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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Век живи, век учись, а дураком помрёшь
Live for a century, learn for a century, but die being a fool anyway.
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Лучше один раз увидеть, чем сто раз услышать
Better to see once than hear a hundred times.
-
You see your friends in the times of trouble.
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Time for business, an hour for fun.
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When I eat I am deaf and mute.
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Всё хорошо, что хорошо кончается
All is well that ends well.
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A bad example is contagious.
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Предупреждён – значит вооружён
Forewarned is forearmed.
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