на воре и шапка горит

• на во́ре́ ша́пка гори́т (na vóré šápka gorít)

From an old joke about a wise man who is asked to find a hat thief at a crowded marketplace; the wise man shouts "Look! The hat on the thief's head is on fire!" – and the thief gives himself away by checking the stolen hat that he is wearing.

Compare Polish na złodzieju czapka gore (synonymous), or, further afield, Italian al ladro fa paura anche un sorcio.

• IPA^(key): [nɐ‿ˈvorʲe i ˈʂapkə ɡɐˈrʲit]
• IPA^(key): [nə‿vɐˈrʲe i ˈʂapkə ɡɐˈrʲit]

• Audio (Saint Petersburg):

  (file)

на во́ре и ша́пка гори́т or на воре́ и ша́пка гори́т • (na vóre i šápka gorít or na voré i šápka gorít)

1. a guilty mind is never at ease, a hit dog will holler, if the shoe fits, wear it (a guilty person will always give themselves away through their actions or words)

• бог ше́льму ме́тит (bog šélʹmu métit, “God marks the crook”)