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 AZERBAIJANI PROVERBS:

COLLECTION A N D ANALYSIS (FORMAL A N D THEMATIC)

SHAHYAR DANESH G A R

Subm itted to the faculty of the U niversity G rad u ate School

in p a rtia l fulfillm ent of the requirem ents

for the degree

D octor of Philosophy

in the D epartm ent of the C entral E urasian Studies,

In d ia n a U niversity

M ay 1995
 UMI Number: 9539992

Copyright 1994 by
Daneshgar, Shahyar
All rights reserved.

UMI Microform 9539992

Copyright 1995, by UMI Company. All rights reserved.

This microform edition is protected against unauthorized

copying under Title 17, United States Code.

UMI
300 North Zeeb Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
 A ccepted by the G rad u ate Faculty, Indiana U niversity, in partial

fulfillm ent of the requirem ents for the degree of D octor of Philosophy.

Ilhan Baggdz, Q ia irp e rso n

u.
G ustav Bayerle

J
' \H enry G lassie

n/

John M cD ow ell

M ay 13,1994

11
 © 1994

Shahyar D aneshgar

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

iii
 A talar S ozlarin in S oziina Baxan P ashim an O lm az

H e W ho Pays A ttention to the W ords of A ncestors W ill N ever R epent

[His Actions]
D edicated to m y parents Tahereh and M oham m ad Vali D aneshgar,
H einz and U rsula M inderm ann, Katy, Sona an d Sahar

v
 ACKNOW LEDGM ENTS

W riting a dissertation usually seem s to be the w ork of one

individual. But in reality those w ho have experienced the w riting of a

dissertation w o uld agree th a t it is m ore th an just the h ard w ork of one

person: it is the p ro d u c t of a joint effort. The quality and result of this

dissertation w ou ld not have been the sam e, h ad I no t received the

necessary advice, criticism an d encouragem ent of several people to w hom

I w ould like to express m y appreciation. A ccordingly, I w ould like to

thank Professor Ilhan Ba^goz w ho directed m y dissertation com m ittee.

Professor Ba§goz w as exceptionally helpful th ro u g h o u t the com pletion of

m y w ork. I benefited im m ensely from his vast know ledge and

constructive advice and positive criticism. H e alw ays received me w ith

great enthusiasm and assured m e of his su p p o rt w hile m aking sure th at I

w as on the correct path. My gratitu d e to him is two-fold. In addition to

m y good fortune to receive his professional and scholarly advice, I also

thank him for the m aterial th a t he recorded d u rin g his field trip to Iranian

A zerbaijan in 1973, w hich becam e the basis for this dissertation.

Furtherm ore, I w ould like to express m y g ratitu d e to Professor H enry

Glassie. Professor Glassie assisted m e in m any w ays d u rin g m y w ork. I

feel very fortunate in having the o p p o rtu n ity to w ork w ith a great scholar

and above all a kind and su p po rtiv e individual. His scholarly advice and

criticism w ere of great im portance in w riting this dissertation.

Som etim es w ords cannot express a p erso n 's deepest gratitude tow ards

another individual. N evertheless I w o u ld sim ply like to say: H enry Bey,

yardim iniza gok te§ekkiir ederim. I w o u ld also like to thank Professor

vi
G ustav Bayerle for his constructive and scholarly advice. Professor

Bayerle kindly read m y w ork at different stages and m ade invaluable

com m ents tow ard s the com position of this dissertation. F urther, I w o u ld

also like to thank Professor John M cDowell for review ing m y dissertation

at several stages an d giving m e positive criticism and advice.

In ad d ition to the above m entioned individuals, I w o u ld like to

take this oppo rtu n ity to thank tw o sets of parents w ho w ere sem inal in m y

education. Thanks go first to m y ow n paren ts Tahereh and M oham m ad

Vali D aneshgar w ho p ro v id ed m e w ith the m eans for m y education. I am

glad to m ake m y father's dream come through. I also w ould like to thank

m y G erm an "foster p aren ts" U rsula and H einz M inderm ann w ho are as

d ear to m e as m y ow n p aren ts and w ere responsible for m y education in

G erm any. To them I ju st w a n t to say: M einen wunderbaren deutschen

Pflegeeltern, Ursula und H einz, herzlichen D ank fiir alles. Special thanks

go to m y wife Katy Pastel an d m y daughters Sona and Sahar. M y fam ily

has been very u n d e rstan d in g and su p p o rtiv e of m y endeavors th ro u g h o u t

m y work. W ithout their help I w o u ld have r o t been able to com plete m y

w ork. Especially, m y w ife n o t only stood by m e w henever I n eeded her

help b u t she also assisted m e in editing and proof reading the entire

proverb collections several tim es and gave good advice and com m ents in

translating and presenting the proverbs in English. The nam es of

individuals w ho su p p o rted m e at different steps of w riting this

dissertation can m ake u p a long list. H ow ever, I w ould like to m ention

the nam es of a few individuals as a token of m y appreciation. I w ould like

to thank D avid C rum for reading and editing m y first d raft of the
translation into English. Also I w o u ld like to th an k Dr. M oira Sm ith for

her editorial, scholarly advice, and constant encouragem ent in w riting my

dissertation. M y gratitu d e goes to Professor Ron Smith w ho helped me

w ith the com puterization of the collection at the early stages of this w ork.

F urtherm ore, I w ould also like to th an k Ali Shashaani for assisting me

w ith specific technical questions related to the use of the com puter in

preparing the collection and keyw ords to the proverbs. Last b u t not the

least, I ow e m y Iranian and A m erican friends, especially those of the

B loom ington com m unity, a special d eb t for being a great m oral su p p o rt

th ro u g h o u t m y dissertation. Especially, m y fam ily and I w o u ld like to

thank Professor Sourushe Z andvakili for his continual su p p o rt and

guidance tow ards the com pletion of m y dissertation. In addition, I w ould

like to thank Jon Liechty for his editorial com m ents and m oral support.
 PREFACE

In the process of collecting data and conducting research for this

dissertation, I could not help b u t thinking of the am ount of frustration

and difficulty th at m any A zerbaijani authors and intellectuals from Iran

have experienced w hile collecting data and publishing their studies. They

p u rsu ed this task not for the sake of glorification and recognition; they did

this only for the sake of protecting and preserving their culture from

destruction. The am ount of difficulty that som e of these in d iv id u als have

faced is beyond im agination. Sometimes, these individuals w ere subject

to police harassm ent and investigations u n d er the accusation of "being a

threat to the Iranian governm ent." Some of them like Sam ad B ehrangi, a

social activist and author, w ho w as an outspoken critic against the

governm ent's policies w as often interrogated and incarcerated by the

police for u n founded accusations. O thers, like B. Q. Sahand, despite the

fact that he w as suffering from heart trouble, w ould stay aw ake all night

long to m ake sure that the proverbs in this study w ere recorded on tapes to

be "sm uggled o u t of Iran" before the police could destroy them . Sahand

and m any others like him , h a d done this w hile being aw are of the risk of

arrest by the secret police for "subversive actions." A t times, books by

authors like Salam al-Lah Javid w ould be confiscated and destroyed by the

police. These intim idating actions h ap p en ed at a tim e w hen au th o rs like

Javid had m anaged to publish a single book in a peroid of difficult

econom ic tim es.

Since the 1979 change in the regim e in Iran, Javad H eyet's efforts, as

a scholar, editor and the publish er of the Varl'iq journal, deserve special

ix
recognition. H e has devoted his entire life to preserve, p ropagate and

achieve recognition for the culture of the A zerbaijani people in Iran. The

success of com pleting this study , the first largest A zerbaijani proverb

collection ever published in the English language and in A zerbaijani in

Iran, w as possible because of the dedication of m any A zerbaijani scholars

and laym en such as the above m entioned individuals. These individuals

have devoted their lives to preserv in g and p u b lish in g A zerbaijani w orks

dealing w ith language, literature, folklore, history and m any other

subjects. H aving acknow ledged their contributions to this dissertation and

other w orks, I w ould like to take the o p p o rtu n ity to thank a few nam es

am ong m any others: Sam ad Behrangi; Javad H eyet; Salam al-Lah Javid; B.

Q. Sahand; Ali A sghar M ujtehedi; A. M anzuri-K ham enehi; Jaqub Qods;

M.A. Farzaneh, and H osein M irjafari. These in d iv id u als and m any others

w hose nam es could have easily m ade a long list, deserve to be praised and

congratulated in succeeding to publish and hence help to preserve the

treasures of a neglected and suppressed culture. These individuals are the

true guardians of the A zerbaijani culture and their nam es w ill alw ays be

im m ortal to those w ho stu d y any aspect of the culture of Azerbaijani

people living in Iran.

x
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

A cknow ledgm ents..................................................................................................... vi

Preface........................................................................................................................... ix

I. Introduction: O rigin and Significance of this Collection

1. O rigin of the C ollection...................................................................................... 1
2. Classification System ........................................................................................... 7
3. Problem s in the Classification System s, an d Some Suggestions 10
4. Significance of this Collection for M iddle Eastern Studies an d Turkic
Studies Specially..................................................................................................... 12

II. Survey of the Folklore and Proverb Studies in A zerbaijan

1. W here is A zerbaijan and W ho A re A zerbaijanis...... :............................ 18
2. Status of A zerbaijani C ulture in Iran ........................................................... 21
3. A Survey of A zerbaijani Proverb Studies in Iran and in the
Republic of A zerbaijan........................................................................................ 26
4. Proverb Scholarship in the W est...................................................................40

III. Proverbs and Related Genres: D efinition and Form

1. Collection and its C om ponents......................................................................52
2. Definition of Proverb........................................................................................ 63
3. Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases: R elationship and D istinction 71

IV. Style, Form s and C ontent of the Proverbs

1. Style and Forms of the Proverbs.................................................................... 85
2. Themes of the P roverbs.................................................................................. 102

V. C orpus
1. Listing of Proverbs in Alphabetical O rd e r................................................ 119
2. Index: K eyw ords of the Proverbs................................................................336
3. Bibliography......................................................................................................359
 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION: ORIGIN A N D SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS

COLLECTION

1. The Origin of the Collection

U pon com pleting m y u n d erg rad u ate degree at IU in the 1980s, I m et

Professor Ba^goz w hile I w as taking several courses on T urkish culture and

civilization. It w as during this tim e that I w as inform ed about the existence of

an Azerbaijani proverb collection. The collection contained som e eight

thousand proverbs and proverbial expressions, similes, w eather proverbs,

dialogue and anecdotal proverbs, riddle-proverbs, and blason populaire,

which w ere presented to Professor Bajgoz during a research trip that he

m ade to Iran in 1973. In Professor Ba§goz's ow n w ords, due to fear of

confiscation by Savak, the Iranian Secret Police, this collection w as "sm uggled

out of Iran." This task w as carried ou t after Professor Ba§goz m ade

acquaintance w ith several A zerbaijani intellectuals and he succeeded in

establishing a bond of m utual trust betw een him self and these individuals.

This is w hat he w rites about how he came into possession of this collection :

One day Sahand [a fam ous Azeri poet] inform ed m e that

Farzaneh [another fam ous Azeri intellectual] had collected 8000
proverbs and proverbial expressions w hich w ere h id d en for the
fear of confiscation and destruction. It w as only on m y last
night in Tehran that Sahand received the m anuscript consisting
of h u n d red s of hand-w ritten pages, and despite his heart
trouble he stayed aw ake all the night, reading the w hole
collection and recording the proverbs on tapes. A few hours
prior to m y ride to the airp o rt the tapes labeled 'Iranian songs'

1
 reached me, and I sm uggled this dangerous cargo ou t of Iran
(Bajgoz 1984, Introduction).

A ccording to Professor Ba§goz the actual recording took place at Sahand's

house in Tehran. In the background, one can hear the noises of the street

traffic. The speakers took tu rn to read the proverbs after going through a

large num ber of index cards.

Professor Ba§goz had an Azerbaijani scholar from Iran w ho w as doing

research at Chicago U niversity transcribe the w hole collection. This effort

resulted in the production of a transcript of alm ost all the item s existing in

this collection. The transcriber w rote each of the item s in Perso-Arabic script

on index cards. U nfortunately, the transcriber did no t use additional diacritic

m arks to represent the true phonetic values of each w ord. Therefore the

transcription could not truly represent the dialect nuances of the speakers,

w hose voices are good specim ens of A zerbaijani language spoken in Ira n .1

The problem arises from using the Perso-Arabic script w ithout using

additional characters, a system not sufficient for representing the true vow el

values of any of the Turkic languages know n for richness of their vowels.

Nevertheless, based on the index cards produced by the transcriber it can be

ascertained that he had a good know ledge of the Azerbaijani language and

he, for the m ost part, provided a good transcription.2 H ow ever, due to the

im perfect quality of some sections of the original recordings, w hich w ere

m ade during field w ork in Iranian Azerbaijan back in 1973, several item s

w ere m isinterpreted. As a result, a num ber of m istakes slipped into the w ork

of the transcription. Hence a serious stu d y required a re-exam ination of all of

the proverbs by going through each tape for clarification.

2
 A t one point, Professor Baggoz had plans to prepare this collection for

publication. I w as asked to assist him in proof-reading and translating the

proverbs for a future publication. U nfortunately, due to a busy academic

schedule and other pressing projects, the plan did not m aterialize and the

project had to be postponed.

W hen I began w orking tow ards a graduate degree in Turkish studies

and folklore, I found out that the collection had been h anded over to another

A zerbaijani from Iran, Dr. H asan Javadi, w ho w as teaching at the U niversity

of California at Berkeley. Dr. Javadi m ade a few corrections and identified

som e of the true proverbs in the collection, distinguishing them from the

idiom s based on the index cards that had been prepared by the first

transcriber. This distinction will be discussed in a later chapter. D ue to a

busy schedule, once again the project rem ained unfinished. The question

arose w hether or not this collection w ould ever be published and its contents

shared w ith other individuals w ho w ere interested in parem iological studies.

Interestingly enough, constant rem arks w ere m ade about the existence of

above m entioned collection and its im portance for the proverb studies.

A m ong m any such rem arks is the one m ade by Professor Ba§goz himself

w hen he tells us how he cam e to possess this collection (Bajgoz 1984,

Introduction).

Being an Azerbaijani m yself and having a keen interest in the culture

of A zerbaijan and training in the field of Turkology, I decided to incorporate

this collection into m y doctoral research. The index cards that I received to

w ork on contained transcriptions of every proverb in Perso-Arabic

accom panied by Rom an script based on m odern Turkish transcription. The

3
Turkish transcriptions w ere n o t alw ays representing the exact A zerbaijani

pronunciation; in fact they w ere m odified Turkish renditions of the

Azerbaijani originals. The differences in the phonology, lexicon and gram m ar

can be presented here as evidence. Nevertheless, the Turkish renditions w ere

also helpful in arriving at a correct interpretation.

The person w ho did the Turkish transcription som etim es appeared to

have difficulty understanding several of the proverbs, for m any question

m arks w ere placed at the end of the proverbs.3 C onfronted by these technical

uncertainties, it w as necessary for m e to double-check all of the transcriptions

by the first transcriber from the U niversity of Chicago. To carry ou t this task,

I decided to p u t all of the transcribed items into the com puter as the first step

tow ards studying this collection. A fter this task w as com pleted, I started to

com pare every item w ith the original recordings. This task proved to be very

helpful in m any ways. First it helped me to keep track of the actual dialect

differences of the speakers w ho read these items from the original h a n d ­

w ritten m anuscripts. Second, I w as able to elim inate certain errors th at had

crept into the transcription of these items. Third, it w as discovered that for

some reason some 500 proverbs on side B of the tape # 3 and the the entire

contents of tape # 7 w ere not included du rin g the transcription process.

These item s w ere transcribed and ad d ed to the com puter lists later.

To be able to say w ith one h undred-percent assurance that these

proverbs had been w ritten and translated accurately required further

verification. This time all of the items needed to be com pared w ith other

w ritten sources w hich w ere published both in Iran and in the Republic of

Azerbaijan. Further, additional proverb studies published in Turkish and in

4
other Turkic languages w ere of great help in com paring and un d erstan d in g
the proverbs in this collection. Despite the fact that a great deal of care w as

used in transcribing and translating the proverbs, several of them rem ained

unrecognizable and it was not possible to reconstruct the original proverbs.

In the corpus, I decided to include these item s w ith question m arks so th at the

entire collection w ould rem ain intact. Thus, in the future som e people m ight

be able to recognize some of these items that for the tim e being rem ained

unintelligible.

The collection that I have chosen as m y dissertation topic appears to be

the sam e collection that Dr. Farzaneh collected w hich is now deposited at the

Turkish Folklore A rchive of the Bloomington cam pus of Indiana U niversity.

Several times rem arks have been m ade to the effect that Farzaneh is in

possession of the latest collection of Azerbaijani proverbs and that he p lans to

publish the collection in its entire form in the near future (Javid 1980,1: 13).

One can distinguish tw o types of dialects in the voices recorded on

these tapes. One is the voice of Sahand, w ho is a native of M aragheh; the

second person's dialect has n o t yet been identified. Since the voices of the

readers are good sam ples for dialect studies of the A zerbaijani language in

Iran, I have tried to adhere to the actual representation of each speaker's

speech. This will provide us w ith a future research o p p o rtu n ity to stu d y the

different dialects of the language currently used in Iran.

It appears that the original m anuscript, prepared by Farzaneh and

from w hich the tapes w ere recorded, w as w ritten in literary as well as the

spoken language of Azerbaijan. This is only an assum ption—the original

m anuscript is not available. O ne can discern inconsistencies in the language

5
use of the tw o individuals w ho read the proverbs aloud for recording

purposes. In other w ords, the speakers' language represents both the literary

language as well as the spoken.

A lthough the tendencies of both speakers and probably also of the

original m anuscript w ere to use the literary language, nevertheless there are

enough sam ples that dem onstrate the existing difference betw een the literary

and colloquial language. For instance, based on these sam ples one can make

the observation that there is a strong regressive and progressive assim ilation

in spoken Azerbaijani of Iran. In particular, the degree of assim ilation in the

ablative and instrum ental cases is m arked. Examples of progressive

assimilations are:

Literary Colloquial

H asanla danishdim . > H asaninan danishdim .

I spoke w ith H asan (instrum ental case).

O ndan Sorushdum . > O nnan Sorushdum .

I asked him (ablative case).

A nother distinctive feature of one of the speakers is recognizable in the

degree of palatalization. For instance the standard pronounciation of the

w ord small in the m ajority of the Turkic languages is kichik. In this dialect

kichik is pronounced chichih. Hence, the velar plosive K > a platal fricative £

in w ords starting w ith K.

6
 The entire collection th at I have used for m y research fits on eight

sixty- m inute cassette tapes. The proverbs w ere recorded by initial letter

according to the Perso-Arabic script that is used for the A zeribaijani language

in Iran. H ow ever, the alphabetical order in w hich these proverbs w ere

recorded w as not observed strictly. Sometimes a num ber of proverbs w ere

included w ithin a group of proverbs that belong to another alphabetic group.

This is one explanation how several repeated proverbs could have been

included in the collection. If the duplicate item s w ere elim inated from the

8000 items, the total num ber w ould be less than the estim ate given by

Farzaneh, the collector. The actual num ber of proverbs in this stu d y does not

exceed 2835 proverbs.

2. Classification System

The issue of how to classify the proverbs in any given language has

been a long debated one. The need for a sound and scientific approach

tow ards proverb studies has been echoed th roughout the literature especially

in this century, w hich has w itnessed a grow ing interest in the stu d y of

proverbs. A m ong the m ost com m on approaches to collecting proverbs is the

old system of organizing the proverbs according to alphabetical order of the

intitial letter. This approach is used throughout the w orld. In this system of

classification all the items in a given collection are listed starting w ith the

letter A and ending w ith the letter Z. A ndrew C heviot's Proverbs, Proverbial

Expressions, and Popular Rhymes of Scotland is one exam ple in the E uropean

collections (Cheviot 1969). This system has also been w idely applied to

proverb collections in the M iddle East, especially in Iran and Turkey, until

7
recent times. A good exam ple for this approach is Ali A kbar D ehkhoda's

four-volum e w ork entitled Am sdl va Hakam (Proverbs and Maxims) in the

Persian language (D ehkhoda 1339).4

In the W est, authors have long realized the im practicality associated

w ith a sim ple alphabetical order of classification for languages such as

English. A ccording to Sim pson, since m any proverbs in English begin w ith a

num ber of w ords such as a, every, one, and the, the organization of a collection

based on an alphabetical order results in the grouping of m any unrelated

proverbs in a w ork (Simpson 82, xi). To overcom e problem s such as this,

several other m ethods have been im plem ented in classifying proverb

collections. One system uses an alphabetical order in w hich the proverbs are

com piled based on a significant key w ord. The Oxford Dictionary of English

Proverbs is one collection that follows this m ethod of classification (Wilson

1970). A lthough this system w as supposed to have its m erits and advantage

over the sim ple alphabetical m ethod of listing the proverbs in a collection, it

has not escaped criticism. C ham pion in the introduction to his book Racial

Proverbs: A Selection o f the World's Proverbs Arranged Linguistically in

discussing several m ethods used for compiling proverbs questions the degree

of the usefullness of an index based on chief w ords. H e writes:

Some have included at the end of the book an index of the chief
w ords, b u t the appalling am ount of time w asted in searching for
a particular proverb can be im agined w hen one realizes that
there are over four h u n d red entries u n d er one heading alone, all
of w hich m ay have to be w aded through before one can find the
proverb one w ants, as in the case of the Oxford Dictionary of
English Proverbs (C ham pion 1938, xix).

8
 A nother approach that is becom ing w idely used is a classification

system based on categories or subject m atter. For exam ple the Penguin

Dictionary o f Proverbs has classified its proverbs according to the subject

m atter system (Fergusson 1983). Some authors have also used

unconventional approaches w hich they found better suited to their works.

One such author is Selwyn Cham pion. In his book, Racial Proverbs: A Selection

of the World's Proverbs Arranged Linguistically, C ham pion has classified the

proverbs according to linguistic and geographic criteria. In his collection each

proverb is attributed to its host country and to a specific group of people w ho

use them (Cham pion 1938). M arjorie Kimm erle found m erit in a linguistic

and a subject m atter classification system w h en she w as collecting and

classifying folk sayings in Colorado to be used in the com pilation of a

proposed Dictionary o f American and Canadian Proverbs (Kimmerle 1947). H er

linguistically based approach differs from that of C ham pion in that she

groups the proverbs according to syntax of each proverb.

M atti K uusi's article, "Tow ards an International Type-System of

Proverbs," provides us w ith useful statistical inform ation about criteria that

have been used for the system atization of proverb studies. Based on his

research into 182 w orks related to proverb studies, he tells us that 33 percent

of the w orks that he analyzed used the alphabetic approach in classifying

collections, 18 percent used them atic classification, 42 percent used a system

that w as both thematic and alphabetical, and the rem aining 7 percent used

none of these systems (Kuusi 1972, 708).

The proverbs in this study are presented in sim ple alphabetical order

starting w ith the letter A and ending w ith the letter Z, as they w ere originally

9
recorded. In this study, the corpus has been arranged according to the order

of the alphabet in English instead of the order of the Azerbaijani language to

facilitate an easier access to the w ork for those w ho are fam iliar w ith English.

Further, for those researchers w ho are not familiar w ith the A zerbaijani

language or w ith any other Turkic languages, an English key w ord index has

been placed at the end of the w ork. The m ajority of proverb studies in

Azerbaijani w orks are based on the alphabetical system . This approach seems

to be the m ost com m on practice applied in M iddle Eastern proverb

collections too. It is only in recent times that the other approaches used in the

W est have been applied to the classification of proverb studies in the M iddle

East. O ne such approach is found in M oham m ad Q ods' book Atalar Sozii

(W ords of Ancestors), w hich is arranged by a subject m atter system ,

representing a new approach in the studies of A zerbaijani proverbs in Iran

(Qods 1359). The m ajority of Azerbaijani proverb collections, w hether

produced in Iran or in the Republic of A zerbaijan are organized in

alphabetical order. As a m atter of fact Q od's subject-m atter approach is, to

the best of know ledge of this researcher, the first one ever existing in Iran in

the field of proverb studies.5

3. Problem s in the C lassification System s, an d Som e Suggestions

The corpus presented in this research is not the com plete collection,

w hich comprises som e 8000 items. For the purpose of this study, everything

that is not a true proverb, nam ely idioms, similes, adages, proverbial

expressions and the like, has been excluded. In the original collection, a great

num ber of the items are proverbial expressions rather th an true proverbs.

10
Yet, they w ere included in the collection as proverbs. This approach is a

com m on practice that needs to be addressed. In chapter III of the dissertaion,

the question of the relationship betw een proverbs and proverbial expressions

and how to distinguish them from one another w ill be discussed in detail.

As m entioned earlier, an alphabetical system has been used for the

organization of this collection. There w ere several reasons w hy this system

w as preferred to other existing system s such as the subject m atter or them atic

approach. O ne of the m ain reasons for using an alphabetical system w as that

this proved to be the m ost practical approach. This becam e clear w hen it was

necessary to search for several of the proverbs in the existing Iranian, Turkic

and som e Arabic collections. A t the beginning there w ere num erous proverbs

in the collection that I was unable to u n d erstan d due to the poor quality of the

recordings as well as the m isinterpretation of these items w hen they w ere

transcribed on index cards. Thus every unrecognizable proverb needed to be

looked up and checked against other proverbs in a num ber of existing

collections. A t this phase of the stu d y only the collections that w ere arranged

in alphabetical order proved to be helpful; collections classified by subject

m atter w ere of little use and w ould have consum ed a lot of tim e and energy.

H ow ever, after consulting alphabetically arranged collections there w as a

need to check for som e proverbs in subject m atter collections as well. This

step w as necessary for gaining the correct interpretation of som e items that

did not m ake sense either syntactically or semantically. A m ong these

collections, Yaqub Q od's Atalar Sozii (W ords of Ancestors), w hich contains

6000 Azerbaijani proverbs and idiom s, w as very useful (Qods 1359). The

practicality of an alphabetically oriented system of collecting proverbs has

11
been found advantageous by other researchers too. D em etrios Loukatos, a

w ell-know n parem iologist w ho has been a long associate of and contributing

scholar to the International Bulletin of Proverb Studies, Proverbiiim, has come

out in favor of alphabetical system over other system s, although for a long

period he advocated a structural approach as an international type-system

(Loukatos 1974, 887). It is m y opinion that the needs of the researchers

determ ine w hich classification system is the m ost suitable one.

4. Significance of this Collection for M iddle Eastern Studies and Turkic

Studies Specially

The availability of this collection will address several needs in the field

of M iddle Eastern studies in general and the Turkic studies in particular. A

major contribution of this collection is related to the study of Azerbaijani

society, w hose custom s and traditions share sim ilar traits w ith the rest of the

M iddle Eastern societies. As such this collection can be used as an im portant

ethnographic source pertaining to the Azerbaijani culture in Iran and in the

Republic of Azerbaijan in Caucasia.

Social scientists such as anthropologists and folklorists tend to agree

that the culture of a society is reflected in its verbal art. D onald Sim mons

argues that folklore m ay be used as a source of ethnographic data on a

culture: "If ethnographic inform ation w ere unavailable the folkloristic data

on Efik culture w ould appear to constitute a veritable ethnographic treasure

trove illum inating m any phases of culture previously obscure" (Simmons

1961,136). O ther social scientists how ever do no t su p p o rt the idea that

folklore is a total reflection of society. Ruth Benedict, for exam ple, states that

12
"it has alw ays been obvious to students of every theoretical persuasion that

folklore tallied w ith culture and yet did not tally w ith it" (Benedict 1959, 228).

O n the other hand, Herskovits, another prom inent figure in anthropology and

a student of Franz Boas, w hile discussing Boas' Tsimishian M ythology, w arns

the reader that "the reflection of a culture how ever is n o t the equivalent of a

scientific description, any m ore than m yth can be considered as the

equivalent of w ritten history"(H erskovits 1953, 89).

In these com m ents by anthropologists, 'Folklore' seem s to be equaled

w ith folk narrative only. H ow ever, all folklorists w ould agree that proverbs

are an im portant p art of any society's verbal art corpus.

If we agree that proverbs as a genre reflect certain aspects of

Azerbaijani culture, then the proverbs in this collection as oral literature or

verbal art will help us to understand the philosophy and the w orld view of

the Azerbaijani people. These philosophical and universal view s, clothed in

the form of proverbs, can help us to better understand their beliefs and

attitudes: religion, societal organizations such as family relationships,

attitudes tow ards m en and w om en, superstition, m ythology, view s on other

ethnic groups, the relationship betw een nature and m an, the role of h um an

beings in preserving or challenging the norm s and values of the society.

Sometimes by studying a group of proverbs that are concerned w ith

certain them es one can discover the social norm s and how the society works.

For exam ple, a large num ber of these proverbs are concerned w ith religious

themes. M any of these proverbs that deal w ith the concept of God

dem onstrate the im portant role that G od played or plays in everyday m atters

in Azerbaijani society. For instance, the concept of predestination in the

13
proverbs is salient. A ccording to the m essages encapsuled in these proverbs a

M uslim individual's destination is determ ined w ithout his or h er will.

Hence, Allah yazan'i, bdnda pozammaz (That w hich has been w ritten [ordained]

by God cannot be destroyed by a m an). A nother related subject is tru st in

and full subm ission to God. Those w ho have tru st in God will never fear

anything and those w ho disobey H im will repent it. Hence, proverbs such as:

Allah ishldrmd al aparip dl gdtirma ! (D on't interfere in G od's affairs!); or Allah

vuran aghajin sdsi olmaz (The stick that G od uses to p unish som eone w ould

make no noise) will be uttered in a situation that som eone notices w hen a

person is about to transgress the accepted norm s.

A nother im portant contribution of this collection pertains to the field

of com parative Turkic language and dialect studies. The collection provides

linguists w ith a major source for the study of the Azerbaijani language,

spoken by some thirteen m illion Azerbaijanis living in Iran.6 As to the

im portance of this collection for Turkic studies, there are several issues to be

addressed. O ne of these issues is the need for dialect studies in the Turkic

languages. As m entioned earlier, the voices of the speakers on this collection

represent two different dialects. O ne speaker is Sahand, a native of

M aragheh, and the second perso n 's dialect has yet to be identified. A part

from a few other sources for the stu d y of the Azerbaijani language spoken in

Iran, this collection will be one of the first sam ples of oral literature of this size

that will be available in the English language. Fred H ouseholder's Basic

Coarse in Azerbaijani w as one of the first publications that provided the

English readers w ith a sam ple of Azerbaijani language spoken in Iran. There

are several publications in other E uropean languages in w hich the

14
Azerbaijani dialects spoken in Iran are represented. O ne representative of

these publications is the w ork of the early tw entieth century G erm an scholar

Karl Foy. In two lengthy articles, Foy included several sam ples of oral

literature as his source for analyzing the Azerbaijani language spoken in Iran

(Foy 1903, part I & 1904, p a rt II).

In addition another im portance of this collection relates to com parative

Turkic proverbial and cultural studies. A lthough there is a large num ber of

proverb collections in various Turkic languages spoken from Europe to

China, there does not exist a single com parative stu d y or w ork on the subject

of Turkic proverbs. As this collection is being p repared, M etin Yurtba§i, a

Turkish author, is in the process of com pleting his, A Dictionary o f Turkish

Proverbs. A lthough the target language is English, he has used several

proverb collections in different Turkic languages. In his w ork, he has

included several A zerbaijani proverbs w ith their English translations and

equivalents (Yurtba§i 1992).7

The need for com parative proverb studies in the Turkic languages has

been felt for some tim e by m any researchers. Realizing the void in the area of

com parative proverb studies am ong the Turkic languages, K u rtu lu j Oztopgu

writes, "C om parative studies are alm ost non-existent, and w e still w ait for a

complete collection of proverbs in any Turkic language" (Oztopgu 1989,123).

A first step tow ards successful com parative proverb studies requires sam ple

proverb collections from each Turkic language. W ithout fulfilling this

requirem ent, it w ould seem that com parative studies w ould no t bear positive

results. As such this collection can be a step tow ards fulfilling the need for

com parative Turkic proverb studies.

15
 This collection is also related to a larger concern, that of the M iddle

Eastern com parative proverb studies. Unless a relationship betw een the

proverbs w ithin the unrelated family of languages such as Turkic and Iranian

is established, the question of the origin and history of these proverbs cannot

be easily answ ered. Just as European cultures have borrow ed and lent m any

cultural traits through Christianity, Islam in the M iddle East has been a m ajor

force in bringing cultures of unrelated regions together. We discover

situations w here cultural traits have been borrow ed w ithin the regions w here

Islam has been the dom inant religion. A good exam ple of this sort of

borrow ing is the existence of a large num ber of proverbs that are shared by

M iddle Eastern cultures. U ntil w e have enough recorded m aterials from

different regions, the origin of these proverbs cannot be identified w ith

satisfaction. The m agnitude of this problem is enorm ous w hen w e consider

the sim ilarity that exists betw een Persian and Azerbaijani proverbs.

Azerbaijanis have had contacts w ith Iranians for at least a thousand years due

to the fact that they have lived together in the sam e geographical areas. This

close contact m ade the borrow ing process a natural phenom enon. As a result

it is not an easy task to say w ith a h u n d red percent certainty w hether a given

proverb is of Iranian or Turkic origin. The question of provenance becomes

even m ore com plicated w hen the sam e proverbs are also encountered in

Arabic. H ow can one be assured which culture is the contributer of a certain

proverb? Once again the proverb collections of different ethnic groups can

assist researchers to shed light on the history and origin of the proverbs.

Finally, the docum entation of collections such as this can also provide

benefits to international com parative proverb studies. By com paring a

16
num ber of collections from different parts of the w orld one can have a better

picture of the true characteristics of these proverbs in a variety of cultures, be

it from a structural or historical point of view. Especially these collections are

alm ost an integral p a rt of any attem pts by those w ho w ould like to suggest an

international type-system. Furtherm ore, the sam ples of proverbs available in

these collections will enable a researcher to prove or revise his or her

proposed theories. For exam ple, Alan D undes' deep structural approach

based on oppositional and non-oppositional values can be tested against these

proverbs (D undes 1981). Collections like this can also shed light on the

origins of some of the internationally know n proverbs from a historical

perspective.

’The transliteration o f the Persian or Arabic titles or words is based on

the system adopted by the International Journal o f M iddle E a st Studies.
The Turkish titles and words are cited in accordance with the modern
Turkish language; the Azerbaijani titles and words fo llo w the transcription
chart presented on page 120 in the fifth chapter.
2 A m ong the index cards that I received there w as one card that included
the name o f the transcriber. It read “Transcribed from tapes by Dr. H osein
Mirjafari.” Further information w as given about his address and his
university affiliation in Iran.
2The name o f the person w ho provided the Turkish rendition o f the proverbs
is not known.
^The publication dates cited for the sources published in Iran are in
accordance with the Iranian calendar not the W estern calender. In
the bibliography the Western calender’s dates are accom panied with the
original non-W estern dates.
5There are a few non-native scholars w ho used other approaches besides
the alphabetical system o f classification. A m ong them is the work o f
L. P. E lw ell-Sutton’s entitled, P ersian P ro verb s, published in 1954.
6The exact figure o f the Azerbaijani population in Iran has alw ays been a matter
o f dispute between the one published by official sources and the one claim ed to
be more accurate by the Azerbaijanis them selves. For instance, Javad Jeyet, in
his article Sukhan-i Riiz (The Talk o f the D ay), gives a figure o f 4 0 percent for
the Turkic speaking population in Iran (H eyet 1992, 86: 3).
2M etin Yurtba§i’s A D iction ary o f Turkish P ro ve rb s was released in 1973.
Yurtba^i has used a subject matter classification accom panied by the Turkish
and English indexes.

17
 CHAPTER TWO

SURVEY OF THE FOLKORE A N D PROVERB STUDIES IN AZERBAIJAN

1. Where is Azerbaijan and Who Are Azerbaijanis?

The nam e A zerbaijan refers to a v ast geographical region located in

the north-w est of Iran and in the C aucasus region to an in d ep en d en t

country know n as the R epublic of A zerbaijan.1 In the past, from an

adm inistrative point of view , the term A zerbaijan in Iran referred to tw o

provinces know n as Eastern A zerbaijan province w ith Tabriz as its capital

and W estern A zerbaijan province w ith U rum iya as its capital city. In 1993,

the parliam ent of the Islamic Republic of Iran passed a bill th at divided the

Iranian A zerbaijan into three provinces instead of the original two.

A ccording to the new bill the form er Eastern Province w ith Tabriz as its

capital w as announced as the C entral A zerbaijan Province and a th ird

region, w ith A rdebil as its capital city becam e the Eastern A zerbaijan

province (Kiyhan HavaT 1993, 25). The C aucasian region w ith its capital

city, Baku, know n as the A zerbaijan Soviet Socialist R epublic d u rin g the

Soviet era, refers to an area of 86,600 square kilom eters, b o rd ered by Iran in

the south, the C aspian Sea in the east, Russia and G eorgia in the n o rth and

A rm enia in the w est (Zickel 1991, 804). In addition, there are the

N agorno-K arabagh A utonom ous O blost (district) inside A zerbaijan and

the form er N akhchivan A u tono m o u s Soviet Socialist Republic.

The language spoken by A zerbaijanis inside Iranian A zerbaijan and

the C aucasus is know n as A zerbaijani Turkish; along w ith m odern

18
T urkish and T urkm en languages it form s the south-w estern g ro u p of the

Turkic languages know n as the O ghuz group. The sam e language w ith

dialect differences is also spoken in other regions of the M iddle East such

as A natolia (Caferoglu & D oerfer 1959, 280-281) and in Eastern Iraq (Walsh

1984,1: 64). A ccording to Iranian sources, 25 percent of the p o p u latio n of

48, 089, 597 in Iran in 1986 w as of Turkic origin (Embassy of Islamic

Republic of Iran 1987, 20).2 A zerbaijanis account for 18 percent of

population (C hapin & M etz 1989, 10). The total A zerbaijani p o p u latio n in

the Republic of A zerbaijan w as suggested to be six m illion in 1984

(W alsh 1984,1: 64).3

The antiquity of the nam e A zerbaijan and the ethnic m akeup of its

people have been subject to m any discussions by Azerbaijani as well as by

non-A zerbaijani scholars, m ainly R ussian and European. The region w as

know n to the ancient Greeks as A tropatane (Streck 1987,1: 134). The

question of the ethnogenisis of the A zerbaijani people is a long debated

one. For exam ple, A udrey A ltstadt states that according to the historian

A shurbeyli the population of Shirvan w as a m ixture of C aucasians,

Iranians and Turkish-speaking tribes from antiquity (A ltstadt 1992, 5).

W hatever conclusions one m ig h t d raw from the research on the

antiquity of the nam e and the ethnic m akeup of A zerbaijan, there is little

dispute on the advancem ent of the large Turkic settlem ents in these

regions starting in the eleventh century (M inorsky, I: 190). These

settlem ents began w ith a w estw ard m ovem ent of Turkic people w ho

served in the arm ies of those w ho conquered the Iranian plateau. Later

the n u m b er of Turkic new com ers increased, especially w ith the Turkic
soldiers w ho m ade u p the b ulk of the M ongol arm ies. These new

m ovem ents by the Turkic people caused a change in dem o g rap h y in the

regions settled by the new com ers. A nother im pact of these settlem ents

w as a gradual replacem ent of the Iranian languages spoken by the

indigenous peoples w ith Turkic languages and cultures (Berengian 1988,

ix). The w estw ard m ovem ent exp an d ed fu rth er to the regions know n in

the W est as the Eastern R om an Em pire.

From the eleventh century on, a nu m b er of Turkic states and

dynasties ruled in different regions such as A natolia and Iran. In the case

of Iran, from the eleventh century until the first q uarter of this century,

except for one or tw o short-lived dynasties, the m ajority of the ruling

dynasties w ere of Turkic— m ainly A zerbaijani— origin. D uring the

Safavid reign (1501-1722) bo th regions of A zerbaijan in the n o rth an d the

south w ere consolidated and controlled from Iran (A ltstadt 1992, 2). A fter

the Safavids, the p ow er of sovereignty w en t to the A fshar dynasty.

Following the death of N ad ir Shah A fshar (1688-1747), the strongest

m em ber of the A fshar house, control over the n o rth ern A zerbaijan

regions becam e w eaker and the rulers of m any regions governed their

ow n states independently.

Later decades w itnessed the grow ing influence of Im perial Russia in

the C aucasus region and R ussia's so u th w ard m ovem ent. U n d er the Qajar

D ynasty Iran w as alarm ed by the advancem ent of the strong colonial

pow er of Im perial Russia w hich w as to becom e Iran 's im m ediate neighbor

to the north. Iranian and R ussian forces w ere destined to settle the

question of sovereignty in C aucasus in the decades to follow. These

20
confrontations w ere finally resolved b y the tw o treaties of G ulistan (1813)

and Turkmanchay (1828) according to w hich Iran lost a n u m b er of its

territories in the northern A zerbaijan region. As a result of the

annexation of north ern A zerbaijan by Russia, there w as a b reak in the

cultural and econom ic links betw een these regions and Iran

(Heyet 1980,10: 27).

2. Status of Azerbaijani Culture in Iran

The separation of n o rth ern A zerbaijan from Iran b ro u g h t this area

u n d er the direct political and cultural influence of Russia. In contrast, the

Iranian A zerbaijan rem ained in the Iranian cultural dom ain, to w hich

A zerbaijanis also considered them selves heir. A lth o u g h political p o w er

has been in the hands of the Turkic groups, especially those of A zerbaijani

background, nevertheless the d o m in an t culture in Iran has been m ainly

Persian. Further, despite of the fact that the great m ajority of the dynasties

stem m ed from the Turkic background, the rulers for the m ost p a rt

prom oted Persian language, literature, art and other aspects of the Persian

culture. In a w ay the Azerbaijani language and culture for the m ost p a rt

w as absorbed by anything Persian up to the late nineteenth and the

beginning of the tw entieth centuries. A lthough one finds a few ru lers or

literary figures w ho w rote in A zerbaijani, the m ajority of A zerbaijanis

created their literary w orks in the Persian language.

