не пили сук, на котором сидишь
a Russian phrase that warns not to harm that which provides for you
2026-10-02 16:58
"Не пили сук, на котором сидишь" is a Russian folk saying that warns us "not to bring harm to something that feeds us"
Breaking it down bit-by-bit we have:
- Не пили (ne pili) = don't saw
- сук (suk) = [the] branch
- на (na) = on
- котором (kotorom) = which
- сидишь (sidish) = [you] sit
English has this:
- "don't bite the hands that feed you"
- "не пили сук, на котором сидишь" on Wiktionary