Altay Proverbs

The Altay are a Turkic speaking people living in the Altai Republic and Altai Krai in southern Siberia in Russia.

The vernacular term for the proverb is кеп сöс (kep sös, traditional word) or ÿлгер сöс (ülger sös, exemplary word).


Алабугада мÿн јок,

Алу кижиде ой јок.

* Transliteration: Alabugada mün ďok, alu kižide oy ďok.

* English translation: In a perch is no broth, in a foolish person is no wisdom.


Ат киштешсе таныжар,

Кижи эрмектешсе билижер.

* Transliteration: At kištešse tanïžar, kiži ermektešse biližer.

* English translation: If horses neigh to one another, they become acquainted, if people talk to one another, they become acquainted.


Балыктап билбес болзоҥ, суу чайбалтпа.

* Transliteration: Balïktap bilbes bolzoŋ, suu čaybaltpa.

* English translation: If you do not know how to fish, do not stir up the water.


Борсук бойыныҥ маҥканын бодонбос.

* Transliteration: Borsuk boyïnïŋ maŋkanïn bodonbos.

* English translation: The badger is not aware of its own blaze.


Јалбак агаш отко јут,

Јаман кижи јуртка јут.

* Transliteration: D’albak agaš otko ďut, ďaman kiži ďurtka ďut.

* English translation: A big log is a shame to the fire, an evil person is a shame to the house.


Јаҥыс кодурлу кой муҥ койды артадат.

* Transliteration: D’aŋïs kodurlu koy muŋ koydï artadat.

* English translation: One scabby sheep infects a thousand sheep.


Эди кандый,

Мÿни андый.

* Transliteration: Edi kandïy, müni andïy.

* English translation: As the meat, so its broth.


Кеҥ тон јыртылбас,

Кеп сöс бузуллбас.

* Transliteration: Keŋ ton ďïrtïlbas, kep sös buzulbas.

* English translation: A wide garment does not tear, a proverb does not spoil.


Узун эдек бутка оролор,

Узун тил башка оролор.

* Transliteration: Uzun edek butka orolor, uzun til baška orolor.

* English translation: A long skirt wraps around the leg, a long tongue wraps around the head.