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| Russian | English |
| дела идут, контора пишет | snafu (situation normal, all fouled up) |
| дела идут, контора пишет | our busy office hums and clatters: we do our best to speed up letters! |
| дела идут, контора пишет | things are on the move, and the office is open |
| дела идут, контора пишет | busy as a bee (things go on and never slop. said (often: jocularly or ironically) as a reply to the question ,,как дела?" ("how are things?") or the like) |