To live without work is just to smoke up the sky.

What it means

An idle life burns fuel and makes nothing. Purposeful work is what gives the days weight. Find something worth doing.

The source

"To live without work is just to smoke up the sky." This Russian proverb is recorded in Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Work — Idleness" («Работа — Праздность»). Translated from the original Russian by Spartan Surfers.

"Без дела жить — только небо коптить."

Original Russian, Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Work — Idleness" («Работа — Праздность»). 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 "To live without work is just to smoke up the sky." mean?

An idle life burns fuel and makes nothing. Purposeful work is what gives the days weight. Find something worth doing.

Who said "To live without work is just to smoke up the sky."?

Russian proverb. Source: Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Work — Idleness" («Работа — Праздность»).

What is the original Russian?

Без дела жить — только небо коптить. Translated from the original Russian by Spartan Surfers.

Is "To live without work is just to smoke up the sky." on a shirt?

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

"To live without work is just to smoke up the sky." (Russian proverb, Dal, Proverbs of the Russian People (1862), "Work — Idleness" («Работа — Праздность»), translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/to-live-without-work-is-just-to-smoke