The situation w as very different in the n o rth ern regions controlled

by the Russians. D uring the second half of the nineteenth century,

foundations w ere laid for the use of the A zerbaijani language for the

2 1
schools and the press in the C aucasus regions (A ltstadt 1992, 51-54). W hen

com paring the differences in the d evelopm ent of the A zerbaijani language

in the n o rth and the south before and after the division of A zerbaijan,

M oham m ad Ali Farzaneh, in his in tro d u ctio n to th e Azerbaijani-Persian

Dictionary, argues th a t in the n in eteen th century, the developm ent of the

literary language of A zerbaijan w as the sam e in all the regions of

A zerbaijan. In his opinion, tw o historical events w ere the m ain reasons

for the developm ent of the A zerbaijani language in different directions:

nam ely, the division of A zerbaijan in the first q u arter of the nineteenth

century; and the O ctober R evolution. A ccording to Farzaneh, the division

of A zerbaijan, along w ith the change in the feudal system and progress in

cultural and literary fields, b ro u g h t ab o u t an enhancem ent in the

publication of A zerbaijani books and new spapers. The O ctober

Revolution lead to the recognition of the A zerbaijani language as a

national language of the n ew republic w hich w as developing fast in order

to m eet the grow ing d em ands of the society (Farzaneh 1985, 11 & 12: 36-37).

The literary progress an d m ovem ent in Iranian A zerbaijan w as no t

at the sam e level and speed as the period of renaissance th at the n o rth w as

experiencing. The n u m b er o f A zerbaijani language publications in

Iranian A zerbaijan w as rath er small. N evertheless, Berengian argued that

the C onstitutional Period (1906-1925) w as a form ative perio d d u rin g w hich

the Azerbaijani language an d literature w as developed. Further, she

wrote: "A part from poetical w orks that rested on a long and established

tradition, Turkic w as now being used in the m odern task of public

persuasion and education" (Berengian 1988, 44).

22
 W ith the overthrow of the last Turkic d ynasty of Q ajar in Iran

(1779-1925), pow er w as assum ed by a m ilitary leader n am ed Reza PahlavT,

w ho later nam ed him self Shah and founded the PahlavT D ynasty th at

ruled until the 1979 revolution. Thereafter, a new Islam ic governm ent

came to p ow er and annulled the role of the m onarchy in Iran. D uring the

five decades of Pahlavi reign in Iran, the aspirations of m any ethnic

groups, especially A zerbaijani culture and language, w ere denied and

suppressed u n d er the so-called unification policy, except for Persians.

D uring the Second W orld W ar, Reza Shah w as accused of being pro-N azi

G erm any and w as rem oved from the throne by the allied forces; his son

Prince M oham m ad Reza w as enthroned as the n ew Shah.

The nineteen-forties w ere a tu rb u len t perio d in the h istory of Iran.

This period w itnessed a rise in dem ocratic dem an d s aim ed to curtail the

pow er of the m onarchy and to allow p eo p le's representatives to be an

equal p artn er in decision m aking. D uring this d ecade ethnic m ovem ents

m ade a big leap forw ard in raising such issues as the recognition of their

cultural heritage. Realizing the w eakness of the central g o v ern m en t a few

ethnic m inorities n o t only d em an d ed sim ple recognition of th eir cultural

heritage; they also sought autonom y. As a resu lt of these m ovem ents in

the 1940's tw o autonom ous republics, the A zerbaijan and K urdish

autonom ous governm ents, w ere established w ith the help of the Soviet

Union. A lthough the A zerbaijan A utonom ous R epublic h ad a sh o rt life,

in it for the first tim e the A zerbaijani language becam e the language of

governm ent and education.

23
 A fter the central governm ent regained p o w er b y suppressing

dem ocratic d em ands and m ovem ents, the T ehran governm ent tu rn e d its

attention tow ard s the tw o "rebellious" autonom y-seeking republics. The

tw o self-claim ed autonom ous governm ents w ere crushed and b ro u g h t

u n d e r the control of the central governm ent in 1946, and all those w ho

had been involved in establishing these governm ent w ere p ersecuted and

punished. For a num ber of decades, A zerbaijani language and culture

w itnessed a retu rn to the situation th at had existed before and after the

C onstitutional Period (1906-1925). The central governm ent regarded

A zerbaijan and anything th a t h ad to do w ith its culture as a serious threat;

therefore it banned the public use of the language and restricted

publications in the A zerbaijani language. C om paring the status of

A zerbaijani culture and the language of Iranian A zerbaijan w ith th at of

the Republic of A zerbaijan in the C aucasus region in the first half of the

tw entieth century, Professor B ajgoz describes the situation as following:

.... Iran, on the other h an d , since the beginning of the

dictatorship of Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1925, and m ore
particularly since the fall of the short-lived autonom ous
republic of A zerbaijan in 1947, system atically discouraged the
use of the A zeri T urkish in schools and Tabriz U niversity.
A uthors w riting folktales for children in Azeri, the book
sellers w ho sold A zeri books, the intellectuals publishing
sm all p am phlets in their m other tongue, w ere harassed and
even arrested (Ba^goz 1984, Introduction).

The period of denial and suppression of the rights of ethnic

m inorities such as A zerbaijanis w as p a rt of the Iranization policy of the

Reza Shah and his son. This policy is referred to by the A zerbaijani

intellectuals as the Persian chauvinism of the Pahlavi regim e. C onstant

24
rem inders of the im pact of this policy and its gloom y days are to be found

in the w orks of m ost A zerbaijani w riters d u rin g the Pahlavi period.

Salam al-Lah Javid's portrayal of the situation can best sum m arize the

opinion shared by m ost A zerbaijanis. In the introduction to the second

e d ition of his book Azarbayjan Folklorundan N tim undldr (Sam ples of

A zerbaijani Folklore), he w rites:

D ear readers: Sam ples of A zerbaijani Folklore at your

disposal w as published in the year 1344 (1965) w ith great
difficulties. W hen its second volum e w as released from the
publishing house in 1348 (1969), it w as confiscated and
destroyed by Secret Police Savak. A fter w hich, no publication
in the A zerbaijani language w as perm itted. Fortunately, w ith
the dow nfall of the dictatorial regim e (Pahlavi), publications
of books in the A zeri language becam e possible (Javid 1980, 3;
m y translation).

The 1979 revolution b ro u g h t d o w n the Pahlavi regim e in Iran and

an Islamic Republic w as established in its place. The m ajority of the

people, especially the ethnic groups, took p a rt in the revolution and

w elcom ed the changes w ith joy. The ethnic g roups m ade sure th at their

rights w ould be guaranteed in the co u n try 's new constitution. H ence, the

new constitution grants ethnic g roups the right to publish m aterials in

their ow n languages. It also guarantees each m inority the rig h t to teach

their m other tongue to their children along w ith Persian, the official

language th at serves as the language of com m unication betw een all

Iranian citizens. A lthough these dem an d s w ere included in the

constitution, som e of the law s, such as the right to stu d y in one's m other

tongue at schools or universities, w ere im plem ented only recently. In

1992, for the first tim e since the establishm ent of the Islam ic Republic of

25
Iran, A zerbaijani children interested in stu d y in g in their m o th er tongue

can receive a few hours of instruction in their language at school every

day.4

3. A Survey of Azerbaijani Proverb Studies in Iran

and in the Republic of Azerbaijan

The history of collection and publication of A zerbaijani folk

m aterials dates back to the eighteenth century. Prior to that, according to

Javad H eyet, in his book Azdrbayjan Shifahi Khiilg A ddbiyyati (A zerbaijani

O ral Literature), poets m ade use of folk literature in their w orks. H e

w rites th at one can come across sam ples of oral literature in the ju n g s, the

literary m iscellanies w ritten by A zerbaijanis and by A rm enian and

G eorgian authors. For instance, one of these jungs w as w ritten by a certain

m erchant called Ilyas M ushegi in 1721. M ushegi's m an u scrip t N dghm dldr

(m elodies) contains sam ples of both the oral and w ritten literatu re of his

period (Heyet 1990, 20-21).

The last tw o centuries have laid the foundations for folkloristic

studies of A zerbaijani culture. As discussed earlier, d u e to historical

events in the last century and a half, the tw o regions of A zerbaijan

experienced different developm ent patterns in the areas of language and

culture. Accordingly, research pertaining to the collection an d publication

of oral literature in the tw o A zerbaijans has h ad tw o different outcom es.

In the north, d u rin g the nineteen th century, A zerbaijani intellectuals

becam e acquainted w ith E uropean cultures via the R ussian language.

M odern literature, play w riting, publication of new spapers, the m o d ern

26
E uropean school system an d nationalism influenced a great m any nu m b er

of the A zerbaijani intellectuals and w riters. D uring this period, there w as

also great interest in collecting and p ublishing various genres of oral

literature. D ue to access to p rin tin g facilities M. H. G am arlinski published

a booklet of proverbs in the late nineteenth century. Further, w ith the

appearance of press activities in A zerbaijan, new sp ap ers d em onstrated a

keen interest in p rin tin g sam ples of oral literature in their pages. We are

told th a t the A kin ji (Peasant) n ew sp ap er included proverbs and folk songs

in its first issues w hen it began to publish in 1875. A nother new spaper,

Kcishkul, allocated special colum ns for m aterials taken from oral

literature: proverbs and anecdotes w ere published u n d er the colum ns

entitled "W ords of A ncestors [Proverbs]" and "H u m o ro u s A necdotes"

(Heyet 1990, 25).

The developm ent of scientific stu d y and research into folklore

am ong A zerbaijani intellectuals w as also enhanced by the w orks of

non-A zerbaijani researchers and w riters. Sam ples of A zerbaijani oral

literature w ere included in G eorgian and A rm enian sources. The

n ineteenth century R ussian publications also played an im p o rtan t role in

the stu d y and collection of the oral literature of A zerbaijan. For instance,

the first collection of A zerbaijani folktales w as p u b lish ed in R ussian in

1825 (Heyet 1990, 24).

The developm ent of the collection and p ublication of folkloristic

m aterials w as not as significant in sou th ern A zerbaijan as it w as in the

north. N evertheless, tow ard s the end of the last century a few individuals

w ere involved in prod u cin g a few w orks. A certain Badkubehi, son of

27
M olla M ustafa, included 400 proverbs in his Persian and A zerbaijani w ork

Nisab in 1864. The second a u th o r w as M oham m ad Baqer K halkhali, w ho

versified A zerbaijani p roverbs in his SalabvyyTh, p u b lish ed in 1898

(Javid 1980, 2: 4).

The tw entieth century saw an increase in activities related to

collecting, publishing, and conducting research into oral literature

m aterials. Especially, w e see a grow ing interest in the stu d y of oral

literature in the north. In the first decades of this century, political events

and changes in the entire R ussian E m pire an d in A zerbaijan, particularly

the issue of w hich language should be the official national language,

encouraged the v ie w 'th a t oral literature w as an im p o rtan t source of

education and enlightenm ent. D uring this p erio d , authors, poets, and

education specialists w ere all attracted to the stu d y of folklore. Those w ho

w ere active in w riting w orks of literature used folklore as a m eans to

dissem inate their thoughts and ideas (H eyet 1990, 27). Later, the elevation

of the A zerbaijani language to the level of the national language of the

republic guaranteed governm ent su p p o rt for A zerbaijani language, w hich

in tu rn enhanced the A zerbaijani folklore studies. Since the folk's

language w as considered to be the p u rest and free of corruption, the study

and collection of things associated w ith the folk w as encouraged, laying

the foundation for serious activities in the collection and p ublication of

oral literature. The level of seriousness an d com m itm ent to oral

literature research w as dem onstrated by the establishm ent of the

A zerbaijani Research and Investigation Society in 1923. The society sent

delegations to various p arts of the country to conduct research and publish

28
their results. A folklore branch also existed w ithin the society, headed by

H anafi Zeynall'i. H e p u b lish ed Azarbayjan Atalar Sdzlari-Mcisallar

(A zerbaijani W ords of A ncestors and Sayings) in 1926 and Azarbayjan

Tapmajalari (A zerbaijani Riddles) one year later (H eyet 1990, 31).

A fter the Second W orld W ar folklore w as p u rsu ed as a serious field

of study. In this regard the activities of the folklore branch of the N ezam i

Literature and Language Institute of the A zerbaijan SSR A cadem y of

Sciences played an im portant role. U nder the guidance of the folklore

branch of the Institute several scholarly publications w ere pro d u ced in the

field of the folklore and ethnography (H eyet 1990, 30-33). O ne exam ple is

Ehlim an A h u n d o v 's com prehen siv e tw o volum es, Azarbayjan Folkloru

Antologiyasi (An A nthology of A zerbaijani Folklore), p ublished in 1968.

The tw o-volum e anthology is a valuable representation of A zerbaijani

folklore m aterials. R epresentative sam ples of oral literature in the w ork

include p easants' and sh ep h erd s' tunes; songs pertaining to seasons,

cerem onies and rituals; songs of chivalry; folk songs; children's songs;

traditional folk q uatrain poetry; proverbs and maxims; riddles; traditional

plays and games; folktales; heroic tales; anecdotes; and legends (A hundov

& Tezcan 1978).

The proverb as a separate area of stu d y has received better treatm ent

in the n o rth than in Iranian Azerbaijan. M ajor proverb collections have

been published in the n o rth since 1926. A bulgasim H iiseynzada, w hose

first book w as published in 1926, is a m ajor figure in this field, having

authored tw enty-five proverb collections. H is 1981 book contained 8,000

proverbs arranged by subject-m atter (G asim zada 1984, 5). His m ajor w ork

29
w as published in 1985 u n d e r the title Atalar Sozii (W ords of A ncestors)

and contained som e 15,000 item s arranged in alphabetical order

(G asim zada 1985, 11). In additio n to proverbs this w ork includes m any

related forms such as proverbial expressions, sim iles, m axim s, proverb

dialogues and other item s w ith o u t any distinction being m ade betw een

them . H is 1984 publication Atalar Sozii vii Zarbi-Mdsdllcir (W ords of

Ancestors and Sayings) w as arranged according to subject-m atter. In

addition to the collections th at deal only w ith A zerbaijani proverbs, there

are several com parative proverb collections. For exam ple the first English,

A zerbaijani, and R ussian com parative proverb collection, entitled English

Proverbs w ith Their A zerb a ija n is [Sic] and Russian Equivalents, w as

published by Tofig A basguliev in 1981.

Folklore publications pertaining to A zerbaijani culture in Iran did

not blossom as m uch as in the Soviet A zerbaijan. H ow ever, despite the

harassm ent and constant discouragem ent th a t A zerbaijani authors

received from the Iranian authorities u p to 1979, w e have several

im portant sources for folklore studies u p to th at period. The collection

and publication of oral literature can be divided into tw o different periods,

before and after 1979. Further, w e need to acknow ledge the availability of

tw o kinds of sources: those published by A zerbaijani w riters and those

collected and published by other, m ainly European, scholars.

Southern A zerbaijani folklore has been p u b lish ed in m onographs

and in journals or new spapers at different times. In the first category, che

m ajority of the w orks w ere n o t intended to be com prehensive. Instead,

different authors have confined them selves to specific genres of folklore.

30
As a result, w e have a num ber of collections of folktales, proverbs, riddles,

Bayat'ilar (Traditional Folk Q uatrain Poetry), folk songs, epics, trad itio n al

gam es, and anecdotes.

The first com prehensive anthology of folklore m aterial w as

published by the late Salam al-Lah Javid in 1965. The first volum e of his

book A zarbayjan Folklorundan N um unalar (Sam ples of A zerb aijan i

Folklore) is an excellent selection of the variety of folklore genres. For the

first tim e in the history of A zerbaijani folklore studies in Iran, this

volum e p ro v id ed folklorists, anthropologists and eth n o g rap h ers w ith a

m ajor publication in w hich large body of folkloristic topics are discussed

and exem plified. The second volum e of the sam e book ap p eared four

years later in 1969. E xpanding on som e of the genres introduced in

volum e one, Javid covers im p o rtan t folkloristic and ethnographic

inform ation on a variety of topics, nam ely rituals and practices and

su p erstitio n s.

A nother prolific contributor to A zerbaijani stu d ies w as Sam ad

B ehrangi w ho collected and published A zerbaijani folklore m aterials.

A long w ith his close associate and collaborator on m any projects, B ehruz

D ehqani, he w as responsible for the collection and publication of

A fsaniha-yi Azarbayjan (A zerbaijani Folktales) an d Q oshm ajalar,

Tapmajalar (Fables and Riddles). Behrangi w as one of the m ost prolific

w riters in Iran in the second half of the tw entieth century. H e w as a

schoolteacher by profession an d a w ell-know n m o d em sh o rt story w riter

and social critic w hose ideas influenced the new generation of m o d e m

Iran. In addition, an im pressive n u m b er of o th er in d iv id u als w ere

involved in collecting and p u b lish in g m aterials of significance to folklore

studies. U nfortunately, m any of them did no t succeed in pu b lish in g their

w orks (Javid 1980, 2: 5).

A zerbaijani proverb collections and studies have received m ore

attention th a n other genres in Iran. In this century Ali N aqi V a'iz

D ehkharqani and Haji M oham m ad N u srat al-M uluk M akui w ro te tw o

sm all collections of proverbs (Javid 1980, 2: 2).5 The first m ajor collection

of proverbs w as published by Ali A sghar M ujtehedi in 1334 (1955). His

book Azerbaijani Proverbs contained 2, 500 item s and w as arran g ed

alphabetically according to the initial letter of the first w ord of each

proverb. The au th o r m entions th a t he used several sources to w rite his

book. In additio n to m aking use of the p rin ted and m anuscript collections

that he possessed, he also collected proverbs and expressions from

peasants (M ujtehedi 1984, v)6. As far as the A zerbaijani proverb studies in

Iran are concerned, M ujtehedi's w o rk deserves to be view ed as the m ajor

proverb w ork of the century for m any reasons. First, it is the first

volum inous book th at w as ever p u b lish ed in Iran on the subject of

A zerbaijani proverbs. The book also serves as a good source for

com parative proverb studies; the m ajority of A zerbaijani p ro v erb s are

translated into Persian, and w henever possible the Persian and m ost of the

time the Arabic equivalents an d parallels are also cited. Further, the

French, English, C hinese, H indi and Turkish equivalents are also

som etim es m en tio n ed .

In addition, M ujtehedi attem pts to distinguish the tw o closely

related genres of tru e proverbs and proverbial expressions in his book, an

32
innovative approach previously ignored by other au th o rs of proverb

studies in Iran. M ujtehedi presents proverbs in bold p rin t and the

proverbial expressions in regular print. In addition, he uses an asterisk to

further distinguish the expressions from the proverbs.

A ccording to M ujtehedi proverbs are sentences th a t never change

in any given language: "Proverbs are closed sentences." Exam ples th at he

provides are: "O ne flow er does no t m ake a sp rin g (A sw allow does not

m ake a sum m er)" and "The d a y and the night are the sam e to a blind

m an." Proverbial expressions, in contrast, are the kind of sentences that

can be changed according to the situation. H e cites tw o examples: "H e

shoots in the dark" and "H e is beating a piece of cold iron." A ccording to

M ujtehedi, depen d in g on the situation, if som eone changes the above

sentences to "You are shooting in the d ark " or "I am beating a piece of cold

iron," these sentences w ould be considered as expressions b u t no t as

proverbs (M ujtehedi 1984, vi). H ow ever, although he suggests this

m ethod to separate these tw o related genres from each other, he does no t

adhere to his ow n criteria. In his book there are m any expressions treated

as proverbs that according to his definition should be classified as

proverbial expressions: X eyrun gapunda gals'in (Keep it for yourself) (1984,

155); Duarii biz elamishix yaghish Gdrddaghd yaghib (We p ray ed and it

rained in G aradagh!) m eaning w e w orked h a rd and som eone else reaped

the fruits of our labor (M ujtehedi 1984, 160).7

A nother significance of M ujtehedi's w ork is th a t he provides

hypothetical situations in w hich each proverb m ight be used, to help

explain its m eaning. F urther, he includes m any anecdotes and

annotations from w hich proverb s have arisen or vice versa. W hen the

m eanings of certain w ords are n o t clear he explains the origins of those

w ords too. These annotations have historical im portance th at can shed

light on the origin of som e of these proverbs.

The second source relevant to the stu d y of the A zerbaijani folk

literature are the w orks of non-A zerbaijani scholars. A m ong several

sources w ith foreign authorship that p rovide us w ith a sam ple of

so u th ern A zerbaijani oral literatu re is A lexander C hodzko's Specimens of

the Popular Poetry o f Persia, pub lish ed in 1842. In his w ork, C hodzko

included translations of songs w hich belong to the repertoire of cycles of

the fam ous rom antic Epic of K oroghlu (C hodzko 1842).8 T ow ards the

beginning of this century, the G erm an scholar Karl Foy published two

lengthy articles in the M itteilu n g en des Sem inars ftir orientalische

Sprachen. A lthough the p rim ary p u rp o se of his studies w as related to

language study, a good portion of the m aterials that he used as texts w ere

d ra w n from oral literature. Foy included fifty proverbs, anecdotes, and

sh o rt stories in his tw o-part article "A zerbajganische Studien m it einer

C harakteristik des Siidtiirkischen (Foy 1903, VI: 126-193 & 1904, 197-265).9

A nother early tw entieth century source on folk literature pertaining

to Iranian A zerbaijan w as p ro d u ced by the Polish scholar, Seraja Szapszaf.

Szapszab gathered alm ost every text on site d u rin g the years 1903-1905,

w ith the exception of the proverb and riddle texts, w hich he gathered in

1928 from Iranian A zerbaijanis in Russia and Turkey. H is "Proben der

V olksliteratur d er Tiirken aus dem persischen A zerbaidschan" contains

an excellent variety of folk literatu re m aterials from A zerbaijan, including

34
several short and long folk stories and sam ples of proverbs, riddles, songs,
and traditional folk and classical poetry. H elm u t R itter's

"A serbeidschanische Texte z u r nordpersischen V olkskunde, P. I & II" is

inform ative bo th for the gram m ar of the A zerbaijani language spoken in

Iran and for folklore and ethnography stu d y as well (Ritter 1921, 11: 181-

212 & 1939, 25: 234 -268). The text that he used for studying the language is

a w edding story th a t he obtained in Berlin from an A zerbaijani m erchant

from Tabriz. This story is an im portant piece for folklore and ethnography

because it reveals interesting inform ation on the w ed d in g custom s am ong

A zerbaijanis. R itter m entions that the depicted w ed d in g custom s vary

from th at w hich is com m on in the A rab Islamic regions (Ritter 1939,

25: 234).

The 1979 Iranian revolution m arked the end of the Pahlavi regim e

and the beginning of new era in the developm ent of A zerbaijani language

and culture. As w as discussed earlier, the nu m b er of publications in

A zerbaijani or even in Persian p ertaining to the stu d y of folk literature

w as not significant for a culture that is know n to possess a rich oral

literature tradition. In the field of proverb studies, besides a few pages in

som e of the journals or books related to folklore studies, the only major

w ork w as M ujtehedi's Azerbaijani Proverbs p u blished in 1984.10 The

situation has im proved significantly since the year 1979. There has been

an increase in the num ber of publications in the A zerbaijani language. A

survey of the publications in the field of folklore studies attests to the

prediction that Professor Ba§goz m ade alm ost nine years ago in 1984 w hen

he talked about the role of folklore studies in national identity aw areness.

35
C om paring the n ational iden tity m ovem ents in b o th Iranian A zerbaijan

after the 1979 R evolution an d the Republic of A zerbaijan d u rin g the

Soviet era and the im p o rtan t role that folklore played in preserving

A zerbaijani language and cultu re in the A zerbaijan Republic, Professor

Ba^goz observed:

Looking at the contribution of A zeri folklore studies in the

Soviet U nion to the p reserv atio n of A zeri culture and
language, and to the enhancem ent of A zeri national identity,
one m ay safely assum e th a t in Iran, A zeri folklore studies
w ill play a sim ilar role. The A zeri intellectuals in Iran are
aw are of the potential function of their folklore and oral
literature. W hatever political developm ents m ay com e in
the future, they w ill doubtlessly continue in their efforts to
collect and stu d y A zeri folklore, as an im p o rtan t m eans of
cultural an d ethnic su rviv al w ith in a d o m in an t Iranian
[culture] (Ba§goz 1984, Introduction).

The sam e aw areness and care given to the preservation and

propagation of the language, culture and folklore of A zerbaijan w as

expressed in nine p oint m anifesto of the A zerbaijan Society w hich

represented a large num ber of A zerbaijani intellectuals and activists in

1979. The m anifesto, w hich dem an d ed the protection of the ethnic and

cultural rights of A zerbaijani people and other ethnic groups, clearly

dem onstrated the im p o rtan t place th a t folkloristic studies occupy in the

agenda of the intellectuals. H ence, the fourth article of the m anifesto

incorporated the issue of folklore research as one of its dem ands:

[The governm ent m u st g u arantee its support] to provide

extensive m eans for doing research in every aspect of the
A zerbaijani language, culture, art, literature, and folklore at
Tabriz and other universities and scientific and cultural
centers of A zerbaijan ( Varl'iq 1980, 1: 10).

36
 The cultural revival since 1979 is reflected clearly in the n u m b er of

publications covering m any areas of A zerbaijani language and culture.

A m ong the subjects w hich have received special attention are folkloristic

topics. Since 1979, in addition to reprinted w orks, several new

publications of folktales, riddles, proverbs, folk songs, and traditional

q uatrain folk poetry have been published. In the area of proverb studies

Y aqub Q ods published the first volum e of his Atalar Sozii: Guftar NTyakan

(W ords of Ancestors) in 1981. Q ods' w ork is the major w o rk on the

proverb since M ujtehedi's Azerbaijani Proverbs in 1955.11 The book

contains 6,000 item s of proverbs and proverbial expressions. The novelty

of Q ods' book is th at he arranged the item s in his w ork according to their

subject-m atters. This w as the first tim e that such a m ethod h ad been

adopted in proverb studies in Iran. The m ajority of the item s are

accom panied w ith their literal translations into Persian. In addition, the

situational m eaning of each item is also included in parentheses, w hich is

another innovation in the stu d y of A zerbaijani proverbs. Further, a

num ber of anecdotes and annotations are also given in the footnotes.

A lthough Q ods' book is a great contribution to A zerbaijani proverb

studies in Iran, it contains a few shortcom ings. U nlike M ujtehedi, w ho

tried to differentiate proverbs from proverbial expressions, Q ods ignored

the issue of distinction betw een the tw o closely related genres. A nother

problem is related to this classification system. Because the item s are not

arranged in alphabetical order, the task of looking u p a proverb in this

collection is tedious and often fruitless. In order to find a proverb or a

proverbial expression in this collection, one m u st know its exact m eaning

37
or im plication. This is not an easy task, since it w ould no t be uncom m on

for a reader to have a different interpretation of a proverb than w h at Q ods

had in m ind.

In addition to Q ods' book, another m ajor source for proverb stu d y is

the publication of proverbs in the journal Varl'iq. Since 1980, w hich m arks

the beginning of the journal, Varl'iq has devoted m any of its pages to

folkloristic topics. Ever since the journal began publication, a pag e or tw o

of every issue has been reserved for th e publication of proverbs. In the

journal, the proverbs are presen ted w ith o u t adh erin g to any o rd er or

system at all. O ne of the authors responsible for collecting and p rep arin g

the proverb pages in the journal is M anzuri K ham enei, w ho is also the

au th o r of a m ajor rid d le collection, Tapmajalar (Riddles), w hich w as

released in 1992 (Varl'iq 1992, 84-1: 119). Also, Varl'iq has started to publish

the proverbs from Q ods' second volum e w hich rem ained u n p u b lish ed

because of his death. The first set of these proverbs w as published in 1991

according to the original subject-m atter system th a t Q ods used for his first

volum e (Varl'iq 1991, 79-4: 118-122).

In the last couple of years, tw o books on the subject of proverbs

have been released. A tar [Atalar] Sozii A ghlin Gozii (W ords of A ncestors:

the Eyes of W isdom ) w as autho red b y H osein Feyz al-Lahi Vahid

(Zafarkhah 1991, 5). In 1991 Ali Z afarkhah published his A ta Babalar

Deyiblar (Ancestors H ave Said). A lthough the subtitle of this w o rk reads

"Proverbs, M axims and Idiom s in the A zerbaijani Turkish L anguage" the

actual n u m b er of the proverbs and m axim s constitutes less th an five

percent of the items. Z afarkhah's alphabetically organized book includes

38
the Persian literal translation of each item accom panied som etim es by

anecdotes and situational interpretations. Like m any of the other

collections, the au th o r m akes no distinction b etw een proverbs, m axim s

and idiom s.

In surveying the studies and publications related to A zerbaijani

folklore one needs to keep in m ind the degree of actual train in g that the

researchers have received in the field of folklore studies. Except for a few

individuals, one can say w ith certainty th at none of those w ho have been

involved in collecting and publish in g folkloristic m aterials h av e h a d any

form al training in folklore or anthropology; the great m ajority of them

practiced som e other profession. For exam ple, the late Salam al-Lah Javid,

the a u th o r of the A zdrbayjan Folklorundcin N iim u n a la r (Sam ples of

A zerbaijani Folklore) w ho pro d u ced the m ost im p o rtan t publications on

A zerbaijani folklore m aterials, w as a m edical doctor by profession. Ali

A sghar M ujtehedi, au th o r of the first m ajor pro v erb p u b licatio n Proverbs

and M axim s in the Local Azerbaijani Languag, p u b lish ed in 1955, w as a

bank em ployee. The au th o rs' m ain incentives for collecting and

publishing their findings have been personal interest an d the love that

they all shared for keeping their language and culture alive. In ord er to

protect their culture and transfer their rich cultural heritage to the next

generation of A zerbaijani children they decided to d o cu m en t the m aterials

of A zerbaijani folk literature before they w ere forgotten and lost.

39
 4. Proverb Scholarship in the West

Proverb scholarship in the W est has a long history. Like its

counterpart in the M iddle East, the stu d y of the proverbs in the w est has

attracted m any scholars and laym en w ho devoted their tim e to collecting

and stu dying proverbs. Scholars have stu d ied proverbs from m any angles

th ro u g h o u t history. Prior to tw entieth century the p rim ary concern of

scholarship w as directed to the literary and historical aspects of proverbs.

Scholars so ught answ ers to questions such as: w ho are the authors of

proverbs?; w h at are the origins of each individual proverb?; could the

very sam e proverbs come to exist in different cultures at the sam e time

independently?; if not, th ro u g h w h a t channels did proverbs sp read to

other cultures and languages? A good exam ple of such a stu d y is John

G. K unstm ann's article "The Bird That Fouls Its N est," in w hich he

dem onstrates how this p ro v erb of Egypto-Semitic origin traveled th ro u g h

tim e and space and found currency in m odern E uropean languages

(K unstm ann 1981).

The ancient G reek philosophers speculated about the n a tu re and

m eaning of proverbs (Erasm us 1982, 31: 3-4). Research show s th at a large

num ber of G reek proverbs foun d their w ay into R om an culture via

translations and cultural contacts. Further, because of the com m on

cultural traits and heritage b ro u g h t to Europe th ro u g h C hristianity, m any

G reco-Rom an proverbs w ere translated and adopted by the speakers of

different E uropean com m unities from w ritten sources, especially the

Bible. In a thorough stu d y of "The O rigin of the Proverb," in the first

chapter of his book The Proverb, A rcher Taylor argues th at the Biblical and

40
classical sources w ere tw o of the m ain stocks from w hich proverbs w ere

translated and introduced into other languages. Taylor notes:

.... In all the centuries of the C hristian Era the Bible, in w hich
w ere included the A pocrypha and, notably, the book of
Ecclesiasticus or Sirach, w as an obvious and inexhaustible
source. The C hurch Fathers quoted and reshaped in m ore
p regnant form the w ords of Biblical w isdom . A little later the
efforts to provide translations of the Bible or of in d iv id u al
books in the different m odern languages p o u red ou t a steady
stream of m aterial w hich w as either proverbial or capable of
being m ade proverbial by slight adaptations (Taylor 1985,
52-53).

In T aylor's opinion, R enaissance culture and the publication of E rasm us'

V eterum M axim eque In sig n iu m Paroem iarum , id est A dagiorum

Collectanea in 1500 provided the o p p o rtu n ity b y w hich E uropean nations

increased their proverb stocks by translating proverbs from E rasm us'

Collectanea into their ow n languages (Taylor 1985, 47).

The stu d y of the proverb in its entirety has never been p u rsu e d and

exam ined so thoroughly as in this century. Professor A rcher Taylor aloqe

produced some 120 publications on various topics related to proverbs,

proverbial expressions, proverbial com parisons, W ellerism s, sim iles, and

idiom s (M ieder 1985, xvii). This prolific scholarly life rightly earned him

international fam e in the field of parem iology. Taylor's The Proverb, a

classic w ork, becam e the m ost w idely cited book in the field. W olfgang

M ieder, him self a m ajor figure in the field of proverb stu d y , in the

in troduction to the new ed itio n of The Proverb and an Index to "The

Proverb" assesses the im portance of Taylor's book:

 Seldom has one single book h ad so m uch influence on
generations of scholars as A rcher T aylor's The Proverb
(C am bridge/M ass. 1931) w hich he published before reaching
the age of forty-one. Yet this book presents the entire field of
proverb studies in such a fashion as if it w ere w ritten as the
final m agnum opus of a seasoned scholar (M ieder 1985, xxix).

F urther, the establishm ent, in 1965, of a separate journal devoted to

the proverb studies dem onstrates the genuine scholarly dedication and

interest w hich has b ro u g h t recognition to proverb scholarship as a field of

study. This journal, Proverbium, serves as an in tern atio n al p o d iu m to

exchange ideas and researches from proverb scholarship th ro u g h o u t the

w orld.

In the last seventy years proverb scholars have shifted aw ay from

the purely literary and historical approaches em ployed by their

predecessors. In addition to explaining the literary and historical sources

and origins of proverbs, research now em phasizes their n atu re, m eanings,

and functions. Proverb research has been influenced by the theories and

m ethods em ployed by other social scientists such as anthropologists,

ethnographers, and linguists. In this respect, to ren d er a definition of a

proverb, som e scholars have taken a contextual approach, w hich

em phasizes the functionality of the proverb, w hile others have elaborated

on the question of w hat a proverb is, hence taking a structural approach.

A lternatively, som e have taken a content analysis ap p ro ach for explaining

w hat proverbs are.

A lan D undes— a m ajor advocate for the stru ctu ral ap p ro ach —

com m enting on the lack of an adequate definition for the proverb despite

the years of m ajor research and attention that have been d evoted to its

42
study, states th at "The proverb m ay be defined in stru ctu ral term s. Purely

functional definitions are inadequate inasm uch as other genres of folklore

m ay share the sam e function(s) as proverbs" (D undes 1981, 45). To him

the crucial question— w hen it comes to the definition of pro v erb — is

w h at a proverb is, not its function. D undes em phasizes a structural

approach over other approaches, such as the functional for a definition of

the proverb genre. Realizing the im portance of other approaches, he

w rites: "This is not to dem ean the genuine utility of functional

considerations, b u t only to affirm the necessity for internal rath er than

external form al definitional criteria. The critical question is th u s n o t w h at

a proverb does, b u t w hat a proverb is" (D undes 1981, 45). Further, D undes

has his ow n view of structural analysis. To him stru ctu ral analysis is not

confined to the linguistic surface structure, such as the one that M arjorie

Kim m erle used in 1947 to classify folk sayings from C olorado (Kimmerle

1947). D undes sees deeper underlying patterns of "folkloristic structure."

H e distinguishes betw een the "folkloristic structure" and "linguistic

structure" (1981, 46). A fter review ing and evaluating the m erits of

different researches and tren d s in proverb studies in the last seven

decades, D undes defines a proverb from the p o in t of view of "folkloristic

structure":

In sum m ary then, the proverb appears to be a traditional

propositional statem ent consisting of at least one descriptive
elem ent, a descriptive elem ent consisting of a topic and
com m ent. This m eans th at proverbs m u st have at least tw o
w ords. Proverbs w hich contain a single descriptive elem ent
are non-oppositional. Proverbs w ith tw o or m ore descriptive
elem ents m ay be either oppositional or non-oppositional....
N on-oppositional m ulti-d escrip tiv e elem ent p ro v erb s

43
 em phasize identificational features, often in the form of an
equation or a series of equal term s; oppositional proverbs
em phasize contrastive features, often in the form of negation
or a series of term s in com plem entary d istribution (D undes
1981, 60).

In contrast to D u n d es' focus on the deep "folkloristic structure,"

other studies investigate the gram m atical pattern s and textural

characteristics of the proverb, th at is, their "linguistic stru ctu re."12 Beatrice

Silverm an-W einreich's article "T ow ards a Structural A nalysis of Y iddish

Proverbs," is a good representative of the latter approach. Silverm an-

W einreich's study, based on surface structure, discusses m any linguistic

p atterns including im portant poetic and stylistic aspects of Y iddish

proverbs such as assonance, alliteration, m eter, and rhym e (Silverm an-

W einreich 1981).

Besides the structural studies of proverbs, the content of proverbs

has also received considerable attention, pro d u cin g interesting results.

A rcher Taylor suggested th at the stu d y of proverbs from the content point

of view renders b etter results for the classification of proverbs. Further, he

suggested th a t a distinction be m ade betw een the specific subjects such as

"dog; w om en; or G od," and those subjects th at refer to a specific dom ain of

the culture such as "legal notions, w eather, health, agriculture, shipping,

and so on"(Taylor 1985, 66). H e considered the latter group m ore fruitful

for classification purposes. In his book The Proverb, he g roups the

proverbs according to subject in the follow ing categories: custom s and

superstitions; historical proverbs; legal proverbs; 'blason populaire;'

w eather proverbs; m edical proverbs; conventional phrases; and proverbial

prophecies (Taylor 1985, 66-134).

44
 A nother im portant issue in regard to proverb stu d y is m eaning. In

this respect N eal N orrick's sem antic investigation in his H ow Proverbs

Mean: Sem antic Studies in English Proverbs offers v alu ab le insights for

the stu d y of the proverb (N orrick 1985). In his book, he investigates the

proverb from m any angles in seven detailed chapters. Specific them es

u n d e r discussion in N orrick's book include: the definition of the proverb

from traditional and structural points of view; reasons to stu d y proverbs;

the m eanings and textural studies of proverbs; literal and figurative

m eaning of proverbs; and proverbs in texts and interactions. N orrick's

approach to the stu d y of the proverb is different from others in that he

prefers to look at each proverb as a distinct text possessing a certain

inventory. He describes his approach to the proverb in the opening of the

first chapter of his book: "This stu d y aims to describe how proverbs m ean.

It focuses on the proverb as a discrete text rather than as p a rt of a larger text

or interaction"(N orrick 1985, 1).

In contrast to N orrick's approach, the contextual stu d y of folklore

genres, of w hich the proverb is one, em phasizes that folklore should be

studied in context. The philosophy behind this approach — for exam ple

in the case of proverb study — is to u n d erstan d how proverbs function in

a given situation; w ho uses proverbs, for w hom and w hy; th ro u g h w h at

m eans proverbs are used, an d how they are used to achieve certain results.

The aim and scope of contextual inquiries are described neatly by Richard

Baum an. R egarding the sim ple collection of folkloristic m aterials as based

on an abstract view of folklore, B aum an urges folklorists to abandon w h at

he calls the "butterfly-collecting approach":

 The sym bolic and expressive form s w e call folklore have
their prim ary existence in the action of people, and are rooted
in the social and cultural life of those people. The texts w e
are accustom ed to view ing as the raw m aterials of folklore
are m erely the thin an d p artial record of deeply situated
h u m an behavior (B aum an 1983, 362).

To attem pt to u n d e rstan d the folklore "in term s of the w eb of

contextual interrelationships," he proposes six general points to be applied

in organizing fieldw ork m aterials:

(a) context o f m eaning (w hat does it mean?); (b) in stitu tio n a l

context (w here does it fit w ith in the culture?); (c) context o f
com m unicative system (how does it relate to oth er kinds of
folklore?); (d) social base (w hat kind of people does it belong
to?); (e) individual context (how does it fit into a p e rso n 's
life?); (f) context o f situation (how is it useful in social
situations?) (Baum an 1983, 367).

O ne aspect of the contextual stu d y discusses the question of

know ing how to apply proverbs in a given situation. In this respect, it is

not enough to know w hat a proverb m eans; the im p o rtan t question is

how is it applied. Speaking abo u t the im personal p o w er of proverbs and

how they are used in A frican judicial proceedings, A rew a and D undes

state that advocates of a case use proverbs as a p ast exem plar for their

deeds. H ow ever, know ing a proverb does no t guarantee th at one will w in

a case. U nderlying the im portance of p ro p er application of the proverbs

for a given situation, A rew a an d D undes write: "The case usually w ill be

w on, not by the m an w ho know s the m ost proverbs, b u t by the m an w ho

know s best how to apply the proverbs he know s to the problem at h an d "

(Arewa & D undes 1964, 70). A ccordingly, know ing the m eaning of a

46
proverb does not guarantee th a t a user know s w hen, how , and for w hom

the proverb should be used. Folklorists, then, should no t lim it

them selves to the texts alone; rather, the texts m u st be presen ted in their

contexts. A ccentuating the im portance of distinguishing betw een

know ing and applying proverbs, A rew a and D undes criticize the tendency

to confine fieldw ork in folklore to "recording texts," and ignoring the "use

of the text"(A rew a & D undes 1964, 70). In other w ords, they advocate a

contextual approach to folklore fieldw ork. This concept is best form ulated

by Richard Bauman:

The field study of folklore in context is a m ultiplex

undertaking. To be done effectively, th e contextual
dim ension m ust be atten d ed to directly, b u ilt into the field in
investigation as a central focus from the beginning, no t
sim ply relegated to the status of a residual or secondary
category of com plem entary inform ation, to be correlated or
conflated w ith the folklore m aterials at som e later stage of the
analysis (Bauman 1983, 366-367).

In addition to the approaches described above, som e scholars have

exam ined the applied potential of proverbs to obtain results in fields such

as psychology and psychiatry. N ancy A ndreasen's "Reliability and V alidity

of Proverb Interpretation to Assess M ental Status" (1981, 218-229) and

Franziska B aum garten's "A Proverb Test for A ttitu d e M easurem ent"

(1981, 230-241) are tw o exam ples of such studies regarding the applied use

of proverbs.

In studying the A zerbaijani proverbs in this collection, the

availability of a num ber of studies, w hich w ere only a sm all p ortion of

w hat has been published about proverbs, help ed m e to analyze the

47
m aterials from several different angles. As d em onstrated above, the

proverb scholarship in reg ard to A zerbaijani collections or any other

collections in Iran has follow ed— w ith a few exceptions— a traditional

approach. In addition to the problem of not distinguishing the true

proverbs from related genres such as proverbial expressions, similes,

idiom s, proverbial com parisons, or m axim s, p roverb studies in Iran, in

m ost cases, have consisted of sim ply collecting and pu b lish in g proverbs.

