Talk:Turkish proverbs

A

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

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

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

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

• Açın halini tok bilmez, hastanın halini sağ bilmez.
  • 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.
  • Literal translation: Don't tell your secret to your friend, he will tell it to his friend.

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

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

• "Aĝaç yaş iken eĝilir"
  • Literal translation: Trees bend when they are young.
  • 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.
  • Literal translation: A white day sheds light, a black day sheds darkness.

• Akılları pazara çıkarmışlar, herkes kendi aklını beğenmiş.
  • Variant: Herkes aklını pazara çıkarmış, yine kendi aklını beğenmiş.
  • 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.)
  • Meaning: To stick to one's own opinion.

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

• Allah gümüş kapıyı kaparsa altın kapıyı açar.
  • Literal translation: If God closes the silver door He will open the golden door.
    • Meaning: For every loss there is opportunity.
      • English equivalent: When one door closes, another one opens.

• Ana gibi yar, vatan gibi diyar olmaz.
  • Literal translation: There is no love like a mother's nor a place like your homeland.

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

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

• Armut dibine düşer.
  • Literal translation: A pear will fall to its root.
  • Meaning: Children resemble their parents. (Children take after their parents)
    • English equivalent: The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

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

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

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

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

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

B

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

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

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

• Başkasına fenalık eden kendine etmiş olur.
  • Literal translation: He who does evil to another, has done it to himself.

• Bedava sirke baldan tatlıdır.
  • Free vinegar is sweeter than honey.

• Bekara karı boşamak kolay.
  • Literal translation: Divorcing a wife is easy for a single guy.
  • Meaning: If somebody is looking at the situation from outside, he can't fully comprehend it. Things seem easier to one who isn't involved.

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

• Bir elin nesi var, iki elin sesi var.
  • Literal translation: What does one hand have? Two hands make a clapping sound.
  • Meaning: People produce more or better work if they cooperate.

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

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

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

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

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

C

• Cahile söz anlatmak, deveyi hendekten atlatmaktan zordur.
  • Literal translation: Explaining something to an ignorant person is harder than making a camel jump over a ditch.

• Can çıkmayınca huy çıkmaz.
  • Literal translation: Habits don't expire until the soul expires.
    • English equivalent: Old habits die hard.

• Cömert der maldan ederler, yiğit der candan ederler.
  • Literal translation: They call you "generous" and make you lose your property, they call you "brave" and make you lose your life.

Ç

• Çıkar ağzındaki baklayı.
  • Literal translation: Remove that bean hiding under your tongue.
  • Meaning: Tell what are you really are going to tell me, rather than prolonging the conversation.

• Çok yaşayan bilmez, çok gezen bilir.
  • Literal translation: Not he who lived long knows, but he who traveled much knows.
  • Meaning: Experience counts more than years.

D

• Dağ dağa kavuşmaz, insan insana kavuşur.
  • Literal translation: Mountain won't meet mountain, but man will meet man.
  • Meaning: Consider that whatever you do to a person, you may meet him again.

• Damlaya damlaya göl olur.
  • Literal translation: Drop by drop the lake is formed.
  • English equivalent: From little acorns, mighty oak trees grow.

• Davulun sesi uzaktan hoş gelir.
  • Literal translation: The sound of drums sounds nicely from far away.
  • English equivalent: The grass looks greener on the other side.

• Denize düşen yılana sarılır.
  • Literal translation: Who falls into the sea will take hold even of a snake.
  • Meaning: If you are in a bad situation, you will accept any help. Beggars can't be choosers.
  • English equivalent: A drowning man will clutch at straws.

• Dervişin fikri neyse zikri de odur.
  • Literal translation: Whatever the thoughts of the dervish, so are his formulas.
  • Meaning: Man's thoughts are revealed in his speech.

• Deveye sormuşlar neden boynun eğri. "Nerem doğru ki?" demiş.
  • Literal translation: They asked the camel why its neck was curved. "What of me is straight?" it said.
  • Meaning: Used for extremely unpleasant and pessimistic situations. Also used to insult people.

