"Дают - бери, не дают - проси"

English translation: take what you get and get what you can

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Russian term or phrase:"Дают - бери, не дают - проси"
English translation:take what you get and get what you can
Entered by: Victor Zagria

08:44 Jul 14, 2009
Russian to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Journalism / state budget
Russian term or phrase: "Дают - бери, не дают - проси"
This is a heading of an article on current state of national economy phrased like a motto or, rather, like a proverb which rings the bell with a highly colloquial one: "дают - бери, бьют - беги" ("If they offer you smth, take it, if they start beating you, run!"). Please do something ...
Victor Zagria
take what you get and get what you can
Explanation:
an attempt...
Selected response from:

Kari Foster
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:08
Grading comment
Merci, Kari. This one fitted the best. Pity I couldn't split the points between this one and "Take yours and beg for theirs"
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2If you have to, beg
David Knowles
4Knock, and it shall be opened.
Olga Derenko
4Take yours and beg for theirs
Michael Korovkin
3 +1take what you get and get what you can
Kari Foster


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
If you have to, beg


Explanation:
Headlines in English are usually short, and I can't think of a similar proverb, so how about this?

David Knowles
Local time: 14:08
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 39

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Elizabeth Adams: totally agree!
48 mins

agree  Judith Hehir: Variant: Beg if you must
5 hrs
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50 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Knock, and it shall be opened.


Explanation:
The Bible idiom.
Or you can transform it:

If the door is closed, knock.

Olga Derenko
Local time: 16:08
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in UkrainianUkrainian, Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 4
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Take yours and beg for theirs


Explanation:
It's a heading, so it should be sort of synthetic

Michael Korovkin
Italy
Local time: 15:08
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 28
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
take what you get and get what you can


Explanation:
an attempt...

Kari Foster
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:08
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Merci, Kari. This one fitted the best. Pity I couldn't split the points between this one and "Take yours and beg for theirs"

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alexei Shmouratko
8 hrs
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