Some of these w orks occasionally include the A rabic equivalents or

parallels and the m eaning of the proverbs. Publications th at take a

historical approach are scarce.13 In surveying the proverb literature in the

W est, one realizes th a t the prov erb scholarship in Iran needs to consider

other approaches besides sim ply collecting texts. A t the present tim e one

aspect of proverb studies— collecting the texts— seem s to have m ore

urgency than the others. This urgency has to do w ith the fact th at the

older A zerbaijani generation is being replaced w ith a new generation that

faces the predicam ent of forgetting its traditional treasure and especially its

oral tradition. Therefore, it is incum bent u p o n collectors and researchers

to include relevant inform ation th at can give us a b etter u n d erstan d in g of

the use of the text rath er th an m erely the texts alone. This concern finds

its echo in Z afarkhah's book A ta Babalar Deyiblcir (A ncestors H ave Said),

p ublished in 1991. A pologizing for no t pro d u cin g a volum inous w ork

and recognizing the need for using the item s in their n atu ral settings as

they occur in sentences, Z afarkhah justifies the p ro d u ctio n of a short book,

even one w ith deficiencies, such as his ow n. H is justification is based on

the argum ent th at the oral literatu re th at is being carried o n the shoulders

48
of his generation w ill be lost unless som e m easures are taken to save this

valuable treasure. H e argues unless this treasure is delivered to the next

generation in som e fashion, preferably in the form of w riting, a great p a rt

of the A zerbaijani folklore w ill be b u ried w ith his generation (Z afarkhah

1991,5-6).

I benefited im m ensely from A rcher T aylor's book The Proverb. His

book and his treatm ent of th e subject of proverb studies, alth o u g h w ritten

in 1931, is so universal that one could say th at the em inent scholar h ad

A zerbaijani collections in m ind w h en he w as w riting this book. A m ong

other publications, I also benefited greatly from the studies on the

structure of proverbs. Of special help w ere A lan D u n d es' articles, "O n the

Structure of the Proverb" (1981) and "T rends in C ontent A nalysis: A

Review Article"(1962, 12: 31-38). D u n d es' discussion and stru ctu ral view

of topic-comment elem ents in the p ro v erb s h elp ed m e to d istin g u ish

betw een several elem ents in a proverb, w hich w as im p o rtan t in choosing

the correct keyw ord for the index. O n the subject of the relationship and

differences betw een proverbs and proverbial expressions or proverbial

phrases, a num ber of publications helped m e to clarify m y o w n findings

on the subject. Lutz Rohrich and W olfgang M ieder's discussions on the

proverb and its relation to other speech genres and proverbial expressions

are excellent contributions in this area (Rohrich & M ieder 1977). Further,

Pertev B oratav's article "Les Proverbes," w hich concentrates on T urkish

and Turkic proverbs, sheds light on the differences to be m ade betw een

true proverbs and related genres such as proverbial expressions and

com m on sayings (Boratav 1964, 2: 67-77). In the follow ing chapters of this
w ork, fu rth er specific sources w hich have b een helpful in stu d y in g the

content and form of A zerbaijani proverbs w ill be discussed as needed.

1T h e A z e r b a ija n R e p u b lic b e c a m e in d e p e n d e n t from the fo rm er S o v i e t

U n ion on O ctob er 18, 1991. A zerbaijan w as o n e o f the fifteen th S o v ie t
S o c ia li s t R e p u b lic s w h ich m ade up the U n io n o f the S o v ie t S o c ia lis t
R ep u b lics.
2 S e e fo o tn o te # 5 in the first chapter.
3 T h e 1 9 8 4 p o p u la tio n figure in c lu d e s the n o n - A z e r b a ija n i re sid e n ts su ch as
R u ss ia n s , A rm e n ia n s, G e o r g ia n s , Kurds and o th er eth n ic grou p s. T o this
figure o n e has to add the A z e r i p op u lation o f M o u n ta in o u s K arabagh and
the f o rm er N a k h c h iv a n A u t o n o m o u s S o v i e t S o c i a l i s t R e p u b lic .
4 In ad d ition , adult e v e n i n g c l a s s e s h ave b een e s ta b lis h e d at Tehran
U n iv e r s ity for th o se w h o w is h to learn the A ze rb a ija n i la n g u a g e .
5 U n f o r t u n a t e ly , s in c e a n u m b e r o f th e se w o r k s w er e m a n u scr ip ts there are
fe w c o p ie s a v ailab le. I did not h ave the op portu nity to fa m ilia rize m y s e l f
with the c o n te n ts o f th e se b o o k s . T h er efo re , I c a n n ot render any j u d g m e n t
on their q u ality and im p ortan ce. Other authors w h o refer to th e se works
just m en tio n the n am es o f the authors and the w ork itself.
^The original title o f M u jte h e d i’s b ook is A m s a l va H a k a m d a r Z a b a n - i
M a h a l l T - y i A z a r b a y j d n (P rov erbs and M a x im s in the L o c a l A zerb aijani
L a n g u a g e ) and it w as p ub lish ed in 13 34 (1 9 5 5 ).
7 M an y o f the proverbial e x p r e s s io n s , w h ic h are su p p o se d to be m arked by
asterisk s, are not m arked as they o u g h t to be. T h is d isc r e p a n c y m ig h t h ave
b een the resu lt o f ty p o g r a p h ic errors.
8 R egretabeIy in C h o d z k o ’s b o o k on e o n ly fin d s the tran slations o f the so n g s
as o p p o s e d to the original so u rce. F ortun ately, he in clu d ed on e
transcription o f o n e the s o n g s . Further, he in tr od u ce s the s o n g s as
“Turkm an S o n g s , ” rather than A zerb aija ni. S e e Karl F o y for further
d isc u ssio n s (Karl F oy 1903, VI: 12 6-1 93).
9 The p roverbs are taken from the work o f the sa m e B a d k u b ei w h o w rote his
Persian and A ze ri w ork N i s d b in 1864 w h ic h co n ta in e d 4 0 0 proverbs.
1 0 A m o n g se v er al p u b lic a tio n s in w h ich o n e can find a f e w e x a m p le s o f
p ro verbs, in this c a s e a n e c d o t e s referring to the p rover b s, are th o se
p ub lish ed by the fa m o u s Iranian fo lk lo rist A n ja v i S hirazi. H is 1 9 7 2 b o o k
K i t d b - i T a m s l l a t va M a s a l h d c o n ta in s se v e r a l p roverbs.
1 1 In m y research the 19 84 ed itio n o f M u j te h e d i’s w ork has b een used.
12 A c c o r d in g to A la n D u n d es, the texture o f a fo lk lo re genre is: “the
la n g u a g e , the s p e c i f i c p h o n e m e s and m o r p h e m e s e m p lo y e d . T h u s textural
features o f p ro v e b s, for e x a m p le , in clu d e rh ym e and alliteration . Other

50
c o m m o n textural featu res in clu d e: stress, p itc h , ju n ctu r e, to n e , and
o n o m a t o p o e ia ” ( D u n d e s 1980, 53).
13 A m o n g f e w e x i s t i n g w orks with a h isto ric a l approach are M o h a m m a d
B o r q e ' i ’ s KavushT d a r A m s a l va H a k a m - i FarsT ( A Study in Persian Proverbs
and M a x im s) pub lish ed in 1972. A n oth er b o o k is R T sh ih a -y i T a rik tiT -y i
A m s a l va H a k a m (H isto rica l O r ig in s o f the P roverb s and M a x i m s ) p u b lish e d
in 1986 by Partovi A m o l y . A li Akbar D e h k h o d a ’s fo u r -v o lu m e A m s a l va
H a k a m (Proverbs and M a x im s ) , p u b lish ed in 1960, althou gh it is prim arily a
proverb c o l le c t i o n , a lso in c lu d e s m any n otes on the origin o f the p roverbs
and m a x im s .
 CHAPTER THREE

PROVERBS A N D RELATED GENRES: DEFINITION A N D FORM

1. The Collection and its Components

The proverbs in this stu d y have been selected from a large

collection of som e 8,000 items. The collection includes n o t only proverbs

b u t also such related genres as proverbial com parisons or similes,

proverbial expressions, idiom atic expressions, dialogue proverbs,

anecdotal proverbs, riddle proverbs, blason populaire, and a group of

traditional sayings starting w ith the phrase “as if." As I m entioned earlier

all of these closely related b u t heterogeneous item s w ere collected as

A zerbaijani proverbs. This is a com m on approach in collecting and

publishing proverbs in Iran. In the next chapter, from all the above items,

only the true proverbs have been selected to be exam ined in detail. This

chapter introduces the various types of proverbs and other closely related

genres that are represented in the collection. The difficulties in h eren t in

distinguishing proverbs from proverbial expressions w ill be discussed and

reasons w ill be presented as to w hy these forms are so often confused.

O ne genre included in this collection is the proverbial com parisons

or similes. In this group an action or quality of som eone or som ething is

com pared w ith the quality of som ething else, in such a w ay that the

com m unity passes judgem ent on it. In English, “as greasy as a pig; blacker

than soot; to fight like a tiger" are exam ples of this type of expression

(Taylor 1950, 2: 907). The Azerbaijani proverbial com parisons are

identified by the use of the w o rd K im i/kim in m ean in g "sim ilar to, like or

as." In these com parisons, sim ilarities are d ra w n from th e anim al

kingdom or natu re as well as the h u m an w orld. Such com parisons are

used w idely in everyday language. The collection at h a n d possesses m any

exam ples. O ne exam ple th at draw s a com parison from n a tu re is: Xcizan

yarpaghi kim in, sap sari saralmish (H e /s h e looks as p ale as the a u tu m n 's

leaf). A nother exam ple uses the anim al w o rld to m ake a com parison:

Dabarii yanm ish ay'i kim in, baghiriv (He is scream ing like a b ear w hose

sole has been burned). Sim ilarities are also found in h u m a n actions or

qualities: Dali kimin ozi diydr dzi eshiddr (Like a crazy m an he talks and

listens to himself).

A second group that is closely related to proverbial com parisons and

similes is the "as if" sentences. In this category, a variety of topics are

em ployed to render a statem ent about h u m an characteristics and attitudes.

All of these "as if" traditional sayings are introduced w ith the p h rase Eld

bil and som etim es w ith Eld bilasan w hich literally m eans, "as if,

consider." This type of expression seem s to be peculiar to the A zerbaijani

language, for "as if" traditional sayings do no t exist in the other Turkic

languages such as Turkish and T urkm en w hich are the closest languages

to Azerbaijani. Examples of this type are: Eld bil yavan ash ichibl (As if he

has d ru n k sim ple soup). This statem ent is used for som eone w ho lacks

energy and m oves slowly in carrying o u t a duty. Eld bilasan oli gdbirddn

xottayib! (As if the dead have arisen from the grave!); Eld bil gdmilari gdrg

olubl (As if his ships sank!); Eld bil garishgaya m inibl (As if he is riding an

ant!); Eld bil Samira yolchisidi! (As if he is a Sam aritans' begger!); Eld bil it
pishihdilcir! (As if they are dog and cat!). The general characteristic of this

group is dem onstrated in the possession of a certain quality in a h u m an or

non-hum an th at exists in the item to be com pared w ith. Structurally the

"as if" sentences are not closed and are m ostly in the present tense.

A necdotal proverbs constitute a large gro u p in this collection.

These proverbs are short sentences that are taken directly from a story.

W ithout know ledge of the stories, they are unintelligable. In o rd er to

com prehend the m eaning of these proverbs one needs to know the

backgrounds th at have given rise to them . The stories in w hich these

narrative proverbs are included cover a w ide range of subjects and in the

m ajority of these stories h u m an beings are the m ain subjects. Several

stories are connected w ith historical events and characters. O ne exam ple

of such an anecdotal proverb is: Ey m'ixi mismara donddrdn Allah!

[Praised be the] God w ho has changed regular nails to big nails!).

M ujtehedi relates the follow ing story from w hich this proverb is said to

originate. It is said that Sultan M ahm oud G haznavid (d. 1050) ordered a

blacksm ith to p rep are a large num ber of nails w ith in a w eek's tim e for

one of his cam paigns. The blacksm ith tried h a rd to convince the sultan

th at the allotted tim e did not suffice for such a large order, b u t the sultan

tu rn ed a deaf ear to his com plaints. H e gave the blacksm ith tw o options:

either p rep are the order on tim e, or else have m elted lead p o u red dow n

his throat. The unfortunate m an stayed u p for seven days and nights

trying to p rep are the nails. D espite continuous h a rd w ork, he could no t

produce m ore than tw o-thirds of the order. O n the seventh night, w hile

he w as w orking on the order— know ing that he w ould be dead by

54
tom orrow — he tu rn ed to G od and said his last prayers. The following

day early in the m orning there w as a knock at the door; the blacksm ith

w ent to door frightened and asked w ho the person was. A voice

answ ered: I am the court's herald. Fetch m e four big nails for the

sultan's bier w ho passed aw ay last night. U pon hearing this new s the

blacksm ith said: Praised be the G od w ho changed regular nails to big

nails! (M ujtehedi 1984, 78; m y tran slatio n ).1

A group of proverbs in this collection fits the classificatory

description of w h at A rcher Taylor refers to as "dialogue Proverbs."

D escribing the differences betw een the W est E uropean and East E uropean

(Greek) dialogue proverbs (w hich have sim ilarities to the A rabic genre—

the archetype of M iddle Eastern dialogue proverbs), Taylor notes:

These differences lie in the form rath er than in the content.

In W estern Europe p o p u la r w isdom sum s u p the situation in
a general, didactic observation, w hile the Eastern proverb
often show s a liking for a m ore concrete form. O n the one
h an d w e have a m axim and on the other an anecdote (Taylor
1985,157-158).

A fter a com parison of the form and content of the W est and East

E uropean dialogue proverbs, Taylor w rites th at the form of the G reek and

Arabic proverbs corresponds to the ones current in Europe (1985, 158-159).

O ne exam ple th at Taylor offers as representative of the gro u p called

"dialogue p ro v erb s," is: '7 have caught a bear. — Bring it here. — it w o n 't

come. — Then come yourself. — It w o n ’t let me go" (1985, 156). The very

sam e proverb also exists in the A zerbaijani collection. The corresponding

55
A zerbaijani p ro v e rb reads: M an motaldan dl chdhmishdm, motal mandan

dl chahmir (I have let go of the churning-skin. The skin does n o t let go

of me).

In o rd er to u n d erstan d the m essage and the im plication of this

proverb one needs to know the u n d erly in g story. M ujtehedi relates the

follow ing story from w hich this dialogue proverb w as born: A mollah

(moslem clergy) w ent on a field trip w ith his students. Suddenly, a strong

hail storm started and tu rn ed into a flood w hich caught a sleeping bear by

surprise and carried him aw ay. The stu d en ts w ho w ere w atching the flood

and pointing to the bear said, "M olla, the flood m ust have destroyed a

village. See how it is carrying this cheese skin!" A t once, the greedy molla

jum ped into the w ater to catch the skin. W hen he reached the bear, the

beast, searching for som ething to hold onto, grabbed the p riest and did not

let go of him . A fter w aiting for their teacher for a while, the stu d en ts

cried, "Molla! It is getting late. Let go of the churning-skin and let u s go

hom e." The m olla said, "I have let go of the churning-skin. The skin does

not let go of m e." (M ujtehedi 1984, 255). There are num erous dialogue

proverbs such as this one in this collection and other A zerbaijani

collections.

The dialogue proverbs can be traced back as early as the eleventh

century in the Turkic languages and cultures. Several of these proverbs

are included in M ahm oud al-K ashgari's Divan lughat al-Turk

(C om pendium of the Turkic D ictionary) w hich w as w ritten in the year

1073. A lthough nine and half centuries have passed since K ashgari's

D ivan w as w ritten, it includes one of the sam e dialogue proverbs, w ith a

56
slight variation th at also exists in the p resent collection. The dialogue

proverb in K ashgari's D iva n reads: AsiZ ajur tiibtim altnn, qamic ajur mein

qaida m an? (The cauldron says, "M y bottom is gold." The ladle says,

"W here am I?") (B rockelm ann 1920, 8: 54). The v ariant p roverb in our

collection is: Gazan dedi, "Dibim g izild i." Chomchd d ed i/'In d i gdzib

gdhnisham .” (The cauldron says, "M y bottom is gold[red]." The ladle says,

"I just cam e back from a w alk"). O ther exam ples in the p resent collection

are: Dasha d ed ild r/'N iyd dash oldun?" D edi,"D am ir gordiim " (The rock

w as asked, "W hy d id you becom e a rock?" The rock said, "[W hen] I saw

the piece of iron"). Ddrvishd dedilar, "Baghda pilo var.” Dedi, "Yalan

olmasa, uzax dayir?"( They said to a dervish, "[Free] pilov is [being

distributed] in the garden." H e said, "If it w ere true is it no t rather far!?").

There is a sim ilarity betw een narrative and dialogue proverbs. In both

cases, the proverb alludes to a narrative and the climatic line of the story

can be lifted out and used alone as a proverb. In the narrative proverbs,

the proverb is u sed like a sim ple statem ent. In the dialogue proverbs, the

proverb requires a conversational form.

The dialogue p roverbs are treated as proverbs de tournure

anecdotique (Proverbs of anecdotal form) in B oratav's article, "Les

Proverbs." A ccording to Boratav, these proverbs present a narrative in a

m inim um scope; they are recognizable by the presence of special

gram m atical constructions th a t schem atize a dialogue; the verb is in the

p ast n arrative form -m ish (Boratav 1964, 2: 69). The form of the dialogue

proverbs in this collection are sim ilar to that described by Boratav. The

difference lies in the tense m arker. U nlike its T urkish counterpart, w hich

57
em ploys the past narrative form -mish , the A zerbaijani exam ples use the

sim ple p a st tense in addition to the p ast n arrativ e form -mish.

The dialogue proverbs are no t confined to Turkic languages and

cultures. This genre is found in the proverb collections of oth er M iddle

Eastern languages such as Persian and Arabic. For exam ple, the old

proverb Qurtga biidik bilmcis, jirim tar tir (The old w o m an can n o t dance,

she says, "M y space is narrow ") m entioned in K ashgari's Divan

(Brockelm ann 1920, 8:72), has a counterpart in Persian im plying the sam e

m essage: A ru s nim itavanad biraqsad, m lguyad zamTn kaj ast (The b rid e

cannot dance, she says, "The floor is not flat"). The existence of p airs of

sim ilar proverbs like the one m entioned above in several cultures of the

M iddle East raises questions about the origin of this type of proverbs. The

availability of m ore collections from the M iddle Eastern cultures w ill

enable researchers to trace the origin of these dialogue proverbs.

A fourth group of item s in this collection are w h at the French call

blason populaire. This group of proverbs speaks or ren d ers ju d g em en ts

about characteristics of a certain group of people. O ften sim ple-

m indedness, laziness, stinginess, greed, and sim ilar characteristics of

h um an beings are attributted to a social group. In these proverbs city

dw ellers, villagers, ethnic groups, opposite sexes, nations, and the

residents of particular cities become the subject of m ockery or w itticism .

O ne exam ple w hich depicts the laziness of certain g ro u p w ith in a national

g ro u p is: Erm dninin tdmbdl'i keshish, m iisdlm anin tdmbali darvish olar

(The laziest of A rm enians becom es a p riest and the laziest of M uslim s

becom es a dervish). O ther exam ples are: A rvadin bir gabirgasi askih olar

58
(W om en are sh o rt of one rib); Ardebil bir shdhdrdir hdrkds dziiniin

vdkilidir (A rdebil is a city in w hich everyone is his ow n lawyer).

A nother sm all com ponent of this collection is m ade u p of w h at

folklorists denote as riddle-proverbs. The use of proverbs as riddles or

vice versa has been discussed and dem onstrated by a n um ber of scholars.

The research available from a variety of cultures substantiates the

argum ent th at the genres of proverb and riddle have a d u al life. A n

exam ple of this relationship pertain in g to the Semitic culture w as

dem onstrated by G alit H asan-Rock in h er article "R iddle and Proverb: The

R elationship Exem plified by an A ram aic Proverb" (1974). H asan-R ock's

study explores tw o kinds of relationship betw een the riddle and proverb: a

structural one, as betw een the proverb in the T alm ud and the riddle of AT

875 (The C lever Peasant Girl), and a "genetical relationship, w h en the

proverb-text itself functions as a riddle (Hasan-Rock 1974, 24: 939). A lan

D undes sees a structural relationship betw een the tw o genres of proverb

and riddle. A dm itting th at there are functional differences betw een these

tw o genres, he argues that "w hile there is no d o u b t th at there are

im portant funtional differences betw een tw o genres, e.g., riddles confuse

w hile proverbs clarify, I believe that structurally speaking there are m ajor

sim ilarities" (D undes 1981, 50). Speaking of the double life of a text that

can be used as a proverb or riddle, D undes refers to the existence of such a

phenom enon in B urm ese culture (1981, 51). Professor M atti K uusi's stu d y

of the southw est A frican riddle-proverbs of the O vam bo people is another

exam ple of how these tw o genres are closely related, as the sam e text m ay

be used as a proverb and as well as a riddle (Kuusi 1969,12: 305-306).

59
 There are several exam ples attesting to the existence of such dual

texts th at could be em ployed as proverb or riddle in the Turkic cultures.

H ow ever, it is not easy to trace the existence of this relationship in the p ast

w ith any certainty. The research on this topic is no t yet thoroughly

explored and requires m ore actual field w ork w ith a contextual appraoch.

A ccording to Professor Ba§goz w ho has done som e research on this

subject, the data th a t he u sed did no t p ro v e convincingly th at such a

tradition could have existed in the Turkish trad itio n for a long time. In

the conclusion based on his research, Professor Ba§goz states:

The d ata w hich w e classified u n d er group B do n o t p rovide

enough evidence to argue th at the usage of riddles as
proverbs has been or is com m on, or th at such a trad itio n
exists in Turkish folklore. The published texts w hich
suggests th at such double usage is possible should be view ed
w ith great suspicion (Baggoz 1972, 18: 662).

Some texts have been included in this collection as proverbs

even th o u g h they are clearly riddles. The follow ing are tw o exam ples

of the riddle-proverb dual life in this collection. First is the proverb,

Burda virar gilinji, Halabdci oynar u ji (He strikes [draw s] the sw ord

here, its tip sw ays in H alab [a city in Syria] ). The sam e item is included

as a rid d le in Jav id 's book A zdrbayjan Folklorundan N iim nndldr

(Samples of A zerbaijani Folklore). In the section dealing w ith

tapm ajalar (riddles) the item is cited as Burda vurram giliji, Baghdadda

oynar u ji (I d raw the sw ord here, its tip sw ays in Baghdad). The answ er

to this riddle is given as th u n d e r (Javid 1980, 2: 60, 116). It is difficult to

60
see how this text could be u sed as anything b u t a riddle. It therfore does

not qualify as belonging to a d u al genre, the riddle-proverb.

H ow ever, there are other texts that are m uch b etter candidates

for d u al genre status. The exam ple: Inti kim in hamm'ini bazar ozi lilt

giiztir (Like a needle it decorates [covers] everyone and it w alks around

naked= the cobbler's children go barefoot) is included as a simile in this

collection. The sam e item is included as a proverb in H iiseynzada's

Atalar Sozii va Zdrbi-M dsdlldr (W ords of A ncestors and Sayings): Inti

altimi btiziir, ozii Hit gdzcir (The needle decorates the w o rld and it w alks

a round naked) (H iiseynzada 1985,179). The use of this proverb as a

riddle is recorded in Javid's book as: H am ini btiziir, ozi Hit gdzdr (It

decorates everyone and it w alks aro u n d naked). The needle is included

as the answ er to this riddle (Javid 1980, 1: 80, 120). The fact th at the

A zerbaijani collection contains several rid d le-p ro v erb exam ples

suggests th at this genre is n o t confined only to T urkish proverb

collections. O n the contrary, it w ould suggest th at this genre m ight be

p art of a larger Turkic folk literature. In o rd er to prove the existence of

such a relationship betw een proverbs and riddles, other folkloristic

m aterials belonging to Turkic speaking cultures should be consulted

fu rth er.

Proverbs are som etim es used in other genres such in the bayati

(traditional folk q uatrain poetry) that are sung by m instrels. One

exam ple for such a d ual life characteristic of the proverbs is:

A gh alma g'izil alma N im ch iyd diiziil alma

Chirkin al ndjib olsun Bad tisil gozdl alma

W hite apples, red apples Placed on a tray are apples

M arry an ugly w om an as long as she comes from a good family!

M arry not a pretty w om an if she does not come from a good family

(Javid 1980, 2: 336). In the collection, this proverb is cited as: A sil al

chirkin ola, bad asil gdzal alma! (M arry a w o m an even if she is ugly as

long as comes from a good family! Do not m arry a w om an if she

comes from a bad fam ily even if she is pretty!). There are num erous

exam ples of this kind th at substantiate the use of the proverb in the

form of folk poetry or vice versa. The structure of the bayat'i folk po etry

is a sim ple one. U sually each u n it consists of tw o verses, each m ade u p

of tw o hem i-stiches. The first, second and fourth hem i-stiches rhym e

w hile the third one has its ow n rhym e. Therefore, the form of a bayat'i

is A, A, B, A. The m essages of these poem s are given in the second

verse. Som etim es there is n o t logical sem antic relationship betw een

the first and the second verse. In the above cited exam ple, there is no

relationship betw een the apples and the advice to m arry a w om an of

good family. Yet the w ord apple, alma , is used as a play device since

the w ord has tw o m eanings: one is the apple and the other one is the

im perative tense of the verb almax m eaning " d o n 't take." The

proverbs w ere also used in the A shik (bard) poetry too. In addition, a

num ber of O ttom an poets versified proverbs in their w orks. For

instance, G iivahi, a sixteen century O ttom an poet, used m any proverbs

in his book called P end-N am e (H engirm en 1983).

The few exam ples of various genres discussed and presented in

this section dem onstrate a general trend of how different traditional

62
sayings are included in collections u n d e r the b ro ad rubric of proverb.

The existence of collections such as this one m anifests how proverb

collectors and researchers differ in their view s of w h a t constitutes a

proverb w hat does not. This approach is no t peculiar to A zerbaijani

collections; b u t it seems to be a w o rd -w id e practice. In the following

sections of this chapter the reasons of and causes for this kind of

approach w ill be discussed in detail.

2. D efinition of Proverb

A definition— that is to say a u n anim ously accepted one— of

the genre of proverb is a difficult task w hich has been subject to

centuries of discussions and exam inations going back as far as

antiquity. Therefore, to find a clear an d n eat definition of the proverb

that w ould please every researcher seem s to be n o t an easy

undertaking. This difficult task w as best characterized by A rcher Taylor

— the father of proverb studies— in his "The C ollection and Study of

Proverbs." C om m enting on the subject of how difficult it is to give a

brief definition of the proverb genre w h en faced w ith the sam e

question over and over, Taylor writes:

I begin at once w ith com m ent on the often repeated call for a
definition of a proverb. I reply that this is 'Easier said than
d o n e / and find its difficulties adm irably discussed by Bartlett
Jere W hiting. M ore than th irty years ago I com m ented on
the task in The Proverb (1931) an d gave m ore th an tw o
h u n d red pages of definition, description, and exam ples. I am
as doubtful today as I w as then about the u se fu ln e ss of a brief
definition (Taylor 1975, 84).

63
 The difficulty of defining the genre does not seem to be peculiar

to the proverb. As a m atter of the fact, it is true of the task of defining

other genres of folklore such as the ballad, the tale, and the riddle as

well. C om m enting on the difficulties involved in defining the

proverb and other folkloristic genres such as the ballad, Taylor relates

that ballad specialists w ho spent m uch of their tim e and effort at a

conference to find a unanim ously accepted definition of the ballad

finally agreed to leave m atters at w here they w ere before

(Taylor 1975, 84).

The calls for a defintion of proverb have no t subsided despite all

the difficulties and scholarly disagreem ents. O n the contrary, scholars

have em barked on new approaches to define w h at a proverb is. In

doing so, as I m entioned in the second chapter, every researcher has

offered a defintion of the proverb according to the m ethod th at he or

she finds m ost suitable for defining the problem . In brief, then, the

proverb w as defined from m any perspectives. The structural, content,

and contextual approaches have each led to m any interesting w ays of

looking at proverb definition.

P utting aside the defintion of the proverb from the stru ctu ral or

contextual p o in t of view s, w e can start w ith the fact that the proverb

has been defined by m any scholars in descriptive term s. A ccording to

A rcher Taylor:

A proverb is a terse didactic statem ent that is current in

tradition or, as an epigram says, 'th e w isdom of m any and the
w it of one.' It ordinarily suggests a course of action or passes
a ju dgem ent on a situation. A proverb m ay be m erely a
statem ent of fact: /H o n e sty is the best p o lic y /, /A ll's w ell that

64
 ends w e ll/; or a m etapho r, w hich one applies to the situation:
/D o n 't change horses w h en crossing a stre a m /, /D o n 't cut off
your nose to spite y our face (Taylor 1950, 2: 902).

In the first chapter of his book The Proverb, Taylor him self talked

about the proverb in great detail, discussing various proverbs from the

stylistic p o in t of view as w ell as their form s and functions. Further,

proverbs are distributed am ongst finer divisions such as apothegm s and

m axim s, according to how they attained proverbial currency. Proverbs are

also discussed from the content p o in t of view: "historical proverbs, legal

proverbs, 'blason p o p u laire,' w eather proverbs, m edical proverbs,

conventional phrases and proverbial prophecies" (Taylor 1985). U ntil

recently, m ost scholars w o uld have agreed w ith a content-based

classification sim ilar to the one presented by Taylor. A t present, how ever,

as a result of m any researches and discussions th at inquire w h at really

constitutes a proverb, scholars have started to redefine the genre. For

exam ple, expressions about the w eather or n atu ral phenom ena w ere once

considered as proverbs b u t their status as proverb is now being called into

question (D undes 1984, 1). It appears that the m ore research and tim e are

devoted to the stu d y of the proverbs, the m ore articulate the definition of

the proverb w ill becom e in the future.

The problem of finding a satisfactory definition of proverb is a

com m on challenge encountered th ro u g h o u t the w orld. In the case of

scholarship in the W est, the need to find a com m only accepted

defintion of the proverb has w id en ed the dialogue and fam iliarized

scholars w ith the difficulties an d shortcom ings th at parem iology has

been faced w ith. In the M iddle East, the difficulties facing the proverb

65
defintion are even greater than in the W est because M iddle Eastern

scholars tended to stay w ith a descriptive approach to the topics. The

lack of an accepted notion for the definition of the proverb in the

M iddle East has created a confusion in w hich every folk saying is

considered a proverb. As a result, the m ajority of proverb collections

include a variety of folk speech such as proverbs, proverbial phrases,

m axim s, slang, idiom s, expressions, riddles, anecdotes, sim iles, slogans,

all u n d er a general rubric called proverb. The A zerbaijani collection

w hich is subject of this stu d y is a prim e exam ple of this confusion.

This confusion in defining w h at a true pro v erb is n o t new .

A ccording to Taylor this confusion existed in antiquity. C om m enting

on the difficulty of the definition of the proverb, he w rites, "for m ore

than four thousand years collectors have included in their collections a

great variety of traditional m aterials and have sh o w n th at 'p ro v e rb '

m eans m ore than one kind of traditional saying (Taylor 1975, 84). To

su p p o rt his point, Taylor states that according to Sum m erian scribes

the w ord "proverb" included any form of folk speech, such as precepts;

maxims; truism s; apothegm s and adages; paradoxes; b y w o rd s and

taunts; com plim ents; w ishes and toasts; blason p o pulaire; sh o rt fable;

anecdotes; characters, and "short prayers" (Taylor 1975, 84-85).

The confusion as to w h a t constitutes the p roverb or any other

genre of speech— as described by the Sum m erian scribes— is indeed

still alive in m any parts of the M iddle East. Today still, the m ajor

difficulty arises from the lack of a clear idea of how to dem arcate the

foklore genres and the lack of a specific term to designate a singular

66
folklore genre. This arg u m en t finds su p p o rt in the researches that

Professor Baggoz has been conducting in Turkey over a long peroid of

time. For instance, in his inquiry into the question of w h eth er or not

certain riddles and proverbs possess a dual life in T urkish culture,

B ajgoz calls the validity of this relationship into question. Basgoz is of

the opinion th at the existence of riddle-proverbs w ith a d u al life in

som e collections is creation of non-professional folklorists w ho lack a

clear concept of how to distinguish betw een folkloristic genres (1972, 18:

659). In other w ords, there seem s to be a grey area in the m inds of n o n ­

professional folklorists th a t results in confusing one genre of folklore

for another. This confusion is also encountered am ong com m on folks.

The situation is best explained by B ajgoz w ho h ad am ple o p p o rtu n ity

to w ork w ith m any inform ants in the field. H e p o rtray s the situation

as follows:

W hen a folklorist asks an inform ant to relate a tale (masal),

for exam ple, the first reaction of the 'sim ple folk' is alw ays
confusion. U nless fu rth er explanations are m ade by the
folklorist the inform ant cannot easily choose or tell the
desired form. This confusion is due to the fact th at the sam e
m asal refer to folktale, legend, anecdote or riddle, and in the
form of darb-i m ese [sic], for exam ple, even a proverb
(Ba§goz 1972,18: 659) .2

The sam e argum ent finds su p p o rt in Robert B arakat's valuable

contextual stu d y of A rabic proverbs. O n the section "proverb-m axim

differentiation," Barakat w rites: "O ne of the fundam ental problem s w hen

dealing w ith the A rabic proverb is selecting those characteristics th at serve

to define the genre and to differentiate it from other sim ilar genres"

67
(Barakat 1980, 226: 12). The sam e opinion is attested in the invaluable

w ork of the fam ous lexicographer Solom an Ha'im Persian-English

Proverbs. Speaking about proverbs and sayings and the developm ent of

other related genres into proverb s, he com m ents on the difficulty of

separating p ro p er proverbs from other forms. In particular, he talks about

the challenge involved in being able to distinguish the proverbs from

idiom s and idiom atic phrases w hich w ere incorporated into the proverb

collections. H aim w rote: "Indeed, there are frequent cases w here it is

im possible to d raw a fast line betw een proverbial and idiom atic phrases"

(Haim 1956, 3).

By tracing the origin of the w o rd mathal, m eaning proverb, w e m ay

arrive at a better u n d erstan d in g of the existing confusion. The w ord

mathal is of A rabic origin an d according to the late Professor Gibb:

"'M athaT is essentialy a 'sim iltu d e' or 'p arab le,' w hich describes h u m an

conduct in w ord-picture, usually taken from the anim al w orld" (Gibb 1938,

37). Borqei, an Iranian proverb scholar, states th at the w ord mathal in the

language of the A rabs is used for an expression that com pares tw o

situations or things in order to drive hom e m oral lessons (Borqei 1972, 3).

The fact th at m any exam ples an d statem ents about mathal or proverb are

encountered in the K oran, d em o n strates the im portance of mathal as a

topic for religious instruction. Gibb com m ents on how difficult it is to

divide the tw o m eanings of mathal:

The 'm a th a l' as proverb and the 'm ath al' as simile thus shade
into one another, and it is often difficult to draw the
dividing-line betw een them . For the art of the A rab has
alw ays been his speech, and w ith th at intense feeling for
w ords th at is his birthrig h t, the striking sim ile coined for the

68
 occasion by poet or orator rapidly acquires currency as a
proverb (Gibb 1938, 37).

A ccording to Borqei prov erb s are d iv id ed into three groups: amsal

(plural of masal); zarb al-masal; and tam sllat. Borqei states th at the amsal

are short anecdotes w hich give m oralistic lessons. The m ain characters in

these stories are anim als an d plants; th u s amsal are the sam e as fables in

the Latin languages. H e describes zarb al-masal as a terse prosaic or

versified sentence containing a m essage of social and m oral advice.

Finally, according to Borqei tam sllat are sim ilar to amsal b u t differ from

the form er in th at the subject of the discussion in tamsllat is the h u m an

w orld. The stories are true and the prem ise is th at they can take place

(Borqei 1972, 4-6).

W ithout exaggeration, one can say th at as far as Turkic proverb

studies are concerned, the m ain w ork has been carried o u t by Turkish

scholars. In doing so, they hav e realized the difficulties involved in

distinguishing true proverbs from other genres. W hen it com es to

T urkish proverb scholarship, the nam e O m er A sim A ksoy equals th at of

A rcher Taylor. A ddressing the question of confusion of genres in the

collections in T urkish proverb studies, A ksoy w rites th a t the collections

that w e possess contain m any proverbial expressions th a t are listed u n d er

proverbs, and vice versa. H e m entions th at at tim es som e item s that

belong to neither of these tw o g roups are m arked as p roverb or proverbial

expressions. Furtherm ore, he rem arks th at this tren d still continues to

exist in the Turkish collections (Aksoy 1971, 17).

69
 A ksoy's definition of the proverb is no t th at different from those of

other scholars like Taylor. In his book Atasozleri ve Deyim ler (P ro v erb s

and Sayings) he has tried to offer several w orkable defintions ab o u t the

form, structure, function and content p revailing in the T urkish proverbs.

H e describes the proverb as a com m unal opinion and observation th at

guides us. In another form ulation, he characterizes the proverb as the

tru th of a situation captured as a docum ent or statem ent w hich is accepted

by every individual. A ccording to Aksoy, structurally speaking proverbs

are short, concise and fixed phrases th at com e in a certain m ould and are

expressed w ith certain w ords (Aksoy 1971, 19-20).

In the A zerbaijani language, the term atalar sozii stan d s for the

w ord proverb. The term m eans "w ords of ancestors or elders." In

addition, the A rabic w ord zarb al-masal w hich is a com m on term used in

Iran, is som etim es used to refer to the proverb in the A zerbaijani

language. Some publications use b o th term s, zarb al-masal and atalar

sozii, next to each other w hich suggests th at these tw o term s w o u ld have

different m eanings. But according to the in terpretation and definitions of

m ost Iranian authors, including those of Iranian A zerbaijanis the tw o

term s seem to be interchangable.

The definition of proverbs in A zerbaijani publications p ro d u ced in

Iran com plies approxim ately w ith the traditional view of a proverb. M ost

authors argue th at one of the characteristics of proverbs is its being short

and concise. It is said that people use the proverbs in their conversations

as a w itness or argum ent. A nother feature considered a prerequisite for a

traditional saying to be a proverb is the anonym ity of its author. In other

70
w ords a proverb, unlike som e other traditional sayings, has no specific

author. Further, proverbs are considered to be fixed and closed sentences

w hose language cannot be changed. There is little disagreem ent betw een

the above m entioned defintions p u t forw ard by A zerbaijani and Iranian

scholars and those of A rcher Taylor or O m er Asim Aksoy. Interestingly,

how ever, w h en the question of how to distinguish betw een proverbs and

another closely related genre like proverbial expressions comes u p

different authors seem to offer contradictory answ ers. This is the case w ith

the authors w ho have assem bled proverb collections in Iran. As a result

of this lack of a clear view about the definition of the proverb, the

collections contain not only proverbs p ro p er b u t also anything that

resem bles a proverb. In the next section of this chapter the relationship

betw een proverbs and the proverbial expressions w ill be discussed in m ore

dep th and som e suggestions w ill be offered for how to m ake the

distinction betw een these tw o very closely related genres.

3. Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases: Relationship and D istinction

A com m on characteristic th at m any of the M iddle Eastern proverb

collections share is the inclusion of m any traditional expressions u n d er

the nam e of proverbs. This m ethod of gathering different folkloristic

genres in a collection is not peculiar to the M iddle Eastern collections, b u t

used to be prevalent in the W estern collections as well. The tendency w as

noted by A rcher Taylor: "Since the seventeenth century English collectors

of proverbs have included m any kinds of traditional sayings in their

books"(Taylor 1975, 76). The A zerbaijani collections are not exem pted
from this treatm ent. The w orks of Ali A sghar M ujtehedi and H iiseynzada

are good exam ples in this regard. In ad d itio n to the proverbs that m ake u p

the bulk of the w ork, other related traditional sayings such as similes,

idiom atic expressions, blason populaire, p roverbial phrases, and anecdotal

proverbs are also included. In the case of A zerbaijani or even Persian

proverb collections the a p p aren t lack of a clear distinction of w h at a

proverb is and is not, has resulted in the com pilation of a several

collections in w hich any verbal expression is included. O ne factor that has

contributed to this m otley m ethod of proverb collection is the close

relationship of som e of these genres w ith true proverbs. Proverbial

phrases in particular appear to be very close to proverbs and som etim es

separating them from the proverbs p ro p er becom es a difficult task. In

addition, the close relationship betw een proverbial p h rases an d idiom atic

expressions m akes the div id in g line even h a rd e r to discover.

The difficulty in separating proverbs from other genres of verbal

expressions such as idiom s an d idiom atic phrases, proverbial phrases,

expressions, fam iliar quotations, m axim s, epigram s, slogans, cliches and

the like has been discussed by several p ro m in en t scholars of proverb

studies in the past (Rohrich an d M ieder 1977, 4). For instance, in their

book Das Sprichwort, Rohrich and M ieder talk ab o u t how the proverbs

can crossover to proverbial phrases and vice versa— despite their

differences in form. Further they m ention th a t d em arcation of the

boundaries betw een these tw o genres is no t alw ays possible (Rohrich and

M ieder 1977, 17). Sim ilarly, in his book The Proverb Taylor states th at the

proverbial phrase show s characterictics sim ilar to those of the proverb in

72
all aspects except gram m atical likeness (1985, 184). Taylor's, Rohrich and

M ieder's statem ents about the close relationship betw een th e different

types of traditional saying is equally true of the item s in this collection. In

this collection next to true proverbs, proverbial phrases and idiom atic

expressions as locutions ap p ear to be the closest item s to true proverbs,

m aking the distinction betw een the tw o genres a difficult task.

Recognizing the difficulties in separating the p roverb from other

traditional sayings, several proverb scholars have offered definitions by

w hich one w ould be able to distinguish proverbs from other genres,

especially proverbial phrases. In non-linguistic term inolgies, Rohrich and

M ieder, for exam ple, suggest that one w ay to distinguish the tw o closely

related genres is to find o u t how frequently they are u sed and

consequently how p o p u la r they becom e in society (Rohrich and M ieder

1977, 4). Further, in the section dealing w ith proverbial expressions they

suggest that the differences in form , structure and function be considered

the m ain devices in d istinguish in g proverbs from p roverbial expressions.

