Turkish Proverbs I

A

* Acıkan doymam (sanır), susayan kanmam sanır.
o Literal translation: A hungry man thinks he won't be satiated, a thirsty man thinks he won't be quenched.

* Acele işe şeytan karışır.
o Literal translation: The Devil interferes with hurried work.
o Meaning: If you hurry your work it will turn out wrong.

* Aç tavuk kendini buğday ambarında görür.
o Literal translation: A hungry hen sees herself in a wheat silo.
o Meaning: When one is in need of something, he dreams about himself having it lavishly.

* Aç ayı oynamaz.
o Literal translation: A hungry bear won't dance.
o Meaning: One needs to be paid to do some work.

* Açın halini tok bilmez, hastanın halini sağ bilmez.
o Literal translation: A satiated man doesn't know what's hunger, a healthy man doesn't know what's disease.

* Açma sırrını dostuna, o da söyler dostuna.
o Literal translation: Don't tell your secret to your friend, he will tell it to his friend.

* Adam adama gerek olur.
o Literal translation: Man needs man.
+ Meaning: We need each other. We can only do great things through teamwork.

* Ağacı kurt, insanı dert yer.
o Literal translation: It is worms which destroy a tree, it is worry which destroys a human.

* "Aĝaç yaş iken eĝilir"
o Literal translation: Trees bend when they are young.
o Meaning: You can only learn at a young age, when you get older you will not be able to learn.

* Ak gün ağartır, kara gün karartır.
o Literal translation: A white day sheds light, a black day sheds darkness.

* Akılları pazara çıkarmışlar, herkes kendi aklını beğenmiş.
o Variant: Herkes aklını pazara çıkarmış, yine kendi aklını beğenmiş.
o Literal translation: They put up minds for sale on the market, everyone liked his own mind. (Variant: Everyone put up his mind for sale on the market, and liked his own mind.)
o Meaning: To stick to one's own opinion.

* Alçak yerde yatma sel alır, yüksek yerde yatma yel alır.
o Literal translation: Don't lie down in low places, flood will take you, don't lie down in high places, wind will take you.
o Meaning: Do not do extreme things, stay casual.

* Al elmaya taş atan çok olur.
o Literal translation: There are many who throw stones at a red apple.
o Meaning: Good will be envied.

* Allah gümüş kapıyı kaparsa altın kapıyı açar.
o Literal translation: If God closes the silver door He will open the golden door.
+ Meaning: For every loss there is opportunity.

* Ana gibi yar, vatan gibi diyar olmaz.
o Literal translation: There is no love like a mother's nor a place like your homeland.
o Meaning: No others' love can be compared to mothers' love and no place is "better" than the homeland.

* Anlayana sivrisinek saz, anlamayana davul zurna az.
o Literal translation: To one who understands, a mosquito is a lute, to one who does not understand, a drum and zurna are little.
o Meaning: A good listener needs only half a word.

* Araba devrilince yol gösteren çok olur.
o Variant from the city of Kırşehir: Kağnı devrilince yol gösteren çok olur.
o Literal translation: Many will show the way after the carriage (variant: ox cart) has overturned.
o Meaning: Everone is wise after the event. (Everyone tends to be wise with advices not before an incident has happened)

* Armut dibine düşer.
o Literal translation: A pear will fall to its root.
o Meaning: Children resemble their parents. (Children take after their parents)

* Aslan yattığı yerden belli olur.
o Literal translation: You can tell a lion from where he dwells.
o Meaning: A person's character shows itself from his surroundings.

* Aşağı tükürsen sakal, yukarı tükürsen bıyık.
o Literal translation: If you spit downwards, it hits the beard, if you spit upwards, the mustache.
o Meaning: Either way, the situation is bad.

* Ateş demekle ağız yanmaz.
o Literal translation: Saying "fire" does't burn the tongue.
+ Meaning: Offensive words cannot hurt you.

* Ateş düştüğü yeri yakar.
o Literal translation: Fire burns where it falls.
o Meaning: Pain is suffered most by the one who is inflicted.

* Ateş olmayan yerden duman çıkmaz.
o Literal translation: No smoke will come out from a place where there is no fire. (Where there is smoke, there is fire)

* Ayıpsız dost arayan dostsuz kalır.
o Literal translation: A man who seeks a perfect friend, will turn out having none.

B

* Babası oğluna bir bağ bağışlamış, oğul babaya bir salkım üzüm vermemiş.
o Literal translation: The father donated a vineyard to his son, the son didn't give a bunch of grapes to the father.
o Meaning: Used when a person does something ungrateful and selfish to another person who made good deeds for him.

* Balık ağa girdikten sonra aklı başına gelir.
o Literal translation: A fish only comes to its senses after it is caught in the net.
o Meaning: You will only learn when something happens to you. (No use regretting after losses)

* Bana arkadaşını söyle, sana kim olduğunu söyleyeyim.
o Literal translation: Tell me who your friend is, and I will tell you who you are.

* Baş başa vermeyince taş yerinden kalkmaz.
o Literal translation: The stone will not move from its place, unless you cooperate.
o Meaning: Hard tasks can be accomplished by collaboration.

* Başkasına fenalık eden kendine etmiş olur.
o Literal translation: He who does evil to another, has done it to himself.
o Meaning: Sow the wind, reap the storm.

* Bedava sirke baldan tatlıdır.
o Free vinegar is sweeter than honey.

* Bekara karı boşamak kolay.
o Literal translation: Divorcing a wife is easy for a single guy.
o Meaning: If somebody is looking at the situation from outside, he can't fully comprehend it.

* Bekara karı boşamak kolay gelir.
o Literal translation: It's easy for a single to divorce a woman.
o Meaning: Things seem easier to the one who isn't involved.

* Bin bilsen de bir bilene danış.
o Literal translation: Even if you know a thousand things, still ask someone who knows one thing.
o Meaning: It is advisable to check with an expert.

* Bir elin nesi var, iki elin sesi var.
o Literal translation: What does one hand have? Two hands make a sound. (You can't get a clapping sound by a single hand)
o Meaning: People produce more or better work if they cooperate.

* Bir kanatla kuş uçmaz.
o Literal translation: A bird will not fly with one wing.

* Bitli baklanın kör alıcısı olur.
o Literal translation: Wormy beans will have blind buyers.
o Meanning: Even worthless things find a buyer.

* Boşboğazı cehenneme atmışlar, "Odun yaş" diye bağırmış.
o Literal translation: They put the blabbermouth in hell, and he shouted "The wood is damp!"
o Meaning: Used for extremely idiot people.

* Bükemediğin bileği öpeceksin.
o Literal translation: You should kiss the hand that you can't bend.
o Meaning: You should respect someone who is superior, rather than grudging towards him.

* Bülbülü altın kafese koymuşlar, ah vatanım demiş.
o Literal translation: They put the nightingale in a golden cage, it still craved for its country.