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.