| English | Russian |
| books and friends should be few but good | истинные друзья, как и мудрые книги, – редкость |
| books and friends should be few but good | выбирай книгу, как выбираешь друга |
| give every man thine ear, but few thy voice | ешь пирог с грибами, да язык держи за зубами |
| give every man thine ear, but few thy voice | ешь пирог с грибами, а язык держи за зубами |
| give every man thy ear, but few thy voice | слушай всех, но говори с немногими |
| give every man thy ear, but few thy voice | слушай больше, говори меньше (дословно: Слушай всех, но говори с немногими) |
| he is rich that has few wants | богат тот, кто довольствуется малым |
| one is too few, three is too many | куда ни кинь, везде клин (used in a hopeless situation to mean: there is no way out) |
| one is too few, three is too many | куда как ни кинь, везде клин (used in a hopeless situation to mean: there is no way out) |
| one is too few, three is too many | куда как ни кинь, всё клин (used in a hopeless situation to mean: there is no way out) |
| one is too few, three is too many | куда ни кинь, всё клин (used in a hopeless situation to mean: there is no way out) |
| only a few days | без году неделя (быть знакомым, жить, работать, пр.) |
| only a few steps away | в двух шагах (от кого, от чего; from someone, something) |
| we are few but roses | нас мало, но мы в тельняшках (Верещагин) |
