Hazara Culture

Hazaragi Proverbs


Author: Dr. Akbar M Shahristani

خود خورده خودشی میترقه.

[ He who has eaten, will himself burst. ]

A guilty concience needs no accuser.

خود کده ره نه درده نه درمو.

هرکس کنه با خود کند، خواه نیک کند خواه بد کند

[ One who harmed himself neither feels pain nor is a cure for him. ]

The one who hangs himself in the chimney should not complain of smoke. ( German proverb).

خور بی پیره لا مذهب میدیه.

درد بد دوای بد

[ An ungodly man knows how to deal with a person without a religious guide. ]

The devil must be driven out by the devil. (German Proverb).

خویی که دَ شیر دربِیه دَ مرگ بور موشه.

خوی که از شیر در آید از مرگ برآید

[ A habit started during infancy shall be practiced till the time of death. ]

What is learned in the cradle lasts to the grave. (French Proverb)

خیگینه دوز اشتر دوز موشه.

تخم دز شتر دز می شود

[ An egg thief will become a camel thief. ]

A whip for a fool, and a rod for a school, is always in good season.

Spare the rod, and you will spoil the child. ( Prophet Suleiman )

خیگینه امروز از خوروی صَبا زِیَد استه.

تخم امروز به از مرغ فردا.

[ An egg today is better than a hen tomorrow. ]

A thousand cranes in the air are no worth one sparrow in the fist (Arabic proverb) .

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

دَ آذون غریب کَس نماز نمیخانه.

چراغ مفلسی نوری ندارد

[ No one will pray by the Azan (call to prayer) of a poor person. ]

A poor man’s words have little weight. (Greek proverb)

دَ امید شاخ دمه بَی دَد.

[ One who coveted the horn lost his tail. ]

He who goes to law for a sheep loses his cow. (German Proverb)

دَ تَنگ امدی دَ جَنگ امدی.

به تنگ آید به جنگ آید.

[ When your patience gets exhausted, you will start to fight. ] Even a worm will turn.

A man may bear till his back breaks.

Even Buddha has a limit to what he can tolerate. (Chinese Proverb)

دَ جَنگ حَلوا بَخش نمونه.

به میدان جنگ حلوا تقسیم نمیکند.

[ There isn’t distributing of sweetmeat in the war. ]

One can’t make war with rose water.

دَ جوی آو رفته آو موره.

(آو سون آوخنه موره)

(آو سون آوریزی خو موره)

[ In a ditch that water has flowed in before, it will flow again. ]

Dry river beds can once again overflow with water.

دَ خریکه کار ندری وُشه نگوی.

(چِو دَ وار زَنبور نزو)

[ Don’t stop the donkey that you don’t need. ]

The cobbler should stick to his last.

دَ شار کورا یک چیمه پادشا یه.

[ In a city of blind people, the one-eyed man is king. ]

In the country of blind, the one-eyed man is king.

دَ قُل که کَس نبود، بُز خود خوره کَریم داد نام مونه.

[ When there is no one in the village, the goat names herself Karimdad (“bounteous, generous”.]

When the cat is away, the mice will play.

دَ کاسه خود خو ݚنگر ره نمینگره، دَ کاسه دِیگا موی روش مونه.

[ He doesn’t see a stick in his own bowl, but observes a hair in the bowl of another. ]

The hunchback does not see his own hump, but his companion’s.

دَ گذشته صلوات، دَ آینده احتیاط.

در گذشته صلوات، در آینده احتیاط.

[ Forget what’s passed, be careful in the future. ]

What has happened is water under the bridge, but don’t let it happen again.

دَ منه خِشت گُل سَوز کد.

(از قلوخ آتیش پرید)

[ A flower grew in the brick. ]

Even fools sometime speak to the purpose.

A fool’s bolt may sometime hit the mark.

دَ یک تِیر دونشانه کُشته نموشه.

به یک تِیر دونشانه زدن.

[ You cannot shoot by one bullet at two targets at the same time. ]

One foot cannot stand on two boats. (Chinese Proverb)

دَ یک چَپاک صَد روی اَوگار موشه.

[ A hundred faces shall be hurt by one slap. ]

Words cut more than swords.

The tongue is more venomous than a serpent’s sting.

داغ بَلی داری شد.

[ It became a burn on the saddle sore. ] Aggravating one’s trouble.

Attacking a man while he is down.