Hazara Culture

Hazaragi Proverbs


Author: Dr. Akbar M Shahristani

دایه که کلو شد سر باچه کِیل مِیَه.

[ When there are too many midwives, the baby’s head will come out crooked. ]

Too many midwives will twist the baby’s head.

دختر آیِه خوره کار کدو یاد میدیه.

The daughter teaches her mother, how to work. ]

Don’t teach your grandmother how to suck eggs.

دختر دَ نام آته خو توی موشه.

[ A girl is married according to the name (status) of her father. ]

Good fame is better than a good face.

دردِ بد دوای بد.

[ A bad pain has a bad cure. ]

Desperate diseases desperate cures.

دروغ عاقُبت ندره.

[ A lie has no future. ]

Wrong has no warrant.

دِست دَ الو که نرسید تُروشه.

[ When one’s hand cannot reach to the plum it’s sour. ]

“The grapes are sour”, said the fox when he couldn’t reach them.

دوشمو اگه پاشه بَشه پِیل حساب کو.

[ If your enemy would be a fly, imagine it to be an elephant ]

Don’t despise an insignificant enemy or a slight wound. (German Proverb.)

دل تنگ نبشه جای تنگ نیه.

دل تنگ نباشد جای تنگ نیست

[ If your heart isn’t narrow, there is plenty of room. ]

Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.

Nothing is easy to do for the unwilling.

دُم خره از هّر طرف که قّریش کنی دو قریشه.

(دو پُزده یک سی یه)

چه سر بکلاه و چه کلاه بسر

[ From any direction you span the tail of a donkey it will be two spans. ]

There are many ways to kill a dog than hanging it.

There are more ways to the wood than one.

دَم دَ هرکس شیری یه.

[ Breath (life) is sweet to everyone. ]

Self-preservation is the first law of nature.

Everything would fain live.

دُنیا از امید خورده یه.

[ People live by the hope of long life. ]

While there’s life, there’s hope.

دُنیا باره ندره.

[ The world has no lasting advantages. ]

As soon as a man is born, he begins to die.

دنیا بی وفایه

[ The world does not last. ]

Golden lads and girls all must, as chimney-sweepers come to dust.

دُنیا دو روزه.

[ The world is two days. ]

All humans are mortal.

دو اَسپ که یک جای شد، اَمرنگ نَشُونه اَمخوی موشه.

[ When two horses are put together, their colour won’t become the same but their habits’ will.]

He who lives with cats will get a taste for mice.

دو پوزده شی یک سی یه.

دولنگه یک خروار است

[ Two fifteens make a thirty. ] All roads lead to Rome.* There is more than one way to skin a cat.

دو خَر بوزه دَ یک دِست گِرفته نموشه.

[ You can’t hold two melons in one hand. ]

You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

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

دود سون بَخیل موره.

[ Smoke goes towards the jealous. ]

Envy never enriched any man.

He who envies admits his inferiority.

دوز غار دِله.

[ A thief is afraid. ]

The conscience makes cowards of us all. (W. Shakespeare ).

A thief doth fear each bush an officer. (W. Shakespeare )

دَوکَری د کَس نمی چسپه

[ Swearing doesn’t stick to anyone. ]

Hard words break no bones.