ORIENTAL PROVERBS AND SAYINGS.
“Masal i mârūf pirāyah-e-zabānhā.”
“A proverb is an ornament to language.”
“Har chi bādābād-i-mā kishte dar āb āndākhtem.”
No. 1. “Let the result be what it may, I have launched my boat.” i.e. The die is cast. The bolt is shot.
“Ghosh kh’ābānīh.”
2. Lit.—“He put his ears to sleep.”
“Tu marā dil dih o dilīrī bīn.
Rubah-e-kh’esh kh’ān o shere bīn.”
3. “Encourage me, and then behold my bravery:—call me your own fox, and then you will see me perform the exploits of a lion!”
“Chi bāk az mauj-i-bahr ānrā ki bāshad Nauh kishtibān.”
4. “What fear need he have of the waves of the sea, who has Noah for his pilot?” i.e. He is safe who has a powerful protector.
“Kalandar har-chi goyad dīdah goyad.”
5. “Whatever the wandering traveller says, he does so from having seen that of which he speaks.”
“Unt dāgh hote the makrā abhī dāgh hone ko āyā.”
6. “The camels were being branded (with hot irons for the public service), and the spider came to be marked also.”
“Mekke gaye na Medine gaye bīch hī bīch hājjī the.”
7. “He neither went to Mekka nor Medina, but was a pilgrim nevertheless.”
“Dharyārē men kahūn lauharyāre to kān de.”
8. “I speak to those who have daughters, and let those who have sons listen.”
“Bālā-e-tawīlah bar sar-i-maimūn.”
9. “The misfortunes of the stable (fall) on the head of the monkey.” It is the custom in Hindostān to keep a monkey in or near a stable, to guard the horses from the influence of evil eyes. This proverb is applied whenever a poor man or a servant is punished for the crimes of his superior.
“Sūndhī bawā chatāī kā lahangā.”
10. “A handsome sister, with a mat for a petticoat.”
“Dekha shahr-i-Bangālā dant lāl munh kālā.”
11. “I have seen Bengal, there the teeth are red, and the mouth is black.” i.e. From chewing betel.
“Karz shauhar-i-mardān ast.”
12. “Debt is a man’s husband.” i.e. A man in debt is always at the mercy of his creditors, as a woman at her husband’s.
“Ek aur ek igārah.”
13. “One and one make eleven.” From the way of writing (11) in figures.
“Āmadan ba irādat raftan ba ijāzat.”
14. “Coming is voluntary, but departing depends upon permission.”
“Fakīr kī surat hī sawāl hai.”
15. “The appearance of a fakīr is his petition in itself.”
“Shāh-isparam az do barg paidā ast.”
16. “The sweet basil is known by its two leaves.”
“Sonā jāne kase aur mānus jāne base.”
17. “Gold is known by the touchstone, and a man by living with him.”
“Zahir-āsh az shaikh bātin az Shaitān.”
18. “Externally he is a saint, but internally he is a devil.”
“Nīm na mithā ho sech gar ghī se.”
19. “The nīm-tree (which is very bitter) will not become sweet, though watered with syrup and clarified butter.”
“Tum ghī ke dīye jalāo.”
20. “Light thou the lamp of ghī.” (Clarified butter.)
“Hawā ke ghore par sawār hain.”
21. “He rides a steed of air.” “Chateaux d’Espagne.”—To build castles in the air.
“Jā ko piyā chāhen wuhī suhāgan.”
22. “She who is beloved is the wife.”
“Kyā dam kā bharosā hai?”
23. “What reliance is there on life?”
“Bakht-i-bad bā kase ki yār bavad
Sag gazad gar shutur-sawār bavad.”
24. “He who has ill luck for his companion will be bitten by a dog, although mounted on a camel.”
“Bhūkhe se kahā do aur do kyā? kahā chār rotīyān.”
25. “If you ask a hungry man how much two and two make—he answers Four loaves.”
“Shirīn zabānī o lutf o khūshī Tu agar pīle bā mūe kashī.”
26. “By sweet words and gentleness you may lead an elephant by a hair.”
“Ghawās gar andeshah kunad kām-i-nihang
Hargiz na kunad dar girān-māyah.”
27. “If the diver were to think on the jaws of the crocodile, he would never gather precious pearls.”
“Kāle ke āge chirāgh nahīn jaltā.”
28. “The lamp burns not before the black snake.” (Which is supposed to carry a precious jewel in its head.)
“Khatt pona to adhā mulākāt.”
29. “A letter is half an interview.”
“Gharīb-parwar salāmat.”
30. “Cherisher of the poor—peace be unto you.”
31. “Allah, Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, Hussun, Hussein.”
“Chyūnte kī jo maut ānī hai to par nikalti hai.”
32. “When ants are about to die they get wings.”
