Azerbaijani proverbs

From Wikiquote

A - B - C - Ç - D - E - Ə - F - G - Ğ - H - X - İ - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - Ö - P - Q - R - S - Ş - T - U - Ü - V - Y - Z

[edit] A

• Ağıl başda olar, yaşda olmaz
  • Literal translation: Intelligence is in the head, not in the age
  • Meaning: You do not have to be old to be intelligent

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

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

[edit] B

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

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

[edit] C

[edit] Ç

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

[edit] D

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

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

[edit] E

[edit] Ə

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

• Əvvəl düşün, sonra danış
  • First think, then speak

[edit] F

[edit] G

[edit] H

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

• Haram malın bərəkəti olmaz
  • Literal translation: Unlawful riches doesn't bring plenitude (Haram in Islamic law)
  • 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
  • Literal translation: Every tree casts shadow on its own bottom
  • Meaning: Everybody takes care of their own, a tree casts shadow only on those who are close, the rest are on their own.

[edit] X

[edit] İ

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

İş insanın cövhəridir.

İt hürər karvan keçər.

• Literal translation: The dog barks, the caravan passes by.

[edit] J

[edit] K

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

• Kasıb öləndə molla xəstə olar
  • Literal translation: Mollah is sick when the poor is dying
  • 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
  • Literal translation: A man would not lick what he spit
  • Meaning: A man should stand by his words.

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

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

[edit] M

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

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

[edit] N

[edit] O

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

[edit] Ö

[edit] P

[edit] Q

[edit] R

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

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

[edit] S

[edit] Ş

[edit] T

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

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

[edit] U

[edit] Ü

[edit] V

[edit] Y

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

[edit] Z

[edit] Azerbaijani unknown

(Dali guyiya bir das salar, bin aghil-li chikhardanmaz.)

• 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.

[edit] See also

• Azerbaijan (English version)