What is the original Russian?

Тонуть, так в море, а не в поганой луже. Translated from the original Russian by Spartan Surfers.

Is "If you must drown, drown in the sea, not a filthy puddle." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

Тонуть, так в море, а не в поганой луже.

If you must drown, drown in the sea, not a filthy puddle.

Russian proverb, Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Boldness — Daring — Cowardice" («Смелость — Отвага — Трусость»)

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What it means

If you are going to fail, fail at something worth attempting. Going under in a puddle of petty trouble is the worse fate. Aim at the sea.

The source

"If you must drown, drown in the sea, not a filthy puddle." This Russian proverb is recorded in Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Boldness — Daring — Cowardice" («Смелость — Отвага — Трусость»). Translated from the original Russian by Spartan Surfers.

"Тонуть, так в море, а не в поганой луже."

Original Russian, Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Boldness — Daring — Cowardice" («Смелость — Отвага — Трусость»). Text read at ru.wikisource.org.

Who said it

Proverbs of the world (Every age). Sayings from the Latin, Greek, Norse, Japanese, Chinese and more, each traced to an old source in its own language.

Questions

What does "If you must drown, drown in the sea, not a filthy puddle." mean?: If you are going to fail, fail at something worth attempting. Going under in a puddle of petty trouble is the worse fate. Aim at the sea.
Who said "If you must drown, drown in the sea, not a filthy puddle."?: Russian proverb. Source: Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Boldness — Daring — Cowardice" («Смелость — Отвага — Трусость»).
What is the original Russian?: Тонуть, так в море, а не в поганой луже. Translated from the original Russian by Spartan Surfers.
Is "If you must drown, drown in the sea, not a filthy puddle." on a shirt?: Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

Cite this line

"If you must drown, drown in the sea, not a filthy puddle." (Russian proverb, Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Boldness — Daring — Cowardice" («Смелость — Отвага — Трусость»), translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/if-you-must-drown-drown-in-the-sea