Hazara Culture

Hazaragi Proverbs


Author: Dr. Akbar M Shahristani

بد کدی، بد مِینگری.

[ When you do bad, you shall face bad. ]

Curses, like chickens, come home to roost.

You reap what you sow.

بیراری مو بیراری، حساب مو برابَری.

[ Our brotherhood should be in it’s own place, but we should count equally. ]

An account is an account, and a brother a brother.

In the gambling house, there are no fathers and sons. (Chinese Proverb)

بیراری مو بیراری، بای بُز مو یک شاهی.

[ Our brotherhood should be in it’s own place, and the price of a goat is still one coin.]

Business is business.

Even though one’s aunt sells the cakes, one will not buy unless they are cheap. (Korean Proverb)

بُز کم، چَی چُوگوی شِی کَم.

بُز کم، چَی چَی شِی کَم.

[ Less goats, less care. ]

Little wealth, little care.

He has nothing need fear to lose nothing.

بلا جول پوشه می زنه.

[ Calamity strikes the shabby person. ]

Ill comes often on the back of worse.

The poor suffer all the wrong.

بلی زَخم شی نمَک پاش دد.

( To spread salt on one’s wound. ]

Attacking a man while he is down.

Aggravating one’s trouble.

بُلجه دَ گاو کَل اِشته.

[ He made an appointment for the time when the cow should be sheared. ]

Tomorrow never comes.

بِیچه که کلوشد شوروا شور موشه.

[ When there are too many cooks, the broth will be salty. ]

Too many cooks spoil the broth.

بِخ خاتون خو آرکس مرده.

[ Every one is a man (hero) beside his wife. ]

Every cock crows on his own dunghill.

Every groom is a king at home.

Every dog is valiant at his own door.

بِخ دیگ شِیشتی سیاه موشی، بِخ دِشکه شیشتی روغنی.

[ When you sit by the pot, you will get black; when you sit by the larder you will get greasy.]

He who keeps company with the wolf, will learn to howl.

If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas.

Bad company corrupts good morals.

پاجِ جوی وطن بهتر از پَلوی دیگه جای یَه.

[The barley loaf of one’s homeland is better than a rice dish of some other place.]

Dry bread at home is better than roast meat abroad.

پای خو ره بَرابَرِ پَلاس آتِه خو دِراز کو. (پای خو قدر کونجوله آتی خو دراز کو)

[ Stretch your feet as far as your father’s carpet extends. ]

Don’t overstretch your bounds.

پای خوره تَی کونجِیله آته خو دراز کو.

[ Stretch your feet under the quilt of your father. ]

Cut your coat according to your cloth.

پنج ناخو که از یک دِست استه، برابر نِیه.

[ Even five fingers that belong to one hand aren’t equal. ]

It takes all sorts to make a world.

Of the ten fingers, some are long and some are short. (Chinese Proverb)

پول پوله پیدا مونه.

[ Money finds money.]

Money breeds money.

پول دَ خود خو دَری، روی دَ عالم.

[ If you have money for yourself, you have trust before the world. ]

A rich man’s joke is always funny.

پول دَ کمر، زن دَ بغَل.

[ When you have money in your pocket, your wife will be with you. ]

All things are obedient to money.

پول دری پیل خاولجی کو.

[ When you have money, you can lay to sleep an elephant. ]

A golden key opens every door.

No lock will hold against the power of gold.

پول دشتی تمام مردم در تو قومه.

[ When you have money all the people are kin to you. ]

Every one is a kin to a rich man.

پول نخد/ نقد نان پُخته یه.

[ Cash is (like) cooked bread. ]

Ready money is ready medicine.