Hazara Culture

Hazaragi Proverbs


Author: Dr. Akbar M Shahristani

اگه دَ خانه کسه یک توره بسه.

If there is some one at home, one word is sufficient. A word to the wise is sufficient.

A wise man hears one word and understands two.

اگه دل بسوزه از چیم کور آودیده موره.

(خاو آمده ره تَی سری دَ کار نِیه، دِل برده ره نوربندی دَ کارنیه)

It’s easy to do what one’s own self wills.

He that complies against his will, is of his own opinion still..

اگه مشت خوره واز گرفتی خدا میدیه، اگه پیش گرفتی نه.

[ If you keep your hand open God will provide, if you close it he will not. ]

The hand that gives, gathers.

* The charitable give out at the door, and God puts in through the window

اگه یک نفر آو شونه کجاره بگیره، آتیش شونه کجاره دربدیه

[ If one man becomes water what area can he cover,, if he alone turns into fire what can he burn anyway?]

Two hands are better than one.

* Four eyes see better than two.

* A monk cannot shave his own head (Korean proverb).

امی چراغ روشو، امزو گنݚه روغو یه.

[ This bright lamp is of that fetid oil. ]

The best wine comes from an old vessel.

امید پیخیل پاک کدو اُقره ره کور مونه.

In a hope to clean mucus of one’s eyes, makes blind one’s eyes. He who goes to law for a sheep loses his cow. (German Proverb)

خیگینه گاو می خوایه.

He wants a cow’s egg. You can’t get blood out of stone. Nothing comes out of nothing.

اِت کَس از خود خو پوره نِیه.

[ No one is perfect in himself ]

No one is rich enough to do without his neighbour.

No man is an island.

اِت زاغ بیداغ نِیه.

[ There is no crow without a scar. ]

No land without stones, or meat without bones.

There are spots even in the sun.

اِت گل بی خار نِیه.

[ There is no rose without a thorn. ]

There is no rose without a thorn.

Every light has its shadow.

یِله امده یِله موره.

[ What has come

freely shall go freely. ] Easy come, easy go.

باجه که باجه ره دید خوش شی می یه، خَر که خِیجه را دید.

[ When one Baja (wife’s sister’s husband) sees another Baja he is happy, when the donkey sees dirt he is happy.]

Birds of a feather flock together.

Like attracts like.

اچه جای خوره دره کوچه جای خوره دره.

[ The infant has his place and the Kocha (a kind of food) has its place. ]

Every man has his price.

باد آورده باد موبره.

[ The thing that is brought by the wind, is taken away by the wind. ]

Come with the wind, go with water.

Easy come, easy go.

باد زَد پاشه چُلید

[ The wind blew and the fly sucked. ]

Soon gotten, soon spent.

بار کَج دَ مَنزِل نمیرسه.

[ A tilted load won’t reach its destination. ]

Honesty is the best policy.

بچه مردم از خود نموشه. (جگر جگره، دیگر دیگره)

[ The son of others cannot become one’s own. ]

Blood is thicker than water.

بخت او طرف بلایه.

[ Prosperity is on the other side of adversity.]

He that would catch fish must venture his bait.

بد بختو سر خود خو مِینگره، نیک بَختو سرِ دیگاه

[ People with bad luck experience at themselves, while lucky people at others. ]

Wise men learn from other men’s harm, fools by their own.

بد خوردی، بد مُردی.

[ When you eat badly you shall die badly ]

Whatsoever is the father of a disease, an ill diet was the mother.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.