Turkish Proverbs III

L

* Lafla peynir gemisi yürümez.
o Literal translation: With talking the cheese ship won't move.
o Meaning: It's action that will yield tangible results, not the talking.

M

* Mal canı kazanmaz, can malı kazanır.
o Literal translation: Property will not earn life, but life will earn property.
o Meaning: Health is more important than wealth.

* Mart kapıdan baktırır, kazma kürek yaktırır.
o Literal translation: March makes one look through the door, and makes one burn hoes and shovels.
o Meaning: Do not act carelessly under influence of enthusiasm, or you might find yourself in a darer situation.

* Merd-i kıpti şecaat arzederken sirkatin söyler.
o Literal translation: A brave/daring gypsy will brag on his robberies. (A gypsy, so daringly fool, confesses his own inapplausable acts without even being asked)
o Meaning: Do not brag with the things that are not suitable to brag with. (Do not brag about unworthy acts)

* Meyveli ağaçı taşlarlar.
o Literal translation: They throw stones at a tree with fruit. (Always the trees that bear fruit are stoned)
o Meaning: Those who are good and talented are the most envied and critisized for.

* Minareyi çalan kılıfını hazırlar.
o Literal translation: Dare to steal the minaret but first prepare the sack for hiding it.
o Meaning: Excuses have to be prearranged before the tresspasses.

* Minareyi yaptırmayan yerden bitmiş sanır.
o Literal translation: He who did not help building the minaret, thinks that it just grew out from the ground.

* Misafir umduğunu yemez, bulduğunu yer.
o Literal translation: A guest does not get the food he expects but what he's served.

* Mühür kimde ise Süleyman odur.
o Literal translation: Whoever has the Seal, he is Solomon [the prophet]. (Solomon is he who has the seal)
o Meaning: He who is the boss is the one who calls the shots. (Those who are empowered have the right to enforce authority)

N

* Namazda gözü olmayanın ezanda kulağı olmaz.
o Literal translation: Who has no intention to pray has no ears for the call to prayer.
o Meaning: One's perceptions depend on her/his intentions.

* Ne ekersen onu biçersin.
o Literal translation: You will reap whatever you sow.

* Nerede hareket orada bereket.
o Literal translation: Where there is activity, there is fertility.

* Nereye gitsen okka dört yüz dirhemdir.
o Literal translation: Wherever you go, an okka is four hundred dirhem.
o Meaning: It makes no difference, fact is fact. (An okka is a weight of 1282 gr, or 400 dirhem).

O

* Oğlan babadan öğrenir sofra açmayı, kız anadan öğrenir biçki biçmeyi.
o Literal translation: A son will learn from his father to make a living, a daughter will learn from her mother to cut clothes.

* Olacakla öleceğe çare bulunmaz.
o Literal translation: There is no remedy for what will be and who will die.

* Olan dört bağlar, olmayan dert bağlar.
o Literal translation: He who has wraps four, he who has not wraps trouble.
o Meaning: The rich have valuables, the poor have troubles.

* Olsa ile bulsayı ekmişler, yel ile yuf bitmiş.
o Literal translation: They sowed "if only" and "if found", and wind and waste sprang up.


P

* Papaz her gün pilav yemez.
o Literal translation: The priest does not eat rice every day.
o Meaning: To grab an opportunity.

* Parayla imanın kimde olduğu belli olmaz.
o Literal translation: It is unclear who has money and who faith.

* Parayı veren düdüğü çalar.
o Literal translation: Who gives the money will play the flute.
o Meaning: There is no free lunch.

R

* Rüşvet kapıdan girince iman bacadan çıkar.
o Literal translation: When bribery enters through the door, faith goes out through the chimney

S

* Sabır acıdır, meyvesi tatlıdır.
o Literal translation: Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.

* Sakinilan göze cöp batar.
o Literal translation: An over-protected eye gets the speck.
o Meaning: Being overly careful invites misfortunes.

* Sakla samanı, gelir zamanı.
o Literal translation: Keep straw, its time will come.
o Meaning: Don't throw away even an insignificant thing, there might be a time, when it will be needed.

* Sarımsağı gelin etmişler, kırk gün kokusu çıkmamış.
o Literal translation: They made the garlic a bride, its smell did not come out for forty days.
o Meaning: Only after some time are a spouse's faults noticed. / Also used if someone overbrags on his/her achievements for an extended period of time.

* Sen ağa, ben ağa, bu ineği kim sağa?
o Literal translation: You a master, I a master, who is to milk this cow?
o Meaning: Said when a job is not done because everybody considers each other as an underling.

* Serçeden korkan darı ekmez.
o Literal translation: Who fears the sparrows must not sow millet.
o Meaning: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

* Soğanın acısını yiyen bilmez, doğrayan bilir.
o Literal translation: Who eats it won't know the bitterness of the onion, but who chops it does.
o Meaning: You can not know how hard a work is, unless you are involved in it.

* Son gülen iyi güler.
o Literal translation: Who laughs last, laughs the best.

* Su akarken testiyi doldurmalı.
o Literal translation: One must fill the pitcher while the water is flowing.
o Meaning: Better to save money when you are able to work.

* Sütten ağzı yanan yoğurdu üfleyerek yer.
o Literal translation: One who has once burnt his tongue while drinking milk will blow to yoghurt before eating it.
o Meaning: One who has experienced pain will be cautious even in the least dangerous situation.

Ş

* Şeyh uçmaz, müridi uçurur.
o Literal translation: The sheik cannot fly, but his disciple lets him fly.
o Meaning: Followers tend to attribute characteristics to a leader that he has not got.

