| English | Russian |
| don't muddy the water, you may have to drink it | не плюй в колодец – пригодится воды напиться |
| don't spit into the well, you may want to drink out of it | не плюй в колодец – пригодится воды напиться |
| drink the cup to the end | испить чашу до дна |
| old wood is best to burn, old horse to ride, old books to read, and old wine to drink | старый конь борозды не испортит (contrast: when bees are old, they yield no honey. a cracked bell can never sound well) |
| old wood is best to burn, old horse to ride, old books to read, and old wine to drink | старый конь борозды не портит (contrast: when bees are old, they yield no honey. a cracked bell can never sound well) |
| one drink leads to another | лиха беда начало |
| you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink | можно подвести коня к воде, но нельзя заставить его пить (Смысл пословицы вовсе не в том, что нельзя заставить кого-то сделать что-либо насильно, а в том, что нельзя сделать абсолютно все за другого – человек должен сам захотеть научиться, помочь себе и т.п., сам приложить какие-то усилия) You can present someone with an opportunity, but you cannot force him or her to take advantage of it) Jill: I told Katy about all the jobs that are available at our company, but she hasn't applied for any of them. – Jane: You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. 4uzhoj) |
| you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink | можно привести лошадь к водопою, но нельзя заставить её пить (4uzhoj) |
| you can take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink | силою не все возьмёшь (дословно: Можно отвести лошадь на водопой, но невозможно заставить её пить) |
| you can take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink | можно отвести лошадь на водопой, но невозможно заставить её пить |
| you can take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink | не всего можно добиться силой |
| you can take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink | можно пригнать коня на водопой, но пить его не заставишь |
| you can take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink | сердцу не прикажешь (The word the is frequently omitted from the proverb and lead substituted for take. 1970 J. MITFORD in Atlantic (1979) July 50 The dropout rate [for the course] must be close to 90 percent. I guess you can take a horse to the water, but you can’t make him drink. OED Alexander Demidov) |
| you can take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink | насильно мил не будешь |
| you can take the horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink | вы можете подвести лошадь к воде, но не сможете заставить её пить |
| you can take the horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink | силою не всё возьмёшь |
| you may lead a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink | насильно мил не будешь |
