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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A well-fed man does not understand a starving one.
-
Measure seven times, cut one.
-
What you will sow, that you will reap.
-
They do not seek good from good.
-
Без труда не выловишь и рыбку из пруда
Without labor, you can not even catch a fish in the pond.
-
Береги платье снову, а честь смолоду
Start taking care of the dress while it's new, and of your honor while you are young.
-
Кто рано встаёт, тому бог подает
(lit.) Whoever gets up early, God gives him
-
Appetite comes with eating.
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