“Nayā naukar hiran māre.”
33. “A new servant will catch deer.”
“Rāst darogh ba gardan-i-rāwī.”
34. “The truth or falsehood of the story rests on the head of the narrator.” i.e. I tell you the story as it was told to me, but I am not answerable for the truth of it.
“Baghl men chhurī munh men Rām! Rām!”
35. “The dagger in his bosom and salutation in his mouth.”
“Fāl-i-bad bar zabān bad bāshad.”
36. “A bad omen ought not to be mentioned.”
“Ishk o mashk panhān na mī-mānad.”
37. “Love and musk do not remain concealed.”
“Har jā ki parī-rukhī ast dīve bā o ast.”
38. “Wherever there is a fairy-faced damsel, she is attended by a demon.”
“Bhale bābā band pare Gobar chhor kashīde pare.”
39. “Oh! Father! I have got into a strange difficulty, I have left off picking cow-dung, and am employed in embroidery.”
“Rīsh-i-khudrā ba dast-i-dígare ma-dih.”
40. “Do not put your beard into the hands of another.” i.e. Do not put yourself into the power of another person.
“Ādmī sā pakherū koi nahīn.”
41. “There is no bird like a man.” i.e. So volatile and unsteady.
“Kal kase dekhā hai?”
42. “Who has seen to-morrow?” i.e. Enjoy to-day, no one knows what may happen to-morrow.
“Us se achhā khudā kā nām.”
43. “The name of God is better than this.” i.e. This is the best of all.
“Āh dar jigar na mānad.”
44. “There was not left even a sigh in his heart.” i.e. He was totally destitute.
“Dūdhon nahāo pūton phaliyo!”
45. “May you bathe in milk and be fruitful in children!”
“Tū ki īn kadar az khwāb mahzūzī chirā na mi-mīrī?”
46. “You who are so fond of sleep, why don’t you die at once?”
“Ber tale kā bhūt.”
47. “A demon under a Bér-tree.” That attached to Bér-trees (Ficus Indica) is said to be exceedingly obstinate—hence applied to a very importunate person of whom you cannot get rid.
“Us ki jar hain to Pātāl ko pahunch gaye hain.”
48. “Its roots have already reached to Pātāl.” i.e. The infernal regions. Said of a person who has established himself firmly in any situation.
“Apnī Rādhā ko yād kar.”
49. “Attend to your own Rādhā.” i.e. Attend to your own business.
“Jhūth-bolne men to sarfah kyā?”
50. “What need of economy in telling lies?”
51. “Jhūth na bole, to pet na phut jāe?”
Transcriber’s Note: The meaning of this proverb was omitted in the original.
“Khānah-i-khālī dīv mī-gīrānd.”
52. “Demons take possession of an empty house.”
“Zamīndārī dūb kī jar hai.”
53. “Landed property is like the root of the Dūb-grass.” i.e. It is not easily destroyed.
“Shamlah ba mikdār-i-îlm.”
54. “The pendant part of the turban should be in proportion to the learning.” It was formerly the custom of the learned to have the end of the turban hanging down the back.
“Gāchh men kathal honth men tīl.”
55. “The jack fruit is upon the tree, and oil on your lips.”
“Hāl men fāl dahī men mosal.”
56. “Talking to a man who is in ecstasy (of a religious nature, feigned or practised by fakīrs) is like beating curds with a pestle.”
“Merā māthā tabhī thonkā thā.”
57. “It was hammered upon my forehead.”
“Takdīr chū sābik ast tadbīr chi saud?”
58. “What is the use of taking precautions, since what has been pre-ordained must happen?”
“Jaisā des waisā bhes.”
59. “Every country hath its own fashions.”
“Jādū hakk hai karne-wālā kāfir.”
60. “Magic is truth, but the magician is an infidel.”
“Gul se hamāre nishīn Siwā kānte ke nahīn.”
61. “My only portion of the rose is the thorn.”
“Nigāh-e-darwesh âīn-i-sawāl.”
62. “The sight of a beggar is a request personified.”
“Ek gharīb ko mārā thā to nau man charbī.”
63. “I have killed such a poor man as you, and have got nine mŭns of fat out of him.”
“Jal men basī kamudinī chandā basī ākās.
Jo jan jā ke man basī so jan tā ke pās.”
64. “The Nymphæa dwells in the water, and the moon in the sky, (but) he that resides in the heart of another is always present with him.” The Nymphæa expands its flowers in the night, and thence is feigned to be in love with the moon.
“Himmat-i-mardān hārhā dārad.”
65. “Resolution overcomes great difficulties.”
“Har-kirā sabr nīst hikmat nīst.”
66. “He who has not patience, possesses not philosophy.”
“Ki gumbad har-chi goyī goyad-at bāz.”
67. “Whatever you say to a dome, it says to you again.”