Thus a proverb like "H unger is the best cook" is a closed sentence that has

a fixed and unchangeable form ula. In contrast to the form of a proverb,

they state th at a proverbial phrase, such as "to take som ething to heart,"

constitutes a verbal expression or phrase th at m u st be used in a sentence if

any m essages are to be d ra w n from it. Further, unlike proverbs that have

a general im plication, a proverbial expression can be used for any person

and in any tense (Rohrich and M ieder 1974, 15). A rcher Taylor m ade

sim ilar statem ents regarding the separation of proverbs from proverbial

phrases and idiom s. A rcher Taylor defines a proverbial p h rase as follows:

73
 A tradtional m anner of expression, closely related to the
proverb b u t differing from it in being capable of change.
Thus, the proverb /Y o u can't eat your cake and have it to o / is
invariable; such a sentence as /H e tried to eat his cake and
have it to o / is an allusion to the proverb. But the proverbial
phrase /T o have tw o strings to his b o w / m ay be ad o p ted to
any person or tense (Taylor 1950, 2: 906).

In his book How Proverbs M ean N eal N orrick offers a proverb

definition based on a feature m atrix definition (N orrick 1985). The feature

m atrix definition of the proverb possesses eleven p roperties th at can be

used as a device to distinguish proverbs from other traditional sayings

like. These eleven properties are defined as: "potential free

conversational turn; conversational; traditional; spoken; fixed form;

didactic; general; figurative; prosodic; entertaining; and hu m o ro u s."

Based on this feature m atrix definition, proverbs differ from the

proverbial phrases by only three major opposing features: w hile proverbs

are defined to be didactic, general, and potential free/co n v ersatio n al tu rn ,

proverbial phrases are neither (N orrick 1985, 73).

In the context of A zerbaijani proverb collections in Iran, only Ali

A sghar M ujtehedi, the a u th o r of Azerbaijani Proverbs, has offered a

w orkable definition of proverbs and proverbial phrases. M ujtehedi's

definition of the proverbs an d proverbial phrases is sim ilar to th a t of

Taylor and Rohrich and M ieder. M ujtehedi argues th at proverbs are

closed sentences such as "O ne flow er does no t m ake a spring." H e believes

th at the form of this proverb rem ains unchanged in the language

(M ujtehedi 1984, v). H e argues that the proverbial phrases in contrast to

proverbs, are not closed sentences and as such can vary in term s of the
persons and the tim e in any given situation. An exam ple of such a

proverbial phrase that M ujtehedi offers in his book is "H e shoots in the

dark." This phrase does not have a fixed form ula and can be changed to

"You are shooting in the dark"(M ujtehedi 1984, vi).

In the collection that is the object of the p resent stu d y , the proverbs

and the proverbial phrases in form and structure fit the descriptions and

defintions th at have been discussed by authors like Taylor, M ujtehedi,

Rohrich and M ieder. Based on these defintions the general characterictics

of proverbs and proverbial phrases in the collection can be defined in the

following w ay. The proverbs in this collection are closed sentences that

have fixed form ulas. They are used to pass a didactic statem ent; above all,

this statem ent is a general one that does not refer to anyone specifically.

U nlike the proverbs, the proverbial phrases are not closed sentences and

do not have fixed forms. They can be used for anyone and in any tense in

a given situation. This characteristic of no t having fixed form or of not

being closed sentences enables the proverbial phrases to be used in

different situations and applied to different people. A n im p o rtan t feature

of proverbial phrases is that unlike proverbs, they hold a specific m essage

that is void of generalization.

The m ajority of the proverbs and proverbial phrases in this

collection can be distinguished from each other w ith little difficulty.

N evertheless there are a n u m b er of proverbial phrases th at cannot be

separated easily due to their close sim ilarities to the proverbs. Based on

the stu d y of these sayings one can m ake the follow ing rem arks regarding

their form and functions. First of all, the proverbial phrases can be
divided into three groups. O ne gro u p has the exact form, structure and

function of a proverb. In other w o rd s the m em bers of this group take the

form of closed and fixed sentences and they m ake a general statem ent.

O ne problem w ith this gro u p is that because of their closeness to the

proverbs they are subject to being view ed either as a proverb or as a

proverbial phrase. The follow ing exam ple w ill illustrate how one item

can be tagged u n d e r different categories. Aksoy, the fam ous Turkish

proverb scholar, considers the p h rase It it'd biiyurar, it da guyrughuna (O ne

dog asks another to do som ething and the second d og asks its tail to do the

job) to be a proverbial phrase. H ow ever, both the Redhouse

Contemporary Turkish-English D ictionary an d M u jteh ed i's books reg ard

this item as a proverb. Item s like this are representative of the problem

th at researchers and collectors face w h en they have to classify traditional

sayings. This problem arises first due to their close relationship w ith

proverbs and secondly d u e to the lack of a com m on accepted definition of

w h a t should constitute a proverb or a proverbial phrase. A uthors

in terp ret these traditional sayings differently, reflecting the existing

differences in how collectors and researchers u n d erstan d the proverb and

proverbial phrase.

A second gro u p of item s in this collection, and in other collections,

ap p ear in tw o different forms. In other w ords they are used in the form of

a proverbial phrase in th at they are not fixed or closed sentences. Further,

they m ake no general statem ent, b u t refer to som eone or som ething

specific. H ow ever, the very sam e item s som etim es ap p ear in other places

as proverbs. H ere the item has a fixed form ula th a t cannot be changed in
the language and it m akes a general statem ent th at can only be applied to a

sim ilar situation.

This group of traditional sayings th at ap p ear as either proverb or

proverbial expression are good exam ples of allusions m ade to proverbs. In

this group the proverbial expressions are p ro d u ced from tru e proverbs by

w ay of m aking allusions to proverbs. The p ro ced u re in w hich these

allusions are m ade seem s to be sim ple and traceable. W hat h ap p en s here

is that w hen a person finds him self or herself in a situation th at can be

sum m ed up by a proverb, he or she m akes an allusion to th a t p roverb to

suit the situation. In such a case a proverb cannot be used as it is, because a

proverb has a general m essage. To be able to m ake use of it for th at specific

situation, the proverb user m u st change the proverb, in p articu lar the

gram m ar of the proverb. Thus, these p roverbial illusions transform

proverbs into proverbial phrases. D uring this transform ation a process of

indiv id u alizatio n takes place. This in d iv id u alizatio n p h en o m en o n is

expressed by the use of certain gram m atical elem ents like personal

pro n o u n s or possessive suffixes referring to specific individuals. This

individualization elem ent of the proverbial p h rases is in sharp contrast to

the proverb function w hich calls for generalization. A nother change

involved in this process concerns the tense of the proverbs. The tense in

the proverbs is usually im perative or suggestive; in proverbial phrases the

indicative m ood is found instead.

A n exam ple of this process in the p resen t collection is the proverb

Gurd agh'izinnan, g u yru x alinmaz (One cannot take [rescue] a tail [sheep's

tail] from the m outh of a wolf), w hich ap p ears as a p roverb in one place.

77
In another place the sam e item is registered as Gurd aghizinnan, g u y ru x

alir/alar (He can take a tail from the m o u th of a wolf). In the form er, the

phrase has a fixed form and m akes a general statem ent, in other w o rd s it

fits the defintion of a proverb. In the latter case, the p h rase is no t a closed

sentence and there is a reference to a specific person. H ere the phrase is

not used in its general sense. As such the item lacks one of the required

features of being a proverb. A nother exam ple can be cited from

M ujtehedi's book Azerbaijani Proverbs. The trad itio n al saying A r t

yuvasina chop nzatma (Do n o t p u sh a stick in a beehive) ap p ears also as

Ar'i yuvasina chop uzadiblar (They have p u sh ed a stick in a beehive)

(M ujtehedi 1984, 15). The item in its first form gives general advice and it

has a closed form. In its second version, as an allusion to the proverb, it

refers to specific individuals "They" w ith o u t generalizing the situation.

This kind of allusion to proverbs is n o t peculiar to A zerbaijani

proverbs b u t is also found in other languages of the w orld. For exam ple

John M cDowell has observed that proverbs in co n tem porary N o rth

A m erican conversations are being cited or resh ap ed w ith o u t being quoted

in their entirety:

W hile proverbs are still quoted in contem porary N o rth

America, there is a trend to w ard s citing proverbs, or
recom posing them , w ith o u t actually q u o tin g them in full.
These allusions or restatem ents are generally em bedded
w ithin a non-proverbial sentence gram m ar. H enceforth, I
w ill refer to these highly individualized and aborted proverb
texts as proverbialisms (M cDowell 1985, 119).

To M cDowell, the change from full proverb to proverbialism is a sign of

"m odern social conditions an d m odern tastes" (M cDowell 1985, 119).

78
Further research in the field is needed to determ ine w h eth er or no t the

proverbialism in A zerbaijani is used as a device for "poetic rites of

conversation" as it is in contem porary N o rth A m erican conversations.

H ow ever, som e of the proverbial phrases in this collection resem ble the

exam ples of proverbialism th at M cDowell presented in his essay. Both

sources dem onstrate how proverbial phrases as allusions to original

sources becom e individ u alized in their form s and functions.

A third group of traditional sayings that m ake u p a large num ber of

the item s in the collection are neither proverbs n or allusions th at can be

traced to any proverbs. Some are sim ple expressions th at came to exist by

being repeated over a period of time, hence acquiring a proverbial value.

A n exam ple is the expression, Bashini dolandirirsan, il galib gechir (You

tu rn your head and a year comes and goes by= tim e flies). Some other

phrases in this group seem to be connected w ith stories. As such the

phrases are taken o u t of a story and are used in a conversation to m ake a

statem ent. M ost of the tim e their m essages are no t easily understood. To

be able to u n d erstan d w h at the expression m eans one needs to find the

original source or the anecdote that has given b irth to it. These sayings are

sim ilar to the n arrative proverb s th at w ere discussed earlier.

A large num ber of the phrases in this gro u p refer to a specific

person or situation and therefore have a lim ited m essage. O ne of the

characteristics of this group is the use of the individualizing elem ents th at

w ere discussed in relationship to the proverbial phrases th at allude to

proverbs. In other w ords, m any of these expressions use devices such as

personal pro n o u n s and possesssive p ro nouns to link the w ords directly to

79
a single specific situation. The use of these devices lim its the im plications

of the expressions for a general purpose. In this respect, structurally

speaking there seem s to be som e com m on features betw een these

expressions and the proverbial phrases that allude to proverbs. A few

exam ples for these expressions are: Aldm d itler hiiran da, bizii dci gozi

achilmamish kiichukler hiircir (W hile everyone is b arked at by dogs, w e

are barked at by puppies= w e are ou t of luck); at gorcin da axsar, su goran da

susar (He goes lam e w hen he sees a horse and he becom es thirsty w hen he

sees w ater); babamin adi Xidir, dlimnan gdldn budur (My fath er's nam e is

Xidir, this is w h at m y hand can do= this is all that I can do for you).

Further, m any of the expressions in this collection ap p ear in the form of a

full sentence rath er than their infinitive forms. For exam ple, the

e x pression A rin in tikanini gordiim , baldan cil chahdim (H aving seen the

bee's sting, I gave up honey) is registered in the infinitive form in A ksoy's

Dexjimler Sbzliigii II (D ictionary of Sayings) an d the Redhouse

C ontem porary T n rkish -E n g lish D ictionary as A rin in dikenini goriip,

balindan el gekmek (Aksoy 1976, 477).

The poetic and stylistic features of these traditional sayings also

need to be explored and discussed. Based on the stu d y of the features of

these proverbial phrases one can m ake the follow ing observations about

them . The m ajority of these phrases possess highly stylistic forms sim ilar

to th at of the proverbs. These form s include the use of m eters and

internal rhym e. Sem antically speaking, m etaphors are also used in these

expressions to various degrees. Some of the expressions d o n 't m ake use of

any m etaphor at all and their m essages are clear: A yda gazandighini, bir

80
giindd yiydr (He consum es his m onthly incom e in one day). O r Chox tez

gdlipsdn, bir az da gap'i dalinda yuban! (Since you have com e so early

[sarcasm] w hy d o n 't you w ait b ehind the door a little bit longer!). In

contrast, other idiom s use m etap h o r to express a message: Chay giraginda

g u yu gazar (He digs a well by the stream ). The m eaning of this p hrase is

not self explanatory like the ones above. The actual m essage m u st be

sought outside of the idiom itself. In ad d itio n one can say th at in general,

in com parison to the proverb, the use of m etaphors in these expressions is

less sophisticated.

In sum m ary, the proverb ial phrases in this collection falls into

three different groups. A sm all percentage of these phrases are classified

both as proverbs and as proverbial phrases by different scholars. The

reason th at som e of these item s are classed as different genres by different

proverb collectors has som ething to do w ith the close relationship that

exists betw een these tw o genres. The lack of a clear definition of the

proverb and proverbial p h rase is another factor resulting in the

classification of this group u n d e r the category of proverb and proverbial

phrase. A second group in this collection includes those item s th at are not

actual proverbs, b u t allusions to proverbs. The proverbial phrases as

allusions to proverbs differ from their original sources in th at they go

th ro u g h certain gram m atical changes. These gram m atical changes in the

proverbs have the effect of individualizing; a proverb is transform ed into

proverbial phrase by the additio n of such elem ents as personal and

possesive pronouns. The change lim its the use of the proverb to a specific

situation. The th ird and largest gro u p in this collection relates to those
phrases th at are neither proverbs n or allusions to proverbs. They m ake

up their ow n group of proverbial phrases and are used in specific

situations; their m essages cannot be applied for general purposes. The

m em bers of this group also use certain gram m atical elem ents like

personal an d possessive pro n o u n s like the item s w hich are allu d ed to

proverbs. The only difference here is that these sayings cannot be traced to

the original source.

The follow ing are only a few exam ples of a variety of proverbial

phrases listed in this collection.

* * *

A ghrim az bashina saggiz sal'ir.

H e is p u ttin g chew ing gum in his head. [He is m aking trouble for himself.]
* * *

Ajam guyrux aji'yam garin baghirsagh aji dayiram .

I am h ungry for the fat [sheep's tail], no t for the ribs.

* * *

A shi ichar n u x u d u n sechar.

H e drinks the soup and picks ou t its garbanzo beans.

* * *

Az veran da ktisiir chox veran da gusur.

If you give him a little he gets offended and if you give him a lot, he

v o m its.
* * *

Az ye oziina bir nokar tut!

Eat less and hire a servant for yourself ! [I am not y o u r servant!]

* * X-

Ajali jahra ayirir.

The w heel of his h our of d eath is spinning.

x- x- x-

C hay gorm am ish chi'rmalan'ir.

Before he sees a stream he rolls u p his pants.

X- X- X-

C haydan geshdi arxda boghuldi.

He m anaged to cross a river, b u t he drow ned w hile crossing a creek.

X- * *

D ashdan yagh dam ar onnan dam m az.

Oil can be obtained from a rock, b u t not from him . [He is very stingy.]
X- X* X-

Eshshaya giiji chatm'ir p alanin doyiir.

H e cannot get hold of the donkey, so he beats its saddle-pack instead.

X- X- X-

G etdi saggal gatira bughu da goydi galdi.

H e w ent to get a beard, b u t he lost even his m oustache.

X- X- X-

Iti baghlasan durm az.

Even a dog w ould refuse to stay [live] there.

X- X- X-

M aya sanin gobayini chiichada kasiblar!?

W as your um bilical cord cut in the street!? [Redhouse: one w h o never

stays home; gadabout.]

83
* * *

Oz eybini gorm iir ozgiya rishxand elir.

H e does n o t see his ow n shortcom ings, b u t he m akes fun of others.

1 A ll of tran sla tion s o f the n o n -w e ste r n so u r c e s are my own translations.

2 T h e sa m e c o n f u s io n is a ls o con fro n ted in the M id d le East w h e n o n e steps
out o f on e la n g u a g e area. T h e w ord proverb, not o n ly can be u nderstood
d if f e r e n t ly by the sp ea k er s o f u nrelated la n g u a g e f a m il ie s su ch as S e m it i c ,
Iranians and T u rk ic, but w ith in the o n e fa m ily o f la g u a g e s it can a lso mean
d iffe r e n t thin gs. For e x a m p le , the w ord m a s a l m ean s p roverbs in
A z e r b a ija n i, w h e re a s in T urkish it can m ean a fa b le , tale, proverb, b yw ord .

84
 CHAPTER FOUR

STYLE, FORM S A N D CO NTEN T OF THE PROVERBS

1. Style and Form s of the Proverbs

The study of proverbs in the p ast has included a variety of m ethods

and approaches. Proverbs have been stu d ied and defined from the

linguistic, structural, contextual, content, and traditional points of view , to

m ention only few of these approaches. In every approach, certain

characteristics have been discussed and assigned to proverbs as defining

features. N eal N orrick inform s us th a t the proverbs traditionally have

been defined as being pithy, didactic, self-contained, traditional sayings

w ith fixed and poetic form s (N orrick 1985, 31). A m ong several features

encountered in proverb collections, the poetic features have been view ed

as one of the defining m arkers of the proverb genre. N orrick states that

Seiler has distinguished the poetic features of the proverb genre into

external poetic features and internal poetic features. Seiler's external

poetic features include such elem ents as rhythm , parallelism , alliteration.

His internal poetic features incorporate features th at m ake use of

m etaphor and personification. In N orrick's opinion, pro so d y and

figuration are the tw o often im plicit term s th at correspond to Seiler's

external and internal poetic features (N orrick 1985, 46).

In studying the stylistic features of proverbs one should treat the

poetic features and figurative language as being sim ply characteristic

features, b u t not defining properties of the proverb. It is tru e th a t m any

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proverb collections show a heavy use of prosodic features in the proverbs,

b u t there are other traditional sayings that possess or lack the sam e

features. N evertheless neither the existence of these features, o r the lack

of them is an autom atic sign of the presence of a proverb. In his book

H ow Proverbs M ean, N orrick suggests that a distinction be m ad e betw een

p rosody as a com m on feature or prosody as a defining feautre of the

proverb. Surveying the view s of several other au th o rs in reg ard to this

subject, N orrick w rites that "all these w riters ap p ear to agree w ith Seiler

(1922) in considering prosody a fam iliar attribute rath er th an a true

defining property of the proverb" (Norrick 1985, 47). In N orrick's opinion,

the poetic features of proverbs constitute sim ply com m on characteristics,

and neither prosody nor figuration are defining criteria of the proverb

genre (1985, 51).

Poetic devices, especially versification, are a p ro m in en t feature of

the Azerbaijani proverb collection. A large nu m b er of the proverbs in this

collection em ploy poetic features in one w ay or another. The use of such

devices as rhym e, rhythm , alliteration, and m eter seem s to have som e

practical use besides just being euphonious. In h er stu d y of the stylistic

and structure of A frican proverbs, R uth Finnegan po in ts o u t how the

poetic forms and figurative language used in proverbs can, to som e degree,

distinguish proverbs from the ordinary speech used in everyday life

(Finnegan 1985, 16). The prosod y of the A zerbaijani proverbs, as in any

piece of poetry, m akes the learning and the m em orization of these verbal

art forms easier for the listeners. This feature resem bles the use of

form ulaic devices by Turkic speaking bards to m em orize a large b o d y of

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inform ation in telling a long epic. The poetic features as a m em orizing

device in proverbs is also touched u p o n by Norrick: "A long w ith

figuration and notable language generally, p rosody helps ren d er a

statem ent m ore m em orable an d thereby increases its chances of becom ing
inventorized as a u n it in a language"(N orrick 1985, 47).

A t first glance, the A zerbaijani proverbs can be divided into tw o

different groups, based on w h eth er they consist of short or long phrases.

In his stu d y of the structure of proverbs, A lan D undes talks about the

descriptive elem ents existing in a proverb. A ccording to him a descriptive

elem ent consists of tw o parts: a) topic and b) com m ent. For exam ple the

proverb 'M oney talks' consists of a single descriptive elem ent. In this

proverb the w o rd 'm o n ey ' is the topic and 'talk s' is the com m ent. Thus in

D undes' definition a proverb m u st have at least tw o w ords to be

considered as a m inim al p air of a proverb (D undes 1981, 51-52). D undes'

proposal of m inim al p air of a proverb can also be useful in stu d y in g the

A zerbaijani proverbs. H ow ever, D u n d es' m inim al requirem ents of tw o

w ords for a proverb cannot be easily utilized for other languages, because

of the linguistic n atu re of each language. The A zerbaijani language is an

agglutinative language in th at gram m atical concepts such as case endings

and voice are form ed by m eans of ad d in g suffixes to sm all u n it of a speech.

Therefore, unlike the English proverb 'M oney talks' w hich consists of tw o

w ords, a proverb like alladan, allanar has several com ponents in each

w ord. H ence, alladan m eans "he w ho cheats" and allanar m eans "he gets

cheated." The separation of the A zerbaijani proverbs into sh o rt and long

sentences cannot be based on how m any w ords are in a proverb. Instead

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one needs to talk about how m any units are used to express one idea.

Based on this concept one can div id e the A zerbaijani proverbs into several

groups. In general one can say th at the great m ajority of A zerbaijani

proverbs consist of four u nits or m ore. Proverbs consisting of only tw o

units constitute only a sm all percentage of this collection. The follow ing

are a few representatives of these short proverbs:

Alladan, allanar. H e w ho cheats, gets cheated.

Baldiz, chovaldiz. Sister-in-law [is] a bodkin.

Choxlux, poxluxdnr. A bu n d an ce is m essy.

Eshit, inamma. Listen, do n o t believe!

A second group of these proverbs consists of a three u n it phrase.

O ne encounters this group m ore th an the tw o u n it proverbs, and they are

well represented in this collection. Exam ples in this group are:

Achar, gifildan giijlidi. The key is stronger th an the lock.

Balix, bashdan avlanar. A fish gets caught from the head.

Chorcih, piyaddnin at'idir. Bread is the horse of a pedestrian.

Davaynan yas, galmaz. Q uarrel and m o u rn in g do n o t rem ain

[come to a halt eventually].

A large num ber of the A zerbaijani proverbs in this collection are

m ade up of four or five units or m ore. The general tendency in this

collection suggests th at proverbs consisting of m ore th an three units are

88
m ore com m on in the culture than the very short p ro v erb s of only tw o or

three units. Examples for these larger proverbs are:

Eshshdh ishltir, at xjiycir. A donkey w orks, a horse eats.

Hag sozi, aji olar. The w o rd of tru th is bitter.

Minncitdan, aghir yiik olmaz. O bligation is the h eav iest of all loads.

Ishlah eshshcih, bekar ddliddn yaxchidir. A w o rk in g d o n k ey is b e tte r

than an idle stupid m an.

Iyit odi sdr verd, sir vermiya. H e w ho gives his h ead instead of

revealing a secret is a real man.

It gaya kolgasindd yatar, eld bildr oz kolgdsidi. The dog sleeps in a

rock's shade and thinks that it is his ow n shadow .

In addition, the culture seem s to show stro n g liking for long and

sophisticated verse-like proverbs. As such, several pro v erb s m ake use of

m ore than one line to convey a sim ple m essage. The follow ing exam ple is

a good representative of this kind of proverbs:

M a g h n ir olup, demd yo xd u r man kim in,

Bir m u xa lif kiilah dsdr, sovurar xdrm dn kim in !

Do not becom e presu m p tu o u s and say th a t there is no one like m e,

For an adverse w ind m ay come and blow y o u aw ay like a harvest!

O ne of the recognizable characteristics of A zerbaijani p ro v erb s is

their use of strong prosodic devices. A m ong these rhym e is one of the

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m ain features th ro u g h w hich the proverbs have been form ed. The degree

of the use of rhym e varies from proverb to proverb. Som etim es the

rhym e occurs at the end of tw o p arts of a proverb. In this case the last two

units in every p a rt of the proverb end in a rhym e. For exam ple in the

English proverb 'A n apple a day, keeps the doctor aw ay' the tw o w ords day

and aw ay rhym e together at the end of the tw o parts of the proverb. A

large num ber of the A zerbaijani proverbs dem onstrate a final rhym e

device like this English exam ple. Exam ples of the use of rhym e at the

final p o sition are: A h tu x u m n n xa sin i. chahmci chorcih yasin'i (Sow the

best quality seeds and d o n 't w orry about bread), or A xm a x yighar. aghilli

yiytir (A fool gathers [saves], a w ise m an eats [spends]. In the form er

proverb xasint rhym es w ith ya sin i and in the latter yighar rhym es w ith

yiyftr .

In a d d itio n to the final or end rhym e, som etim es there are internal

rhym e devices: Bahalixda chordyina asirgdydn, u iu zlixd a y algiz galar (He

w ho w ithholds his bread [from sharing it w ith others] in expensive

[difficult] tim es, w ill be alone in cheaper [good] times). In this case there is

an internal rhym e betw een the u n its bahalixda and ujuzlixda in b o th p arts

of the proverb. Some of the proverbs exibit w h at can be called perfect

rhym e in th a t every u n it in each p a rt rhym es perfectly w ith another u n it

in the second p a rt of the proverb: Aghaja dayam m a g u ru r. insana

g iivdm m d olur ! (Do not lean against a tree [for] it w ithers and do no t p u t

hope in hum ans [for] they die).

A nother w ay of achieving the rhym e effect in a proverb is the

repetition of the sam e un it in both p arts of the proverb. This device

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creates a perfect balance in term s of the internal rhym e: A t tdpiyina, at

dozcir (Only a horse can e n d u re another ho rse's kick.); ch o x g o y u m i

olan'in, chox da g u zu su olar (H e w ho ow ns m any sheep, w ill also have

m any lam bs); Baghdad kim in diyar, ana kim in yar olmaz (There is no city

like B aghdad and no com panion like a m other). In these exam ples the

w ords at (horse), chox (m any) and kim in (like) are repeated in the second

p art of the proverb.

The poetic device of alliteration is another characteristic of the

A zerbaijani proverbs. A lliteration is a stylistic feature th at one encounters

in the proverbs of m any nations. 'M any m en, m any m in d s' is one

exam ple in the English language. As far as the use of alliteration in

A zerbaijani proverbs is concerned, one can talk about tw o kinds of

alliteration styles. O ne kind of alliteration can be referred to as com plete

alliteration in that the first letter of each u n it in the proverb starts w ith the

sam e consonant or vow el sound. Some exam ples of com plete alliteration

are: G ul giillnxda gdrah (A serv an t has to serve); O tunan oynn olm az (One

should n o t play w ith fire); Sdbrin sonu, salamdtdi (Patience has a healthy

end). H ow ever, the n u m b er of proverbs w ith com plete alliteration is not

large. A nother form of alliteration is partial alliteration. In partial

alliteration, the first letters of only a few units in a given p a rt of a proverb

adhere to the use of the sam e sounds. Examples of partial alliteration are:

Garin, gardashdan irdlidi (Stom ach com es before the brother). A nother

exam ple is: B ashm axchinin bashm aghi olmaz, bohchiintin borki (The

shoem aker does not have a shoe and the h at m aker does no t have a hat).

In the latter exam ple all of the w ords in the proverb except one begins
w ith the letter b. In general, the p artial alliteration device is used m ore

than com plete alliteration in this collection.

The poetic devices in the proverbs are no t lim ited to the use of

rhym e and alliteration. Scholars div id e poetic devices into prosody,

figuration and gram m atical parallelism . The prosodic devices in the

A zerbaijani proverbs w ould be features like rhym e, alliteration, and

rhythm . Figuration as a poetic device covers the use of such devices as

m etaphor and personification. In ad d itio n to the prosodic features

discussed above, there is a strong liking for using figurative language such

as m etaphor and personification in the A zerbaijani p roverb collection.

A lthough figurative language is ab u n d an t in these proverbs, nevertheless

this strong liking for the use of m etap h o r is only a general characteristic of

proverb and should not be considered a defining p ro p erty of the proverb.

A ddressing the use of figurative features in M oroccan proverbs,

W esterm arck states th at figurativeness has often been considered as one of

the im portant qualities of the proverbs. Further, in talking ab o u t the

m eaning of the Latin w o rd proverbium , and how this w o rd denotes a

saying clothed in figurative expression, he w rites th at ".... alth o u g h som e

figures of speech m ay generally be found in the m ost p o p u la r proverbs,

there are m any sayings recognized as proverbs th a t contain no such

ornam ent at all" (W esterm arck 1930, 2). W esterm arck's observation about

the use of figurative language in p ro v erb s is also tru e of the A zerbaijani

proverbs. In other w ords, n o t every A zerbaijani proverb possesses

figurative language. The am o u n t of figurative language in this collection

differs from proverb to proverb. In general one can say th at a large

92
n u m b er of the proverbs in this collection use figurative language in
conveying a message.

N evertheless, there are also a n um ber of proverbs th at do no t

utilize m etaphor and m u st be in terp reted literally rath er than

m etaphorically. Some exam ples of these proverbs in w hich no figurative

language is used are: A lim olan elmind amil garah (a k n o w led g eab le m an

m ust p u t his know ledge into practice); and elm pulunan did gdlmaz,

chalishmaghinan did gdldr (K now ledge is no t acquired by m oney, it is

acquired by hard work). As it is evident, these tw o proverbs do no t use

any figurative features such as m etap h o r or personification. Proverbs

w ith o u t figurative language are literal proverbs. In the case of literal

proverbs there is no need to search for the intended m essages beyond the

actual w ords used in the proverbs.

In contrast to the literal proverbs, there are also non-literal

proverbs, w hich are loaded w ith figurative images. C om pared w ith literal

proverbs, the non-literal proverbs m ake use of figurative language to

convey a m essage. The m essages in the figurative proverbs cannot be

u n derstood on the surface level; the actual m essage usually lies outside

the proverb itself. The non-literal proverbs constitute a large p o rtio n of

the A zerbaijani collection. Exam ples of there non-literal or figurative

p roverbs are: Koch geyiddndd, gechinin axsaghi gabaxda geddr (W hen the

w andering tribe returns [home], the lam e goat w alks in front [of everyone];

A ghaji oz ichinndn gurd yiyar (The w orm eats [decays] the tree from

inside); It ishdmaghinan, ddniz mirdar olmaz (The sea does n o t becom e

dirty w ith a dog's urine). In these three exam ples, none of the item s has a

93
literal m eaning. The actual m essage is clothed in figurative language that
has to be interpreted, rather than existing at the literal level of the actual

w ords.

A n interesting topic for stu d y of these proverbs is the choice of

im ages th a t are clothed in the language of allegory and m etaphor. Like the

proverb collections of other nations, m any of the A zerbaijani pro v erb s

m ake use of com parison, allusion or parallelism betw een the w orlds of

anim als an d hum ans. For exam ple, the proverb A t i at yan'ina baghlasan,

hdmrang olmasa, hiim xuy olar (If you tie a horse next to an o th er one if

they w o u ld n 't becom e the sam e color, they w ill pick u p each oth er's

habits) uses the im age of the horse to issue a w arning to h u m an s in

sim ilar situations. This proverb suggests that one should be careful in

choosing com panions, for people pick u p b ad habits by associating w ith

u ndesirable individuals. A nother com parison from the anim al w o rld in

the pro v erb ayi barkd diishdnda, balasirii altina alar (W hen a b ear finds

him self in a tight [bad] situation, he w ould [even] tram ple on his ow n

child) p o rtray s the lim its of h u m an endurance. Both dom estic anim als

such as horses, donkeys, m ules, cows, camels, lam bs, sheep, goats, roosters,

and hens and also non-dom esticated anim als such as bears, lions, w olves,

foxes and birds, snakes, scorpions, and frogs are used in bringing hom e a

lesson. The num ber of n on-hum an im ages and subjects in these p ro v erb s

is substantial.

A second device for portray in g the h u m an experience w ith o u t

m aking a direct reference can be achieved through the device of

personification. Personification is a com m on feature found in proverbs

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cross-culturally. Proverbs th a t are characterized w ith the personification

feature are the ones in w hich inanim ate objects are u sed as the subject.

This device plays a significant role in the A zerbaijani proverbs:

Chomchanin gadr-u izzciti ash chcikandci bilindr (The [true] value of a ladle

is recognized [appreciated] w hen it is tim e to serve the soup). O r Dciniz

dalgasiz, gap'i hdlgdsiz olmaz (There is no sea w ith o u t w aves and there is

no door w ith o u t a hasp); Dash dash iista durar, ev ev iistd durm az (Rocks

can [endure] stand on top of each other, [but] a house [family] cannot stand

on top of another house) [Two fam ilies cannot live together u n d e r one

roof].

Personification as a figuration feature uses various im ages in giving

an advice, council or w arning. A m ong these, organs of the body such as

the hands, feet, legs, fingers, eyes, head, ears, heart, m outh, teeth, or w aist

are com m only used in the form ation of these proverbs. W esterm arck has

also observed that bodily organs are used in M oroccan proverbs as p a rt of

the personification devices (W esterm arck 1930, 14). Sam ples of proverbs

th at include bodily organs in the text are: A linan achilan diiyiinu, disha

salmazlar (A knot th at can be u n d o n e by h an d should n o t be un d o n e by

tooth); D dlinin ilrdyi dilindddi, aghillinin dili ilrdyinda (The h eart of a

crazy [foolish] m an is in his tongue and the w isdom of a w ise m an is in his

heart). H ow ever, in the A zerbaijani language the use of bodily organs is

not lim ited to proverbs. O n the contrary, one often encounters the im ages

of bodily organs in general language, expressions, and phrases. The fact

that these bodily organs already have a strong presence in the A zerbaijani

95
language easily explains w hy there is also a preference for these im ages in

the proverbs.

The style and form of A zerbaijani proverbs can be described and

defined by other m eans besides a focus on poetic devices. For exam ple one

can analyze the form of the proverbs from the p o in t of view of gram m ar.

Beatrice Silverm an-W einreich, in her "S tructural A nalysis of Y iddish

p ro v e rb s/' used gram m atical characteristics of the proverbs like the

sentence patterns, syntactic, sem antic and gram m atical m arkers as a m eans

to define Yiddish proverbs (Silverm an-W einreich 1985, 65-85). O ne w ay of

looking at the gram m atical form s is to find o u t w h at kind of sentences are

used in these proverbs. The stu d y of the sentences illustrates th a t the

m essages are not alw ays conveyed in the sam e form. In stu d y in g the

proverb collection one can infer that the m ajority of the pro v erb s use

declarative sentences for m aking a statem ent. There is no sign of

com m and or order in these sentences; instead a sim ple statem ent is being

uttered. The statem ent can be either affirm ative or negative. Exam ples

for this group of proverbs are: A r if olan, tez annar (A w ise p erso n

u n d e rsta n d s quickly); A chilm anish sufranin bir eybi var, achilm ishin min

eybi (An unspread tablecloth [banquet] has one flaw, the spread tablecloth

has thousands of flaws)[any w ork that is n o t carried o u t pro p erly is better

not to be carried out at all]. Or Soux darnir taptammaz (Cold piece of iron

cannot be beaten [shaped]). W esterm ack tells us th at the great m ajority of

M orrocan proverbs take the form of an assertion. H e offers the follow ing

reason w hy the m ajority of proverbs are in the form of assertion even

w hen a com m and or w arn in g is conveyed: "O ne of the chief aim s of

96
proverbs is to influence p eo p le's conduct, and for this p u rp o se a statem ent

m ay be as effective as a com m and, and at the sam e tim e m ore polite"

(W esterm arck 1930, 10).

In a d d itio n to declarative sentences, w hich constitute the m ajority

of the gram m atical form s in A zerbaijani proverbs, there are also a large

n u m b er of proverbs th at use the im perative form for conveying a counsel

or w arning. These im perative proverbs can be affirm ative, negative or

both. In these proverbs the speakers issue a w arning or give advice in the

form of a com m and. The follow ing are several sam ples of this type of

proverbs: On olch, bir bich! (M easure ten tim es, cut once!); A yiya day'i de,

ishin yollansin!( Call the b ear uncle, if you w ish y o u r w ork to progress!);

Ushaginan yol yoldashi olma! (Do n o t becom e travel com panion w ith a

child!); O xu d u g h u vi demci, annad.igh.tvi del (Do n o t say [talk about] w h at

you read, say w h a t you understood!). These im perative or com m and

giving proverbs are w ell represented in the collection.

Besides the declarative and im perative sentences th at constitute the

m ajority of the sentence p attern s in the A zerbaijani proverbs, som e

m essages are conveyed in form s such as conditional proverbs. For

exam ple, Istirsdn bal chordh, al dlivd bel kiirdh (If you w ish to have honey

w ith bread, you should pick u p the shovel) [No p ain no gain]. All of the

A zerbaijani proverbs th at are translated as 'h e who..., he w ill...' in English

have an u n d erly in g conditional interpretation. Thus, a p roverb like Bala

istiydn, biilasin da istiyd gdrdh (He w ho w ishes for children m u st en d u re

their troubles too) has a m essage saying 'if you w ish to have children you

m ust accept [endure] the troubles th at come w ith them .' Sim ilarly,

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G onshunun umidinci olan sham siz yatar, oynasha tim id olan drsiz (H e

w ho relies u p o n his neighbor [for his dinner] w o u ld go to bed w ith o u t

dinner and she w ho has high hopes for h er lover w ill never get a

husband) carries the m eaning: if you rely u p o n your neighbor for dinner,

you w ill go to bed w ithout food, and if you tru st in your lover to m arry

you, he w ill not. This style of proverb has a strong presence in the

collection.

In addition to declarative, im perative, and conditional form s, there

are also interrogative and exclam atory proverbs. Som etim es both of these

types can occur in one proverb. A few exam ples included in this collection

are: Varligha nd darligh! (W hat difficulties [can exist] for a w ealthy man!)

[P o v erty /p ro b lem s are no issue for the w ealthy]; A dam lix pulunan ddyir

ki bazardan alasan! (Do you think th at hum an ity [decency] can be

purchased w ith m oney at the m arket!). Or: A tliyn a n piyaddnin nd

yoldashli'ghi! (W hat [possible] com panionship can exist betw een a horse

rider and a pedestrian!) [The association betw een rich people and poor

people is an ill-suited one]. U sually som e sarcasm is im plied in these

interrogative/exclam atory proverbs. This type of proverb is no t ab u n d an t

in com parison to those that take either the declarative or conditional

forms. N evertheless, they represen t an im p o rtan t gro u p of the proverbs

in this collection.

In respect to the gram m atical peculiarities of the proverbs one also

needs to discuss the issue of the tense used. M ore th an ninety-nine

percent of the proverbs in this collection are presented in the p resen t tense

only. In the entire collection there are only a few proverbs th at ap p ear in

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the past tense. M oreover, even som e of these proverbs also ap p ear in the

p resen t tense form in other collections. A n exam ple of this p ast tense

form is the item: A tin a n gat'ir savashdi, arada eshshayin g'ichi sind'i (T he

horse and the m ule got into a fight and the donkey's leg got broken).

A lthough this proverb is used in the past, it should be interpreted as a

general statem ent, m eaning 'w h en the m ighty ones fight w ith one

another, it is the w eak individuals w ho get h u rt.' A sim ilar proverb w ith

an identical m eaning in the presen t tense is listed in Q ods' book called

A talar Sozii (W ords of A ncestors): A t atinan savashanda, arada eshshayin

g'ichi sinar (W hen a horse fights w ith another horse, the do n k ey 's leg

breaks).

W hile stu dying the form of the proverbs in term s of tense, a

legitim ate question keeps surfacing: w h y are ninety-nine percent of the

proverbs in the p resen t tense? In o u r discussion of the differences

betw een proverbs and proverb phrases in the third chapter of this study,

w e noted th at one of the key characteristics of the proverb w as that it w as

generalizable; th at is, it is applicable to m ore than one situation. As a

didactic statem ent or rule, a proverb appears to be m ore effective — m ore

general — if it is used in the present tense rather than the p ast tense.

Silverm an-W einreich also touched u p o n this topic w hile stu d y in g the

gram m aticality of the Y iddish proverbs: "U niversally applicable rules are

ap p aren tly n o t expressed in the p ast tense, and the main verb in a Y iddish

proverb is therefore usually in the present tense or future tense"

(Silverm an-W einreich 1981, 72). A statem ent or an action in the past

tense is a com pleted action and thus stands less chance of becom ing a

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m odel of conduct, w hereas the present tense has an open-ended form that

w orks as a general statem ent, applicable to other sim ilar situations.

A nother salient feature of the A zerbaijani p roverb is its econom y.

Terseness and conciseness are com m only listed am ong the characteristics

of proverbs. In A zerbaijani proverbs, the terseness is som etim es achieved

th ro u g h the econom izing device. In A zerbaijani pro v erb s the

econom ization process is usually related to the verb; in this process, the

verb is om m ited from one of the tw o parts of the proverb. Som etim es this

device is used to avoid redundancy. The econom izing feature is em ployed

to shorten the proverbs. A lthough this feature cannot be argued as a

definite feature because it does no t alw ays take place in every proverb,

nevertheless the fact th at this device occurs in a large n u m b er of

A zerbaijani proverbs m arks it as a characteristic feature. O ne of the

com m onest verbs effected by this econom izing device is the verb to b e .

For exam ple: A t m inanindi, don giydnin (The horse is for he w ho rides it

and the garm ent for he w ho w ears it). In this p roverb the suffix -di stan d s

for the verb to be in the first p a rt of the proverb. The second half of the

proverb lacks this suffix. This om ission does no t change the m eaning of

the proverb at all; it only m akes the proverb sh o rt and avoids redundancy.

The econom izing device is not observed strictly in this collection,

how ever there are som e proverbs in w hich the repetition of the verb to be

is kept for the sake of the final rhym e. An exam ple of such a proverb is:

A r elddndi, oghul belddndi (Brave m en are from the nation, sons from

the loins). In this proverb the suffix -di (m eaning 'is') is kept in the

second p a rt of the proverb. A pparently, here the final rhym e is p referred

1 00
over verbal econom y. It is n o t clear w hy som etim es the econom izing

device is used and at other tim es not, b u t based on n u m erous exam ples

one can infer th at the econom izing form is usually preferred. In addition,

som etim es the goal of shortening a proverb is achieved by truncating the

verb to be and the predicate, as in the follow ing text: A r gdziinndn, iyit

soziinnan bdllidi (A brave m an is recognized by his eye, and a fine m an

from his w ord [promise]). H ere the verb to be recognized is used only once

in the second p art of the proverb, b u t its m eaning is shared by both p arts of

the p ro v e rb .1

Related to the concept of the econom izing device is a group of

proverbs that lacks the m ain verb. These proverbs are challenging,

because one has to guess w h at it is m eant by these proverbs. Unless they

are explained in proverb collections often one cannot know w hat they

m ean. H ow ever, one can surm ise that w hen they are used in a situation,

the circum stances w ill help reveal w h at is m eant by such proverbs. The

p ro v erb H eyvan yalasha yalasha, insan sorusha sorusha (A nim als by

licking/sniffing, hum ans by [keep] asking) is a good exam ple of this kind

of proverb. As can be seen, there is no direct h in t or m essage as to w hat

this proverb should m ean. W ithout context of use, one is forced to guess

the m eaning of the proverb. There are m any such opaque proverbs in the

collection: Adam aghz'inda soz, itin aghzinda koz (W ord in the m o u th of a

hum an and stick in the m o u th of a dog); ara xdlvcit, tiilki bay (The field is

em pty and the fox is the m aster); A d a m i bashdan, aghaji yashdan (T he

m an from the head and the tree from [being] young).

