Don't count your chickens before they are hatched

Don't count your chickens before they are hatched

Examples

Although I still believe that honesty is the best policy, I dislike policy altogether, though it is just as well not to count your chickens before they are hatched, it's still more hateful to count them with gloating when they are hatched. (Lawrence)

"To tell the truth, Miss Drew, Fred and I were thunderstruck at the will which left everything to the Tophams. That wasn't what Cousin Josiah led us to believe." "It certainly wasn't," Fred spoke up. "But I guess William and I counted our chickens before they were hatched." (Keene)

"My dear," said Cosmo, "I do wish you would not count all your chickens so long before they are hatched. You're not fair to yourself. I've told you so before." Her elation disappeared. Yes, she told him, that was just his way, wasn't it? To destroy her confidence? (Johnson)

"What am I supposed to make of that?" "Don't have kittens before they're hatched. And for pity's sake don't hedge or shuffle: that never did anybody any good. Least of all your young man." (Marsh)

"And now they'll live near us and I'll have someone to talk to, won't I?" "Don't count your chickens." (Winsor)

"Well, Em?" "Dinny will have two boys and a girl." "Deuce she will! That's counting her chickens rather fast." (Galsworthy)

Russian translation

Не считай цыплят, прежде чем они вылупятся.
Не следует быть слишком уверенным в успехе, пока дело не завершено.

Derivation

To count one's chickens.

Variation

Recon your chickens after they are hatched.

Synonyms

First catch your hare, then cook him.
Gut no fish till you got them.
Don't halloo till you are out of the wood.

Comparison

Цыплят по осени считают.
Не дели шкуру неубитого медведя.
Не говори гоп, пока не перепрыгнешь.