежо́м кра́сен.
Translation:
The beauty of a debt is its payment
Meaning:
This proverb reminds us that we should always pay our debts back.
The word красен here comes from красный (red). In the old times, красный meant красивый.
The closest English equivalent is "One good turn deserves another".
Other Russian proverbs
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Strike the iron while it's hot.
-
Каждый кулик своё болото хвалит
Each sandpiper praises its swamp.
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Another's soul is darkness.
-
There is no bad withouth good.
-
Не место красит человека, а человек место
It is not a place that makes a person look good, but a person that makes a place look good.
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A fisherman sees a fisherman from afar.
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An old friend is better than two new ones.
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Your own shirt is closer to your body.
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