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 A lthough A zerbaijani proverbs, like the proverbs of other cultures,

m ight possess certain characteristics peculiar to them selves, in their

entirety the proverbs d em onstrate the sam e general stylistic features that

are found in the proverbs of other nations. A m ong these general features

one can m ention the use of alliteration and rhym e as p a rt of the prosodic

features and m etaphor, allegory and personification as p a rt of the

figuration characteristics.

2. T hem es of th e Proverbs

Scholars have long debated over the question of w h eth er or no t

proverbs reflect the national character of a people. This scholarship is

touched u p o n by M ieder an d D undes in their intro d u cto ry rem arks to

F. N. R obinson's article entitled "Irish Proverbs and Irish N ational

C haracter." In regard to the question "D o the proverbs of a people contain

in distilled form the essence of their philosophy of life or w orld view ? O r

is this very question m erely a naive piece of w ishful thinking on the p art

of certain scholars?" M ieder and D undes offer the follow ing opinion.

They state th at in contrast to the view s of the com parative folklorists w ho

are cautious in accepting the notion th at proverbs reflect national

character, anthropologists w o uld m ost likely argue th at the proverbs of a

culture reflect the view s of the people th a t they study. M ieder and D undes

argue in favor of a m iddle w ay in betw een these different view s (M ieder

and D undes 1981, 284).

The stu d y of the proverb s of a nation, in the opinion of som e

researchers, can pro v id e beneficial inform ation about the culture of a

1 02
given society. Sheila W ebster, in h er dissertation on A rabic proverbs, The

Shadow o f a Noble M an: H onor and Shame in Arabic Proverbs, su g g ests

that w hile caution be taken by those w ho carry o u t content analysis of

proverbs, "proverb content as well as perform ance can suggest valuable

insights and useful com parative data for use w ith other ethnographic

m aterials in the stu d y of culture and tradition" (W ebster 1984, 101)

If proverbs reflect society as som e researchers suggest they do, w hat

can be learnt about the A zerbaijani culture and society th ro u g h the study

of its proverbs? Finding answ ers to this question is no t just relevant to

A zerbaijani proverb stu d y b u t also to all proverb collections, be they

M iddle Eastern, African, or E uropean proverbs. Scholars have different

opinions as to w hat degree proverbs can reflect the characteristics of a

people. A rcher Taylor, for instance, seem s to argue against the value of

seeking a nation's character: "Perhaps no side of proverbial stu d y has been

prosecuted so long and so vigorously, b u t the results are insignificant. All

the endeavors are fruitless and unavailing" (Taylor 1985, 164-165).

W esterm arck states th at the proverbs can be studied for m any purposes.

Philologists, for exam ple, can benefit from the stu d y of the proverbs of a

nation to gain inform ation about the linguistic rules of th at particular

language. Furtherm ore, the stu d y of proverbs, according to him , can help

researchers to find out how far the proverbs have traveled. Further, he

states that the study of proverbs can also help to gain inform ation about

sociological and psychological issues. W esterm arck writes: "It is a

traditional view th at proverbs of a people are a safe guide to its character

103
and tem peram ent, opinions an d feeling, m anners an d custom s"

(W esterm arck 1938, lxxvii).

Some scholars disagree w ith statem ents like this and as a result they

have criticized authors like Bacon w ho held that "the genius, w it, and

spirit of a nation is discovered by their proverbs." A ccording to

W esterm arck the critics of Bacon's position argue that a great n um ber of

proverbs are shared internationally and as such the sim ilarity of the

proverbs am ong m any nations should be view ed as a reflection of general

h u m an experience. H ow ever, w hile endorsing the critic's argum ents,

W esterm arck also reaffirm s the possiblity of discovering national

character in proverbs. "But besides sim ilarities there are also differences,"

he w rites, "and even in substantially sim ilar proverbs there m ay be shades

of dissim ilarity that correspond to national characteristics" (W esterm arck

1958, lxxvii).

M iddle Eastern proverb scholars also have their ow n view s about

the content of the proverbs th a t they have collected and studied. This

view corresponds, m ore or less, to the view s of scholars like W esterm arck.

The T urkish scholar O m er A sim A ksoy m akes the follow ing rem arks

about the T urkish proverbs:

The proverb of every nation is a m irror of its w ealth and

personality. In proverbs, one can see the ideas, w ay of living,
beliefs, custom s of a nation. The proverbs are a valuable
source for the study of the ingenuity, sharpness, w ealth of
w orld view of any nation. As such every proverb carries the
seal of every nation (Aksoy 1965, 27).

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 A ksoy's view about the proverbs an d w h a t they stan d for is

representative of the opinions of m ost other M iddle Eastern proverb

scholars, especially the Iranian an d A zerbaijani pro v erb collectors.

M oham m ad Ali D aneshvar, in his in tro d u ctio n to M u jteh ed i's book

Azerbaijani Proverbs, argues th at the im portance of M u jteh ed i's corpus of

A zerbaijani proverbs lies in its reflection of A zerbaijani culture:

Proverbs and proverbial phrases, besides rep resen tin g the

civilization, culture and custom s of a country, are also
treasures of counsels, m ethods, w arnings and tru th s of life
that have been dressed in the form of beautiful p h rases and
speeches w hich have decorated and increased a co u n try 's
literature (D aneshvar 1984, b).

In the collection of A zerbaijani proverbs w hich is the subject of this

research, a variety of them es and topics relevant to alm ost every sphere of

h um an life have been encapsulated in the form of proverbs. In these

proverbs one can find counsel, advice, and w arnings th at are offered to

guide people in their lives w h en they find them selves in a sim ilar

situation. The proverbs in this collection deal w ith religion, fam ily issues,

relationships betw een m en an d w om en, relatives, neighbors, friends,

decency and p roper behavior, professions, agriculture, nom adic and

sedentary societies, climate, com m erce, an d m any oth er them es. Topics

such as those related to religious and fam ily them es or h u m an values

constitute a good portion of this collection, because of their im portance in

everyday life. O thers such as climate, w eather, and su p erstitio n are less

well represented in the collection. In this section, I intro d u ce and discuss a

num ber of the m ain topics treated in th e proverbs in this collection.

105
 The first large group of proverbs are concerned w ith religion. This

topic itself covers a variety of them es ranging from having faith and tru st

in God; predestination; belief in divine w ill/d ecree; total subm ission to

God; luck and destiny; G od's pu n ish m en t, and several other issues. The

belief in fate and destiny, for exam ple, is presented in a proverb like

Gisjndtddn artix, yem ax olmaz (No one can eat m ore th an w h a t has been

provided [presented] by destiny). This proverb m ight be used to rem ind a

person th a t he or she cannot expect m ore than w h at destiny or fate has p u t

aside for them . O n a sim ilar them e is the proverb Insan gism ati aramasa,

gism dt insarii arar tapar (If hu m an s d o n 't search for fate, the fate w ill come

and find them )[no person can escape from his destiny]. A nother them e

related to the issue of destiny is the concept of "luck." W hether one is

lucky or n o t is thought to have som ething to do w ith one's destiny. That

is to say, if luck has not been ordained to be p a rt of one's future or destiny,

then one w ill be out of luck regardless of how h ard one m ay try. This

concept is well encapsulated in a n u m b er of proverbs such as

Axtarm agliinan ddyir, bdxtd rast galm aghinandi (Searching an d stru g g lin g

is not enough, one needs to encounter [have] luck) [success d ep en d s m ore

on having luck than on effort].

Several proverbs em phasize the idea th at those w ho tru st in God

need not be w orried, because God never abandons those w ho are in need:

Allah kor g u shunkini yovasinda yetirdr (God brings the needs of a blind

bird to its nest); Olii kafansiz galmaz (The d ead w o n 't be w ith o u t

shrouds)[the needs of those w ho are unable to m ake their ow n livelihood

w ill be m et som ehow ]; and Allah banddsini darda goym az (G od w o u ld

106
never leave his m en stran d ed in a tight [bad] situation). The concept of

predestination and its related them e the divine decree ap p ear to have a

strong presence in the proverbs too. The follow ing proverb attests to

belief in p redestination: Allah yazarii, bdndd pozamm az (That w hich has

been w ritte n /o rd a in e d by G od cannot be destroyed by m en) [changing the

course of destiny is o u t of m a n 's control]. M ujtehedi's book contains a

sim ilar proverb: "Allahin ishldrind dl uzatm ax olm az”{O ne can n o t

interfere in G od's affairs)(M ujtehedi 1984, 46).

A m ong those proverbs p ertain in g to the religious them es there are

several item s th at w arn against ignoring G od's decree and will: A llah

viran aghajin, sdsi olmaz (The stick th a t G od uses for p u n ish m en t w o u ld

m ake no noise); Allah gargiyani, sheytan baltaynan vi'rar (W hoever is

cursed by God, devil strikes him w ith an ax). Some proverbs describe God

as being just and protective of w eak individuals against those w ho are ill-

hearted: Allah daghina baxar, gar verar (God w ill look at y o u r m o u n tain

and send do w n snow )[G od bestow s lim ited m eans u p o n ill-natured

people]; Allah ddvdyd ganat verseydi, dam-dash'i y'ixardi (H ad G od given

[created] the camel [with] w ings, the camel w ould have destroyed the

roofs) [God does not pro v id e o p p o rtu n ities to ill-hearted in d iv id u als to

show [exert] their pow er].

As is tru e of other natio n s' proverb collections, there are m any

contradictory proverbs in the A zerbaijani corpus. For exam ple, w hile the

above m entioned proverbs rem ind u s of the existence of destiny and fate

and tru st in G od, there are also proverbs th at rep rim an d those individuals

w ho w ould take no action sim ply because they believe th a t they cannot

107
change their destiny. Such a defeatist attitu d e is challenged by the proverb:

A h vaynan chixar kasibin jani, diytir Allah kdrimdi (The n eed y m an

suffers [throughout] his life and he keeps saying, "G od is great") [he w ho

w aits for G od's help and does nothing to change his m isery is ignorant and

unfortunate]. Sim ilarly, the fam ous saying Sdnndn hdrdkdt, Allahdan

bdrdkdt ([If] you move, G od blesses you) [God blesses those individuals

w ho help them selves] is a rem in d er of another contradiction betw een

proverbs. The contradictory proverbs are no t just lim ited to religious

them es, b u t cover other subjects as well.

A second im portant topic in this collection covers a variety of

them es related to fam ily issues. In these proverbs, alm ost every aspect of

fam ily life is com m ented u pon, ranging from raising children, the

im portance of children's education, parental sacrifice for the w ell-being of

the children, children's respect tow ards their parents, children's

relationship w ith their m other, father, or relatives, and other issues. The

im portance of respect tow ards parents by children is rated very high in

som e of these proverbs. Filial respect is even regarded as im p o rtan t as

show ing respect to God: A ta sin i tariimiyan, A llahini da tariimaz (He w ho

does not recognize[respect] his father will no t respect his God either). In

this proverb show ing respect to one's father is equated to respecting God.

Q ods' collection includes the follow ing proverbs on the im portance of

show ing respect to o ne's parents: Ata-ana kichik taridilar (Father and

m other are little gods); A na hdggi, tar'i hdggi (M other's rights [respect] are

as im portant as G od's respect).

108
 The subject of children's p ro p er u pbringing is well represented in a

num ber of proverbs. Some proverbs express the notion of how difficult of

a task it is to raise children: Gulan at olunja, yiydsi mat olar (By the tim e a

foal becomes a horse, its ow ner w ill be finished) [bringing u p a child until

the age of m aturity w ill exhaust his parents]. D espite all the difficulties

and h ardship involved in raising children, som e pro v erb s dem onstrate

that parents consider it their d u ty to m ake sure th at the children are well

taken care of: Ata-ana riishvdtsiz dostular (Parents are friends w ho w o n 't

accept bribes)[parents d o n 't expect any favors from their children for doing

w hat is necessary in raising them ]; Bala basha bdlad'i, ohnasa karbaladi

([Although] children are n o th in g b u t trouble for the head, w ith o u t

children life w ou ld be like m isery). Ushaghi oxudar atariin kisasi, anan'in

ncifasi ([It is]the father's purse[m oney] and the m o th er's breath[support]

that provide a child w ith education).

Some proverbs instruct paren ts to take the up b rin g in g of their

children seriously, even if they have to take extrem e m easures in insuring

their w ell-being: Gizin doym iydn, dizin doydr (He w ho w o u ld n 't beat

[punish] his daughter, w ill beat his ow n knees)[he w ho ignores the task of

p ro p er u p bringing of his d au g h ter w ill regret it]; Ushax dzizdi, tdrbiydsi

onnan da ciziz (A child is dear, b u t his u pbringing is m ore dear

[im portant]). The u pbringing of the children, especially of girls, seem s to

be entrusted to m others m ore than fathers. The follow ing proverbs point

to this conclusion: A n a li g'izin ozi boyiiydr, anasiz gizin sozi (A girl w ho

has a m other grow s properly, b u t the one w ho does no t have a m other,

h er nam e [bad reputation] grow s); Anasina bax gizin al, giraghina bax

109
bezin al (Check the m other of a girl w hen y ou m arry h er and check the

border of a cloth w hen you purch ase it). The pro v erb A n a siz iishax evdci

xard'i, babasiz iishax choldd (A child w ith o u t a m o th er is desp ised

[m istreated] at hom e and a child w ith o u t a father is despised o u tsid e [on

the street]), is a rem inder th at m others play an im p o rtan t role in raising

children inside the house.

M any proverbs in this collection deal w ith a variety of subjects

related to issues betw een m en and w om en, h u sb an d s and w ives, m arriage

and divorce, m ale versus fem ale them es, girls v ersu s boys, and other

issues on the subject of h u m an realtionships. M ale and female

individuals are represented differently in these proverbs. The overall

picture of w om en in these proverbs is n o t favorable, an d w om en are

portrayed in an inferior position in com parison to m ale m em bers of the

society. This negative attitu d e to w ard s w om en is clearly illustrated in

m any proverbs. The following proverbs are only a few exam ples th at

illustrate this point. For instance, the pro v erb G’iz yiikii, duz yiikii (The

load [burden] of a dau g h ter is like a load of salt) [the task of raising a

daughter is very difficult] depicts the notion of how difficult it is to raise a

girl. Some of these proverbs in w hich w om en are p o rtray ed in a negative

light are typical view s of a traditional and m ale d om inated society. In

these proverbs w om en are portray ed as no t tru stw o rth y , w eak in character,

incapable of m aking decisions, unreasonable, the source of m isery for

men, incapable of achieving anything and n o t w o rth listening to. The

following exam ples dem onstrate these negative attitu d es to w ard w om en

found in the proverbs:

 A rvadinan ye ish, amma aghlini cildan vermci! (D rink and eat w ith

w om en, b u t do n o t loose y o u r m ind)[socializing w ith w om en is

acceptable, b u t listening to (taking advice from) them is not!].

Arvad'in sachi u zu n olar, dghli gissa (W om en are long on h air b u t

short on brain).

A rva d i pis olariin, sdggdli tez agharar (The b eard of a m an w ho has

a bad [wicked] w om an grow s w hite [gray] quickly).

Arvadin axi'r hildsi, aghlamaxdi (A w o m an 's last trick is w eeping).

Arvad y'ixan evi, fdldk dd yixam m az (D estiny cannot ru in a house

[family], b u t a w om an can).

Arvad soziina baxan, arvaddan askihdi (He w h o listens to a

w om an's w ords [advice] is less than a w om an).

Arvad gazan g u yu n u n , suu chixmaz (A well th a t has been d u g by a

w om an does not p ro v id e w ater).

Arvada dishini saydirma! (Do no t let a w om an count y o u r teeth).

Q ods interprets this proverb as "O ne should no t show his w eakness

to a w om an" (Qods 1981, 26).

O n the other h and, som e proverbs p resent the w o m an 's ow n

evaluation of her position as a fem ale m em ber of society. The follow ing

exam ple is a good representativ e of this perspective: G izidim sultanidim ,

adaxlandim xan oldum , dra getdim gabaxlarda g u l oldum , birin doghdum

astanada chul oldum (W hen I w as a girl I w as a king. I becam e a khan

w hen I got engaged. O nce I got m arried, I becam e a slave. W hen I gave

birth, I becam e a rag [footmat] on the threshold).

111
 As w as the case w ith pro v erb s on religious them es, again one

encounters m any contradictory proverbs on the subject of w om en.

A lthough w om en are p o rtray ed in negative w ays in the m ajority of these

proverbs, there are also proverbs th a t em phasize the positive roles of

w om en in society. The im p o rtan t role ascribed to w om en in raising

children has already been discussed. Thus, m others are revered highly.

Som etim es w om en are po rtray ed as being su p erio r to m en, as in the

proverb Arvad bannadir, kishi fahla (A w o m an is a bricklayer, a m an is a

laborer). A nother proverb em p h asizin g the role of w om en is: Arvad var

ev y'ighar, arvad var ev y'ixar (Some w o m en save u p for [buying] houses,

som e ru in houses). Q ods interp rets this proverb as stating th at the

"success or failure of a m an d ep en d s on w hether his w ife is capable person

or not." In sum m ary, how ever, one can state that m ore of these proverbs

hold negative opinions of w om en th an positive ones.

O ne of the m ain them es, p erh ap s the largest, addressed in this

collection of proverbs is related to the qualities th at m ake good and decent

h u m an beings. The stu d y of these proverbs can help researchers to

becom e fam iliar w ith the A zerbaijani value system and w o rld view , and

w hat is perceived to be a p ro p er m odel for good h u m an beings in

A zerbaijani culture. M any of the proverbs in w hich the h u m an beings are

the focal point deal w ith ethical issues, issues th at are held to be essential

in the m aking of a good and caring h u m an being. U nlike som e other

proverbs, these ethical proverbs usually avoid figurative language, in

preference to direct m essage. In these proverbs several different w ords

such as A dam , Insan and Kishi are used interchangably; these w o rd s m ean
h u m an being, m an, individual or person. The w o rd m an does no t alw ays

m ean a m ale individual. In m any cases, the w ord refers to h u m an beings

in general. O ne of the required qualifications for becom ing a good

indiv id u al is the fulfillm ent of one's prom ises. There are several

proverbs in w hich hum ans are rem inded th at those w ho break their

prom ises are not considered real h u m an beings. For exam ple: A dam odar

ki soziinndn ddnmiyd (A m an stands by his w ords [promises]); K ishi

tiipiirdnghun yalamaz (An honorable m an never licks back h is ow n

spit)[a real m an keeps his prom ises]. In other w ords to be a good person

requires th at an individual sees to it that his or h er prom ises are carried

out.

A nother them e related to the issue of being a good and decent

person is the idea of sham e. Shame appears to be a source of self-control

and one of the elem ents th a t constitutes respect for an individual. This

concept is p o rtray ed in a proverb like Kishi kishiddn gorxmaz, utanar (A

decent m an is not afraid of another m an, b u t he feels asham ed)[fear is not

w h at m akes a m an a good person, sham e is). The lack of sham e in an

individual, according to som e proverbs, leads to the loss of respect and

dignity. A m ong other requirem ents for being a good in d iv id u al is dignity.

In proverbs related to the issue of dignity, people are advised n o t to low er

them selves in front of anyone, especially the dishonorable in d iv id u als,

even if the price of keeping one's dignity is high. H ere are several

exam ples rep resen tin g this concept: Yatma tiilki daldasinda goy yesin

aslan scini, gechmd namdrd kdrpiisiinndn goy aparsin sel sdni! (Do n o t

sleep [hide] behind a fox, let a lion eat you! Do not cross over a brid g e that
belongs to a dishonorable person, let the flood take you away). Or:

namarda cil achmaxdan, dash dashimax yaxchidir (C arrying rocks is b etter

than begging a dishonorable person); namdrdin pilovunnan mdrdin

gat'ighi yaxchi (The sim ple y o gu rt [food] of an decent p erson is b etter than

the pilaf of a dishonorable person). In a proverb like minnatdan agh'ir yiik

olmaz (O bligation is the heaviest of all loads) people are w arned n o t to

becom e indebted to anyone, for obligation and indebtedness can lead to the

loss of dignity and respect.

Closely related to the concept of dignity are the ideas of respect and

honor. Respect and honor are tw o ingredients th o u g h t to constitute some

of the characteristics of good h u m an beings: kishinin hormati oz alindci

olar (The honor [respect] of a m an is in his ow n hand). The proverb

adamda ki olmadi hdya, ya oldiir ya divara daya\ (If a m an lacks ho n o r and

respect, either kill him or p u t him against the w all) dem onstrates how

m uch em phasis is p u t upon the concepts of dignity and respect in

A zerbaijani society.

Based on som e of the proverbs in this collection, one can assert that

to be a good hum an being m eans m ore than just having dignity, honor,

respect and sham e. Accordingly, a good individual is he w ho disapproves

of self-praise and aim s for balanced and hum ble behavior. Hence, several

proverbs despise the selfish attitu d e and call for a person to be

u n p reten tio u s an d hum ble: O ziinii soydni, Xalig soymdz (God does not

like those w ho like them selves); M dndm lix sheytan ishidi (Self-praise is

Satan's w ork). O r M dghrur ohip demd yoxdur man kim in, bir m u xa lif yel

dsdr gorar xi'rman kimin (Do n o t becom e p re su m p tu o u s and say th a t there

is no one like me. For an adverse w in d m ay com e and blow you aw ay like

a harvest). Self-praise as a h u m a n behavior is rep rim an d ed in th a t this

attitude is traced to Satan w ho is the source of evil acts and behavior.

Therefore to be a good indiv id u al m eans to disap p ro v e of selfish thoughts

and behaviors w hich are driv en by Satan.

In som e of the proverbs generosity, forgiveness, and other related

issues of h u m an values are discussed and encouraged. Forgiveness, for

exam ple, is often praised an d recom m ended, as a sign of a good h um an

quality; as in this proverb: YaxchiTigha yaxchilix M r kishinin ishidi,

yamanligha yaxchilix M r kishinin ishidi (Every p erso n can re tu rn a good

[deed] w ith good, b u t he w ho can retu rn an evil [deed] w ith a good is a real

m an). G enerosity is also considered to be one of the constituents of a good

in d iv id u a l: A g h a lix verm aghinan, iyidlix virm aghinan (G e n e ro sity

m akes a p erson noble, fighting m akes him a real m an).

As m uch as the qualities of good h u m an beings are praised in these

proverbs, the opposite values are criticised harshly. In the eyes of the

m em bers of the society, a good h u m an being is supposed to possess good

h u m an qualities such as respect, generosity, honor, hum bleness,

forgiveness, honesty. The lack of these qualities in individuals allow s

society to com pare them w ith things th at are below the rank of h u m an

beings. As such in m any proverb s w h en h u m an values and ethics are

disrespected, the p erp etrato r is com pared w ith anim als and low er

creatures of the universe. For it appears that w h at m akes the difference

betw een the h u m a n and n o n -h u m an w o rld are these qualities. W hen

individuals lack these good qualities, qualities th at in fact precisely define

hum anity, people are advised to stay aw ay from them . The follow ing

proverb is a case in point: Adam var ki adamlar'in naxshidi, adam var ki

heyvan onnan yaxshidi, adam var ki dindirandd jan diydr, adam var ki

dindirmdsdn yaxchidi (There are som e people w ho are exem plary for

others, there are som e w ho are w orse th an anim als, there are som e w ho

w ould give their lives [for others] and there are som e w ho should no t be

approached).

In addition to the proverbs that p o rtray h u m an values, there is a

group of proverbs th at dem onstrates h u m an ity 's perception of life and the

w orld. Through the study of these proverbs one can obtain a holistic

picture of the w orld view and philosophy of A zerbaijani society tow ards

the w orld they live in. The relationship of the m an to the w orld,

according to som e of these proverbs, is or should be a non-m aterialistic

one. The m aterial life is considred undesirable and perishable. Several of

the proverbs talk about how short life is and rem ind in d iv id u als th at this

w orld is not eternal, one should no t cling to it for everyone has to leave

the w orld eventually. Exam ples of this view are: Allah bdnddsind, ncifasi

sayiynan vermish (God has bestow ed his m en w ith a lim ited n u m b er of

breaths) [God has given a m an a lim ited life]; Bu diinya fan'idir, xyetdn

bilmdz dtdn bilmdz (This w orld is tran sien t and m ortal. H e w ho enters in

it does not know [notice] it, n o r does he w ho leaves it [dies]; Bu diinya

pdnjdrddi, heir gdldn baxar gedcir (This w o rld is [like] a w in d o w , everyone

comes and peeks through it and [then] leaves [it]). The fact th a t life is

view ed as short and transient m akes the acceptance of d eath and d ep artu re

from the w orld a norm al and n atu ral one. In this connection, several

116
proverbs touch u p o n the subject of d eath an d p o rtray this them e in a

hum an w ay. In the following tw o proverbs the concept of d eath is treated

in m etaphorical language. In one proverb d eath is p o rtray ed like a camel

[caravan] th at m akes stops at everyone's door; people join it (the caravan

of death) and ride away: O liim bir davcidi, ham tninin gapis'ina xixlanajax

(Death is [like] a camel that w ill kneel do w n in front of everyone's door).

In another proverb com parison is d raw n betw een life being short and

passing by fast like a speeding horse th at everyone gets to ride on: Bu bir

atdi ham m i mindjax (This is a horse th a t everyone w ill rid e on).

The them atic stu d y of the proverbs in this chapter illustrates that

the Azerbaijani proverbs need to be view ed as a m em ber of a larger

cultural entity. In other w ords, the A zerbaijani p ro v erb s n o t only m irro r

their ow n cultural characteristics, they also reflect sim ilar h u m an

experience shared by other ethnic groups living in the M iddle East and the

areas dom inated by the Iranian and Turkic cultures. The h u m an values

and philosophy tow ards life portrayed in these proverbs are, to a great

degree, found in Turkic and especially Turkish p roverb collections. In

addition, the sam e affinity in term s of proverb im ages an d m essages and

life philosophy can also be traced and found in Iranian proverb collections.

This affinity is sim ply due to the fact that the A zerbaijani people have

shared a long historical and cultural relationship w ith Iranians. As a

result of this cultural relationship it is no su rp rise to see th a t A zerbaijani

proverbs resem ble the Iranian in their w orldview . Therefore as far as the

question of national character is concerned one can state th a t A zerbaijani

proverbs, besides possessing certain characteristics th at are typically

A zerbaijani, in general reflect the sam e view s and life philo so p h y held by

other people in the region. Furtherm ore w h en com pared w ith the

proverbs of other nations in the w orld, one can m ake the follow ing

observation. A lthough people m ight use different im ages to express the

sam e th o ughts, nevertheless, a large n u m b er of the m essages in proverbs,

reflect the com m on h u m a n experience regardless of w here people m ay

live.

* T h e e c o n o m iz in g featu re is v ie w e d and d isc u s se d by o th er research ers as

an e llip t ic a l c o n s tr u c tio n ( S ilv e r m a n -W e in r e ic h 1 9 8 1 , 7 6 ).
 CHAPTER FIVE

CORPUS

1. Listing of Proverbs in Alphabetical Order

The translations of all the m aterials presented in this collection are

mine except for those item s cited in the square brackets and m arked as

A basguliev, H aim , and R edhouse. A n u m b er of these interpretations,

especially those of Q ods, have contextual inform ation. O ccasionally, the

interpretations of these individuals are opposite of w h a t the proverb

m ight m ean to an English speaker. The inclusion of these interpretations

dem onstrates how proverbs can be interpreted differently from one

individual to another. I have tried to stay as close as possible to the

original A zerbaijani in the translations and have ad d ed m y

interpretations as needed in brackets.

As m entioned in the first chapter, this collection represents a

m ixture of the colloquial and literary language of the in d iv id u als w hose

voices w ere recorded in Iran in 1973. I have tried to p resen t the language

of the speakers as m uch as possible. A lthough the aim of this stu d y is not

so m uch the language itself from a strictly linguistic p o in t of view , the

original text represents a good sam ple of the m odern A zerbaijani language

spoken in Iran. As such the corpus is an im portant source for stylistic,

idiom atic and lexicographic studies.

In the corpus, the proverbs are presented in the alphabetical ord er of

the English Language w ith som e differences. The follow ing ch art gives

1 19
the A zerbaijani sound values accom panied by the International Phonetic

A lphabets.

a= [a], a= [ae], b= [b], ch= [If], d= [d], e= [e], f= [f], g= [g], gh= [K], h= [h], i= [i],

i= [*], j= [j]/ k= [k], 1= [1], m= [m], n= [n], o= [o], o= [o], p= [p], r= [r], s= [s],
sh= [§], t= [t], u= [u], ii= [u], v= [v], x= [x], y= [y], z = [z], zh= [z], '= f?]1

The index of the proverbs is based on keyw ords in a given proverb.

The keyw ords are topics or them es about w hich certain statem ents are

being m ade. Some of the keyw ords like m an, person or people occur in

the collection m ore than others. H ence, the task of finding a particular

proverb connected w ith these keyw ords becom es cum bersom e. In o rd er to

facilitate the use of the index for a specific keyw ord in m in d som etim es a

keyw ord is listed w ith its qualifier so th at a further distinction can be m ade

betw een tw o keyw ords.

^The g lo tta l sig n is so m e tim e s u sed to sh o w the actu al orthography o f the

w ord s that are o f A rab ic o rig in s. T h e u se o f this sig n , a m o n g other th in g s,
h elp s to a v o id c o n fu sio n a m o n g h o m o p h o n ic w ord s. F or ex a m p le the w ord
s h a r r is A rab ic w h ich is w ritten and p ro n o u n ced as s h d r and m ea n s “e v i l . ”
A sim ila r so u n d in g w ord is s h d r ‘ w h ich m eans “re lig io u s la w .” In the
p ro n u n cia tio n s o f th e se tw o w ord s in A ze rb a ija n i there is little d iffe r e n c e .
In th is c o lle c tio n so m etim es the g lo tta l sig n ( ‘) is u sed to a v o id such
c o n fu s io n s .

120
 ATALAR SOZU

AZERBAIJANI PROVERBS

1 Aaghi'l diisharm i diishdiiyu zin d an a b ir daha?

W ould a w ise m an go to priso n twice?
* X- *

2 Aaghi'l ishin axi'rin gozlar.

A w ise m an alw ays forsees the outcom e of a w ork.

3 A bad olar bulbiiliyam xarab olar baygushiyam .

If it [hom eland] is habitable, I'll be its nightingale, if it is a desolate
place, I'll be its owl. [No m atter w h at it is hom eland bad or good.]
* X- X-

4 A char doghri ichindi oghri ichin dayir.

The key is for the truth, n o t for the thief.
x- x- x-

5 A char gifildan giijlidi.

The key is stronger than the lock.
X- * X-

6 A chilan solar aghlayan giillar.

A flower [man] that opens up [laughs] w ill fade, a m an w ho w eeps will
laugh.
* * *

7 A chilm am ’ish sufranin bir eybi v ar achilmishi'n m in eybi.

A n unspread tablecloth [a party] has one flaw [a sign of stinginess], the
spread tablecloth one thousand. [Any w ork th at is no t carried out
properly is better not to be carried o u t at all.]
* * X-
8 Achix basha dash dayar.
A n uncovered head gets h it by a stone.
***
9 Achix gab'f it yalar.
Dogs lick uncovered [unprotected] pots.
* * *

10 Achix yara m arham saxlam az.

M edicine w o n 't heal an open [unprotected] w ound.
X-* *
11 A dam adam dem aghinan adam olm az.
O ne is h u m an in m ore than just nam e alone.
X- X- X-

12 A dam adam sayasinda adam olar.

A m an becom es a [decent] h u m an being in the shadow of other
h u m a n s.

121
 xxx

13 A dam adam a garahdi.

A h u m an alw ays needs other hum ans.
XXX

14 A dam adamd'i olm asa da bir p u lu eshshah esh sh ah d i atlasd an olsa

c h u lu .
A m an is a m an even if he lacks m oney, a donkey is a donkey even if
his harness is m ade of p u re silk.
X XX

15 A dam adam in sheytan'i adam adam in rahm ani.

Some hum ans act like the devil and som e act like a savior.
X XX

16 A dam adam nan go[r]xm az utanar.

A m an is not afraid of another m an b u t he feels asham ed.
X XX

17 A dam addim atm aghinan dayir.

W alking does not m ake a m an a hum an.
X XX

18 A dam adina chakar.

H um ans resem ble their nam es.
XXX

19 A dam alt'inda soz gazan altinda koz.

Beneath a hum an are w ords u n d e r a cauldron is fire.
XX*

20 A dam ayaghinan galib bashinan gedajax.

H um ans come on foot and leave on their heads. [In the M uslim
tradition the dead are carried headfirst ou t of the home.]
X- * *

21 A dam bilm adihlarini ayaghinin altina alsa b ash i goya dayar.

If a hum an uses his m istakes as a lad d er his head w ould touch the sky.

22 A dam danisha dani'sha doslashar eshshah garp'ina garp'fna.

A m an m akes friendship by talking, a donkey by braying. [A m an
ingratiates w ith w ords, a donkey by braying.]
XXX

23 A dam diliynan tora dtishar.

A h um an is betrayed by his tongue.
XXX

24 A dam garah yaxsh'f bila ishin ashin yoldashi'n.

A h u m an m ust know his profession, his food and his friend well.
XXX

25 A dam goziinnan doyar.

A m an becom es full w ith his eyes.
XXX

26 A dam ishda taninar.

A m an is recognized at w ork.

122
 * * *

27 A dam it ati yem az.

H um ans d o n 't eat d o g 's m eat.
* * *

28 A dam kiisd u g h i d ag h in o d u n u n u kasm az.

A m an s h o u ld n 't cut d o w n the w oods of a m o u n tain th at he is m ad at.
* * *

29 A dam m in ajini b ir shirin in xatirina utar.

A m an sw allow s [endures] thou san d s of bitternesses [hardships] for the
sake of one sw eetness [comfort].
* * *

30 A dam odi ki soziinnan donm iya.

A m an stands by his w ord.
* * *

31 A dam oghli h ilak ard i kim sa bilm az fannin.

The children of hu m an s are cunning; no one can fathom their deeds.
A- A- A-

32 A dam o g h lu n u n alinnan na u ch an g u rtu lar na gachan.

N o one can flee from the h an d s of the children of hum ans. [No one
can flee from the clutches of w h at m ankind has w rought.]
AA*
33 A dam olan iki kara allanm az.
A m an s h o u ld n 't be deceived tw ice .
A A A

34 A dam oz ishinin u stiin d a olm alidi.

A m an needs to be at his w ork.
A A A

35 A dam ozi h ar jiir olsa ozgani da o jiir bilar.

A m an sees [judges] others the w ay he sees himself.
A A A

36 A dam p u l ta p ar p u l adam ! tapm az.

A m an can find m oney b u t m oney can 't find a m an.
A A A

37 A dam sorusha sorusha alim olar.

A m an becom es learned by constant inquiry.
A A A

38 A dam soziin adam a diyar.

A m an should say his w ords [concerns] to other people.
A A A

39 A dam tay tu sh iy n an taninar.

A m an is know n by the com pany he keeps.
A A *

40 A dam v ar ki adam larin naxshidi adam v ar ki heyvan on n an yaxshidi

adam v ar ki d in d iran d a jan diyar adam v ar ki d in d irm asan yaxchidi.

123
 There are som e m en w ho are exam plary for others; there are som e that
are no b etter than anim als; there are som e w ho w o u ld give their lives
[for others], and there are som e w ho should no t be approached.
X- X- *

41 A dam yana yana organir.

A m an learns by burning [hard way].
* * X-

42 A dam yenilm aghinan m arafatli olur yan ilm ag h in an alim.

A m an becomes skilled by being defeated and know ledgable by
suffering.
X- * *

43 A dam yettisinda na olsa yetm ishinda da o olar.

A seventy year old m an is w h at he w as at the age of seven.
x- x- *
44 A dam a sozu bir dafa diyarlar.
A m an is rem inded only once. [A w ord to the wise.]
X- X- X-

45 A dam da ki olm adi hay a oldiir ya divara day a.

W hen a m an lacks decency, either kill him or p u t him u p against the
wall.
X- X- X-

46 A dam i adam eliyan parad'f parasiz adam in iizii garadi.

M oney m akes a m an a [respected] m an, a m an w ith o u t m oney is
m iserable.
X- X- X-

47 A dam i b ash d an aghaji yashdan.

A m an from the head, a tree from being young. [The m eaning is not
clear.]
X- X- X-

48 A dam i p altarin n an tanim azlar kishiya kam al garah.

A m an is not respected by his clothes, b u t by being m ature.
X- X- X-

49 A dam in ati yeyilm az darisi geyilm az olsa olm asa bir d a d li dili.
A m an's flesh is not for eating, nor is his skin fit for m aking clothes. A
m an's m ost valuable asset is his m o u th [sweet tongue].
X- X- X-

50 A dam in bashina har bala galsa dillinnan galar.

All of a m an 's troubles are because of his tongue.
X- X- X-

51 A dam in garah diliynan orayi b ir olsun.

A m an's heart and tongue should be the same.
X- X- X-

52 A dam in safeyi ya pahlavan olar ya shaxseyda tabil chalan.

The m ost foolish of hum ans becom es either a hero or d ru m player in
the flagellation processions.
X- X- X-

124
53 A dam in yaxchis'f alish verishda tani'nar.
A m an's true character em erges at trade.

54 A dam in yera baxani su yun yala axani.

Take note of a m an w ho looks do w n [acts harm less] and of w ater that
runs up to the top of the m ountain.
* **
55 A dam lighi adam nan ista xosh iyi gizil giildan.
Expect decency from a good m an and a good fragrance from a rose.
* * *

56 A dam lix p u lu n a n dayir ki b azard an alasan!?

Do you think that decency can be purchased w ith m oney at the bazaar!?
* * *

57 A dam lix yekaligha dayir.

To be a good person has nothing to do w ith age.
* * *

58 A dam nan eshshah olm asa eshshayin biri m in tiim ana galxar.
H ad it not been for som e stupid hum ans, the price of the donkeys
w ould have gone u p to one th o u san d tu m an [Iranian currency].
* * *

59 A dam nan utam m iyan tan rid an gorxm az.

A person w ho d o esn 't feel asham ed in the presence of others, w o n 't
fear God.
* * *

60 A dat adam in b o y u n d u ru g h u d i.
H abit is m an 's yoke.
* * *

61 A dat bu n ad ir sonra galir bazm a akabir.

A round here it is the custom th a t the d istinguished m en come to the
party late.
* * *

62 A dilin bir saatlix adalati abidin m in illix ib ad atd an yaxchidi.

O ne h o u r of a just m an's deeds is better th an a th o u san d h o u rs of
w orship.
X-X-*
63 A din bilm adighin adam in evina getma!
D on't go to a m an 's house w hose nam e you d o n 't know!
* * *

64 A fiyat olsun dem aghinan darya ichilm az.

D rinking the entire sea takes m ore th an w ishing bon apetit.
* * *

65 A ftafaynan liileyin bahasi giro goyandadir.

The difference betw een the value of a ew er [w ith a spout] and a sim ple
ew er becomes ap p aren t at a p aw n shop.
* * *

66 A gh aghcha gara gun ichindi.

125
 The w hite aqcha [a sm all coin] is good for a d ark [bad] day.
* * X-

67 A gh atinan jahil adam a gullux elam ax chatindi.

Serving a w hite horse and an ignorant m an is a difficult task.
* * x-
68 A gh ayrani ita tokallar gara kishm ishi jiba tokallar!
People serve w hite sour m ilk to dogs and p o u r black raisins into their
pockets![?]
X- * X-

69 A gh goyunu goran ichin dolu yagh san'ir.

H e w ho sees a w hite sheep assum es that it has lots of fat.
X- X- X-

70 A gh gotiinan gara gotiin chaydan gechanda balli olar.

O ne can distinguish betw een the w hite and black buttocks w h en they
jum p over a stream . [At a tim e of a trial one can tell w ho is good and
w ho is not.]
* * *

71 A gh gu n adam i aghardar gara gun garaldar.

A w hite [good] day m akes a m an h ap p y and a d ark [bad] day m akes him
unhappy.
X- X- X-

72 A gh itin pam bixchiya ziyani var.

A w hite dog can incur losses to a cotton grow er.
X- X- X-

73 A gh olan yerda dodax sinar.

[The m eaning is n o t clear.]
X- X- X-

74 A gh p altar tez kirlanar.

A w hite dress gets dirty quickly.
X- X- X-

75 A gh iizda gara xal zinatdi gara iizda agh xal nikbat.

A black m ole on a w hite face is pretty, a w hite m ole on a black face is
ugiy.
X- X- X-

76 A gha agh diyiblar garaya gara.

W hite is called w hite and black is called black.
X- X - X-

77 A gha burj elar xanim xarj.

A h usb an d borrow s, a w ife spends.
X- X- X-

78 A gha d u ru r aghajan d u ru r.
The m aster stands u p the follow er does the same.
X- X- X-

79 A gha gatirir noghala xanim salir chuvala.

The husb an d brings food, the wife p u ts it in h er sack (stomach).

126
80 Agha toxd'f nokara yavan chorah da choxdi.
The m aster eats his fill, b u t the servant d o esn 't get a piece of bread.
* * *

81 Aghaj aghaj ichinda boyuyar.

A tree grow s am ong trees.
* * *

82 Aghaj bar verdixja bashin yera tikar.

The m ore a tree bears fruits, the m ore its head touches the ground.
* * *

83 Aghaj b u d ag h iy n an guruyar.
A tree dries out w ith its branches.
* * *

84 Aghaj b u d ag h iy n an yonulm az.

A tree can't be chiseled w ith its branches.
* * *

85 Aghaj d ib innan su ichar.

A tree drinks w ater from its root.
* * *

86 Aghaj kasilanda dibina diishar.

W hen a tree is cut it falls on its bottom .
* * *

87 Aghaj na g ad ar uzansa goya chatm az.

No m atter how tall a tree grow s, it can never reach the sky.
* * *

88 Aghaj olan yerda gol b u dax sinar.

W here there is a tree usually the first branch breaks.
* * *

89 Aghaj y em ishinnan ta n in a r at yerishinnan.

A tree is recognized by its fruit, a horse by its trotting.
* X- *

90 Aghaj yexilanda ali baltasiz da y u ra r ali baltali da.

W hen a tree falls, both those w ho have axes and those w ho d o n 't rush
in.
* * *

91 Aghaj yarpaghiynan giirlar.

A tree m akes noise w ith its leaves. [A tree is at its best w h en it has
leaves.]
* **
92 A ghaja dayam m a g u ru r insana giivam m a oliir.
D on't lean against a tree or it w ill w ither, d o n 't lean on a m an [don't
have hopes in a man] for he w ill die.
X- * *

93 A ghaja d irm an an gechinin b u d ag h a d irm an an b alasi olar.

A goat that climbs a tree [usually] has a kid th a t climbs onto the branch.
* **
94 A ghajdan m asha chaghghald an p ash a olmaz.

