Azerbaijani Proverbs

A

* Ağıl yaşda deyil başdadır
o Literal translation: Intelligence is in the head, not in the age
o Meaning: You do not have to be old to be intelligent

* Ağac bar verəndə başın aşağı dikər
o Literal translation: Tree would bend when it bears fruit
o Moral: One should be modest even if (s)he becomes rich and influential

* Ağıllı düşmən nadan dostdan yaxşıdır
o Literal translation: Wise enemy is better than a foolish friend
o Meaning: Foolish friends are more dangerous than an enemy who is intelligent.

* Ayağını yorğanına görə uzat
o Meaning: Don't bite off more than you can chew.

B

* Bilməmək eyib deyil, öyrənməmək eyibdir
o Literal translation: Shameful is not the one who doesn't know, but the one who doesn't ask

* Bir buğda əkməsən, min buğda biçməzsən
o Literal translation: Without sowing a single wheat you would not harvest thousand ones


Ç

* Çox bilən quş dimdiyindən tələyə düşər
o Literal translation: Smart bird gets trapped in its beak
o Meaning: Even smart people could overlook simple things

D

* Dama-dama göl olar, axa-axa sel olar
o Literal translation: Drop by drop would make a lake, ...
o Meaning: Be patient. Alt: Even a little bit can have influence over time.

* Dil yanılar, doğrusunu deyər
o Literal translation: Tongue may muddle up and say the truth

E

* El bir olsa, dağ oynadan yerindən.
o Literal translation: If nation becomes united, it can move mountains.
o Meaning: In union there is strength.

Ə

* Ədəb bazarda satılmaz
o Literal translation: Politeness is not sold in the bazaar

* Əvvəl düşün, sonra danış
o First think, then speak


H

* Halva-halva deməklə ağız şirin olmaz
o Literal translation: Mouth doesn't get sweet just by saying "halva"
o Meaning: Just talking won`t get the things done.

* Haram malın bərəkəti olmaz
o Literal translation: Unlawful riches doesn't bring plenitude (Haram in Islamic law)
o Meaning: You will not profit from something that you obtained in an unlawful way. Sooner or later it will turn against you.

* Hər ağac öz dibinə kölgə salar
o Literal translation: Every tree casts shadow on its own bottom
o Meaning: Everybody takes care of their own, a tree casts shadow only on those who are close, the rest are on their own.


İ

* İki qoçun başı bir qazanda qaynamaz.
o Literal translation: Two ram heads cannot be boiled in one pot.
o Meaning: Too many cooks spoil the broth.

* İlanın ağına da lənət, qarasına da.
o Literal translation: Curse both white and black snakes.
o Meaning: Bad shape is never good shape unless worse shape comes along.

* İşləməyən dişləməz!
o Literal translation: One who doesn't work does not bite.

* İş insanın cövhəridir.


* İt hürər karvan keçər.
o Literal translation: The dog barks, the caravan passes by.

* İtin sahibi varsa, qurdun da Allahı var
o Literal translation: Dog has a owner, while wolf has a God.
o Meaning: Mercy resides in God, deeds are in men.


K

* Kiminin əvvəli, kiminin axırı
o Literal translation: Someone's end is someone's beginning

* Kasıb öləndə molla xəstə olar
o Literal translation: Mollah is sick when the poor is dying
o Meaning: Nothing is done just out of simple kindness: if you`re poor and dying, even Mollah will pretend to be sick in order not to come and say the last prayer by your bed.

* Kişi tüpürdüyünü yalamaz
o Literal translation: A man would not lick what he spit
o Meaning: A man should stand by his words.

* Kişi sözü üzə deyər
o Literal translation: A man says his word to the face

* Köpəyin qarnı tox gərək
o Literal translation: Dog has to have its stomach full
o Meaning: Treat those in your service well and they, in turn, will treat you well

M

* Meşə çaqqalsız olmaz
o A forest cannot be without a jackal.
o Meaning: Seedy characters are to be found everywhere

* Məkkəyə gedən dəvə hacı olmaz
o Literal translation: Even if a camel went to Mecca, it could not become a Haji
o Meaning: Minor events can not change circumstances

* Molladan adam, Palıddan badam!
o Literal translation: A human from a mullah, an almond from an oak tree.
o Meaning: It`s impossible for a mullah (a priest) to be humane.

O

* Ot kökü üstə bitər
o Literal translation: Grass grows on its roots


R

* Rəhmət düzənə, lə'nət pozana!
o Literal translation: Bless the builders, damn the slayers!

* Rəngimə bax, əhvalımı xəbər al!
o Literal translation: Look at my color (face), know my mood!


T

* Tazıya tut deyir, dovşana qaç
o Literal translation: He tells the dog to catch and the rabbit to run.
o Meaning: To play your enemies off against each other.

* Tez duranla tez evlənən uduzmaz
o Translation: He who gets up and marries early, doesn't lose.
o Idiomatic translation: The early bird catches the worm.


Y

* Yetənə yetirir, yetməyənə bir daş atır
o Literal translation: Overtakes who gets, and stones who doesn't.
o Meaning: Referring to someone who harasses everyone


Azerbaijani unknown

Dəli quyuya bir daş salam, min ağıllı çıxardammaz

* A mad man drops a rock into water well, so that thousand wise men can not take it out.

* Beauty without virtue is a curse.

* One's own simple bread is much better than someone else's pilaf.

* Speak not of what you have read, but about what you have understood.

* Until spring comes, nightingales do not sing.