| Russian | English |
| мягко стелет | suaviter in modo |
| мягко стелет, да жёстко спать | suaviter in modo |
| мягко стелет, да жёстко спать | honey is sweet, but the bee stings (Верещагин) |
| мягко стелет, да жёстко спать | one may make up a soft bed for sb., but still it will be hard to sleep in |
| мягко стелет, да жёстко спать | you may make up a soft bed for sb., but still it will be hard to sleep in |
| мягко стелет, да жёстко спать | you may make up a soft bed, but still it will be hard to sleep in |
| мягко стелет, да жёстко спать | one may make up a soft bed, but still it will be hard to sleep in |
| мягко стелет, да жёстко спать | the bait hides the hook (поговорка alex) |
| мягко стелет-жёстко спать | an iron fist in a velvet glove (an iron fist (or hand) in a velvet glove, a stern disciplinarian or authoritarian nature concealed beneath an amiable manner: *It's the iron hand in the velvet glove does the trick, she used to say. –KATHERINE SUSANNAH PRICHARD, 1929. MD Alexander Demidov) |
| мягко стелет, жёстко спать | an iron fist in a velvet glove (something that you say when you are describing someone who seems to be gentle but is in fact severe and firm. To enforce each new law the president uses persuasion first, and then force – the iron hand in the velvet glove. CI Alexander Demidov) |
| мягко стелет – жёстко спать | iron fist in a velvet glove |