• Doğru söyleyeni dokuz köyden kovarlar.
  • Literal translation: The one who speaks truth would be expelled from nine villages.
  • Meaning: Who always speaks the truth is not popular.
  • Note: "Dokuz" (nine) displays alliteration with "doğru" (truth).

• Dünyayı sel bassa ördeğe vız gelir.
  • Literal translation: If the world is flooded, it wouldn't matter for the duck.

E

• El elin eşeğini türkü çığırarak arar.
  • Literal translation: One searches for someone else's donkey while singing songs.
  • Meaning: People don't care about others' problems as much as their own.

• Eleştiri hakkı çalışmaktan doğar
  • Literal translation: The right to criticize comes from working.
  • Meaning: Those who haven't done the work shouldn't criticize others.

• Emek olmadan yemek olmaz.
  • Literal translation: Without effort there is no food.
  • English equivalent: No pain, no gain.

F

• Fala inanma falsız kalma.
  • Literal translation: Don't believe in foretellings but don't stay without them.
  • Meaning: Foretellings are not to be believed but they might have benefits.

G

• Gençliğin kıymeti ihtiyarlıkta bilinir.
  • Literal translation: The value of youth will be known in old age.

• Gençlık bir kuştur, ucar tutamam. Yaşlılık yüktür, bir kuruşa satamam.
  • Literal translation: Youth is a bird, escapes my capture. Old age is a heavy burden, can't sell it for a penny.

• Gökyüzünde düğün var deseler, kadınlar merdiven kurmaya kalkar.
  • Literal translation: If they say there is a wedding in the sky, women would try to put up a ladder.
  • Meaning: Turkish women like weddings very much.

• Görünen köy kılavuz istemez.
  • Literal translation: The village that one can see requires no guide.
  • Meaning: No need to say something when it is obvious.

• Görünen köye klavuz istenmezmiş.
  • Meaning: Every situation which is seen doesn't need a comment.

• Gülü seven dikenine katlanır.
  • Literal translation: Who loves a rose will endure its thorns.
  • Meaning: If you love something, you need to accept its undesirable attributes / everything has its consequences

• Güneş balçıkla sıvanmaz.
  • Literal translation: Sun cannot be daubed using wet clay.
  • Meaning: One cannot conceal something very obvious whatever they try.

H

• Hamama giren terler.
  • Literal translation: Who enters the Turkish bath will sweat.
  • Meaning: To bear the consequences of one's actions.

• Harman yel ile, düğün el ile olur.
  • Literal translation: Winnowing is with the wind, wedding is with the people.
  • Meaning: Every situation has its own requirements.

• Hatasiz Kul Olmaz.
  • Literal translation: Flawless human is impossible
  • Meaning: Nobody's perfect.

• Havan dövücünün hık deyicisi.
  • Literal translation: He who hiccups of him who beats the pestle.
  • Meaning: To pretend to help but not do anything.

• Hayy'dan gelen Hû'ya gider.
  • Literal translation: What comes from The Ever Living One will go to him.
  • Meaning: He who comes from the creator, will return to him at the end.
  • Variant: Someone will end up the way he started.

• Hazıra dağlar dayanmaz.
  • Literal translation: Mountains won't endure on what lies ready.
  • Meaninng: One cannot live forever on one's savings.

• Her gönülde bir aslan yatar.
  • Literal translation: There lies a lion in every heart.
  • Meaning: Everybody has bravery somewhere in themselves.

• Her horoz kendi çöplüğünde öter.
  • Literal translation: Every rooster crows in its own pen.
  • Meaning: People take courage from being in familiar surroundings.

• Her koyun kendi bacağından asılır.
  • Literal translation: Every sheep is hanged from its own leg.
  • Meaning: Everyone is responsible for his own actions.

• Her kuşun eti yenmez.
  • Literal translation: One cannot eat the meat of every bird.
  • Meaning: Not every person will do as you say.

• Her şeyin yenisi, dostun, şarabın eskisi.
  • Literal translation: Every thing is best when new, a friend and wine are best when old.

