Hindi proverbs

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  • उल्टा चोर कोतवाल को डांटे
    • Transliteration: ulta chor kotval ko daten
    • Meaning:The pot is calling the kettle black. One who makes the error has no right to blamEe someone else
    • Singh, Dr. D. V; Trivedi, Dr. R. L. (2014). ICSE Hindi Language Links: For Class 8. p. 194. GGKEY:UZ3Z2FJ8KQG. 
  • जान है तो जहान है
    • Transliteration: Jaa'n hey to ja'han hey
    • there is life, there is world.
    • Source: Phansi se Poorv. Atmaram & Sons. p. 360. GGKEY:0ELREBJ4Q0B. 
  • जंगल में मोर नाचा किस ने देखा ?
    • Transliteration: Jun'gl mei mo'r na'che kis ne de'ka
    • Who saw a peacock dance in the woods?
    • English equivalent: If you got it, flaunt it.
    • Source: India Today Volume 25. Thomson Living Media India Ltd.. 2000. p. viii. 
  • जिस की लाठी उसकी भैंस
    • Whoever owns the lathi (a huge cane/stick) owns the buffalo.
    • English equivalent: Might is right.
    • Source: S. W. Fallon; Sir Richard Carnac Temple; Faqir Chand (Lala.) (1998). A dictionary of Hindustani proverbs. Asian Educational Services. p. 119. ISBN 978-81-206-0663-0. 
  • घर का भेदी लंका ढाये
    • An harmless-appearing confidant can bring down Lanka (a then very prosperous city with probably smaller territory from Hindu mythology, today known by name of country called Srilanka)
    • Source: Tivārī, Gajendra (1996). Rañja līḍara ko bahuta hai. Amana Prakāśana. p. 1. 
  • बंदर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद
    • What does a monkey know about the taste of ginger?
    • English equivalent: Laying pearls before swine.
    • "Any fool can be happy. What I'm interested in is satisfaction. There's got to be more to life than just being happy. You've got to be fulfilled. You've got to be satisfied; philosophically satisfied is what I mean."
    • Chicago Tribune Staff, Charlie Trotter: How One Superstar Chef and His Iconic Chicago Restaurant Helped Revolutionize American Cuisine (2012)
    • Source: Prakash, Om (1995). "110". Vyavharik Hindi Shuddh Prayog. Rajpal & Sons. p. 166. ISBN 978-81-7028-107-8. 
  • अब पछताए होत क्या जब चिड़िया चुग गई खेत
    • What is the use of crying when the birds ate the whole farm?
    • English equivalent: It's no use crying over spilled milk.
    • "It’s no use crying over spilt evils. It’s better to mop them up laughing."
    • Eleanor Farjeon, Gypsy and Ginger (1920)
    • Source: Shyam Bahadur Varma, ed (2006). Encyclopaedia of Quotations. Prabhat Prakashan. p. 96. 
  • दूर के ढोल सुहावने लगते हैं
    • The drums sound better at a distance.
    • برگرفته از ضرب المثل فارسی : صدای دهل از دور خوشه .
    • From persian proverb -refer to the people that their lifes seems to be very good but infact they arent happy and just try to show something else to the others
    • English equivalent: The grass is always greener on the other side.
    • "We tend to like the things we don't have."
    • Source: Hindi Proverbs, Popular Sayings, Hindi Kahavat, Kahawat
  • घर की मुर्गी दाल बराबर
    • Something owned(POSSESSED) in abundance is undervalued. Literally it means chicken at home (expensive food) feels like daal (lentil dish, staple food in India)
    • "Self possessions are always undermined and other's possessions seem better."
    • Source: Hindi Proverbs, Popular Sayings, Hindi Kahavat, Kahawat
  • जल में रहकर मगर से बैर ठीक नहीं
  • जाति ना पूछो साधु की; पूछ लीजिए ज्ञान.
    • Ask not a saint of his caste; ask of his knowledge.
    • English equivalent: Don't judge a book by its cover.
    • "A person's merit should be determined by his inherent qualities and contributions as an individual, not by superficial traits which fail to capture the essence of a person."

See also[edit]