127
 The tree d o esn 't produce tongs and the jackal d o e sn 't becom e a pasha
[general].
* * *

95 Aghaji gozal gorsadan y arp ag h i da gozal gorsadar.

That w hich m akes a tree look p retty , w ould m ake the leaves look
pretty too.
* * *

96 Aghaji gurd chiiriidar insani dard.

Trees are decayed [destroyed] by w orm s, h u m an s by sorrow .
* * *

97 A ghaji oz ichinnan gurd yiyar.

W orm s eat a tree from the inside.
* **
98 A ghaji u z u n kas dam iri gissa!
C ut the tree longer than you need and a sheet of m etal shorter!
* * *

99 Aghaji yashkan aym ax garah.

O ne should bend a tree w h en it is young.
* * *
4

100 A ghajin iki bashi var.

A tree has tw o heads [ends].
* **
101 A ghajin m iyvasin vir b u d a g h in sin d irm a.
H itting the fruit of a tree is all right, b u t breaking its branches is not.
* * *

102 A ghajin yarpaxlisi m ivani chox gatirar.

A tree w ith m ore leaves bears m ore fruit.
a- * *

103 A ghajinan gabix arasina barm ax girm az.

A finger can 't fit betw een a tree and its bark.
* * *

104 A ghalix v erm aghinan iyitlix v irm ag h in a n olar.

G enerosity m akes a m an noble, fighting m akes him a real m an.
* * *

105 A ghanin m ali chixar n o k a rin jani.

The m aster loses w ealth, the serv an t his life.
* **
106 A ghasi giijli olanin goli achix olur.
H e w ho has a strong [influential] m aster w ill have open hands. [A
slave w hose m aster is highly respected w ill be rebellious.]
* * *

107 A ghasi guliim olanin bashin a k iilum olar.

H e w ho has a w eak m aster w ill receive b ad treatm ent.
* * *

108 A ghaynan xanim savashdi arad a n o k arin b ash i sindi.

The husband and wife h a d a fight and the serv an t's head got broken.

128
 * X- X-

109 A ghi ktirayinan satallar garan i kokla satallar.

They sell the w hite w ith a shovel and the black w ith its root.
* * *

110 A ghi yiyan goz tan'ir.

The eye know s w ho ate the w hite one.
* X- X-

111 A ghil adam atm a soziin dostuva d o stu v u n da dosti v ar o da soylar

do stu n a.
A w ise m an sh o u ld n 't reveal his secret to his friend, for his friend also
has a friend, w ho w ould tell the secret to his friend.
* X- X-

112 A ghil aghildan otgiindi.

O ne m ind is superior to ano th er one.
* X- X-

113 A ghil bashda olar yashda olmaz.

W isdom is in the m ind n o t in the age.
* X- *

114 A ghilli akib bichib dali indi ju t suriir.

The w ise m an planted an d reaped, the fool is just starting to plow .
* * *

115 A ghilli chirm alayinja dali v ar chaydan gechar.

By the tim e a w ise m an rolls u p his pants, the fool w ould have crossed
over the river.
* * if
116 A ghilli dan ish m am ish d iish u n iir aghilsiz d iish u n m am ish danishir.
A w ise m an w ould think before he says anything, a fool talks w ithout
th in k in g .
***
117 A ghilli dushiintinja dali o g h lu n u evlandirar.
By the tim e a w ise m an begins to u n d erstan d , a fool w o u ld have
m arried off his son.
* * *

118 A ghilli evlaninja dalinin bir oghlu olar.

By the tim e a w ise m an m arrys, a crazy m an w ould have h ad a child.
X- * *

119 A ghilli fikirlashinja dali g arn in i doyurar.

By the tim e a w ise m an m akes u p his m ind, a fool w o u ld have filled
u p his stom ach.
X- X- X-

120 A ghilli korpii tapinja dali verar su d an gechar.

By the tim e a w ise m an finds a bridge to cross, a fool w ould have
crossed over the w ater.
X- X - X-

121 A ghilli olup ozganin fikrini chakinja dali ol ozgalar sanin fikrini
ch ah sin lar.

129
 Instead of being a w ise m an and w orrying about other people's
troubles, better to be a fool and let other people w orry for you.
X- X- *

1 2 2 A ghillini daliya buraxm a dalini gabagha salma.

D o n 't let a w ise m an w alk behind you and a fool w alk in front of you.
X- X - X-

123 A ghilsiz bashin dardasarini ayax chakar.

The feet carry the troubles of a foolish head [man].
X- X- X-

124 A ghin ad i var garanin dadi.

W hite [blonde] w om en enjoy fame, b u t the dark-com plexioned
[brunette] w om en are know n for being tasty [sweet].
X- X- X-

125 A ghir d ash y erinnan oynam az.

A heavy rock can't be m oved from its place.
X- X- X-

126 A ghir gazan gej geynar.

A heavy p o t boils slowly.
X- X- X-

127 A ghir galanda yungiil galxar.

W hen the heavy person [w ith prestige] arrives, the light [a cheap]
person w ill get up [to leave a gathering].
X- X- X-

128 A ghir o tu r batm an gal.

Behave w ith dignity and be firm.
X- X- X-

129 A ghir yiikiin altina giranin beli aghrir.

The w aist [back] of a m an w ho carries a heavy load aches.
X- X- X-

130 A ghirlighi da gizil dalir.

G old [money] can even penetrate the heavy w eight. [M oney can do
w onders.]
X- X- X-

131 A ghirlighin yer chakar ru z u su n A llah verar.

The earth endures his w eight and G od provides his daily necessities.
[Qod 9: O ne w ho believes in G od sh o u ld n 't w orry about p ro v id in g for
ones children.]
X* X- X-

132 A ghirlix kishinin langaridi.

W eight [dignity] is a m an 's anchor [gravity, balance].
X- X- X-

133 A ghlz suyu got yum az.

Saliva can't w ash the ass. [A big un d ertak in g needs p ro p er equipm ent.]
X- X- X-

134 A ghiz yesa iiz utanar.

130
 If the m o u th eats, the face feels asham ed. [A close friend w ho has eaten
at y our house w ould feel badly about harm ing you.]
* * *

135 A ghiza d a d gar'fna shiivaran.

Taste to the m outh [is w hat] borage [a diaphoretic herb] [is] to the
stom ach.
X- X- X-

136 A ghizda aji olan garinda shirin olar.

That w hich is bitter in the m o u th is sw eet in the stom ach.
X- X- *

137 A ghi'zdan ch'ixan basha dayar.

That w hich com es o u t of the m o u th w ill hit the head.
X- * *

138 A ghizinan gulagh'fn aras'f d o rt barm axdi.

The distance betw een the m o u th and the ear is only four fingers.
* X- *

139 A ghla galani bashlam a h a r aghaji dashlam a!

D on't open up y our m o u th and say w hatever com es to y o u r head and
n or you should th ro w stones at a tree w hich you come across!
***
140 A ghli bash d a olan oziin goghaya salm az.
A n intelligent m an w o u ld n 't cause troubles for him self.
X- X- X-

141 A ghlam a olii iichiin aghlirsan aghla d iri iichun!

D on't cry for the dead, cry [m ourn] for those w ho are still alive.
* X- *

142 A ghlam aghin bilm ayan oliisiin gorbagor salar.

H e w ho d o esn 't know how to cry w ill cause troubles for his deceased
ones.
X- * *

143 A ghlam ax da dam ax chaghlighi istar.

Even for crying one needs to be in a good m ood.
X-X-X-
144 A ghlam iyan iishagha siit verm azlar.
N o one w o u ld nurse a child w ho isn 't crying.
X- X- X-

145 A ghlasa anam aghlar galani yalan aghlar.

O nly m y m other w o u ld cry [care for me], the grief of others isn 't real.
X- X- X-

146 A ghlayan yanina getm a giild iiran yanina get!

D on't visit those w ho cry [are unhappy]! Visit those w ho m ake you
laugh!
X- X- X-

147 A ghrilarda goz aghrisi h a r kasa oz aghrisi.

131
 Eye pain is the w orst am ong all the other pains and a m an considers
his ow n pain to be the w orst. [Everyone considers his troubles to be the
w orst in the w orld.]
XXX

148 A ghrim ayan basha dasm al baghlam azlar.

N obody w ould tie a kerchief to a head that d o esn 't hu rt. [If it's not
broken, d o n 't fix it.]
XXX

149 A ghrisiz bash bagha banzar.

A head free of any pain [trouble] resem bles th at of a turtle. [He w ho
lacks any trouble in his life w ill have no vitality.]
X XX

150 A ghrisiz bash m azarda garak.

A head free of any pain [trouble] belongs [deserves to be] in the grave.
X XX

151 A ghriyan dishin charasi chahm axdi.

The rem edy for a tooth th a t aches is to have it pulled.

152 A ghzi ayri ansasinnan ballanar.

A person w ho has a crooked m o u th [foul m outh] is recognized from
his nape.
XXX

153 A ghzi y andiran ashi goz tanir.

The eye recognizes the food th a t b u rn s the m outh. [One can tell from a
person's appearance how capable a person can be.]
XXX

154 A ghzini silt y andiran y u g h u rd i piifliya piifliya ichar.

A person w hose m o u th is b u rn ed from drin k in g [hot] m ilk w ould
drink yogurt by blow ing on it.
X- * *

155 A h vaynan chixar kasibin jani olanajan diyar A llah karim di.
The needy m an suffers [throughout] his life and keeps saying, "G od is
great."
X- X- X-

156 A h yerda galmaz.

A m an's grief w o n 't go unansw ered. [An oppressor gets punished.]
X- X- X-

157 A hila gedan guyrux yiyar jahila ged an yum rux.

H e w ho m arries a w ise m an eats tail [fat] and he w ho m arries an
ignorant m an receives blow s [bad treatm ent].
X- X- X-

158 A hilinan d ash d ash i jahilinan bal yema!

Better to carry rocks w ith a w ise m an th an eat honey w ith an ignorant
m an.
X X- X

159 A hista gedan yorulm az.

132
 H e w ho goes [walks] slow ly will never get tired.
* * *

160 Aj adam bilm az zam an.

A h u n g ry m an cares least for time.
* * *

161 Aj at yol ala bilm az aj it av ala bilm az.

A h ungry horse can't cover the distances and a h u n g ry d og can 't hunt.
* * *

162 Aj ayi oynam az.

A h ungry bear w o n 't dance.
* * *

163 Aj alina diishani yiyar tox aghzina galani diyar.

A h u n g ry m an eats w hatever he gets and a w ell-fed m an says w h atev er
comes to his m outh.
* * *

164 Aj asnar tox gayirar.

The h ungry m an yaw ns an d the w ell-fed m an burps.
* * *

165 Aj bayira gachar yalavaj eva girar.

A h u n g ry m an runs outside and a g lu tto n enters the house. [Q. 116:
N ecessity m akes a m an w ork h ard , laziness stops a m an from w orking
hard.]
* * *

166 Aj dishari gachar chiplax ichari.

A h u n g ry m an rushes outside and a n ak ed m an rushes inside.
** *
167 Aj donguz d arid an chixmaz.
A h u n g ry pig will never leave the barn.
* * *

168 Aj garin gatix istam az yuxuli bash yasdix.

A h u n g ry stom ach d o esn 't need sourm ilk n or a sleepy h ead a pillow .
** *
169 Aj gazar tox aylanar.
A h u n g ry m an w anders aro u n d and a w ell-fed m an am uses him self.
* * *

170 Aj gazm axdan tox olm ax yaxchidi.

Better to be full and d ead than w an d erin g aro u n d w ith hunger.
X-X-
171 Aj gilinja chapar.
A h ungry m an attacks [goes against] the sw ord.
* * *

172 Aj goza diinyani ver gina diyar m anim ki azdi.

If you give the entire w orld to a greedy m an, he w o u ld still say I d id n 't
get enough.
* * *

173 Aj g u d u rg an olar chiplax oynaghan.

133
 A h u n g ry m an is aggressive and a naked [poor] m an is a dancer [fools
around].
** *
174 Aj gulagh'im di'nj gulaghim .
M y ears are em pty [w ithout earrings] and they are comfortable.

175 Aj g u rd balasin yiyar.

A h u n g ry w olf w ould eat its ow n offspring.
* * *

176 Aj ham i'ni ozi kim in aj b ilar tox h am in i ozi kim in tox.
A h u n g ry m an considers everyone to be h u n g ry like him self and a
w ell-fed m an thinks th at everyone is full.
* * *

177 Aj it tux itin gotiini yalar.

A h u n g ry dog w ould kiss the ass of a full dog.
* * *

178 Aj kopak gudurm az.

A h u n g ry dog w o n 't get excited.
* * *

179 Aj kopak oziini aslana vurar.

A h u n g ry dog w ould even attack a lion.
* * *

180 Aj na tapsa yiyar ajixan n a bilsa diyar.

A h u n g ry m an eats w hat he finds, an angry m an says [curses] w hatever
he can.
* * *

181 Aj na yem az tox na dem az.

A h u n g ry m an eats w h at he finds and a w ell-fed m an criticizes a lot.
* * *

182 * X-
183 Aj olm axdan tox olm ax eyidir.
It is b etter to die full than die hungry.
X- * X-

184 Aj olm az gozi garalar borjli olm az rangi saralar.

A h u n g ry m an d o esn't die, b u t gets dizzy; a debtor d o esn 't die, b u t he
[his face] becomes yellow [pale].
* x- a-
185 Aj oziin oda vurar.
A h u n g ry m an w ould play w ith fire.
* * *

186 Aj toxun iiziina baxm aghinan doym az.

A h u n g ry m an d o esn't becom e full by looking at a well-fed man.
* * *

187 Aj toyux oziini bughda am barinda gorar.

A h u n g ry hen dream s of being in the w heat barn.
* * *

134
188 Aj toyux y u x u d a d ari gorar.
A h ungry h en sees w h eat in its dream s.
* * *

189 Aj yatar ajixan yatm az.

A h ungry m an falls sleep b u t an angry m an w on't.
* * *

190 Aj yatm ax boshli olm axdan yaxchidi.

It is better to sleep h u n g ry than be a debtor.
* * *

191 Aja d ari chorayi bal halva chorayinnan shirin galar.

To a h u n g ry m an barley bread tastes better than sw eet honey bread.
* * *

192 Aja dokkuz yorgan otttilar gina yatabilm adi.

The h u n g ry m an w as covered w ith nine bed covers, he still could not
fall sleep.
* * *

193 Aja gazan asdirm a donm ush a od yaxdirm a!

D on't ask a h u n g ry m an to cook and a frozen m an to 15
start a fire!
* * *

194 Aja m eyyit da halaldi.

Eating a dead person is perm issable for a h u n g ry man.
* * *

195 Aja na halal na haram .

The h u n g ry m an cares least about w h at is perm issable and w h at is not.
***
196 Ajalip yeyan naxosh olm az.
H e w ho eats only w hen he gets h u n g ry w ill never get ill.
** *
197 A jdan na yan arsan na kiisiirsan.
O ne can neither get m ad at a h u n g ry m an n or should one feel
offended.
* * *

198 Aji ajini kasar soyux su sanjini.

O ne bitterness soothes another one like a cold w ater soothes a sting.
* * *

199 Aji d in d irm a toxu giildiirm a.

D on't ask a h u n g ry m an [how he is], n o r m ake a well-fed m an laugh!
* * *

200 Aji soz ad am i d in d an chixardar shirin dil ilani yuvadan.

H arsh w ords causes a m an to loose his tem per b u t sw eet w ords can
even charm a snake o u t of its nest.
X- * *

201 Aji yaghin pishm ishi da aji olar.

A bitter [spoiled] cooking oil produces a bitter dish.
X-* *

135
202 A jim am ish yiyan gabrini dish iy n an gazar.
H e w ho eats before he gets h u n g ry w ill dig his ow n grave w ith his
teeth.
* * *

203 Ajim'fsh eshshah a td a n yiigiirak olur.

A donkey in pain ru n s faster th an a horse.
***
204 Ajin and! and olm az.
The oath [promises] of a h u n g ry m an is n o t an oath [trustw orthy].
* **
205 Ajin dolata ziyani olm az.
A h u n g ry m an isn 't h arm fu l to the governm ent [property].
* * >f
206 Ajin garni doyar gozi doym az.
A h u n g ry m an 's stom ach m ig h t get full, b u t never his eyes.
***
207 Ajin gozi chorah tab ag h in d a olar.
A h ungry m an can never take off his eyes the bread dish.
* * *

208 Ajin gursaghinda chorah dayanm az.

The stom ach of a h u n g ry m an w o n 't keep bread.
* * *

209 Ajin im ani toxun am an i olm az.

The h u n g ry m an has no faith and the w ell-fed m an has no mercy.
** *
210 Ajin yuxusi galm az.
A h u n g ry m an cannot fall asleep.
** *
211 Ajin zahlasi su d an gedar.
The h u n g ry m an hates w ater.
* a- *

212 Ajixli adam tez gojalar.

A n angry person grow s old quickly.
* * *

213 Ajixli bashda aghil olm az.

A n angry head [man] lacks a brain [thinking].
* X-*
214 Ajligha yavanlix yuxusuzlig h a y o rg an d o sh ah lazim dayil.
H unger needs no p lain food, sleepiness no bed.
* X-*
215 A jlighinan toxlughun arasi b ir p archa chorahdi.
The gap betw een h u n g er an d satiety is only a piece of b read only.
* * *

216 Ajlix adam a oyun orgadar.

H unger teaches m an tricks.
* **

136
217 Ajlixdan olan yox toxluxdan olan chox.
People die of gluttony, n o t of hunger.
* * X-

218 A1 gapida sat gapida.

Buy it at the door and sell it at the door.
X- * *

219 A1 ver diyiblar al verm a dem iyiplar.

Borrow ing and returning is a fam iliar [common] practice, not
borrow ing and keeping.
X- X- X-

220 Ala garga suda yughunsa da gaz olmaz.

A jay never becomes a goose by w ashing itself in w ater [lake].
* * X-

221 Ala it chaggalin dayisidi.

A brow n dog is a jackal's m aternal uncle.
* X- X-

222 A lajaghin olsun verajayin olm asin.

Being a lender is better than being a borrow er.
* X- X-

223 A lajaghinan borj odanm az.

A debt can't be paid by borrow ing.
X- * *

224 Alajax chox olsa y ad d an chixar.

If one gives m any loans, it m akes one forget to collect.
X- X- X-

225 A lanin gozi olsa satan aji'nnan olar.

If the buyer has eyes [is careful), the seller w ould die of hunger.
X- X- X-

226 A lanin gozi satan'in alinda olar.

The eyes of the buyer w atch the h ands of the seller.
X- X- X-

227 A lam i pilo tutsa da ala garga xorayin tani'r.

Even if the w orld be full of pilof a jay w ould recognize its food.
X- X- X-

228 Alchax eshshayi m inallar yetim u sh ag h i doyallar.

People m ount a short donkey and beat an o rphan too.
X- X- X-

229 Alchax eshshayi yeten m inar otan m inar.

The comers and the goers w ould ride a short donkey.
X- X- X-

230 Alchax uchan ujaya gonar.

H e w ho flies low can perch high.
X- X- X-

231 A lchaxda yatan’i sel ap arar ujada yatan'f yel aparar.

The flood sw eeps aw ay a person w ho sleeps at a low altitude, and the
w ind carries aw ay a person w ho sleeps at a high altitude.

137
 * * *

232 A ldighini veran arad ig h in i tapar.

He w ho repays w h at he recieved w ill find w h atev er he is searching for.
* * *

233 A lim olan elm ina am il garah.

The know ledgeable m an m u st p u t his know ledge into practice.
* * *

234 AlijY gush d im d iyinnan balli olar.

A predatory bird is know n by its beak.
* * *

235 Al'iji g u sh u n dim diyi ayri olar.

The beak of a predatory bird is crooked.
* * *

236 Al'iji g u sh u n om rii az olar.

The life span of a p red ato ry bird is short.
* * *

237 A lladan allanar.

The cheater gets cheated eventually.
* * X

238 A lladim diyan ozii allanar.

He w ho brags about cheating gets cheated himself.
X- * *

239 A llah adam a bir aghiz verib iki gulax birin soyla ikisin dinla.
G od has given m an one m o u th and tw o ears to speak once an d h ear
twice.
x a- *
240 A llah bandasina nafasi sayiyinan verm ish.
God has bestow ed H is people w ith a lim ited n um ber of breaths.
X X X

241 A llah bandasini d ard a goym az.

G od w ould never leave H is people stranded in a tight [bad] situation.
XXX

242 A llah bir tarafdan baghliyanda o biri tarafd an achar.

If G od closes a door He opens another one.
XXX

243 A llah daghina baxar gar verar.

God looks at y our m ountain and sends d o w n snow .
XXX

244 A llah d ard i chakana verar.

G od inflicts pain [misery] on he w ho can bear it.
XXX

245 A llah d a rt da verib d arm an da verib.

G od has given pain; H e has also given the rem edy for it.
XXX

246 A llah davaya ganat verseydi dam'i dash'f yi'xardi.

138
 H ad G od given [created] the camel [with] w ings, the camel w o u ld have
destroyed roofs.
X- X- *

247 A llah diyan avara galm az.

H e w ho calls G od for h elp w ill never be hom eless.
X- X- *

248 A llah gargiyani shitan baltay n an virar.

W hoever is cursed by G od, Satan strikes w ith an ax.
X- * X-

249 A llah gazani b anda pozam m az.

T hat w hich is created by G od can't be destroyed by man.
X - X- X-

250 A llah goruyani g u rt yem az.

That w hich is protected by God can't be eaten by wolves.
* * *

251 A llah h ar kasa bir g u n bushludi.

G od ow es everyone a day.
* X- X-

252 A llah iki y u m u ru g h u bir basha vurm az.

G od never hits a m an on the head w ith both fists.
* * X-

253 A llah istasa arkahdan da verar dish id an da.

If G od w ants both the m ale and the female [cows] can give birth.
X- * X-

254 A llah istasa da versin bajadan d a salar.

If G od w ishes to give, he can drop H is gift even from a chimney.
X- * *

255 A llah istasa g u rtd a n choban olar.

If G od w ants, a w olf can becom e a shepherd.
* * *

256 A llah istasa versin sorushm az kim in oghlusan.

If G od w ants to bestow som ething on you H e w o n 't ask w hose son you
are.
X- * *

257 A llah jighala bal verm az versa da xeyrin gorm az.

G od w ill never bestow honey [comfort] u p o n a frau d u len t person.
Even if he does the frau d u len t p erson w o n 't benefit from it.
X- X- X-

258 A llah kor g u shunkini yuvasi'nda yetirar.

G od provides the daily food of a blind bird in its nest.
X- X- X-

259 A llah verdi'xja ban d a giim ana diishar.

The m ore G od bestow s blessing u p o n m an, the m ore greedy he
becom es.
X- X- X-

260 A llah viran aghaji'n sasi olm az.

139
 The stick th at God uses for p u n ish m en t w o u ld m ake no noise.
* A *

261 A llah yazani b an d a pozam m az.

That w hich has been w ritten [ordained] by God can't be destroyed by
m en.
* * *

262 A llahdan gorxan b an d ad a n gorxm az.

H e w ho fears G od does n o t need to fear His men.
* A A

263 A llahi gorm iyiplar aghiTfnan taniyiplar.

No one has seen God, H e is know n by w isdom .
A* A-
264 Alm a arv ad in d u lu n u yaninja galar godughu!
D on't m arry a w idow , for her [puppies] children will accom pany her!
A A A

265 Alm a girilanda dibina diishar.

W hen an apple falls it lands on its bottom .
AAA
266 A lm adan alm a d iish ar a m ru d d a n am rud.
A pples fall [come] from apple trees and pears from p ear trees.
A A A

267 A lm adighin h ey v an in g u y ru g h u n n a n yapishm a!

D on't grab an anim al that you did no t buy by its tail!
A A *

268 A lm ani at goya yera diishiinja m in kara firranar.

Throw an apple in the air, by the tim e it reaches the g ro u n d it rotates
1000 times.
A * A

269 A lm ani gorm am ish d ash atma!

D on't throw a stone at an apple before y ou see it!
A A A

270 A lm ani soy ye ariyi say ye!

Peel the apples before eating them , count the apricots as you eat them.
A * A

271 A lm anin dibi gol a m ru d u n dibi yol.

The bottom of an apple [tree] grow s in a lake, b u t the bottom of a pear
[tree] grow s on the road.
A A A

272 A ltda galanin jani chixar.

H e w ho is u n d er [many people] suffers.
A A A

273 A ltda galm aghi ayi da soym az.

Even a bear dislikes being u n d er [at the bottom ].
A A A

274 A m an diy an in b o y n u n u vu rm azlar.

One sh o u ld n 't behead a p erso n w ho surrenders.

140
 XXX

275 A na baladan ayrilm az z o ru n an ayirm asalar.

A m other does not separate from h er child, unless she is forced to do
so.
X X X

276 A na iyidin galxani'dir.

A m other is a heros' shield [support].
X- X- X-

277 A na kim in yar olm az B aghdad kim in diyar.

There is no com panion like a m other and no city like B aghdad.
X- X- X-

278 A nadan doghulm iyan g ard ash sayilm az.

H e w ho isn 't born from the [same] m other d o e sn 't count as a brother.
X- X- X-

279 A nadan yaxchi arxa olm az.

There is no better su p p o rter th an a m other.
X- X- X-

280 A nali gizin ozi boyiiyar anasiz gizin sozi.

A girl w ho has a m other grow s properly, b u t the one w ho has no
m other, her nam e [bad reputation] grow s.
X- X- X-

281 Anan'in ilki olm axdan d ag h lard a tiilki olm ax yaxchidi.

Better to be a fox in the m o u n tain th an the first child of a young
[inexperienced] m other.
X- X- X-

282 Anan'in iirayi yanar dayan'in atayi.

The heart of a m other b u rn s [grieves] if h er child gets h u rt, b u t [only]
the skirt of a w et nurse b u rn s if a child gets hurt.
X- X- X-

283 A nasi chixan aghaji balasi b u d ax b u d ax gazar.

A m other w ho climbs a tree, [begets] has a child that w alks from branch
to branch.
X- X- X-

284 A nasina bax gizin al giraghina bax bezin al.

Check her m other w hen you m arry a girl, check the b o rd er of a cloth
w hen you buy it.
XXX
285 A nasinnan gabagha diishan g u zu n i g u rd yiyar.
A wolf eats a lamb that w alks ahead of its m other.
XXX
286 A nasiz ushax evda xardi babsiz ushax cholda.
A child w ithout a m other is despised [m istreated] at hom e, a child
w ithout a father is despised outside.
XXX
287 A naynan giz halvaynan goz.
M other and d au g h ter are [like] halva and w alnut.

141
 * * *

288 A ngiran eshshayin bashina vurm azlar.

O ne sh o u ld n 't hit the head of a donkey th at is braying.
* * *

289 A nnam az adam e sh sh ah d an pisdi.

An ignorant person is w orse than a donkey.
* * *

290 A nnam aza horm at elasan ela bilar on n an gorxdun.

If you show respect to an ignorant m an, he thinks you are afraid of
h im .
* * *

291 A nnam aza soz dem a annam ayib annam az.

D on't say anything to an ignorant m an, he has never u n d ersto o d and
w ill never do so.
* * *

292 A nnam aza sozii gandirm ax davalara xandax atdatm ax.

To explain som ething to an ignorant m an is like m aking cam els jum p
over a ditch.
* **
293 A nnam azin g o y u n u n da giirm iyasan!
M ay one not even have to w atch the sheep of an ignorant person!
***
294 A nnam azm an chixm a yola bashina g atirar h ar jtir bala!
D on't travel w ith an ignorant m an, for he brings disaster u p o n you!
* X- *

295 A nnam i'yan agh'ila soz gand'irinja anni'yan jah'ila san tu r chaldir.
Teaching ham m er-dulcim er to an intelligent b u t u ninform ed m an is
better [easier] than explaining som ething to an ignorant b u t healthy
m an.
* * a-
296 A nnam i'yana desan guluvam deyar gal apar'fm sat'fm.
If you say to an ignorant m an that I am your servant [I am at your
service] he says, "Let m e take you to the m arket and sell you there."
* **
297 Annaxl'i diish m an n an gorxm a annaxsiz d o sd an gorx!
D on't fear an intelligent enem y, b u t fear an ignorant friend!
**X-
298 A nniyan bir giilar annam i'yan min.
A n intelligent m an laughs once and an ignorant m an laughs 1000
tim es.
***
299 A nniyana gul ol annam iyana agha olma.
Better to be a slave to an intelligent m an than be a m aster to an
ig n o ran t m an.
***
300 A nniyaninan d ash dash'i annam az'inan bal yema!

142
 Better to carry stone w ith an intelligent m an than to eat honey w ith an
ig n o ra n t m an.
***
301 A nniyani shad gorm adim annam iyani nashad.
I never saw an intelligent m an h ap p y and an ignorant m an un h ap p y .
* X- *

302 A r insana b ar heyvana yarashir.

H onor befits a m an, a load befits a beast.
* * X-

303 A ra xalvatt tiilki bay.

The field is em pty and the fox is the m aster.
* **
304 A ralix m ali arada yiyilar.
U nclaim ed [w ithought ow ner] w ealth gets w asted.
X- * X-

305 A ralix sozi ev yexar.

G ossip destroys hom es [families].
* X X-

306 A ralixda gardash tapilm az.

O ne can't find a brother at any tim e one wishes.
x- * *

307 A rif olan nam ani d ald an oxur.

A know ledgeable m an can even read a letter from its backside.
* X- *

308 A rif olan tez annar.

A know ledgeable m an u n d erstan d s quickly. [A w ord to the wis.]
***
309 A ri bal veran eli tanir.
The bee know s w hich country has honey.
***
310 A ri yuvasina chop uzatm a!
D o n 't m ess w ith a beehive!
* * X-
311 A ridan bal alm ax h ar adam in ishi dayir.
It takes certain m en to get honey from bees.
** *
312 A righa batm an da yiihdi.
Even one batm an [three kilos] is a b u rd en to a skinny [weak] person.
X- * X-

313 A righin na ishi var gorugha virallar gichi sina.

A skinny [weak] person has no business to bother a g u ard [strong m an].
If he does he w ill suffer.
X- X- X-

314 A rlnl yola gatiran d u m an ad am l yola g atiran im an.

Smoke tam es the bee, faith tam es the m an.
X- X- X-

143
315 Arix at da chatar chox yurim aya hiinar yox.
Even a w eak horse reaches [its destination]. G alloping is no t a special
talent [needed].
X X X

316 Arix ata guyrugh'i da yiihdi.

A thin horse considers its tail to be a load [burden].
X- X X-

317 A rpa akan b u g h d a bichm az.

H e w ho plants barley can 't reap w heat.
X- X- X-

318 A rpa chorayi tu rsh ayran adin n ad ir xanlarxan!

H e eats barley b read and sour milk, yet his nam e is the chief of the
chiefs!
X- X X-

319 A rpa chorayi tu rsh ayran garnim i xarab eladi yarn goduxlu du l arvad
evim i xarab eladi.
Barley b read and sour m ilk u p set m y stom ach and the children of the
w id o w ru in e d m y hom e.
XXX
320 A rpa goran eshshah sam an yem az.
A donkey th at has seen barley w ill no longer eat the chaff.
XXX
321 A rpa u n u n yoxdi d ayi dilin olsun bari!
Uncle [pal] [I understand] if you d o n 't have barley flour, b u t you have a
tongue [polite language]!
XXX
322 A rpa yem ish at m anzil kasar.
A horse th a t is fed on barley shortens distances.
XXX
323 A rpa yem iyan at gam chi gujiynan yerim az.
A horse th a t h a sn 't eaten barley [food] w o n 't m ove even w ith a w hip.
XXX
324 A rp an in d an i gizildi sam arii gum tish.
The grain of barley is gold and its chaff is silver.
X X X

325 A rpiya gatsan at yem az siim iiya gatsan it yem az.

If you m ix it in w ith barley, the horse refuses to eat it and if you mix it
in w ith bones, the dog refuses to eat it.
X X X

326 A rshin gatir bez apar torba gatir goz apar.

Bring a yardstick to get cloth and a bag to get w alnuts.
X X X

327 A rtix tam ah bash yarar yeka tika dish sindirar.

G reed w o u n d s [causes troubles for] the head and a big m orsel breaks the
tooth.
X X X

144
328 Artix xarj ev yexar.
Prodigality w ould destroy a house [life].
***
329 A rvad aldi'n bir bala onnan oldi bir bala ha baladi' ha bala.
M arrying a w om an is a disaster, having a child from h er is a disaster.
The w hole affair is a disaster.
** *
330 A rvad b an n ad ir kishi fahla.
A wife is a bricklayer, a husb an d a laborer.
if * *

331 A rvad dediyin baladi am m a A llah hech evi balasiz elam asin.
A wife is a calam ity [trouble]. D espite that, m ay G od never deprive a
house of this calamity.
***
332 A rvad gazan g u y u n u n su y u chixmaz.
A well that has been d u g by a w om an w o n 't p ro v id e w ater.
***
333 A rvad m ail gap dasm ali.
The w ealth of a wife is [like] a dish cloth.
** *
334 A rvad m all toxm agh olar basha dayar.
The w ealth of a wife is [like] a club; it w ill h it you in the head.
* * if

335 A rvad na bilir d ag h d a d u m a n d i o tu ru b evda hokm i ravandi.

W hat does a w ife know th a t the m ountains are covered by a thick
cloud!? She sits at hom e and ru n s the house.
* * X-

336 A rvad soziina baxan arv ad d an da askihdi.

H e w ho listens to the w ords [advice] of a wife is less than a w om an.
** *
337 A rvad var ev yeghar arvad v ar ev yixar.
Some w ives save up for [buying] houses and som e ru in houses.
* >f-*
338 A rvad var gardan suyux arvad var b u g h d an issi.
Some w om en are colder than snow and som e are h o tter th an steam .
* a-
339 A rvad yixan evi falak da yixam m az.
Even destiny can't ru in a house [life] b u t a w om an can.
i f >f >f

340 A rvad yixm iyan evin dili tikili galar.

N o w om an can destroy a house if the tongue of a house [inhabitants] is
sew n [closed].
>f i f i f

341 A rvada arvad diyiblar kishiya kishi.

A w om an is a w om an an d a m an is a m an.
i f i f if

145
342 A rvada dishini saydirm a!
D on't let a w om an count y o u r teeth!
***
343 A rvada goz garasi kishiya al hanasi.
C ollyrium [is] for w om en an d h enna for m en.
* **
344 A rvada jahad haram di.
H oly w ar isn 't perm issible for w om en.
* **
345 A rvada kishi kishiya arvad garahdir.
W om en need m en and m en n eed w om en.
***
346 Arvad'i ar saxlar ar saxlam az.
It is the honor th at keeps [protects] a w om an, n o t h er husband.
* **
347 Arvad'i ar saxlar bostani bar.
A husband keeps [protects] a w o m an and fruits keep the orchard.
* **
348 Arvad'i ari saxlar paniri dari.
A husband keeps a wife an d a sheepskin keeps [protects] the cheese.
* **
349 Arvad'i aj saxla chiplax saxla yaxchi saxla!
Keep a wife properly [respectfully], even if you can 't p ro v id e h er w ith
p ro p er food and clothing.
** *
350 Arvad'i gozal ati yorghaynan y o ld ash olma!
D on't choose a com panion w ho has a beautiful w ife and he w ho has an
easy jog trot-horse!
* **
351 A rvadi pis olanin saggali tez agharar.
The beard of a m an w ho has a b ad wife grow s gray quickly.
* **
352 A rvadi yaxshi olan p altarin n an ballanar.
H e w ho has a good wife is recognizable by his clothes.
***
353 A rvadin axir hilasi aghlam axdi.
The last trick of a w om an is w eeping.
***
354 A rvadin bir gabirgasi askih olar.
W om en are short one rib.
* **
355 A rvadin garisi iki alii yapishar.
A n older w om an holds on [to a husband] w ith b o th hands.
* **
356 A rvadin goychayini al ishlayan chixti gism at baxtiva tanbal chixti
baxtiva.

146
 M arry a pretty w om an if she is hard-w oker, interpret it as a sign of good
fortune. If she is lazy, take it as a sign of bad luck.
* **
357 A rvadin ism ati kishinin geyrati.
W om en [should have] ho n o r and m en zeal.
* **
358 A rvadin pisi ya danishar ya dolashar.
A n evil w om an either talks too m uch or badgers a lot.
* **
359 A rvadin sachi u z u n olar aghli gissa.
W om en are long on hair, b u t short on brain.
* **
360 A rv ad in sharihli olsun m alin sh arih li olm asin.
It is better to share your w ife th an having a p artn er in business.
* **
361 A rvadin xlddlghi olm az.
W om en d o n 't have a larynx.
***
362 A rvadin yalaghi sam ani goyar kishinin yalaghi baghghal tu k an i achar.
G luttonous w om en cook sam an u [a sweet] and g luttonous m en open
up grocery shops.
* **
363 A rvadin yedighi geydighi kim in olsa vay kishinin halina.
[Heaven] should help a m an if the appetite of his wife [for eating] is as
great as her desire for possessing dresses.
** *
364 A rv ad in an ati am anat verm a!
D on't lend a wife or a horse [to anyone]!
* * X-

365 A rvadinan ye ish am m a aghlini ald an verm a.

Eating and drinking w ith w om en are all right, b u t taking their advice
isn't.
** *
366 A rvadlar ham m isi agh appax dalisini sechm ax olm az gargalar
ham m lsl gap gara garlsini sechm ax olmaz.
All w om en are pu re w hite. N o one can tell w hich one is crazy. Crow s
are all pitch-black. N o one can distinguish the older ones.
* **
367 A rxali kopah gu rt basar.
A dog th at is assured of su p p o rt w ill attack even a wolf.
* X- *

368 A san tu t asan getsin.

Take it easy if you w ant it to go sm oothly.
***
369 A sani goyub chatinnan yapishm a!
D on't ignore an easy task and p u rsu e a difficult one!

147
 X- * X-

370 A sh d ash an d a chom chanin biri bir gizila chixar.

W hen the soup boils over, a ladle costs one gold coin each.
* X- *

371 A sh kasasi arada garah.

The bow l of a soup m u st be in the center.
X- X- *

372 A shig alam i kor sayar d o rt tarafini duvar.

A lover thinks everyone is blind and his w orld only consists of four
w alls.
* X- si-

373 A shig olan g arda gazar iizunii bilindirm az.

H e w ho is in love w ill travel in snow and w o n 't show his face.
X- X- X-

374 Ashiga B aghdad uzax dayir.

For a lover B aghdad is n o t too far to go.
X- * *

375 A shi d ad li edan yaghdi galinin vizi aghdi.

It is bu tter that m akes a soup tasty and th at saves face [reputation] of the
bride.
X- * *

376 A shi m allanin bashi m allanin altid an d a beshi m allanin y erd a galar bir
d an asi onnan da v ar ishi m allanin.
The soup belongs to m ollah, so does its head; five ou t of six [items]
belong to mollah; one is unclaim ed, b u t he w ants that one too.
x- a- x-

377 A shigha garah olan bir sazidir bir sozi.

Two things are essential to a m instrel, his saz [long-necked lute] and
his w ords.
X- X- X-

378 A shigha iiz veran yerda ha az galsa yiiz il galar.

In a place w here respect is show n to a m instrel, he w ould stay at least
one h u n d re d years.
X- X- X-

379 A shighi yeghallar oynam axdan otiir.

People collect knucklebones to play w ith them . [W ealth is for spending
not keeping.]
X- X- X-

380 A shlghln sozi go rtaran d a neylim neylim chalar.

W hen a m instrel has no m ore w ords to offer, he plays "la, la, la."
X- X- X-

381 A shlghlnan m allanin hech olm az diiz arasi.

There is never a good relationship betw een a m olla and a m instrel.
X- X- X-

382 A shighinan dalinin fargi o d i ki o biri giilm az b u biri aghlam az.

148
 The difference b etw een a fool and a lover is th at the fool never cries
and the lover never laughs.
** *
383 A shix gordiiyiin chaghirar.
A m instrel calls w h at he sees. [A m instrel speaks of w h at he sees.]
***
384 A shix h a y n an galar m alla vaynan.
A m instrel brings com m otion and a m ollah brings sorrow .
* **
385 A shix sazin an m ash u g nazin an .
A m instrel is identified by his saz [long-necked lute], a sw eetheart by
her coquetry.
Jf * *

386 Asta gedan chox gedar.

H e w ho goes slow w ill go far. [Slowly, b u t surely].
* **
387 Asta gedan yul ali'r yiigiiran y u ld a galir.
H e w ho goes slow ly covers the road, he w ho goes w ith haste rem ains
on the road.
* **
388 A staja ustaja.
Slowly, b u t m asterly [surely].
***
389 A t alm agha jahil g o n d ar giz alm agha ahil.
O ne sh ould send an inexperienced m an to b u y a horse b u t one should
send a learned [experienced] m an to ask for the h an d of a girl.
***
390 A t at olunja yiyasi m at olar.
Before a horse becom es a [good] horse its ow ner w ill be w orn out.
***
391 A t ala d iishar m eydan ala diishm az.
O ne can alw ays get a horse, b u t finding a battlefield is no t that easy.
* * X-

392 A t dirn ax d an adam gulaxdan.

A horse from its hooves an d a m an from his ears.
** *
393 A t m in an in d i do n giyanin.
A horse belongs to a p erson w ho rides it and a cloak to one w ho w ears
it.
** *
394 A t m e y d an in d a angirm az.
A horse d o e sn 't bray in the field.
***
395 A t m in a n in d i ev o tu ran ln .
The horse belongs to he w ho rides it and the house to he w ho lives in
it.