• Her taş, baş yarmaz.
  • Literal translation: Not every stone will hurt your head.
  • Meaning: You should not be scared of every little obstacle.

• Hocanın vurduğu yerde gül biter.
  • Literal translation: A rose will sprout from the place where a teacher has hit.
  • Meaning: No learning without beating.

• Horozu çok olan köyün sabahı geç olur.
  • Literal translation: In a village with too many roosters morning will come late.
  • Meaning: With too much deliberation a solution won't be reached.

İ

• İki ucu boklu deynek.
  • Literal translation: A stick with both sides covered in shit.
  • Meaning: Either of the options is unsatisfactory.

• İmam gülerse, cemaat kahkaha atar.
  • Literal translation: If the imam scoffs, the community will chortle.
  • Meaning: The leader serves as a model for the people.

• İmam osurursa, cemaat sıçar.
  • Literal translation: If the imam farts, the whole congregation will defecate.
  • Meaning: The leader serves as an example to his followers.

• İsin yanına varan is, misin yanına varan mis kokar.
  • Literal translation: Who goes near soot smells of soot, and who goes near musk smells of musk.
  • Meaning: A person is influenced by the company he keeps.

• İşleyen demir pas tutmaz.
  • Literal translation: Iron that works does not rust.
  • Meaning: One has to practice to keep up one's performance.

• İti an, çomağı hazırla.
  • Literal translation: Name the dog, ready the stick.
  • Meaning: Used for people who show up instantly when they have been talked about. Usually has an unpleasant meaning. Check "İyi insan lafının üzerine gelirmiş." for the other one.

• İtle dalaşmaktansa çalıyı dolaşmak yeğdir.
  • Literal translation: It is better to walk around a bush than fight with a dog.

• İyi insan lafının üzerine gelirmiş.
  • Literal translation: A good person always arrives on the uttering of his name.
  • Meaning: Used for people who show up instantly when they have been talked about. Has a pleasant meaning, unlike "İti an, çomağı hazırla."

• İyilik yap denize at, balık bilmezse halik bilir.
  • Literal Translation: Do good and throw it into the sea; if the fish don't know it, God will.

K

• "En iyi karar, verilmiş karardir"
  • Literal meaning: The best decision is a made decision.

• Karga demiş: "Benim ak pak evladim".
  • Literal translation: The crow said: "Oh, my snow-white child".
  • Meaning: Everyone thinks their child is beautiful.

• Karga kekliği taklit edeyim derken, kendi yürüyüşünü unutmuş.
  • Literal translation: As the crow tried to imitate the partridge, it forgot its own walking style.
  • Meaning: Be thyself.

• Kaz gelecek yerden tavuk esirgenmez.
  • Literal translation: A chicken won't be grudged to a place a goose will come from.
  • Meaning: You need to be ready to sacrifice smaller things to reach your bigger goals.

• "Koyun bulunmadigi yerde keciye Abdur Rahman Celebi derler"
  • Literal Translation: In the land where there are no sheep, they call goats Abdur Rahman Chelebi
  • English equivalent: In the land of the blind, the man with one eye is king

• Kefenin cebi yok.
  • Literal translation: The shroud has no pockets.
  • Meaning: You cannot take your earthly belongings with you when you die. Make better things with your wealth.

• Kel ölür sırma saçlı olur, kör ölür badem gözlü olur.
  • Literal translation: The bald becomes golden haired when he dies, the blind becomes almond eyed when he dies.
  • Meaning: People will attribute unrealistically good qualities to a person once he dies.

• Körle yatan şaşı kalkar.
  • Literal translation: Who lies with the blind gets up cross-eyed.
  • Meaning: If you are with the wrong person, you will adopt the mistakes.
  • English equivalent: If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.

• Kurda ensen neden kalın demişler, kendi işimi kendim görürüm de ondan demiş.
  • Literal translation: They asked the wolf: "Why is your neck thick?", and it said: "I do my job myself, that's why."

