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| Russian | English |
| соловья баснями не кормят | a hungry belly has no ears |
| соловья баснями не кормят | the belly is not filled with fair words |
| соловья баснями не кормят | an army marches on its stomach |
| соловья баснями не кормят | fair words butter no parsnips |
| соловья баснями не кормят | it is no use preaching to a hungry man (Anglophile) |
| соловья баснями не кормят | the belly has no ears, hungry bellies have no ears |
| соловья баснями не кормят | nothing is achieved by empty words or flattery |
| соловья баснями не кормят | a fine cage won't feed the bird (Anglophile) |
| соловья баснями не кормят | no nightingales live on fairytales |
| соловья баснями не кормят | bare words buy no barley |
| соловья баснями не кормят | fair words fill not the belly (used to mean: you can't feed the hungry with words. said (in good humour or seriously) to point to the vital necessity of giving somebody food, money or certain property without delay) |
| соловья баснями не кормят | praise is not pudding |