Кто в лес, кто по дрова
With accent marks:
Кто в лес, кто по дрова́.
Translation:
Some to the forest, some for firewood.
Meaning:
Usually this phrase is said with irony and criticism at the same time. It is used in situations when people, seemingly doing the same thing or trying to achieve the same goal, do it without any coordination in their actions so everybody ends up doing his own thing. Therefore, they cannot succeed.
The saying takes an example of a person just walking in the forest and a person gathering firewood: they are both in the forest but are doing different things.
Most often the phrase is used about a discordant singing choir, but can be applied to any action performed by a group of peope.
Other Russian proverbs
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Под лежачий камень вода не течёт
Water does not flow under a lying stone.
-
По одёжке встречают, по уму провожают
You are greeted by your clothes but bid farewell by your mind.
-
There is no bad withouth good.
-
За что боролись, на то и напоролись
We got what we fought for.
-
Repetition is the mother of learning.
-
Не так страшен чёрт, как его малюют
The demon is not as scary as he is depicted.
-
Волков бояться – в лес не ходить
Don't go to the woods if afraid of wolves.
-
You see your friends in the times of trouble.
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