Afghan Proverbs Part II

K

* کوه هر چقدر که بلند باشد باز هم سر خود راه دارد
o Transliteration: "Ko ar qadr ke beland basha, baz am sar-e khud ra dara."
o English Translation: However tall the mountain is, there’s a road to the top of it.

* کوه به کوه نمی رسد آدم به آدم میرسد
o Transliteration: "Ko ba ko na-merasa, Adam ba Adam merasa."
o English Translation: A mountain doesn't reach out to mountain, (but) a man is reaching out to a man.

* خواستن توانستن است
o Transliteration: "Khastan tawanistan ast."
o English Translation: Where there is a will, there is a way.

* کرم خوده ده بین مار ها دیده میگه ما مارها کجا میریم
o Transliteration: "Kirm khoda da bain mar ha deeda mega ma mar ha kuja mereem."
o English Translation: Worm has seen itself among snakes and says where do we snakes go


M

* مثل بلبل شیرین گپ میزنی
o Transliteration: "Mesl-e bulbul shirin gap mezani."
o English Translation: You talk sweet like the bulbul bird.

N

* نان وپیاز، پیشانی باز
o Transliteration: "Nan o pyaz? peshani waz!"
o English Translation: Bread and onion but an open forehead!

* نظافت نصف ایمان
o Transliteration: "Nizafat nisf iman ast."
o English Translation: Cleanliness is half of faith. (Cleanliness is next to godliness.)

* نزن به دروازه کس به انگشت که به دروازه ات میزنند به مشت
o Transliteration: "Nazan ba darwazayi kas ba angusht ki ba darwazahat mezanan ba mosht."
o English Translation: Don't hit someone's door by finger because your door will be punched.


P

* پنج انگشت برادر است برابر نیست
o Transliteration: "Panj angusht bradar as, barabar nes."
o English Translation: Five fingers are brothers, not equals.


Q

* قطره قطره جمع شود دریاشود
o Transliteration: "Qatra qatra jam shawad daria shawad."
o Scots Equivalent: Mony a mickle, maks a muckle.
o English Equivalent: Look after the pennies and the Pounds (currency) look after themselves.

R

* راستی مایه ای سعادت است
o Transliteration: "Rasti maya sadad ast."
o English Translation: Honesty is the key to success.

* رحم ازبک، قهر افغان
o Transliteration: "Rahm e Uzbek o qahre afghan."
o English Translation: Mercy of an Uzbek; torture of an Pashtun.

* روباه را وقتی شکار گوه میگیرد
o Transliteration: "Robara wakhte shikar go migrra."
o English Translation: Fox feels shiting just before hunting.
S

* صبر تلخ است ولی بهار شیرین دارد
o Transliteration: "Sabr talkh hast, wali bahari sheerin daarad."
o English Translation: Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.

* سال نیکو از بهارش پیداست
o Transliteration: "Sal-e neko az baharesh paeda ast."
o English Translation: A good year is determined by its spring.

* صد زدن زرگر یک زدن آهنگر
o Transliteration: "Sad zadan zargar yak zadan ahangar."
o English Translation: Goldsmith hits 100 and blacksmith one.

* صدای دول از دول خوش است
o Transliteration: "Sadayi dool az dool khosh ast."
o English Translation: "Drum is happy by a drum's sound"

T

* تا شمال نشود شاخه تکان نمی خورد
o Transliteration: "Ta shamal na-shawad, shakha shor na-mekhura."
o English Translation: As long as there is no wind, the tree won’t blow.

* تاوقتی که ریش دنیا به تشویش تاوقتی که پکول همه گرنگ و گول
o Transliteration: "Ta wakht-e rish, dunya ba tashwish. ta wakht-e pakul, ama ganz o gul."
o English Translation: As long as the beard exists, the world clenches its fists. As long as the pakul hat exists, the world stutters in fits.
o Notice: This is not really a proverb in Afghan literature or history, it exists during civil war which had happened in the last few years, mainly when Mujahidin groups got the power to rule the country.

U

* عقل مند را اشار ه کا فی است
o Transliteration: "Aqelmand ra eshara kafee ast."
o English Translation: A sign is enough for the wise man (in order to understand something).


Y

* یک روز دیدی دوست، روزی دیگر دیدی برادر
o Transliteration: "Yak roz didi dost, roze dega didi bradar."
o English Translation: The first day you see a friend; the next day, a brother.