Translation of an English saying?

[John Dunn]

Dal', whether in his dictionary or in the Poslovicy russkogo naroda can usually be relied on to come up with several, mutually contradictory proverbs, for every occasion.   I found:

Чужой обед сладок, да не спор [Chuzhoj obed sladok, da ne spor]
Чужая изба засидчива [Chuzhaja izba zasidchiva]
На чужой лавке мягче сидится [Na chuzhoj lavke mjagche siditsja]
Свой хлеб приедчив.  Чужой ломоть лаком [Svoj xleb priedchiv.  Chuzhoj lomot' lakom]  
Хороша рыба на чужом блюде [Xorosha ryba na chuzhom bljude]

But:
Чужой хлеб рот дерёт [Chuzhoj xleb rot derjot]
Чужой мёд горек [Chuzhoj mjod gorek]
Чужие хлебы приедчивы[Chuzhie xleby priedchivy]

And though the sentiments are slightly different, I quite liked:
Краденое яичко школьнику слаще [Kradenoe jaichko shkol'niku slashche]

Alternatively you might want to settle for something on the lines of:
Там хорошо, где нас нет {Tam xorosho, gde nas net].

John Dunn.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jane Knox-Voina <jknox at BOWDOIN.EDU>
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:37:47 -0400
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Translation of an English saying?

We are trying to come up with a good translation in Russian of the 
English saying "The grass is greener on the other side of the fence."  
Would appreciate help. Jane Knox-Voina, Bowdoin College, Russian Department

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John Dunn
Honorary Research Fellow, SMLC (Slavonic Studies)
University of Glasgow, Scotland

Address:
Via Carolina Coronedi Berti 6
40137 Bologna
Italy
Tel.: +39 051/1889 8661
e-mail: J.Dunn at slavonic.arts.gla.ac.uk
johnanthony.dunn at fastwebnet.it

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