Деньги мой бывший муж на ребёнка дает, но нерегулярно и каждый раз — сколько бог на душу положит. My ex-husband pays me child support, but irregularly and each time however much he feels like.
Б-132 • СЧАСТЛИВ ТВОЙ (его, её, ваш, их) БОГ old-fash [sent; these forms only; fixed WO] s.o. is lucky (that he made the decision he did, that he acted as he did, that things turned out the way they did etc): счастлив твой (его и т.п.) бог = (you should) thank your (he should thank his etc) lucky stars; you (he etc) must have been born under a lucky star; lucky for you (for him etc).
[Елена:] Счастлив ваш бог, что вы догадались мне об этом сказать (Булгаков 4). [E.:] Thank your lucky stars that you were smart enough to tell me about it (4a).
Б-133 • УБЕЙ (ПОБЕЙ, РАЗРАЗИ!, ДА РАЗРАЗИТ, ПОКАРАЙ) МЕНЯ БОГ (ГОСПОДЬ obs) coll [these forms only; usu. this WO] 1. [indep. sent, a clause in a compound sent, or sent adv (parenth)] (used to add emphasis to a statement or to convince the interlocutor that what is being stated is true) I swear: may God strike me dead; I swear to God; honest to God; cross my heart (and hope to die).
2. Also: УБЕЙ БОГ coll [main clause in a complex sent (often foll. by a если-clause), a clause in a compound sent (usu. foll. by a clause introduced by Conj «а» or «но»), or sent adv (parenth)] used to emphasize that one cannot or does not understand or believe sth., know sth. etc: [of understanding, knowing sth. etc] God strike me (dead) if (I know (understand etc)); I’ll be damned (darned, hanged) if.; [in limited contexts] for the life of me (I can’t understand (remember etc)); God help me if (I know (under-
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stand etc)); [of believing s.o. or sth.] there is no way in hell (in the world) (I will believe him (her, that. etc)); nothing in the world (could make me believe him (her, that. etc)).
Откуда взялся этот писатель? Писатель Иванько. Всё-таки имею какое-то отношение к этому делу, слежу за новинками литературы, и — убей меня бог — если я хоть когда-нибудь слышал такую фамилию (Войнович 3). Where had this writer come from? The writer Ivanko. I still have some contact with that profession, follow the new literary figures, but God strike me if I’ve ever heard that name before (3a).
Б-134 • ЧЕМ БОГ (ГОСПОДЬ obs) ПОСЛАЛ угощать кого, закусывать, завтракать и т.п.; ЧТО БОГ ПОСЛАЛ есть, отведать both coll [subord clause; past or, rare, fut; used as obj; fixed WO] (to treat s.o. to, snack on, breakfast on etc) whatever food happens to be available: (give (take)) potluck; whatever there is (one has); whatever is (one has) on (at) hand (to eat); whatever is in the house.
Я чувствую, что как только мы покончим со сбором орехов, дядя возьмёт их [бойцов] к себе и угостит чем бог послал (Искандер 4). I have a feeling that as soon as we finish gathering nuts, Uncle will take the men home and give them potluck (4a). ♦ . Антон впервые видел человека, регулярно отказывающегося от бабкиного предложения закусить чем Бог послал (Чудаков 1). .Serov was the first person Anton ever met who regularly declined Grandma’s offers to join the family in a bite of whatever they had on hand to eat (1a).
Б-135 • ЧТО БОГ ДАСТ coll [Invar; usu. indep. clause (often after «а там») or subord clause; fixed WO] (of an action or activity the outcome of which does not depend on the doer; expresses the speaker’s hope for a favorable outcome) things will turn out the way they will turn out: what(ever) will be will be; whatever God grants s.o.; we’ll see what God (the Lord) has in store for us; we shall see (what comes next (how things go etc)).
«Здоров ли ты?». Лукавый мальчишка здоровёхонек, но молчит. «Посиди-ка ты эту недельку дома, — скажет она, — а там — что бог даст» (Гончаров 1). “Do you feel well?” The sly little boy was quite well, but said nothing. “You had better stay at home this week,” she would say, “then we shall see.” (1b).
Б-136 • ЧТО БОГ НА ДУШУ ПОЛОЖИТ coll [subord clause; usu. used as obj; fixed WO] anything one desires (may express the speaker’s opinion that the thing or phenomenon in question is somehow inappropriate, of poor quality etc): whatever strikes one’s fancy; whatever one feels like; (to say etc) whatever comes (pops) into one’s head; whatever (anything that) comes to mind.
Как-то я. решил посмотреть документацию уволенного математика. И глаза у меня буквально полезли на лоб. Он, оказывается, открыл тривиальную истину, что расчёты в этом звене вообще излишни и не влияют на последующие операции. И писал что бог на душу положит (Зиновьев 1). “Once. I decided to glance through the work of the mathematician who’d been fired. My eyes almost literally popped out. It turned out that he’d discovered the banal truth that calculations at this stage of the operation were totally unnecessary and had no influence on the subsequent stages. He just used to write whatever came into his head” (1a).
Б-137 • НА БОГА НАДЕЙСЯ, А САМ НЕ ПЛОШАЙ
[saying] act decisively, intelligently, enterprisingly, not counting on favorable circumstances to help you: = God helps those who help themselves; (put your) trust in the
Lord (in God), but keep your powder dry. Cf. praise the Lord and pass the ammunition.
Б-138 • ПОБОЙСЯ БОГА; БОГА БЫ ПОБОЯЛСЯ both coll [indep. sent; usu this WO] 1. (used as an attempt to put s.o. to shame for unconscionable, inappropriate behavior, and/or as an attempt to convince him to change his behavior, reverse his decision etc) you (he etc) should be ashamed of yourself (himself etc): побойся бога = have you no fear of God?; have you no shame?; [lim] have a heart!; for God’s (goodness’, pity’s) sake!
[Саша:] Этот [отец] пьян, Николай пьян, Миша тоже. Хоть бы бога вы побоялись. если людей не стыдитесь! (Чехов 1). [S.:] Here’s Father drunk, and so are Nicholas and Michael.. Have you no fear of God, even if you don’t care what men think? (1b). ♦ «Кондрат Иванович! Ведь завод останется без специалистов. Побойтесь бога.» (Ильф и Петров 2). “Kondrat Ivanovich! The plant will be left without any specialists.. Have a heart!” (2a).
2. (used as an attempt to prevent s.o. from doing sth. imprudent, risky) be sensible: be reasonable; come to your senses; [lim] don’t tempt the gods (the Lord).
«Ну, Савельич, — сказал я ему, — .я еду в Белогорскую крепость». — «Батюшка Пётр Андреич! — сказал добрый дядька дрожащим голосом. — Побойся бога; как тебе пускаться в дорогу в нынешнее время, когда никуда проезду нет от разбойников!» (Пушкин 2). “Well, Savelich,” I said to him, “.I am going to Fort Belogorsk.” “Petr Andreich, young master!” said my good-natured attendant in a trembling voice. “Don’t tempt the Lord! How could you set out now, when all the roads are cut off by the brigands?” (2a).