• КОНЬ (И) О ЧЕТЫРЕХ НОГАХ, ДА (И ТО <И ТОТ>) СПОТЫКАЕТСЯ{{}}
[saying]
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⇒ anyone can err (said in justification of one's or s.o.'s mistake, negligence, oversight etc):
- - the horse has four legs and yet he (it) stumbles;
- horses have four legs and still they stumble;
- we all make mistakes;
- we're only human;
- nobodY's perfect.
♦ "Злодеи не злодеи, а твои ребята таки пошарили да порастаскали. Не гневись: конь и о четырёх ногах, да спотыкается" (Пушкин 2). "Brigands or no brigands, but it was your lads as went ransacking and plundering. Don't be angry with 'em: the horse has four legs and yet he stumbles'" (2a).
♦ "Ошибки были, - быстро сказал Хлебовводов. - Люди не ангелы. И на старуху бывает проруха. Конь о четырёх ногах и то спотыкается" (Стругацкие 3). "There have been mistakes," Khlebovvodov said quickly. "People are not angels. Anyone can make a mistake. Horses have four legs and still they stumble" (3a).
Большой русско-английский фразеологический словарь. — М.: ACT-ПРЕСС КНИГА. С.И. Лубенская. 2004.