“Kab mue kab kire pare.”
68. “When he died and when the worms ate him (I know not).”
“Ab bhī merā murdah tere zinde par bhārē hai.”
69. “My dead are better than your living.”
“Har ki dil pesh-i-dilbarē dārad,
Rīsh dar dast-i-dīgare dārad.”
70. “Whoever hath given his heart to a beloved object, hath put his beard into the hands of another.”
“Bī-tāb-i-îshk har-chi kunad hakk ba dast-i-o ast.”
71. “Whatever a man does who is afflicted with love, he must be excused for it.”
“Laili ko Majnūn ke ankhon se dekhnā.”
72. “One must behold Laīlī with the eyes of Majnūn.”
“Dah darwesh dar kalīme bi-khuspand
Do pādshāh dar iklīme na ganjand.”
73. “Ten derveshes may sleep under the same blanket, but two kings cannot exist in one kingdom.”
“Hūr bhī saugan koden se burī.”
74. “A contemporary wife, although a hūri, is worse than a she-devil.”
“Saut chun kī bhī burī.”
75. “The very voice of a rival wife is intolerable.”
“Sautīyā dāh mashhūr hai.”
76. “The malice of a rival wife is notorious.”
“Saut mūrat kī bhī burī.”
77. “A contemporary wife is intolerable even in effigy.”
“Saut bhalī sautela burā.”
78. “A contemporary wife may be good, but her child is bad.”
“Āsūdah kase ki buz na dārad.”
79. “The man is happy who has no she-goat.”
“Būnd kā gharon dhal gayā.”
80. “The house may be filled with the falling of drops.”
“Ham māl ba-dast āyad o ham mār na ranjad.”
81. “To get possession of the wealth without disturbing the snake that guards it.”
“Saidrā chūn ājal āyad sū-e-sayyād rawad.”
82. “When death approaches the game it goes towards the sportsman.”
“Apnī guriyā sanwār-denā.”
83. “To dress one’s own doll.”
“Ghar kar ghar kar sattar balā sir dhar.”
84. “He who builds a house and takes a wife, heaps seventy afflictions on his head.”
“Jahān dekhe to ā barat.
Wahān gāwe sārī rāt.”
85. “Where there is a marriage they may sing all night.”
“Jis dūlhah tis banī barāt.”
86. “The nuptial procession is proportioned to the rank of the bridegroom.”
“Hamahrā yak mār gazīdah ast.”
87. “One snake has bit them all.”
“Rānī dīwānī hoyī oron ko patthar apnon ko laddū mār kī.”
88. “The princess is grown foolish, she pelts her own relations with sweetmeats, others with stones.”
“Tātorah ba hawā pāshīdah and.”
89. “They have scattered datūra (thorn-apple) in the air.” i.e. The people are all gone mad.
“Man motion byāh
Man chāwalon byāh.”
90. “A marriage may be celebrated with a mŭn of rice, as well as with a mŭn of pearls.”
“Nakāre bāj damāne bāj gaye.”
100. “The sound of the nakaras and dumana has ceased.”
“Misi kājil kisko
Miyān chale bhasko.”
101. “For whom should I stain my teeth and blacken my eyelashes? the master is turned to ashes.”
“Zabān-i-khūsh mārrā az sorākh bar mī-ārad.”
102. “A pleasant voice brings a snake out of a hole.”
“Kharbūzāh chhurī par gire, yā chhurī kharbūze par to kharbūze kā zarūr.”
103. “Whether the melon falls on the knife, or the knife on the melon, the melon is the sufferer.” i.e. The weakest go to the wall.
“Dhūl kī rassī batnā.”
104. “To twist a rope of sand.”
“Az bīwah kīr gadā’ī.”
105. “To beg a husband from a widow.”
“Āthon gānth kumīt.”
106. “Bay in all his eight joints.”
“Māmū jī juhār.”
107. “God save you, uncle!”
“Ek nahīn sattar balā taltī hai.”
108. “Not one, but seventy misfortunes it keeps off.”
“Kāne kī ek rag siwā hotī hai.”
109. “One-eyed men have a vein extra.”
“Thorā khānā aur Banāras rahnā.”
110. “A little to eat and to live at Benares.” The wish of a pious Hindu.
“Zabar-dast kā thengā sir par.”
111. “The cudgel of the powerful must be obeyed.” Club law—the weakest always suffer.
“Jiskī lāthī us kī bhains.”
112. “He who has the stick, his is the buffalo.” To express that the most powerful is generally the most successful in all disputes. Club law.
“Jis ne na dekhā ho bāgh wuh dekhe bilāī.
Jis ne na dekhā ho thag wuh dekhe kasāī.”
113. “He who has never seen a tiger let him look at a cat; and he who has never seen a Thug, let him look at a butcher.”