149
 * * X-

396 A t m inanindi gilich baghliyani'n.

The horse belongs to he w ho rides it and the sw ord to he w ho w ears it.
X- * *

397 A t m inanini tanir.

A horse know s its rider.
***
398 A t m inish orgadir don yerish.
A horse teaches riding and a cloak teaches w alking.
x- * *

399 A t na gadar yeyin getsa yena dava ona dayaxlar.

N o m atter how fast a horse can go a camel w ill reach him .
* X- X-

400 A t olanda m eydan olm az m eydan olanda at.

W hen the horse is available there is no battlefield an d w h en the
battlefield is available there is no horse.

401 A t olanajan otlar.

A horse grazes until he dies.
X- X- *

402 At olar m eydan galar.

A horse w ill die [eventually] b u t the battlefield rem ains.
X- X- *

403 A t oliip itin bayram idi.

The death of a horse is a celebration for a dog. [One m an 's m isery is
another m a n 's fortune.]
X- X- X-

404 A t tapiyina at dozar.

O nly a horse can endure another ho rse's kick.
X- X- X-

405 A t tola m ixini chakar chixardar iki oziina v u ra r bir yera.

W hile a horse trys to free him self from the stable's nail he hits him self
twice w ith the nail and hits the g ro u n d once.
X- X- X-

406 A t y erim aghinan insan bilm aghinan.

A horse [is recognizeable] from trotting and a m an from know ledge.
[One know s a horse by its trotting and a m an by his know ledge.]
X- X- X-

407 A t yerina eshshah baghlam azlar.

N o one w ould use a donkey instead of a horse.
X- X- X-

408 A ta ana riishvatsiz dostular.

Fathers and m others are friends w ho w o n 't take bribes.
X- X- X-

409 Ata ana taxt yaradar baxt yaratm az.

150
 Fathers and m others can create [provide] a throne [for their children]
b u t they c an 't provide luck for them .
XXX

410 Ata anasina xeyri olm iyanin hech kasa xeyri olm az.
H e w ho is of no use to his p aren ts w o n 't be of use to others.
X XX

411 Ata chorayi m eydan chorayi oghul chorayi z in d an chorayi.

The bread [wealth] of the father is like a battlefield, the bread of a son is
like the bread of prison. [A father spends a lot of m oney for his son bu t
he feels bad to use his son's money.]
X XX

412 A ta dost kim in bax d iish m an kim in m in.

Treat a horse like a friend and ride it like an enem y.
X XX

413 A ta m alinnan m al olm az.

The m oney [wealth] of a father is no t real w ealth. [W ealth needs to be
gained by one's efforts.]
X XX

414 A ta oghlun pislighin istam az.

A father never w ishes an y th in g bad for his son.
x x x

415 Ata oghluna bir bagh b aghish lad i oghul atasina b ir salxim da gi'ymadi.
The father gave his son a vineyard, b u t the son refused to give his
father a bunch of grapes.
X- X- X-

416 A ta olm iyan ata gadri bilm az.

O nly he w ho has experienced the feeling of fatherhood can appreciate a
father.
X- X- X-

417 A tad an galan sham kim in arir.

A father's property m elts aw ay like a candle.
X- X- X-

418 A tadan m al galar kam al galm az.

W ealth is inherited from the father b u t no t m aturity.
X- X- X-

419 A tadan m al galm asa oghul neynar?

W hat can a son do w ith o u t the w ealth [money] of his father?
X- X- X-

420 A talar sozlarinin soziina baxan p ash im an olm az.

H e w ho pays attention to the w o rd s of ancestors w ill never repent [his
actions].
X X- X

421 A talar sozii sozlarin dtizii.

The w ords [advice] of ancestors are the m ost correct w ords [advice].
XXX
422 A tam a yatax saldim galaychi yatti.

15 1
 I m ade a bed for m y father, instead the zinc-w orker slept in it.
* * Jf

423 A tasini tanim'fyan A llahini da tanim az.

H e w ho d o esn 't respect his father w o n 't respect his G od either.
***
424 A tdan diishan atlanar a d d a n diishan adlanm az.
H e w ho falls from a horse will get back on again and he w hose nam e
falls [becomes forgotten by people] w o n 't be rem em bered any m ore.
***
425 At'i at yanina baghlasan ham ran g olm asa ham xuy olar.
If you tie a horse next to another one they m ay n o t pick u p each oth er's
color b u t they w ill pick u p each other's habits.
***
426 At'i atasiynan taniyallar, gat'iri anasiynan.
People know [recognize] horses from their fathers and the m ules from
their m others. [Nobility of charactors is inherited.]
***
427 A tin arighina gari deyallar iyidin yoxsuluna dali.
People call a thin [weak] horse an old horse and poor m an a crazy m an.

428 A tin d ay d i ishin zaydi.

If your horse is a foal [to look after], then you are in trouble. [W orking
w ith inexperienced young m en is w aste of time.]
***
429 A tin oliim ii a rp a d an olsun.
Let the death of the horse be because of the barley.
***
430 A tin iirkayi iyidin gorxaghi.
A tim id horse and a frightened man.
* **
431 A tinan arvat baxta chixm aghadi.
O ne needs luck to have a good wife and a good horse.
* **
432 A tilan dashin arxasina baxm azlar.
N o one w ould look for a stone w hich is hurled. [?]
***
433 A tinan gatir savashdi arada eshshayin gichi sindi.
The horse and the m ule got into a fight and the leg of the donkey got
broken.
*■* *
434 A tinan yola chixan eshshayin vay halina.
A donkey w ho sets out on the road w ith a horse w ill regret it.
** *
435 A tliynan piyad an in sodasi olmaz.
A horsem an and a pedestrian have no business w ith one another.
***

152
436 A tli garishgaya m inm az.
A horsem an w o n 't ride on an ant.
* **
437 A tli piyadiya giilar.
A horsem an laughs at a pedastrian.
* **
438 Av avlayanin kam ar baghliyanindi.
The gam e is for he w ho h u n ts and the belt is for he w ho w ears it.
***
439 A v yetanindir.
The gam e belongs to the h u n te r w ho gets it first.
***
440 A vara gazm ahdan diyara ishlam ax yaxchidi.
Better w ork for strangers than to w ander about.
***
441 A vara kor adam dir.
A vagrant is [like] a blind m an.
***
442 A vchi avda yolchu yolunda.
A h u n te r should h u n t and a traveler should travel.
* X- *

443 A vchi na gadar av bilsa ayi o gadar yol bilir.

[Although] the hu n ter know s m any gam es [tricks], the b ear know s as
m any w ays [tricks] too.
* X-*
444 A vchi p ish ih m ovuldam az.
A h u n te r cat d o esn 't m eow .
** *
445 A vchiya dag h i n ishan verallar avi nish an verm azlar.
People only show, the m oun tain to the h u n ter, b u t no t the gam e.
***
446 Axcha axchani gatirar, goch iyit palchix basar bel batirar.
M oney brings in m oney and a strong m an presses m u d sinks [his]
waist. [?]
* X-*
447 A xar gan dam arda durm az.
R unning blood w o n 't stay in the vein.
* **
448 A xar su m ird ar gotiirm az.
R unning w ater d o esn 't get dirty.
* **
449 A xar su yoluni tapar.
R unning w ater finds its way.
***
450 Axar sua dayam m a galdi gedara inam m a.

153
 D o n 't lean against ru n n in g w ater n or believe in com ers and goers
[strangers].
** *
451 Axm ax yeghar aghilli yiyar.
A foolish m an gathers [w orries about m aterials] and a w ise m an eats
[spends].
** *
452 Axsax eshshayinan k arvana gosholm a.
D o n 't join a caravan w ith a lam e donkey.
** *
453 Axsax it ova getm az tu tsa da buraxm az.
A lam e dog d o e sn 't [usually] go hunting, b u t once he catches gam e he
w o n 't let go of it.
** *
454 A xsham ayazi ikin d id an ballanar.
A n evening cool breeze is judged by an afternoon w ind.
* **
455 A xsham giini tez batar.
The evening sun goes d o w n quickly.
***
456 A xsham sabri xeyr olar.
Patience in the evening brings about blessings.
***
457 A xtaran tapar.
A searcher is a finder.
***
458 A xtarm aghinan dayir baxta rast galm aghinandi.
458Searching alone is n o t enough one needs to have luck too.
a- x**
459 Ay d ash atan baxtavar dashin d a bir vaxti var!
You w ho are throw ing the rock, there is a p ro p er tim e for doing that
too!
X- X- *

460 A y d o g h u sh u n n an insan yiiru sh iin n an ballanar.

You can tell the m o n th by the w ay the new m oon is born and m an by
the w ay he walks.
** *
461 Ay gazar il dolanar ayyam da bir sham biya diishar N oruz.
The m oon rotates and the year comes around and N oruz [New Year]
falls on a Saturday.
***
462 Ay goriishdi bayram di.
Once the m oon is seen [born], then it is a religious feast. [The first
m oon seen after the en d of Ram adan.]
* * X-
463 Ay ham isha b u lu t altinda galmaz!

154
 The m oon d o e sn 't alw ays rem ain b ehind the clouds. [The tru th will
come out one day.]
***
464 Ay ishighinda girdakan sechilm az.
N obody distinguishes w aln u ts in th e m oonlight.
x* x- x-
465 Ay jut yatan baxtavar dem irsan bir tahda var?
You tw o lucky m ates [partners], do you know th at there are single
people too?
X- X- X-

466 Ay olan yerda ulduz neyniya garah?

W hat should the stars do w h en the m oon is out?
X- X- X-

467 Ay otar il dolanar porsux bir g u n yallanar.

The m oon goes by and the year revolves an d the badger one day gets to
be fed gra. [?]
X- X- X-

468 Ay oziin bayanan goy sani el bayansin!

You w ho are so p ro u d of yourself, let people be the judge of you!
X- X- X-

469 Ay ulduz goy a yarashib.

The m oon and the stars su it the sky.
X- X- X-

470 Aya o gadar baxm a ki galsin diishsiin ayaghivin gabaghina!

D on't look at the m oon very m uch [ignore her] so th at she w o u ld come
to kiss your feet!
X- X- X-

471 A yaz oldu b u lu t oldu gechan giinnar u n u t oldu.

The evening breeze and the clouds have come and gone an d the p ast
days are nothing b u t forgotten.
X- X- X-

472 A yi barka diishanda balasini ayaghinin altina alar.

W hen a bear finds him self in trouble, he w o u ld even tram ple on his
ow n child.
X- X- X-

473 A yi m eshadan kiisiib m eshanin xabari yoxdi.

The bear is m ad at the w oods, b u t the w oods know n o th in g of this.
X- X- X-

474 A yidan adam doghm az.

A bear d o esn 't give birth to hum ans.
X- X- X-

475 A yidan gorxan m eshiya girm az.

He w ho fears bears, s h o u ld n 't enter the w oods. [If you can 't stand the
heat stay out of the kitchen.]
X- X- X-

476 A yin on beshi garanlix olsa on beshi aydinlixdi.

155
 If fifteen days in a m onth are d ark [m iserable days], the other fifteen
w ill be bright [fortunate].
* **
477 Ayi'n son charsham basi birina y arar birina yaram az.
The last W ednesday of a m o n th m ay su it [bring luck to] som e people
and m ay not suit others. [One m a n 's gain is an o th er m an 's loss.]
* **
478 A yinin ala diishanini oynadallar.
A bear that is caught is b o un d to dance.
***
479 A yinin dishini gorm iyan bash'inl gaban sayar.
H e w ho h a sn 't seen the tooth of a b ear w o u ld take the head of a bear to
be a squash.
***
480 A yinin m in bir o y unu b ir a m ru d u n b ashindadi.
For the sake of one pear, the bear w o u ld try th o u san d s of tricks.
***
481 Ayiya dayi de ishin yollansin.
Call the bear uncle if y ou w ish your w ork to progress.
***
482 A yniya baxan oziini gorar.
H e w ho looks in the m irro r w ill see him self in it.
***
483 A yrana gedan cholm ayin dalida gizlatm az.
H e w ho goes to beg for so u r m ilk sh o u ld n 't h id e his p o t b ehind his
back.
* * 4

484 A yri gardash yad gonshu.

B rothers w ho keep distance from each o th er are like stran g er neigbors.
* * a-
485 A z choxa axar.
The little flows into the big.
***
486 Az de chox eshit.
Talk little, listen m ore.
* X- *

487 Az ishdan chox ish torar.

Little w ork leads to m ore work.
* **
488 Az soyla chox dinla.
Speak less and listen m ore.
* **
489 Az ver chox yalvar chox v er az yalvar.
G ive less and request m ore, give m ore and request less.
* **
490 Az ye az danish az yat.

156
 Eat less, speak less and d o n 't sleep too much.
x- x- *

491 Az yiyan az yatar chox yiyan chox.

H e w ho eats less, sleeps less and he w ho eats a lot, sleeps a lot too.
* **
492 Az yiyan jannan chox yiyan m aldan.
H e w ho eats little eats from his body [livelilhood] and he w ho eats a lot
eats from his w ealth.
* X- X-

493 Az yiyan rahat yiyar chox yiyan jarahat.

H e w ho eats less [moderately] w ill lead a com fortable life, he w ho eats a
lot will suffer.
* X- X-

494 Aza dedilar, "H ara gedisan?" Dedi, "C hoxun yanina."
They asked the little one [the few], "W here are you going?" H e
answ ered, "To the big one."
X- X- *

495 A zdan az olar choxdan chox.

Few produces few and m any produces m any.
* X- *

496 A zi bilm iyan choxida bilm az.

H e w ho d o esn't know [appreciates] small favors w o n 't appreciate big
favors either.
X- * *

497 Azja hara gedar choxja yanina.

The little one goes to the big one. [Small w ealth is attracted to large
wealth].
* X- *

498 A blah odi diinya ichin gam yiya tanri bilir kim gazanar kim yiyar.
H e w ho w orries for the w orld [materials] is a fool, only G od know s
w ho should get and w ho should eat.
X- * X-

499 A davatin sonu nadam atdi.

Enm ity ends in sorrow .
X- X- X-

500 A dabi organ adabsizdan.

Learn politeness from im polite people.
X- X- X-

501 A davatin sonu nadam atdi.

Enm ity ends in sorrow .
X- X- X-

502 A ghrab etm az aghrabaya aghrabanin etdighin!

A scorpion w o u ld n 't h arm its ow n relatives the w ay th a t h u m an
beings do.
X- X- X-

503 A h bashini ye ashini!

157
 Plant its head and eat its soup!
X- X- X-

504 A h tu x u m u n irisin bitm asa goy bitm asin gosh okiiztin irisin chahm asa
goy chahm asin.
Plant the largest seed you can, even if it d o esn 't grow . H arness the
largest [strongest] ox, never m ind if it can 't pull.
X- * *

505 A h tu x u m u n xasini chahm a chorah yasim!

Sow the best quality seed and d o n 't w orry about bread.
X- X- X-

506 A hdig h in i bicharsan d e d ig h m i eshidarsan.

You reap w hat you have planted and you hear [get] w h at you have said.
X- X- X-

507 A hm ad ig h in yeri bichm a!

D on't reap a place that you h av en 't planted.
X- X- X-

508 A hm iyan bashagh darar.

H e w ho d o e sn 't p lan t w ill pick gleanings. [No pain no gain].
X- X- X-

509 A hm iyan bichanda saggalin yonar.

H e w ho h a sn 't planted w ill pull his beard at the tim e of the harvest.
X- X- X-

510 A hm iyan bichm az akan bichar gonan uchar.

H e w ho d o e sn 't p lan t w o n 't reap and he w ho perches w ill take off.
X- X- X-

511 Ajal galdi jahana bash aghrisi bahana.

W hen d eath enters the w orld , the headache is n othing b u t an excuse.
X- X- X-

512 Ajal giillasi bir dafa olar.

The bullet of the hour of death shoots only once.
X- X- X-

513 Ajala bir aghajdi m ivasi pashim anli'x.

H aste is a tree that bears repentence.
X- X- X-

514 Ajala chara olm az.

There is no rem edy for the h o u r of death.
X- X- X-

515 A jaldan gashm ax olm az h a rd a olsan orda galir tapar.

O ne can 't escape the death. N o m atter w here you are it comes and finds
you.
X- X- X-

516 A jaleynan yiiriiyan yolda gar.

H e w ho w alks w ith haste w ill rem ain on the road.
X- X- X-

517 Ajali galan aja satashar.

H e w ho is doom ed to d eath picks a quarrel w ith a h u n g ry man.

158
 * * X-

518 Ajali yetan ilan yol iista yatar.

A snake w hose h o u r of d e ath is approaching w ould sleep on the road.
X- X- *

519 Ajali yetan kopak chobanin yuxasi'ni yiyar.

A dog w hose death aw aits him w ould eat [steal] the bread of the
sh ep h erd .
X- X- X*

520 Ajali yetan kopak m asjid divarina ishar.

A dog w hose d eath aw aits him w o u ld u rinate on the w all of a m osque.
* X- X-

521 Ajali yetan yixilm agha yer axtarar.

H e w hose death is near w o u ld look for a place [an excuse] to fall.
* X- *

522 Akan bilmaz bichan bilar.

H e w ho plants d o esn 't know , b u t he w ho reaps know s.
X- X- X-

523 A kiblar yem ishix akarix yiyallar.

They plan ted w e ate and w e p lan t for those w ho come after us to eat.
* X- *

524 A kilan bichilar.

That w hich is p lan ted w ill be reaped.
* **
525 Al ala hiikm elar.
O ne h a n d judges another hand.
* ifr *

526 Al ald an iistiindi.

O ne h a n d is superior th a n another hand.
X- * *

527 Al ali tani’r.

O ne h an d know s [recognizes] the other hand.
X- X- *

528 Al ali y u g h ar al da do n ar iizi yughar.

O ne h an d w ashes the other and the latter tu rn s aro u n d and w ashes the
face.
X- X- X-

529 Al alin yad m ahabbasidi.

[The m eaning is n o t clear.]
X- X- X-

530 Al alin yardim chisi'dir.

O ne h an d su p p o rts another hand.
X- X- X-

531 Al m ard olar goz nam ard.

The eye is cow ardly and the h an d is m an [brave].
X- X- X-

532 Al u z an a n yerda dil uzam m az.

159
 W here the hand is held out, the tongue sh o u ld n 't be. [You can 't expect
help from a person that you have insulted.]
* X- *

533 A ldaki bir sercha aghachdaki m in serchadan yaxchidi.

O ne sparrow in the hand is b etter th an one th o u san d in the tree.
X- X- *

534 A ldan chixan bir daha ala galmaz.

That w hich has left the h an d w ill no t come back. [D on't cry over the
spilled milk.]
X- X- *

535 A ldan galan m in il galar.

T hat w hich is left behind by h an d [unfinished] w ill rem ain unfinished
for a thousand years.
X- * X-

536 Aldan gedan firsat birda ala diishmaz.

If you let an opportunity slip th ro u g h your hands, it w ill never return.
* * *

537 A ldan gedanin geydina galma!

D on't w orry about an opportu n ity th at has slipped th ro u g h your
hands!
* * *

538 Aldan tutmax Alidan galib.

H elping aid to the needy ones is a trad itio n started b y his H oliness Ali.
* X- X-

539 A ldan yuxari da al var.

There is also hand above hand.
X- X- *

540 Ali baghli olani ushax da v'irar.

Even a child could beat som eone w hose h ands are tied.
X- X- X-

541 Ali kasih ali kasiyi tanir.

A p erson w ith an am putated h an d recognizes another. [A n eed y m an is
aw are of another poor m an 's needs.]
X- X- X-

542 Ali yanan aghzina tapar.

H e w hose hand burns p u ts it in his m outh.
X- X- X-

543 "Alim bughdadan tiztildi iimidim sana galir dari xirmani."

"I can't have the w heat, you are m y only hope, m y d ear m illet."
X- X- X-

544 A lin ishda olsun goziin yoldashda.

Keep your eyes on your friend w hile your h an d is b u sy w orking.
X- X- X-

545 A linan achilan diiyunti dish a salm azlar.

A knot w hich can be undone w ith the h an d s h o u ld n 't be u n d o n e w ith
a tooth.

160
 * * *

546 Alinan verdi'ghivi dilinan hadara verma!

That w hich you have given w ith your h an d d o n 't d estroy w ith your
tongue!
* * *

547 Alinda vardi pulun diinya alam sanin gulun alinda yoxd'i pulun
jahannamnan gechar yolun.
If you have m oney in y o u r h an d the w hole w o rld is be y o u r servant. If
you don't possess m oney, your path w ill lead straight to hell.
* * *

548 Alini gatdi'n harama torbani doldur galama.

N ow th at y our h an d touched an unlaw ful thing, m ake su re to fill u p
the bag.
* * *

549 Alini gi'ssa ela dilin uzun olsun.

Keep your hand short [d o n 't ask for favors] so th at you w ill have a long
tongue [you can afford to be boss].
* * *

550 Alivinan goym adighin sheya dayma.

D on't touch anything th a t you d id n 't p u t there w ith y o u r o w n hand.
* * *

551 A m ah olm asa yem ax olm az.

If there is no w ork, there w o n 't be eating [food] either.
a- * *
552 Ammax yuxu gatirar.
Sucking causes sleep.
* X- *

553 Amrud aghaji alma vermaz.

A pear tree w o n 't produce apples.
* * *

554 Amrudun oni alchanin soni.

Early pears and late [ripe] plum s taste the best.
* X* *

555 Amrudun sap'i var iizum iin chopi.

The p ear has a stem and the grape a stalk.
* **
556 Amrudun yaxchismi meshada chaggal yiyar.
The jackal eats the best pears in the w oods.
** *
557 Ar arvadin savashi- yay gununiin yaghishi.
A husb an d and w ife quarreling is [like] the sum m er rain.
* X- *

558 Ar atan'i el atar ar tutan'f el tutar.

She w ho is abandoned [disrespected] by h er h usband, w ill be abandoned
by society too. She w ho is taken in by h er h u sb an d is also w elcom ed by
society.

161
 * X- X-

559 A r ari yoldashlixda sinar el eli gonshuluxda.

A m an tests another m an in com panionship and people test each other
in being neighbors.
X- * X-

560 A r chorayi ar yaninda borj olur.

The bread of a m an is considered as a loan by a real m an. [A gentlem an
repays a good deed w ith a good deed.]
X- * X-

561 A r doym iish arvadi it da gapar.

Even a dog w ould grab [attack] a wife w ho has been beaten by her
h u sb an d .
* X- *

562 A r eld an d i oghul beldandi.

Brave m en are created by a nation and the sons by one's loins.
X- X- *

563 A r evin giijlusiidi.

A h u sb an d is the strength of the house.
X- * *

564 A r gazanji'ghi tak yemaz.

A husb an d never eats [spends] his earnings alone [w ithout his family].
X-* X-
565 A r gatirir arvad yetirir.
The husb an d brings [gains money] and the wife m akes it grow .
X- * X-

566 A r goziinnan iyit soziinnan ballidi.

A real m an is noticeable [recognized by] from his eyes, a fine m an from
his w ord [promise].
X- X- X-

567 A r h im m atin n an gush g a n ad in n a n taninar.

A m an is know n by his am bition and a bird by its w ing.
X- X- X-

568 Ar ipah sap id i diiyiin diishsa achilmaz.

A h usb an d is [like] a silk-yarn, once it is entangled it can 't be undone.
X- X- X-

569 A r ozii cholda olsa evda chorayi garah.

W hen a husband is aw ay he m ust secure the bread [food] of the hom e.
X- X- X-

570 A ra giivam m a sua dayam m a!

D on't tru st m en and d o n 't lean against water!
X* X* X-

571 A rabanin gabax tayari gechan yerda dal tayari da gechar.

Once the front w heel of a cart passes through, the back w heel can do it
too.
X- X- X-

572 A rabeynan d oshan tutulm az.

162
 Rabbits can't be caught [hunted] w ith a carriage.
* * *

573 Ardan ar torar.

H eroes are b orn [created] from heroes.
* * *

574 Arih aghaji'nnan saz olmaz.

A n apricot tree is not [suitable] for m aking a saz.
* * *

575 A rina gora baghla bashini yaghi'na gora p ish ir ashini!

C over your head according to y o u r h u sb an d 's lim its and cook your
food according to the [available] oil. [Stretch your leg according to your
cover.]
* * *

576 Arinan arvad arasina giran pashiman olar.

H e w ho interferes w ith the affairs of a h u sb an d and a wife w ill repent
it.
* * *

577 Arinan arvad'in topraghi bir yerdan goturiilup.

H usband and w ife are m ade o u t of the sam e soil.

578 Ariyi chardayina gora yiyarlar.

People eat apricots for the sake of their pits.
***
579 Arkah atin garni tox garah.
The stom ach of a m ale [strong] horse m u st be full.
* * *

580 Arsiz arvad jilosiz ata banzar.

A n u n m arried w om an is like a horse w ith o u t a bridle.
* X- A-

581 Ashaghida otur yuxarida soz gandir!

Sit at the low er side of the room and m ake the people w ho sit at the top
to understand! [Even a m an of no im portance can teach others
som ething.] [?]
* * X-

582 Asil al chirkin ola bad asil gozal alma.

M arry a person of good origin [family] even if she is ugly. D o n 't m arry
a person w ho is beautiful if she comes from a b ad origin [family].
***
583 Asil almax chatindi saxlamax asan.
To find a w ife of good origin to m arry is a h ard thing, b u t once you find
one she is easy to keep.
* * *

584 Asil aslini itirmaz.

H e w ho is from a good origin [family] w o n 't lose his origin [good
character].
* * *

163
585 A sil itm az.
The origin never gets lost.
* **
586 A ski d iishm annan d ost olm az it d arisin n an p u st olm az.
O ne can't m ake a friend o u t of an old enem y and the skin of a dog
d o esn 't becom e a fur coat.
* * *

587 A slan y apishisinnan ballanar.

A lion is know n by its grip.
* **
588 A slanin arkah dishisi olm az.
A lion is a lion be it m ale or female.
* * *

589 A slini itiran haram zad ad i.

H e w ho loses his origin [family] is a bastard.
* * *

590 A t cholm ahdan g u rta ra n d a c h o g h u n d u r bash galdirar.

W hen the m eat is gone from the pot, the beetroot raises its head.
* * *

591 A t dirn ax d an ayrilm az.

The fingernail can 't be separated from the m eat [finger]. [One can't
separate close relatives from one another.]
* * *

592 A t ganli iyit janli garah.

The m eat has to be bloody [fresh] and the young m an lively.
***
593 At goxuyanda itin bayram idi.
W hen the m eat spoils, the d og celebrates.
***
594 At na g ad ar arix olsa gina siim uh iista yarashar.
N o m atter how th in the m eat is, it w ould still look great on bone.
[Redhouse 122: A person w ith som e education does b etter w ork than
som eone w ho has none.]
* *
595 A t pishar azalar.
W hen m eat cooks, it shrinks.
* * *

596 At sum uhsiiz iiziim turshsi'z olm az.

There is no m eat w ith o u t bones and no grapes w ith o u t tartness.
* * *

597 At yiyan gush dim diyi ayri olar.

The beak of a bird th at eats m eat [flesh] is crooked.
* * *

598 A t yiyan gush jinaghinnan balli olar.

A bird th at eats m eat is m arked by its w ish-bone.
if**

164
599 A t yiyanin ati yiyilmaz.
N o one eats the m eat of a bird that consum es meat.
* * *

600 Ati atd an kasarlar.

M eat [flesh] should be cut from meat.
* * *

601 A tin chiyi at gatirar chorayin chiyi dard.

Raw m eat causes one to p u t on w eight and uncooked bread causes
pain.
* * *

602 "A tin iistii achixdi pishiyin hayasina na galib!"

"G ranted th at the m eat isn 't covered [protected], b u t how about the cat's
m odesty [manners]!"
* * *

603 A tlas na gadar kohna olsa da patava olmaz!

N o m atter how m uch a piece of silk cloth is w o rn o u t it w ill never
become a bandage.
* * *

604 A vval d anishan bilsa ki sonraki na danishajax av v ald an aghzi’ni

achm az.
If w hoever speaks first knew w h at the next person after him w as going
to say, he w ould never open his m outh.
* *
605 A vval d iishiin sona dani'sh!
Think first, then talk!
***
606 A vval gachan gurtular.
H e w ho runs first will be safe.
***
607 A vval m asjidin ichi sonra eshiyi.
First the interior of a m osque, then its exterior. [Charity starts at hom e.]
* * *

608 Avval yiyax sora diyax.

Let's eat first, then we can talk [about business]. [Redhouse 124: O ne
sh o u ld n 't talk business w hile eating.]
* * *

609 Avval yoldash sora yol.

First a friend, then travel.
* * *

610 A yagha diishm iyan basha chixam m az.

H e w ho h a sn 't experienced hardship can't climb to the head [top].
sf * *
611 A yaghi bir bir goyallar nardi'vana.
The ladder is climbed step by step.
* X- *

612 A yaghi sixan bashm aghi chixardip attarlar.

165
 People throw aw ay a shoe that pinches the foot.
* x- x-

613 A yaghini yorganina gora uzat!

Stretch your feet according to your cover.
* * X-

614 A yax aghrisi y ad d an chixar bash aghrisi y ad d an chixmaz.

O ne [eventually] forgets footpain, b u t not a headache.
* * *

615 A yax an d azad an ch'fxatma!

D o n 't stretch y our foot m ore th an your limit!
X- X- *

616 A yax getm asa al gatirm az.

If the foot do esn 't go, the han d can't bring [gain].
X- * X-

617 A yax getm asa iz tfishm az.

U nless the foot has gone [stepped], there w o n 't be any footprint.
* * *

618 A yax sighm ayan yera b ash sighm az.

A head w o n 't fit in a place that the foot h a sn 't fit in first.
* * *

619 A yaxgabi d ar olsa diinyanin ganlighm in na faydasi var.

W hen the shoe is tight w h a t use is it if the w orld is w ide [unlim ited].
* * *

620 A yaxyalin gazanin ayaghi'na dash dayar.

H e w ho w alks barefoot bangs his foot against rocks.
* * *

621 A yilan bash kasilm az.

A head th at is bent [subm itted] sh o u ld n 't be cut off.
X-X-*
622 A yilan boy n u vurm azlar.
O ne sh o u ld n 't cut off the neck [head] th at bends [submits].
X- X- X-

623 A yilm iyan bashin ayaghi opiilar.

O ne should kiss the foot of a person w ho has not bent [subm itted] his
head.
X- X- X-

624 A ynim yam ax gotiiriir garnim yam ax goturm iir.

M y body accepts patched clothes b u t m y stom ach can't accept patches
[hunger]. [One can live w ith patched clothes, b u t n o t w ith hunger.]
X - X- X-

625 A yri aghaja yay'im dem a g o rd u g h u v a dayim dema!

O ne sh o u ld n 't call a b ent stick a bow n or should one call every person
w ith w hom he comes face to face an uncle!
X - X- X-

626 A yri bajanin ttissiisi diiz chixar.

The sm oke of a crooked hole [chimney] comes ou t straight.

166
 * * *

627 A yri baxannan d o ghri ish galm az.

H e w ho is a furtive [crooked] person can't do a straight [honest] job.
X- X- X-

628 Ayrini tox gormadim doghruni aj.

I never saw a crooked [dishonest] m an full and an u p rig h t m an
h u n g ry .
*)(•*
629 A yrinin iki giraghi diiz galm az.
The tw o edges [borders] of a crooked thing d o n 't m atch at the end.
* X- X-

630 Azab doyunja yiyir Arab chattayinja.

A n u n m arried m an eats till he feels full, b u t an A rab eats till he
explodes.
>1- X- X-

631 A zrayilin g anatini g u rd yem az.

The w orm can 't eat [chew up] the w ings of the angel of death.
X- X- *

632 B adinan galan bad in an da gedar.

That w hich comes w ith the w in d goes w ith the w ind. [Easy come, easy
go-]
x- x- *

633 Baggal bir m iishtari ichin diikan achm az.

N o grocer w ould open u p his shop for only one costum er.
X- X- X-

634 Baggal d ash d an kasar sichan baggaldan A llah h ar ikisinnan.

The grocer steals from the stone [at w eighing], the m ouse from the
groccer and G od from b o th of them . [Dishonesty w o n 't go
u n p u n ish e d .]
X- X- X-

635 Baggal oliilarin borjunu dirilara yiiklar.

A grocer gets back his credits from those w ho have passed aw ay by
raising the prices on those w ho live on.
X- X- X-

636 Bagh vaxti baghbanin gulag h i eshitm az.

A t the tim e of orchard [harvest] the ears of a farm er w o n 't hear.
X- X- X-

637 Bagh yiyasi baghina giydi baghban bir salxima giymadi.

The ow ner of the vineyard d id n 't w ithhold his produce, b u t the
gardener refused to give a bunch of grapes.
X- X- X-

638 Bagha baghban garah goyuna choban.

A g arden needs a gard en er and a herd a shepherd.
X- X- X-

639 Bagha bax iizun olsun yem aya soziin olsun.

Tend y o u r garden so th at you can claim your share at the h arvest time.

167
 * A *

640 Bagha baxsan bagh olar baxm asan d ag h olar.

If you tend a garden w ell, it becom es a garden; otherw ise it becom es a
m o u n tain [w ilderness].
A A- A

641 Bagha tozbagha oziinii chaka bilm az evini dali'na alar.

Mr. Turtle can't carry him self, yet he is carrying his hom e on his back.
AAA
642 Baghban bir giil ichin m in xara xidm atkar olar.
A gardener renders thou san d s of services to thorns for the sake of one
flow er.
A A A

643 Baghban paxil olm asa b ag h d u v ari neynar!?

If the gardener w ere not a m iser, w hy w o u ld the g arden need a wall!?
A A A

644 Baghban talasar am ru d vaxtinda yetishar.

The gardener hastens and the p ear ripens at its p ro p er time.
A A A

645 Baghda arih varidi salam aleyh v arid i b ag h d a arih gutard'i salam aleyh
gutardi'.
As long as there w ere apricots in the garden, there w ere also greetings
[friendship]. Once the apricots w ere gone, there w ere no m ore
greetings.
A A A

646 Baghdaki siivm az ichan bag h d ak in i d ag h d ak i galsa goghar baghdakini.

[The m eaning is not clear.]
A A A

647 Baghi aghlayan'fn iizii giilar.

He w hose garden cries [bears lots of fruits], his face w ill laugh [too].
A A A

648 Baghi'n dashli'si arvadin sachli'si.

Rocky gardens and hairy w om en. [?]
AAA
649 Baghl'f aslana tiilki da yiiriish elar.
Even a fox can attack a lion th at is tied up.
A A A

650 Baghli goyun yerinda otlar.

A sheep that is chained can only graze on his spot.
A A A

651 Bahalixda chorayina asirgayan ujuzlixda yalghi'z galar.

H e w ho w ithholds his b read [supports from others] in expensive [hard]
times, he w ill be w ith o u t friends in cheaper [good] times.
A * A

652 Bajanax bajanaghi g o ran d a gashinm agh'f tutar.

W hen a brother-in-law m eets another one he starts to itch [he gets
uneasy].

168
 * * *

653 Bal balasiz olmaz.

H oney isn 't w ith o u t trouble. [No p ain no gain.]
***
654 Bal dem aghinan aghiz sh irin olm az.
By calling [the nam e] honey the m o u th d o e sn 't becom e sweet.
***
655 Bal olsa ari B aghdaddan galar.
If there is honey, the bee w o u ld come as far as Baghdad.
* **
656 Bal tu ta n barm ax yalar.
H e w ho gets honey can lick his fingers.
* * *

657 Bal yiyan balasini chakar.

H e w ho eats [wishes for] honey m u st also en d u re its troubles.
* * *

658 Bala baldan shirin olar.

A child is sw eeter than honey.
* * *

659 Bala basha baladi olm asa K arbaladi.

A lthough children are trouble for the head [hum ans], w ith o u t them
life w ould be like Kerbela [site of a Shiah m artyrdom ; sorrow ].
* * *

660 Bala istiyan balasin da istiya garah.

H e w ho w ishes for children m u st en d u re their troubles too.
* * *

661 Balaja aghaja chixib boyiih b u dax silkalir.

The younger one is on the tree and the ad u lt is shaking the tree.
* * *

662 Balali garga bal yem az.

A crow that has children [family], d o esn 't eat honey [there w o n 't be any
honey left for him].
* * *

663 Baldiz chovaldiz.

A sister-in-law is [like] a bodkin.
** *
664 Bali dibinnan yaghi uziinnan.
H oney is good at the bottom , fat [butter] at the surface. [Redhouse 42:
Some people are superficially attractive and som e have h id d en
strength and virtues.]
***
665 Balighi' h ar vaxt su d an tu tsan tazad'i.
A fish is alw ays fresh w hen it is caught from the w ater.
* * X-
666 Balinan geym ax istayan p u lu n a giysin garah.

169
 H e w ho longs for honey and cream, should also be w illing to p ay the
price.
* * *

667 Balix bali'ghi udm asa daryan i balix tutar.

If fish w o u ld n 't sw allow other fish, the sea w ould be filled w ith fish.
* * *

668 Balix bash d an avlanar.

A fish is caught from the head.
* * *

669 Balix olm ayan golda gurbagha baylar bayidir.

In the absence of fish in the lake, the frog is baylarbayi [m ilitary
governor].
* * a-

670 Balix su d an chixannan sonra aghli bashina galar.

A fter the fish is caught o u t of w ater, it w ill come to its senses.
* X- *

671 Balix tu ta n suyu bulanlix istar.

H e w ho w ants to catch fish prefers for m u d d y w ater.
* * sf
672 Balta chalanin yaninda d u r nanavi alanin y an in d a durm a.
It is better to stay w ith an executioner than w ith he w ho m arries your
m other [stepfather].
* * *

673 Balta girm iyan yer m esha olar.

A place that h a sn 't been touched by an ax is [becomes] a forest.
* * a-

674 B altanin sapl aghachdandi.

The handle of the ax is m ade from the tree.
* * *

675 Barli aghaja dash atallar barsiz aghaja dash atm azlar.
People throw stones at trees that have fruits, not the ones th a t d o n 't
have fruit.
* X-*
676 B arm aghin h ar hankisin kassan aghrisi birdi.
N o m atter w hich finger you cut they all h u rt the same.
* * *

677 Barmax barm ax oghurlayan garish garish oghurladar.

He w ho steals finger by finger [little b y little] w ill be robbed sp an by span
[in large quantity].
st-* *
678 Barsiz aghaja dash atm azlar.
No one throw s stones at a fruitless tree.
sf >frX-
679 Basa basa giilashan p ahlavan olar.
He w ho w ins tim e after tim e at w restling becom es a hero.
* *

170
680 Bash aym aghinan bash aghrim az.
By bending the head, one d o esn 't get a headache [By giving in, one
d o e sn 't lose his pride.]
X X X

681 Bash basha baghli bash da bir p anaha baghli.

O ne head [person] is tied to another head and the latter is tied to a
shelter. [Redhouse 44: A person in charge of others is b o u n d by the
law.]
X- X- X-

682 Bash basha sokanm asa d ash yerin n an oynam az.

U nless heads are p u t together the rock can 't be rem oved.
X- X- X-

683 Bash getsa ayax durm az.

If the head [leader] is gone, the foot [group] can't stand by itself.
X- X- X-

684 Bash kasanin yash kasanin d ash kasanin axiri olm az.
A m an w ho beheads a person, cuts youg [tree] and a stone w ill end in
trouble.
X- X- X-

685 Bash sinar b ork ichinda gol sinar ktirk ichinda.

The head gets injured in a h at and the arm breaks in a fur cloak.
X- X- X-

686 Bash yeka oldu na faydasi ichinda beyin garah.

W hat use is it if a head is large? W hat m atters is th at there should be a
b rain in it.
X- X- X-

687 B ashardighin ishin dalinja get basharm adighi'n ishin dalinja getma!
Go after a job that you know best, d o n 't go after a job th at you d o n 't
know !
X- X- X-

688 B ashda o tu ran bay olm az.

Sitting at the u p p e r side of the room d o esn 't m ake a m an bay. [Clothing
d o e sn 't m ake a person a gentlem an.]
X- X- X-

689 Bashi dagh olanin giinahi az olar.

H e w ho is a hot-head has few er sins [ought to be excused for his sins].
X - X- X

690 B ashin nash'i dallaya v eran in jibinda pam b ig h i garah.

H e w ho hires an inexperienced barber m u st carry cotton balls in his
pocket.
XXX
691 Bashin sixintisin ayax chakar.
The foot carries [pays for] the troubles of the head.
XXX
692 Bashina galan bashm axchi olar.

171
 It can only h ap p en to a shoem aker. [Qods 123: H ardship m akes m an
experienced.]
X X X

693 B ashinda bez olsun el yash'f yiiz olsun.

As long as you have cloth for y o u r head, let people live their lives.
X X X

694 Bashi'va d ash da salsan uja y erd an sal.

Even if you decided to d ro p a rock on y o u r head, m ake sure th at you do
it from a higher altitude. [Qods: A lthough m arrying a w om an from a
good fam ily costs m ore, it is w ise and cost-effective in the long run.]
X - X- X-

695 Bashiynan gedan galm az ayaghiynan gedan galar.

H e w ho goes w ith his head d o e sn 't return, b u t he w ho goes on foot will
re tu rn .
X- X- X-

696 B ashladighin ishi yarim ichilix goyma!

N ever a b an d o n a job half finished!
X- X- X-

697 B ashm aghin yaxchisi adam a yerish orgadar.

A good shoe teaches the m an how to walk.
X- X- X-

698 Bashm ax k ip lan an d a [jiitlananda] bilinar.

W hen a shoe fits [properly] one w ould notice it.
X- X- X-

699 B ashm ax palchixsiz olm az.

The shoe gathers m ud.
X- X- X-

700 B ashm axchinin b ash m ag h i olm az b o h ch u n iin borki.

The shoem aker d o e sn 't have shoes and the hatm aker d o esn 't have a
hat.
X- X- X-

701 B ashm axchinin b ash m ag h i yirtix olar.

The shoe of a shoem aker is to rn apart.
X - X* X-

702 Baskidaki gizildan askidaki iiziim iyidi.

A b u nch of grapes on the vine is b etter than gold h idden in a safe.
XXX-
703 Baxan goz yasax gotiirm az.
The eye can 't be prohibited from looking. [Redhouse 41: A cat m ay
look at a king.]
XXX
704 Baxan yem az gapan yiyar.
H e w ho grabs can eat, n o t he w ho watches.
XXX
705 Baxdin yarin yar dayir tarkin gilmax ar dayir.
If you see th at your sw eetheart is no t good, leaving her isn 't a crime.