• Kurunun yanında yaş da yanar.
  • Literal translation: Near the dry, the damp will burn.
  • Meaning: If you are with wrongdoers, nobody cares if you are innocent.

L

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

• Peyniri olan adam, Zengin adam!
  • Literal translation: The man who has cheese is the rich man!

M

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

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

• Merd-i kıpti şecaat arzederken sirkatin söyler.
  • 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)
  • Meaning: Do not brag with the things that are unworthy.

• Meyveli ağaçı taşlarlar.
  • Literal translation: They throw stones at a tree with fruit.
  • Meaning: Those who are good and talented are the most envied and critisized for.

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

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

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

• Mühür kimde ise Süleyman odur.
  • Literal translation: Whoever has the Seal, he is Solomon [the prophet]. (Solomon is he who has the seal)
  • Meaning: The boss is the one who calls the shots.

N

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

• Nerede hareket orada bereket.
  • Literal translation: Wherever there is activity, there is blessing.

• Nereye gitsen okka dört yüz dirhemdir.
  • Literal translation: Wherever you go, an okka is four hundred dirhem.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Literal translation: There is no remedy for what will be and who will die.

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

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

P

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

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

• Parayı veren düdüğü çalar.
  • Literal translation: Who gives the money will play the flute.

R

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

S

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

• Sakla samanı, gelir zamanı.
  • Literal translation: Keep straw, its time will come.
  • 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.
  • Literal translation: They made the garlic a bride, its smell did not come out for forty days.
  • 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?
  • Literal translation: You a master, I a master, who is to milk this cow?
  • Meaning: Said when a job is not done because each person considers the others as underlings.

• Serçeden korkan darı ekmez.
  • Literal translation: Who fears the sparrows must not sow millet.
  • English equivalent: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

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

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

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

• Sütten ağzı yanan yoğurdu üfleyerek yer.
  • Literal translation: One who has once burnt his tongue while drinking milk will blow to yoghurt before eating it.
  • Meaning: One who has experienced pain will be cautious even in the least dangerous situation.
  • English equivalent: Once burned, twice shy

Ş

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

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

T

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

• Tarlada izi olmayanın harmanda yüzü olmaz.
  • Literal translation: Who leaves no traces in the field, will be put to shame at harvest.
  • Meaning: Who does not attend to his tasks won't have results.
  • English equivalent: You reap what you sow.

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

• Tatsız aşa tuz neylesin, akılsız başa söz neylesin.
  • Literal translation: What is salt to a chef without taste, what is advice to a head without brain?

• Tavşan dağa küsmüş, dağın haberi olmamış.
  • Literal translation: The hare (rabbit) was offended with the mountain, but the mountain did not notice.
  • 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.
  • Literal translation: Order the lazybones a task; he will give you advice.
  • Meaning: Lazy people only talk.

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

• Tiz-i reftar olanın payine damen dolaşır, erişir menzil-i maksuda aheste giden.
  • 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.
  • Meaning: If you try to do everything so fast, eventually they will all fail. Take it slow and you will succeed.
  • English equivalent: Slow and steady wins the race.

U

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

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

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

Ü

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

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

V

• Vakit nakittir.
  • Literal translation: Time is cash.
  • English equivalent: Time is money.

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

Y

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

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

• Yavuz hırsız ev sahibini bastırır.
  • Literal translation: Smart thief overcomes the landlord.
  • 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.
  • Literal translation: The one who lays in shade in summer, whose bread becomes dark in winter.
  • Meaning: If you don't work in summer, you don't get comfort in winter.
  • A proverb from the district of Körfez.

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

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

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

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

Z

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

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

• "Zayif birisi caliskan olsa bile sonunda ezilir."
  • Literal translation: A weakling will be crush, even if he is hardworking and persistant.
  • Meaning: The weak can never succeed, no matter how hardworking.

• Zemheride yoğurt isteyen, cebinde bir inek taşır.
  • Literal translation: Who wants yoghurt in winter must carry a cow in his pocket.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Literal translation: Even the rooster of a rich man lays eggs.

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