“Zauk-i-chaman ’z khātir-i-bulbul na mī-rawad.”
114. “The desire of the garden never leaves the heart of the nightingale.”
“Ghar gūr to bāhir mamāke.”
115. “A gooroo at home, but a beggar abroad.”
“Gharīb ko kaurī ashrafī hai.”
116. “A kourī is a gold mohur to a pauper.”
“Hazār niamat aur ek tand-rastī.”
117. “Health alone is equal to a thousand blessings.”
“Chirāgh tale andherā.”
118. “It is dark under the lamp.”
“Larke ko jab bheriyā le-gayā tab tattī bāndhī.”
119. “Fasten the door when the wolf has run away with the child.”
“Khwāb āsāīsh-i-jān ast.”
120. “Sleep is the repose of the soul.”
“Agar firdause bar rū-e-zamīn ast
Hamen ast, hamen ast, hamen ast.”
121. “If there be a Paradise upon earth, it is this, it is this.”
“Dar-i-khānah-e-khudā dāim bāz ast.”
122. “The gate of the house of God is always open.”
“Jitnā chhota itnā khota.”
123. “Vicious as he is little.”
“Tārīkī-i-shab surmah-e-chashm-i-mūsh-i-kūr ast.”
124. “The darkness of the night is collyrium to the eyes of the mole.”
“Sabz bar sang na-rawad chi gunah-e-bārānrā?”
125. “If grass does not grow upon stones, what fault is it in the rain?”
“Ek jorū sāre kumbe ko bas hai.”
126. “One wife is enough for a whole family.”
“Murdah ān ast ki nām ash ba nikūī na burand.”
127. “He only is dead whose name is not mentioned with respect.”
“Roz-i-tangī siyāh ast.”
128. “The days of distress are black.” i.e. White and red amongst the Persians denote good.
“Shutur-ghamze karte hain.”
129. “They cast camels’ glances.”
“Chhīnkte khāē, chhīnkte nahāe chhīnkte par ghar na jāe.”
130. “After sneezing you may eat or bathe, but not go into any one’s house.”
“Astarrā guftand, pidar ast kīst? Guft asp khāl-i-man ast yā mādar-am mādiyān ast.”
131. “The mule was asked ‘Who is your father?’ he answered, ‘The horse is my maternal uncle, and the mare is my mother.”
“Wahm kī dārū hī nahīn.”
132. “There is no physic for false ideas.”
“Āb dar jaughan kobīdan.”
133. “To pound water in a mortar.” Labour in vain.
“Ām machhli bahtā ho hī rahtā hī.”
134. “Mangoes and fish meet of necessity.”
“Murdan ba-izzat bih ki zindagānī ba-mazallat.”
135. “It is better to die with honour than live with infamy.”
“Bhāgalpūr ke bhagliye aur Kahalgaon ke thag,
Patne ke diwāliye tīnon nām-zad.”
136. “The hypocrites of Bhagulpūr, the thugs of Kuhulgaon, and the bankrupts of Patna are famous.”
“Zāt bhānt puchhe na koi, jatio pahan kar Bahman hoe.”
137. “No one enquires his caste or tribe, he has put on the string and is therefore a Brahman.”
“Rānd sānd sīrhī sanyāsī
In chāron se bache Kāshī.”
138. “At Benares you should be upon your guard against the women, the sacred bulls, the stairs, and the devotees.”
“Bel ke māre babūl tale
Babūl ke māre bel tale.”
139. “He who was hurt by the bel (its large fruit falling on his head) fled for refuge to the babūl (the prickles of which wounded his feet), and he who was hurt by the babūl, fled to the bel.”
“Mānte to deo nahīn to bhīt kā leo.”
140. “If you believe, it is a god—if not, plaister detached from a wall.”
“Daryā men rahnā aur magar machh se bair karnā.”
141. “To dwell in the river and be at enmity with the crocodile.”
“Khudā shakar-khore ko shakar detā hai.”
142. “God gives sugar to him who eats sugar.” i.e. He provides for his creatures according to their wants.
“Na burad kazz-i-narmrā tegh-i-tez.”
143. “A sharp sword will not cut raw silk.”
“Nakl-i-âish bih az âīsh.”
144. “The narration of pleasure is better than the pleasure itself.”
“Ukhle men sir diyā to dhamkon se kyā dar.”
145. “I have put my head into the mortar; it is useless to dread the sound of the pestle.”
“Āp kī topī par salāmat rahī.”
146. “The blessing of heaven be upon your head.”
“Kalam īn jā rasīd o sar bi-shikast.”
147. “The pen arrived thus far and broke its point.” i.e. It is finished.
RAM! RAM!
END OF VOL. I.
LONDON:
GILBERT & RIVINGTON, PRINTERS,
ST. JOHN’S SQUARE.