* Şeytanla ortak buğday eken samanını alır.
o Literal translation: Who sows wheat with the devil will get its chaff.

T

* Tabancanın dolusu bir kişiyi korkutur, boşu kırk kişiyi.
o Literal translation: A charged pistol scares one person, an empty one scares forty people.
o Meaning: Control your power. If it is controlled, only the target will be concerned. Otherwise, you create panic.

* Tarlada izi olmayanın harmanda yüzü olmaz.
o Literal translation: Who leaves no traces in the field, will be put to shame at harvest.
o Meaning: Who does not attend to his tasks won't have results.

* Taşıma su ile değirmen dönmez.
o Literal translation: The mill won't turn with carried water.
o Meaning: A job can't be done with inadequate means.

* Tatsız aşa tuz neylesin, akılsız başa söz neylesin.
o Literal translation: What is salt to tasteless food, what is a word to a foolish head?

* Tavşan dağa küsmüş, dağın haberi olmamış.
o Literal translation: The hare (rabbit) was offended with the mountain, but the mountain did not notice.
o Meaning: It is senseless to show resentment towards an unresponsive and unrelated person or entity. / Also used as a catalyzer in an argument to state to the other side that, they are insignificant and not to worth to be paid attention for the speaker.

* Tembele iş buyur, sana akıl öğretsin.
o Literal translation: Order the lazybones a task; he will give you advice.
o Meaning: Lazy people only talk.

* "Tencere dibin kara." "Seninki benden kara."
o Literal translation: "Pot, your bottom is black." "Yours is blacker than me."
o Meaning: Examine your own mistakes and faults first, before blaming others.

* Tiz-i reftar olanın payine damen dolaşır, erişir menzil-i maksuda aheste giden.
o Literal translation: (original sentence is in Ottoman language rather than modern Turkish) He, who walkes hastily will eventually fall down, but he who strides slowly will reach his target.
o Meaning: If you try to do everything so fast, eventually they will all fail. Take it slow and you will succeed.

U

* Ucuz etin yahnisi yavan (tatsız, pek) olur.
o Literal translation: The stew of cheap meat will be tasteless (hard).
o Meaning: Cheap possessions disappoint.

* Umut fakirin ekmeğidir.
o Literal translation: Hope is the bread of the poor.

* Uyuyan yılanın kuyruğuna basma.
o Literal translation: Don't tread on the tail of a sleeping snake.

Ü

* Üşenenin oğlu kızı olmaz.
o Literal translation: A reserved will not have sons and daughters.
o Meaning: A person who shys away from engaging social interactions will stay single.

* Üzüm üzüme baka baka kararır.
o Literal translation: Grapes will darken by looking at each other.
o Meaning: People mature by learning from their peers. People become bad through bad company.

V

* Vakit nakittir.
o Literal translation: Time is cash.
o Meaning: Time is money.

* Vakitsiz öten horozun başı kesilir.
o Literal translation: The head of the rooster that crows out of time will be cut off.
o Meaning: Know where to speak.

* Vardığın yer körse, sen de gözünü kapa.
o Literal translation: If the place you have arrived at is blind, shut your eyes.
o Meaning: When in Rome, do as Romans do.

Y

* Yalancının evi yanmış, kimse inanmamış.
o Literal translation: The liar's house burned, but nobody believed it.

* Yalancının mumu yatsıya kadar yanar.
o Literal translation: A liar's candle will burn until bed-time.
o Meaning : A lie will be eventually exposed.

* Yavuz hırsız ev sahibini bastırır.
o Literal translation: Smart thief overcomes the landlord.
o Meaning: Even when he is wrong, he makes others believe with his aggressive behavior that he is right.

* Yaz günü gölgede yatanın, kış günü ekmeği esmer olur.
o Literal translation: The one who lays in shade in summer, whose bread becomes dark in winter.
o Meaning: If you don't work in summer, you don't get comfort in winter.
o A proverb from the district of Körfez.

* Yenilen pehlivan güreşe doymaz.
o Literal translation: The beaten wrestler is never satisfied with wrestling.
o Meaning: He who fails will always want to try again and again until success.

* Yiğit lakabıyla anılır.
o Literal translation: The brave is known by his fame.

* Yolsuz tüccar bozuk para sayarmış.
o Literal translation: A broke merchant counted his small change.
o Meaning: Said when an underachiever recounts his petty achievements.

* Yüzü güzel olanın huyu da güzel olur.
o Who has a beautiful face has a beautiful character too.

Z

* Zaman sana uymazsa sen zamana uy.
o Literal translation: If time doesn't fit you, you fit time.
o Meaning: Create your own opportunities.

* Zararın neresinden dönülse kardır.
o Literal translation: Whenever you turn from loss, there is gain.
o Meaning: No matter how far down the wrong road you have gone, turn back.

* Zemheride yoğurt isteyen, cebinde bir inek taşır.
o Literal translation: Who wants yoghurt in winter must carry a cow in his pocket.
o Meaning: If you want something difficult, you must be willing to take the trouble to obtain it.

* Zengin arabasını dağdan aşırır, züğürt düz ovada yolunu şaşırır.
o Literal translation: A rich man will get his carriage over the mountains, a poor man will lose his way on a level plain.

* Zenginin horozu bile yumurtlar.
o Literal translation: Even the rooster of a rich man lays eggs.

* Zenginin malı fakirin çenesini yorar.
o Literal translation: A rich man's belongings will tire a poor man's jaw.

* Zorla güzellik olmaz.
o Literal translation: Forced beauty won't do.
o Meaning: You cannot force someone to get along with you.