If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one.

This saying is widely circulated as a Russian proverb (often presented in English translation) and belongs to a broader Slavic and European tradition of folk maxims about focus and divided effort. It reflects a practical, agrarian-hunting world in which pursuing game required patience and single-minded attention; trying to seize two opportunities at once typically meant losing both. In Russian it is commonly encountered as a concise admonition used in everyday speech, education, and workplace advice—especially when someone is tempted to multitask, hedge between two plans, or pursue competing goals simultaneously.

The proverb warns that attention and effort are finite: splitting them between two demanding aims can reduce effectiveness below what either goal requires. Its force lies in the concrete image of hunting—rabbits are quick and evasive—making the abstract lesson memorable. More broadly, it argues for prioritization: choose the most important objective, commit to it, and accept the opportunity cost of not pursuing everything at once. The saying also critiques indecision and overextension, implying that success often depends less on ambition than on disciplined focus and sequencing goals rather than attempting them concurrently.

1) "If you run after two hares, you will catch neither." 2) "He who chases two hares catches none." 3) "Chase two rabbits and you’ll lose them both."