Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Bulgarian term or phrase:
Гъз глава затрива.
English translation:
Greedy eaters dig their graves with their teeth.
Added to glossary by
Mariana Snyder
Jun 23, 2012 20:06
11 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Bulgarian term
Гъз глава затрива.
Bulgarian to English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Sayings
This is a very popular Bulgarian saying that is pretty challenging to translate. It requires dual cultural competence in order to present the wisdom behind it without lowering the colorful folklore level of the phrase.
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
2 hrs
Selected
Greedy eaters dig their graves with their teeth.
There are several proverbs from around the world that seem to convey similar meaning:
Nothing on earth is greedier than the eye.
Your een's greedier than your guts.
Greed loses what it has gained.
No gain satisfies a greedy mind.
If greedy wait, hot will cool.
...and several classical sayings:
“The covetous man is ever in want.” /Horace/
“For greed, all nature is too little.” /Seneca/
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Note added at 1 day1 hr (2012-06-24 21:14:04 GMT) Post-grading
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Thank you!
Nothing on earth is greedier than the eye.
Your een's greedier than your guts.
Greed loses what it has gained.
No gain satisfies a greedy mind.
If greedy wait, hot will cool.
...and several classical sayings:
“The covetous man is ever in want.” /Horace/
“For greed, all nature is too little.” /Seneca/
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day1 hr (2012-06-24 21:14:04 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
Thank you!
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks, great ideas! I appreciate everybody's contribution. "
46 mins
Who covets more, is evermore a slave.
(Robert Herrick, English poet, +1674)
Well, I think this saying reflects more or less the meaning. Unfortunately, it's not so colourful. Good luck with finding the most suitable one!
Well, I think this saying reflects more or less the meaning. Unfortunately, it's not so colourful. Good luck with finding the most suitable one!
1 hr
Greed destroys everything.
Another suggestion. :)
Greed destroys everything.
And its more street talk version: Greedy buggers can destroy everything they have.
Which reminds me of the Bible, Proverbs 15-27:
27. "He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house,
But he who hates bribes will live." which definitely would not be an option here.
Greed destroys everything.
And its more street talk version: Greedy buggers can destroy everything they have.
Which reminds me of the Bible, Proverbs 15-27:
27. "He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house,
But he who hates bribes will live." which definitely would not be an option here.
9 hrs
eat (o.s.) out of house and home
According to the dictionary
+1
10 hrs
Greed is blind
Take it as a metaphor - though not so colourful, expressive, and figurative as in Bulgarian... ;-) And the band comes from Poland - a Slavic attitude towards immense greed, anyway...
+1
16 hrs
greedy ass leads to death
I'd say: "greedy ass leads to death"
folowing the more polite French proverb: Greedy eaters dig their graves with their teeth
folowing the more polite French proverb: Greedy eaters dig their graves with their teeth
Peer comment(s):
agree |
atche84
: най-близо от всички отговори, макар че се губи пикантността на "затрива" (всъщност, дали може въобще да се предаде)
23 hrs
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17 hrs
Greedy ass ruins life/ the head.
Taken word for word (almost).
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