172
 * * *

706 Baxm aghinan organm ax olsa k o p ah lar gassab olar.

If one can learn by looking then dogs w o u ld becom e butchers by now .
* * *

707 Baygush xarabalih soyar.

The owl is fond of ruins.
* **
708 Bayram o gundi ki adam yaxchi yiya yaxchi giila.
A true celebration is the one w hen m an can eat w ell and laugh a lot.
***
709 Bayram siim uyuynan k o p ah kokalm az.
A dog d o esn't gain w eight w ith the leftover bones of a party.
***
710 Bayram alisiz toy olm az G am barsiz diiyiin.
Every party needs a Bayram ali [a m an 's nam e] and every w ed d in g
needs a G am bar [a m an's name].
* * X-

711 B ayram da doyiinan da olar soyiinan da.

A t a party som e people feel h ap p y and som e feel w orried.
***
712 Bayram in yarashighi d olm ay n an tarah d i.
Two im portant ingredients of a festivity are dolm a and halva.
* **
713 Bazar ichinda it gulagh'i kasm ax olmaz.
At a bazaar one can't cut off the ear of a dog.
***
714 Bazar sheytan yovasidi.
The bazaar is the nest of the devil.
** *
715 Bazara pulsuz gedan gabra im ansiz gedar.
H e w ho goes to a bazaar w ith o u t m oney w ill go to the grave [die]
w ith o u t faith.
X-X-*
716 Bad asil asil olm az olsan y u z gurbani'.
A bad person can't tu rn into a good p erso n even if y ou dote on him a
h u n d re d times.
***
717 Bad asil avvalda vafa g orsad ar sonra jafa.
A bad person show s you honesty first and later show s you
u n faith fu lln ess.
* * X-

718 B adanini kirdan aghzim kiifiirdan galbini k a d ard an goru.

Protect y our body [soul] from dirt, your m o u th from curses an d your
heart from evil.
* **
719 B aghdad kim in diyar ana kim in y ar olm az.

173
 No city is like Bagdad and no com panion is like a m other.
* X- *

720 Bahsinan hajja gedan yorulu b yolda galar.

H e w ho m akes a pilgrim age to show off w ill get tired and rem ain on
the road [he w ill never m ake it].
X- * *

721 Baladsiz yola chixan yolun azar.

H e w ho sets out w ithout a guide, gets l o s t .
X- X- X-

722 Barakat harakatdi.

Blessing [prosperity] com es from m ovem ent [mobility].
X- X- X-

723 Bark galxan bosh oturar.

H e w ho gets up firm ly w ill sit dow n softly.
X- X- X-

724 Bark olur chox basm a h a r soza gulax asma!

D on't press too hard, it becom es stiff, d o n 't pay attention to everything
that you hear!
X- X- X-

725 Bark y u m u ru x yem iyan oz y u m u ru g h in i d am ir sanar.

H e w ho h a sn 't received a hard blow from others considers his ow n
blow to be as hard as an iron.
X- X- X-

726 Basla arini goztin gorsiin sarini.

Keep bees if you w ant to see the yellow ness [of honey].
X- X- X-

727 Basladih boyiitdiik d a n an i tanim az oldi anani.

We raised the calf; he d id n 't recognize his ow n m other.
X- X- X-

728 B aslam adan gad'in olm az giil aghajinnan o d u n olm az.

A servant girl d o esn't becom e a lady just as a flow er c an 't becom e
firew ood.
X- X- X-

729 Baslasan atlas olar tu t yapraghinnan.

W ith p roper care you can get silk cloth from the leaves of a m ulberry
tree.
X- X- X-

730 Baxt d o nanda b u rn u n suyu goza dam ar.

W hen one is out of luck, even m ucus from the nose w ill flow into
one's eye.
X- X- X-

731 Baxt olm asa bashda na g urud a bitar na yash da.

If luck does't cooperate, nothing grow s in a d ry farm or in an irrigated
farm .
X- X- X-

732 Baxtim olsaydi an ad an giz doghardim !

174
 If I had luck, I w o u ld n 't have been born a girl.
***
733 Bazir yaghinnan pilo pish ar am m a yeyilmaz.
O ne can cook rice w ith linseed oil, b u t it can't be eaten.
***
734 Besh barm aghin beshi da bir dayir.
The five fingers are not all the same.
* **
735 Besh ilin tiiksuzii gi'rx ilin gazisin alladar.
Even a five year old beardless [child] can fool a forty year old judge.
***
736 Besha dozan on besha da dozar.
H e w ho can w ait for five can also w ait for fifteen.
* **
737 Bir sankini y u g h u rar na yanina var.
[The m eaning is n o t clear.]
* **
738 Bira isha deshm az.
Flea does not m ake a hole .... [?]
***
739 Biroghuz ata m inan tez diishar.
H e w ho rides a stubborn horse w ill soon fall off.
***
740 Bism illahsiz chi'xma yola bashina galar h ar jiir bala.
N ever set off on the road before saying 'In the nam e of G od,' for all
kinds of m isfortunes m ight befall you.
* **
741 Bism illahsiz tuxum n ak o n d am chixar.
W hen a seed is planted if the nam e of G od is no t m entioned it w ill
grow crooked.
* **
742 Boghaz yedighini istam az goz gordighin istar.
The throat do esn 't ask for w hat it has eaten [once], b u t the eye requires
w h at it has seen again. [The eye desires to see som ething m ore than
once.]
* **
743 Borj alan bijdi burj veran gij.
A borrow er is a bastard and a lender is stupid.
***
744 Borj uzandixja galir d ard uzandi'xja yer salir.
The longer it takes to pay a debt the less likely it becom es to be paid; the
longer a pain rem ains [untreated] the deeper it sets in.
** *
745 Borj v erm ag h in an d iish m an virm aghinan.
A debt is taken care of by paying it back and an enem y is defeated by
beating.

175
746 Borj verm aghinan yol y u ru m a g h in a n g u rtarir.
A debt is finished by paying back and a road is com pleted by w alking.
X X X

747 Borjdan gorxan gapisini gan achm az.

H e w ho is afraid of d ebt sh o u ld n 't open his door w ide.
X X X

748 Borjdan gorxanin gapi'si bag h li garah.

A person w ho is afraid of d eb t m u st keep his door closed.
X X X

749 Borjini v eran d olatlanir.

H e w ho pays back his debts becom es a rich man.
X- X X-

750 Borjli borjlini'n saghlighin istar.

A lender w ishes for the w ell-being of a borrow er.
X- X- X-

751 Bosh boghazlix garin doym az.

Em pty talk [em pty prom ise] w o n 't fill the stom ach.
X- X- X-

752 Bosh chuval ayagh iistiinda durm az.

A n em pty sack can 't stand on its foot [bottom].
X- X- X-

753 Bosh d am ard an gan chixm az.

A n em pty vein can 't give blood.
X- X- X-

754 Bosh durunja d iishm ana d ash dashi.

C arrying rocks for one's enem y is b etter th an stan d in g idle.
X- X- X-

755 Bosh eshshah yorgha gedar.

A n unloaded donkey trots.
X- X- X-

756 Bosh kasa bark dingildar.

A n em pty bow l m akes a lou d noise.
X X- X-

757 Bosh kiizani dolu kiizaya vurm azlar.

O ne sh o u ld n 't bang an em pty jar against a full one.
XXX
758 Bosh lakkilti garin doyurm az.
Em pty w ords w o n 't fill u p the stom ach.
XXX
759 Bosh torbayinan at tutulm az.
O ne can't catch a horse w ith an em pty sack.
XXX
760 Bosh tutan bark goparar.
H e w ho holds on loosely w ill break aw ay firmly.

176
761 B oshdan bir chixar b a h d a n iki.
Looseness produces one, firm ness produces two. [Qods 67: H arsh
treatm ent in the p u rsu it of justice can have negative results.]
***
762 B oshguda o tu ran yatm az.
[The m eaning is n o t clear.]
***
763 Bostana d ad an an eshshayin gulax b u rn u olm az.
A donkey that is accustom ed to the taste of a vegetable farm w o u ld n 't
have an ear and a nose.
***
764 B ostanchinin so ghati kalahdi.
The p resen t of a w aterm elon g ro w er is an u n rip e m elon.
***
765 Boynuz gocha aghirlix chixatm az.
H orns are not an extra load to a ram .
***
766 Boynuz golaxdan sora chixar am m a boyiiyar g ulaghi gechar.
H orns grow behind the ears, b u t they surpass the ears.
***
767 Boynuzli gechinyan boynuzsiz gechinin gisasi giyam ata galm az.
The p u n ish m en t of a goat w ith ho rn s and the one w ho lacks horns
can 't w ait until judgem ent day.

768 Borkchi oz bashina bork tapm az.

The hatm aker can't find a h at for his head.
***
769 Borki issi soyuxdan otari bash a goym azlar.
A hat is n o t w orn because of th e cold or the heat.
***
770 Boyiih balix chichih balighi yum ar.
Big fish sw allow sm all fish.
***
771 Boyiih daghin boyiih da d u m a n i olar.
A big m ountain has big m ist too.
* A- *

772 Boyiih oladin gursaghi gan garah.

The rib of the oldest child m u st be w ide.
* X* *

773 Boyiih olan y erda chichih danishm az.

C hildren a re n 't allow ed to talk in the presence of the adults.
* A-*
774 Boyiih tika gotiir boyiih soz danishm a.
Biting a big m orsel is all right, b u t big talk isn't.
* **
775 Boyiihlarin sozii gizil kim indi y erd a galm az biri gotiirm asa.

177
 The w ords of the elders are like gold—they never rem ain on the
g ro und if they have not already been picked.
***
776 Bu bir atd i ham m i minajax.
This is a horse that eveyone w ill ride on.
* **
777 Bu diinya bir dayirm and'i un elar bir g un sani.
This w orld is like a mill— one day it will grind you into flour.
* **
778 Bu diinya charxifalahdi eshg olsun chevrina.
This w orld is a w heel of furtune. Lucky is he that the w heel rotates in
his direction.
* X- *

779 Bu diinya fanidir yetan bilm az otan bilm az.

This w orld is transient and m ortal. H e w ho enters it d o e sn 't know it,
n or does he w ho leaves it.
* * X-
780 Bu diinya panjaradi har galan baxar gedar.
This w orld is [like] a w indow , everyone comes and peeks th ro u g h it
and [then] leaves it.
X- * *

781 Bu evin chiraghinin ishighi o eva diishm az.

The light of the lam p of this house w o n 't shine into an o th er house.
* X- *

782 Bu girgina xan dozm az.

The khan w o u ld n 't stan d this mess.
* **
783 Bu ilki sercha bildirkilara jiih jiih orgadir.
This year's sparrow is teaching last year's sparrow how to chirp.
X- *

784 B udu sixm aghinan am daralm az.

A vagina d o esn't becom e tight by pressing the thighs [together].
X- X- X-

785 B ughdam var dem a am bara tohm iyinja oghlum v ar dem a darligha
diish m iy in ja!
N ever say th at you have w h eat until you store it in the barn; n o r
should you say you have a son [good one] until you find yourself in a
bad situation [the son shoulg be tested by difficulty].
X- X- X-

786 Bugiinki soz sabaxki soziin korpiisidi.

Today's w ord [promise] is the bridge of that of tom orrow .
X- X- X-

787 Bugiinki yum urta sabaxki toyuxdan yaxchidi.

Today's egg is better than tom orrow 's hen. [A bird in the h an d is better
than tw o in the bush.]
X- X- X-

178
788 B uguniin ishini sabagha goym a.
D o n 't leave to d ay 's w ork for tom orrow .
X- X- *

789 B uguniin sabahi var.

Today has a tom orrow .
X- X- X-

790 B ulam m asa d u ru lm az.

U nless things get out of order [messy], they w o n 't be settled dow n
[fixed].
X- X- X-

791 Bulax b ash d an bulanar.

A spring becom es m urky at its source.
X- X- X-

792 Bulax g arah yerinnan b u lag h ola su tohm aghinan b u lag h olm az.
A spring comes up from the gro u n d , a spring that one has to p o u r
w ater into it is not a [real] spring.
X- X- X-

793 B urni ffrtixli guz’i boy n u zi burm ax goch olar.

It is the lam b w ith a ru n n in g nose [ugly appearance] th at grow s into a
ram w ith elaborate horns.
X- X- X-

794 B uxarim n ayrilighina baxm a tussiiniin diiz chixdighina bax.

N ever m ind how crooked the chim ney is, w atch how straight the
sm oke com es out.
X- X- X-

795 Buz iista bana durm az.

A b u ild in g d o esn 't stand on ice.
X- X- *

796 Bulbul d ilin n an balasm f chakar.

The nightingale [suffers] ru n s into troubles because of its tongue.
X- X- X-

797 Bulbiila gafas z in d an d i gizildan da olsa.

A cage to a nightingale is a prison, even if it is one m ade of gold.
X- X- X-

798 C hahkan guy u n u na g ad ar d arin gazsa takinda oziin gorar.

H ow ever deep a w ell-digger digs a well he w ill see [find] him self in it.
X- X- X-

799 C hay g u sh u n u chay dash iy n an vurallar.

A pigeon of the river gets hit by the rock of the [ same] river.
X- X- X-

800 C haylaxda ev saldiran axi’rda evsiz galar.

H e w ho builds houses on a river bed w ill eventually becom e hom eless.
X- X- X-

801 C hakishm asa barkim az.

Unless it is argued it w o n 't becom e solid. [Qods 129 & H aim 104:
W hen things get to the w o rst they w ill m end.]

179
 * X- *

802 C harchinin and'f yigh'ishdi eshshayinin gichini sindirdi.

The oathes [lies] of the p ed d ler accum ulated and the foot of his donkey
broke.
X- * X-

803 C harshap alti'nda h am m i arvad gozal goriinar.

All w om en look beautiful u n d e r the veil.
* * X-

804 C heri biri iki gorar.

The cross-eyed person sees everything double.
* X- *

805 C heynanan sakk'fz chiirur.

C hew ing gum that has been chew ed becom es hollow. .[Qods 130: A n
im portant subject looses its m eaning [im portance] by being repeated a
lot.]
* * X-

806 Chilis ad am in ovladi velxarj olur.

The children of a greedy m an spend lavishly.
X-* *
807 C him sel gabaghi tutm az.
A law n c an 't stop a flood.
X- X- X-

808 C hirkin bazaninja toy bitar.

By the tim e an ugly person p u ts on her m ake-up the w ed d in g w ill be
over.
X- X- X-

809 C hirkin b u ru n iir gozal goriinur.

W hen an ugly person covers herself the beautiful person becomes
noticeable.
X- X- X*

810 C hirkin oziin gizladar goychah bu daghlar gazar.

A n ugly person hides herself, the beautiful person strolls in the
m o u n ta in s .
X- X- X-

811 C hiplaghin su d an na gorxusu.

A naked person d o esn 't fear w ater [to get wet].
X- X- X-

812 C hiplax iichiin yay yaxshidir.

Sum m er is good for a naked [poor] man.
X- X- X-

813 C hiraghin bashi kasilm asa ishix verm az.

U ntil the top of the lam p [wicker lamp] is cut, it w o n 't provide any
light.
X- X- X-

814 C hirax dibini ishixlandirm az.

A lam p d o esn 't illum inate its base.

180
 X- * *

815 Chivsi'z taxtani yel ap arar yel aparm asa sel aparar.
If the w ind d o esn 't take aw ay a b o ard th at isn 't nailed [secured], a flood
w ill.
X- X- X-

816 Chi'xan gan dam arda galm az.

Excessive blood w o n 't stay in the vein.
X- X- X-

817 C hixm iyan jana lim it choxdur.

There is still hope for a body [man] that has no t given up.
X- X- X-

818 C hobana verm a g'iz'i ya goyun g iid d iirar ya guzu!

D on't m arry your d au g h ter to a sh ep h erd for he w ould p u t her to w ork
tending sheep or lambs!
X- X- X-

819 Choban'i oziinnan olanin g o y u n i dishi doghar.

H e w ho has his ow n shepherd , his sheep w ill give b irth to a she-lamb.
X- X- X-

820 C hobanin goyli olsa d a sh d a n p a n ir tutar.

If a shepherd is w illing, he can even get cheese from a rock.
X- X- X-

821 C hobanin soghati m archaligh olur.

The present of a shepherd is m archaligh [w ild plant].
X- X- X-

822 Chobansi’z goyunu g urd aparar.

A sheep w ithout a shepherd w ill be taken by a wolf.
X- X- X-

823 Chobansi'z su ru n ii m in g u rd daghidar.

A herd w ithout a shepherd w ill be torn to pieces by a th o u san d wolves.
X- X- X-

824 Chojux boyiir it olur sirka boyiir b it olur.

A p u p p y grow s into a dog and a n it into a louse.
X- X- X-

825 Chom ax chorluya dayar.

The m ace hits the ill person.
X- X- X-

826 Chox and ichanin andina inam m a!

D on't believe a person w ho prom ises a lot!
X- X- X-

827 Chox ashna tu tan axir b ashd a ashnasiz galar.

He w ho m akes m any friends w ill be w ith o u t any in the end.
X- X- X-

828 Chox bilan chox chakar.

H e w ho know s a lot w ill suffer a lot too.
X- X- X-

829 Chox bilan gush d im d iyinnan tora tiishar.

181
 A clever bird gets trap p ed by its beak.
* **
830 Chox bilip az danishm ax iyidin langaridi
To know a lot and say little is the anchor [dignity] of a real m an.
* * st-

831 Chox bilm ish tiilki g u y ru g h u n n a n taliya tiishar.

A cunning fox gets trap p ed [caught] by its tail.
* **
832 Chox bilm iyan chox yanilar.
H e w ho d o e sn 't know a lot, w ill suffer a lot too.
* **
833 Chox chalishm ax charix yirtar.
Too m uch struggling [running] w ears o u t the shoes.
***
834 Chox chirpinan tez yorulur.
He w ho struggles a lot gets tired quickly.
***
835 Chox dan'ishan chox yanilar.
He w ho talks too m uch suffers a lot too.
* **
836 Chox danishanin aghz'i yeka olur.
H e w ho talks too m uch gets a big m outh.
* **
837 Chox dan ish an in galbi chiiriih olur.
The heart of a person w ho talks a lot becom es rotten.
* **
838 Chox d ash galdiran ilan chaghna aghlar.
[The m eaning is not clear.]
* **
839 Chox gazan chox bilar.
H e w ho travels a lot know s a lot too.
* * X-

840 Chox go y u n u olanin chox da g u zu su olar.

He w ho ow ns m any lam bs w ill ow n m any sheep.
* **
841 Chox giilan chox aghlar.
H e w ho laughs a lot will also cry a lot.
* **
842 Chox hiiran it gapm az.
A barking dog d o esn't bite.
* **
843 Chox ishi pis bilm ahdan b ir ishi b ilm ah yaxshidi.
K now ing one job w ell is b etter th an know ing m any jobs poorly.
* **
844 Chox it hiirm iyan b asharm az kanda g onagh artirar.

182
 M any dogs that d o n 't know how to bark b rin g m ore guests to the
village.
***
845 Chox jum anin su bashinnan ashar.
He w ho floats [struggles] a lot on the w ater goes over his head.
***
846 Chox soz yalansiz chox p u l haram siz olmaz.
Too m uch talking entails som e lies and too m uch m oney [wealth]
entails som e w rongdoings [illegality].
** *
847 Chox ver az yalvar.
Give m ore and beg less.
* **
848 Chox yashiyan chox bilm az chox gazan chox bilar.
H e w ho lives a long life d o esn 't know a lot, b u t he w ho travels know s a
lot.
** *
849 Chox yem axdan chox danish m ax d an chakin.
Keep a distance from eating and talking too m uch.
***
850 Chox zirahlix daghim m alix gatirar.
Sw indling causes destruction.
***
851 Choxda giivam m a taxtina taxdan gadalix yaxchidi'r.
D on't trust the throne, begging [poverty] is b etter th an the throne [being
a king].
* sf *
852 C hoxlari d adasin kor eladi ki K oroghli d esin n ar am a kor kishinnin
oghli dedilar.
M any blinded them selves to be called K oroghli [the n am e of the hero
of an epic], instead they w ere called the son of the blind m an.
***
853 C hoxlux poxluxdur.
A bundance is filthy [destructive].
***
854 C holm ah dasha toxunsa vay cholm ayin halina d ash cholm aya toxunsa
gina vay cholm ayin halina.
If an earthenw are pot collides w ith a rock m ay G od h av e m ercy u p o n
it. If a rock collides w ith an earthenw are pot, again m ay G od have
m ercy u p o n it.
***
855 C holm ah dighirlanar d avagh in tapar.
The earthenw are p o t rolls aro u n d u n til it finds its lid.
* * X-

856 C holm aya vera vera chixar gazan bahasina.

183
 The m oney spent for b u ying so m any earthenw are pots costs as m uch
as buying a cauldron. [Better to get good quality than keep buying cheap
items.]
X XX

857 C hom chanin gadr-ii izzati ash d ash an d a bilinar.

The tru e value of a ladle is appreciated w h en it is tim e to serve the
soup.
X X X

858 C horah achani gilich achm az.

That w hich can be un d o n e [solved] by bread [money], even the sw ord
can 't u n d o [solve].
XXX

859 C horah ayaxlayan ayagha tiishar.

H e w ho steps on bread [ignores w ealth] w ill be stepped on
[disrespected].
X XX

860 C horah bilm iyan chorah tapm az.

H e w ho d o e sn 't appreciate bread [wealth] w ill never find bread.
X XX

861 C horah gazanm iyan chorayin g ad rin bilm az.

H e w ho h a sn 't earned his ow n b read w o n 't appreciate its value.
X XX

862 C horah m ayadan giz anadan.

Bread is from d o ugh and a girl is from h er m other.
X- X- X-

863 C horah p iy ad an in atidir.

Bread is the horse of a pedestrian.
X- X- X-

864 C horah tikan evi falah da yixa bilm az.

Even the firm am ent can't ruin a house that is built by bread [hard
work].
X X X

865 C horah yiyinja gutulm az.

Bread can never be finished as long as you eat it.
XXX
866 C horaya gatsan it yem az arpaya gatsan at yem az.
If one mixes it w ith b read the dog refuses to eat and if one m ixes it w ith
barley, the horse rejects it.
XXX
867 C horayi at daryiya balix bilm asa Xal'fx bilar.
Throw the bread into the lake. If the fish w o n 't appreciate it, G od will.
XXX
868 C horayi cheynayip adam in aghzina goym azlar.
N o one w ould chew bread and p u t it into a m an 's m outh.
XXX
869 C horayi chorahchidan al goy b ir chorayi az versin.

184
 Buy bread from a baker even if he gives you one loaf less. [Redhouse
113: Use experts, even if they are expensive.]
* X- *

870 C horayi ver chorahchiya bir chorah da iistiinda ver.

Give the bread to a baker [to bake] and give one loaf [as his fee] o n top of
it. [Same as the above.]
** *
871 C horayini g u ru yeyinja ayrani'ni g u ru ye.
Instead of eating y our bread plain it is better to eat [drink] your sour
m ilk plain.
X- X- *

872 C horchopdan ev tikilm az tikilsa da yum agh olar.

O ne c an 't build a house w ith straw s and bits and pieces, even if such a
house is constructed it w ill be w ashed away.
***
873 C hoyiir ojagha bas bujagha.
[The m eaning is not clear.]
* X- *

874 C hozani chox g u rdalasan chiban olur.

If you pick a pim ple too m uch you get a boil.
* X- *

875 C hiiriih taxta su saxlam az.

A rotten board w o n 't hold [block] w ater [flood].
* X- X-

876 C huriiyiin zora tabi' olm az.

That w hich is rotten [weak] can't endure pressure [strength].
* * X-

877 D aava g iin u n d a sher g arah daldanm as'in.

O n a battle day a lion [a real hero] sh o u ld n 't have support.
X- * X-

878 Daavachi' gazi oldu yazichi A llah olsun.

W hen a plaintiff becom es the judge [of a law suit] m ay G od be the clerk.
[?]
X- X- X-

879 D aavada halva paylam azlar.

No one w ou ld hand out halva in a fight.
X- X* X-

880 D aavan yox m iilk al ishin yox dayirm an sal.

If you have no trouble b u y farm land and if you have no w ork b u ild a
mill. [Qods 185: In buying farm land one has to be ready for quarrels
w ith other landow ners and in building a mill one has to be ready to
w aste a lot of time.]
X- X- X-

881 D aavani gilich kasar sodani pul.

A sw ord cuts [solves] a fight and m oney solves the trade. [Qods 70:
Transactions are carried o u t w ith cash quickly.]

185
 ***
882 D aavaynan yas galm az.
Fighting and m ou rn in g com e to a end.
***
883 Dabbax bayandighi darini yerdan yera virar.
A tanner hits the leather that he likes the m ost from one spot to
an o th er.
***
884 D adaninan gudurani' saxlam ax olm az.
You can't control a w ild m an n o r he w ho has already got a taste of
som ething.
***
885 D adli dil dost artirar aji dil diishm an.
A sw eet tongue w ins [increases] friends and a bitter one creates
enem ies.
***
886 D adli dil giilar iiz diishm anin go lu n bukar.
A sw eet tongue and a sm iling face w ill tw ist the arm of an enem y.
***
887 D adsiz shorbaya duz neynar aghilsiz basha soz neynar?
W hat can salt do to a tasteless po ttag e and w h at good is advice to a
brainless [stupid] head [person]?
** *
888 D agh ashm asa dara dolm az.
If a m ountain d o esn 't fall, there w o n 't be a valley. [Qods 131: Big
problem s require m ajor devotion.]
***
889 D agh bashinda xarm an salsan yel ap arar chay giraghinda dayirm an
salsan sel aparar.
If you plant y our crops on top of a m ountain, the w ind will take them
away; if you build a mill next to a river the flood w ill w ash it away.
* A- *

890 D agh bashinda xarm an sovrulm az.

You sh o u ld n 't w innow y o u r crops on the top of a m ountain.
** *
891 D agh bashinnan d u m a n asgih olm az.
The fog w ill never lift from the top of a m ountain. [R edhouse 86:
Im portant people are never free from w orry.]
* **
892 D agh bashinnan d u m a n insan b ash in n an yam an asgih olm az.
The fog w o n 't disap p ear from the top of a m ou n tain and troubles
[worries] w o n 't leave a m an alone.
* **
893 Dagh dagh iista olur ev ev iista olm az.
O ne can p u t a m ountain on top of another one, b u t one can 't p u t a
house [family] on top of ano th er one.

186
 * x *

894 D agh dagha yetishm az adam adam a yetishar.

A m ountain d o e sn 't m eet an o th er m o u n tain b u t p eople can.
* * *

895 D agh doshansiz igid diishm ansiz olmaz.

No m ountain exists w ith o u t rabbits and no hero exists w ith o u t an
enem y.
** *
896 D agh gushi d aghda garah bagh gushi baghda.
A m ountain bird m u st be in the m o u n tain and a g ard en b ird m u st be
in a garden.
***
897 D agh giili baghda bitm az bagh giili daghda.
A m ountain flow er d o e sn 't grow in a garden and a g ard en flow er
d o e sn 't grow in the m ountain.
***
898 D agh na gadar uja olsa yol iistiindan ashar.
N o m atter how high a m oun tain is the roads w ill eventually pass over
it.
* * X-

899 D agh yerim az abtal yerir.

A m ountain can 't w alk, b u t a beggar does.
** *
900 Dagha desan oghrusan bashin ayar.
If one accuses the m outain of being a thief, it w ill low er its head.
X-* X-
901 D agha gedan baltasini suva gedan dolchasini.
If you go to a m ountain [take] y o u r ax and if you go to fetch w ater [take]
your bucket.
X * *

902 D agha yaghsa chol abadan chola d a yaghsa chol abadan.

If it rains in the m ountains, the desert becom es habitable; if it rains in
the desert, the desert becom es habitable.
XXX

903 Dagharjix chorayina d ad an a n dolata al tapm az.

H e w ho is accustom ed to eating a bag of sh ep h erd 's bread w o n 't find
w ealth [become rich].
XXX

904 D aghda baghi'n var iirayinda d aghin var.

If you have a garden in the m ountains, then you have scar in your
heart.
XXX

905 D aghda gazan ay'iya g u rd a rast galar.

H e w ho roam s in the m ountains encounters bears an d w olves.
XXX

906 D aghda kakliyin m ini bir axcha.

187
 T housands of partridges in the m ountains are w o rth one axcha
[penny],
* X- *

907 D aghdaki gu sh u n girxi bir axcha.

Forty b ird s in the m ountains are w o rth one axcha [penny],
X- * *

908 D aghi dagh iista goysan bag h olm az arzi chakanin orayinda yagh
olm az.
If you p u t one m ountain on top of another, it w o n 't becom e a g ard en
and he w ho expects to have his w ishes fulfilled w o n 't have patience.
* X- X-

909 D aghlar ichin bir gaz'i isbat ichin bir shah'id.

O ne judge is required for a m ountain and one w itness for p ro v in g it.
[?]
* * X-

910 Dal dala veran d o n u n saxlar.

H e w ho gives his back [support to others] w ill keep his robe.
X- * *

911 D alidan atilan dash topugha dayar.

A stone th ro w n from the back hits the heel.
X- X- X-

912 D alidan galan dadl'i olar.

H e w ho arrives last is m ore tasty [refers to a new born child in a family].
X- X- X-

913 D alidan galan sasa gulax verm azlar.

N o one w o uld pay attention to a sound that comes from behind.
X- X- X-

914 Daliya galan doluya diishar.

H e w ho rem ains behind w ill get caught in the hail. [Qods 203-204:
P rocrastination is harm ful.]
X- X- X-

915 D am d'frah iista durar.

A roof stands on its rafters.
X- X- X-

916 D am a chixan gechinin d u v ara di'rm anan balas'i olar.

A goat th at climbs the roofs gets a child that climbs the walls.
X- X- X-

917 Dam a dam a gol olar axa axa sel olar.

D rop by drop becomes a lake; it flows and becomes a flood.
X- X- X-

918 D am ara baxallar gan alalar.

O ne should check the vein [first] and [then] take the blood.
X- X* X-

919 Damazli'xsi'z yo g h u rt tutm az.

You can 't m ake a yogurt w ith o u t a starter.
X- X- X-

188
920 D am gali ati alam tanir.
A horse th at has a b ran d [on its body] is k now n to the w orld.
* * *

921 D am i boyiih olanin gari d a chox olar.

H e w ho has a large roof w ill get lots of snow . [Im portant people have
m ore w orries.]
* * *

922 D am nan dam a gazan kopayin beli sinar.

The back of a dog that w alks around from roof to roof breaks.
* * *

923 D am nan d iishanin hali'n d a m n an d iish an yaxchi bilar.

O nly he w ho has fallen from a roof can feel how th at p erson feels.
* * *

924 D an yeri agharanda tam balin gozi garalar.

W hen the d aw n brightens the earth, the eyes of a lazy p erson becom e
dark.
***
925 Dana anasini tapar.
A calf finds its m other.
***
926 Dana boyiiyar chulu boyiim az.
A calf grow s, b u t its haircloth doesn't.
* X- *

927 D ana oynasa oz m ixini barkidar.

If the calf plays around, it w ill tighten the nail to w hich it is tied. [Qods
131: H e w ho disobeys older people w ill en d an g er his opportunities.]
***
928 D anishix danani" g u rd a verar.
It is the talking that gives [exposes] the calf to a wolf.
* * X-

929 D anishm ax giim iish olsa danishm am ax gizildir.

If speaking is silver, silence is gold.
***
930 Dar yerda xi'rman olmaz.
Crops can't grow in n arro w places.
X-* *
931 D arghani ishdan saldilar dedi, "jahannam ."
They fired the sheriff. H e said, "The hell w ith it" [who cares].
**^
932 Dash dash iista d u ra r ev ev iista durm az.
One can p u t rocks on top of each other, b u t one can 't p u t a house
[family] on top of another one. [It is im possible to have tw o families
living together in one h ouse in harm ony.]
* * a-
933 D ash dasha soykanar d u v a r olar.

189
 Rocks rest on top of each other and becom e a wall. [Qods 80: U nity is
power.]
* * *

934 D ash dashi sindirar.

[Only] a rock breaks a rock. [Use a thief to catch a thief.]
***
935 D ash dashligha yaghar.
Rocks p o u r [fall] in a rocky place.
* **
936 D ash d iishdughi yerda aghir olar.
A rock feels heavy w here it falls. [Qods 131: E ndurance in w ork
guarantees success.]
** *
937 D ash gayadan na goparar!?
W hat can a stone break off from a rock!?
***
938 D ash urahli dtishm anin bag h in i y a ra r yum ushaligh.
G entleness tears [w ounds] the string of a stone-hearted enem y.
* * *

939 D ash iista akin olmaz.

N o crop grow s on a rock.
* **
940 D ash xirdasi boyiim az adami'n xirdasi boyiiyar.
A sm all rock never grow s, b u t a sm all p erson can grow .
X-* *
941 D asha dedilar, "N iya d ash oldun?" D edi, "D am ir g ordum ."
They asked the rock, "W hy did you becom e a rock?" It replied, "I saw
the piece of iron."
* **
942 D ashdan gopar yoxdan gopm az.
[The m eaning is not clear.]
* X-*
943 D ayanan aparar.
H e w ho resists [endures] w ill win.
***
944 D ayiynan dagh'f dolan am iynan b ag h i dolan.
W ith a m aternal uncle climb u p th e m ountains, b u t w ith a p atern al
uncle go prom enading in the garden. [Qods 30: M aternal uncles are
good (useful) for hard tim es b u t p atern al uncles are good for having
good times.]
* X-X-
945 D ada m ali oghlu yansax elar.
The w ealth of the father spoils [hurts] the son.
X-* *
946 D ada nana ki var m asjid gapi's'idir na kasm ax o lur n a yandirm ax.

190
 Parents are [like] the m osque's door. O ne can neither cut them nor
b u rn them .
***
947 D ada tu rsh alcha yiyir oghu lu n dishi gam ashir.
The father eats a sour plum and the teeth of the son are set on edge.
[R edhouse 90: The sins of the father are visited u p o n the son and the
son's sons.]
* * *

948 D adasi chixan aghajlari balasi budax budax gazar.

A he-goat that climbs a tree gets a child that climbs from one branch
onto another one. [Like father like son.]
* **
949 Dali aghlam az aghilli giilm az.
A crazy m an d o esn 't cry and a w ise m an d oesn't laugh.
***
950 Dali arp an i soyar.
The crazy m an likes barley.
***
951 Dali alchayi soyar.
A crazy m an likes plum s.
***
952 Dali chorahchidan chorah gap an d a baggal bashina virar.
W hen a crazy m an steals bread from a baker, the grocer hits him self on
the head.
* **
953 Dali dalidan m alla oliidan xoshlanar.
A crazy m an gets h ap p y seeing another crazy m an, and a m ollah gets
h appy in seeing the dead.
* * X-

954 Dali dalini goranda chomaghin'i gizladar.

W hen a crazy m an encounters another crazy m an, he hides his mace.
* **
955 Dali dalini sovar m alla halvan'i.
A crazy m an likes a crazy m an and a m ollah likes halva.
* X- *

956 Dali dalini ta p ar m alla olunii.

A crazy m an searches for another crazy m an and a m ollah finds the
dead [funeral].
***
957 Dali daliya goshanda dayanah goydan yaghar.
W hen crazy m en join together m aces w o u ld p o u r dow n from the sky.
X- * *

958 Dali elsi'z el dalisiz olmaz.

No crazy m an is w ith o u t people [family] and no family is w ithout a
crazy m an.
* * *

191
959 Dali giz evda galm az.
A crazy girl w o n 't rem ain at hom e.
X- X- X-

960 Dali inayin dali da balasi olar.

A crazy cow begets a crazy calf too. [Like father like son. ]
X- * X-

961 Dali jarim a verar aghilli riishva.

A crazy m an pays fines an d a w ise m an pays bribes. [Qods 176:
Spending m oney to stop a potential problem at its inception is better
than spending m oney to get rid of a problem .]
X- X- X-

962 Dali keflidan gorxar.

A crazy m an fears a d ru n k ard .
X- X- X-

963 Dali neynar hall aghilli n ey n ar ram mali!?

W hat does a crazy m an need a good m ood for, and w h at does a healthy
m an need a fortune-teller for!?
X- X- X-

964 Dali ol baxtin olsun!

Be a crazy m an if y ou w a n t to be lucky!
X- X- X-

965 Dali oz giijiini bilm az.

A crazy m an d o esn 't know his strength.
X- X- X-

966 Dali utam m az go h u m i u tan ar.

It is the fam ily of a crazy m an w ho feels asham ed no t the crazy m an
him self.
X- X- X-

967 D alidan aghillisi olm az.

A crazy m an is the w isest. [A crazy m an speaks the truth.]
X- X- X-

968 D alidan doghri xabar.

A crazy m an speaks the truth.
X- x- X-

969 D alidan dost olmaz.

A crazy m an d o esn 't m ake a friend.
X- X- X-

970 D alidan goxm iyan adam dalidi.

H e w ho d o esn 't fear a crazy m an is him self crazy.
X- X- X-

971 D alih boyiih yam ax chichih.

The hole is big and the patch is small.
X- X- X-

972 D alih gabda su durm az.

W ater w o n 't stay in a p o t th a t has holes.
X- X- X-

192
973 D alih minjix y erda galm az.
A bead w ith a hole w ill nev er rem ain on the ground. [M ujtehedi 163,
53: C apable people w o n 't rem ain idle.]
* * *

974 D alilar diinyani' akdilar aghilli indi jilt goshur.

The crazy m en have plan ted the w orld, the w ise m en are about to
harness the cows.
* * *

975 D alini toy a apardilar. D edi, " Bura bizim ev d an yaxchidi."

They took a crazy m an to a w edding. H e said, "H ere is better than my
h o m e ."
* * *

976 D alini zanjirinan yox tad b irin an tutallar.

A crazy m an isn 't caught by a chain, b u t by a plan.
* * *

977 D alinin d arm an in i yel gondarir.

The w ind sends the rem edy for a crazy man.
* * *

978 D alinin d iish tin d u g h u n a to y u g h u n esh alanm aghina [darm an yoxdi].

There are no rem edies for the rationals of a crazy m an and the
scratching of a hen.
* * *

979 D alinin gashi olar gozii!?

A crazy m an has eyebrow s and eyes too!? [Qods 132: O ne can tell a
crazy m an by his behavior and talk.]
* * *

980 D alinin iirayi d ilin d ad i aghillinin dili iirayinda.

The heart of a crazy m an is in his tongue and the w isdom of a wise
m an is in his heart.
***
981 D aliya bal gija halva neynasin!?
H ow can honey benefit a crazy m an and halva a stu p id man!?
* X- *

982 Daliya h ar gu n bayram di.

Every day is a holiday for a crazy m an.
* * *

983 D aliynan dolatli ikisi da bild ig h in elar.

Both the crazy m an and the w ealthy m an do w h at they think to be
correct.
* * *

984 D aliynan diishm a yola bashiva g atirar h ar jiir bala.

D on't associate w ith a crazy m an, for he w ill get you in trouble.

985 D allah bashim in tiiki ag h d l ya gara? Indi diishar atayina gorarsan.

"Barber, is m y hair w hite or black?" "You w ill find o u t after it falls on
your skirt [lap]." [?]

193
 X X X-

986 D allah dallaya b an zar bash A llaha am anatdi.

All barbers look alike and the head is protected by God.
* * *

98 7 D allah dallayin bashini m iifta girxar.

A barber cuts the hair of other barbers for free.
X X X

988 D allazannan jib kasan eskih olmaz.

[The m eaning is not clear.]
x- x x

989 D am dam i gatirir gam garni.

G ood times bring good tim es and sorrow brings sorrow .
X- X- X-

990 D am ir gapini'n taxta gap’iya ishi diishar.

A n iron door w ill eventually be in need of a w ooden door. [A rich
m an w ill also need to ask a poor m an for a favor.]
X- X- X-

991 D am ir islam m az dali uslam m az.

Iron d o esn't absorb w ater and a crazy m an can 't behave well.
X- X- X-

992 D am irchi dam irin yum u sh ax y erin n an taptar.

The ironsm ith beats the iron from the soft side.
X- X- X-

993 D am irchida pichax tapilm az.

A n ironsm ith has no knife.
X- X- X-

994 D am iri dam chiirtidar insani gam.

M oisture decays iron and sorrow decays man.
X- X- X-

995 D am iri issi issi taptam ax garah.

O ne should beat [mould] the iron w hen it is hot.
* * *

996 D am iri k tiradan d am ir chi'xardar.

Iron takes out iron from the furnace. [Put a thief to catch a thief.]
X- X- X-

997 D am li hara gedir dam li yan'fna gam li h ara gedir gam li yanina.
H appy talk goes to h appy talk and sad talk goes to sad talk. [H appiness
m akes one happy, sorrow m akes one sad.]
X- X X-

998 D aniz dalgas'fz gapi halgasiz olmaz.

There is no sea w ith o u t w aves and there is no door w ith o u t a
doorknob.
XXX
999 D aniz sui na ichilar na gechilar.
O ne can neither drink the w ater of a sea n o r cross over it.
XXX

194
1000 D ara xalvat tiilki bay.
The valley is quiet [empty] and the fox is the bay [lord].

1001 D arada tarla sel uchiin tapad a xarm an yil iichun.

A field [farm] in a valley is for a flood and a harvest on a hill is for the
w ind.
X- * X-

1002 D ard batm an'fnan galar m isgalinan chi'xar.

Pain [trouble] comes by kilos and leaves by gram s. [Abasguliev 111:
M isfortunes come on w ings and d e p art on foot.]
X- X- X-

1003 D ard bir olsa dirilm agha na var.

If trouble w as only one, one w o u ld n 't m ind com ing back to life again.
X- X- X-

1004 D ard var galar gechar d ard var dalar gechar.

There is a kind of p ain [trouble] th at comes and goes, and there is a
kind of pain th at leaves by piercing.
X- X- X-

1005 D ardi olan d arm an axtarar.

H e w ho has a pain [problem] w ill search for its rem edy.
X- X- X-

1006 D ardini gizladan d arm an tapm az.

H e w ho hides his p ain [trouble] from others w ill never find a rem edy
for it.
X- X- X-

1007 D ardli d ard alinnan dagha chi'xar goran diyar baxtavar yaya chixib.
A troubled m an goes to the m o untain to forget about his trouble;
people think th at he has gone for sum m er camp.
X- X- X*

1008 D ardli diyingan olar.

A troubled m an talks [complains] a lot.
X- X- X-

1009 D ardsiz kontilda m iihabbat yol achm az.

Affection [love] can never find its w ay to a h eart th at has never had
pain.
X* X- X-

1010 D arin su bulam m az.

Deep w ater never gets turbid.
X- X- X-

1011 D arm ansiz d a rd in darman'f bifylarlixdi.

The rem edy for an incurable pain is to take it easy. [?]
X- X- X-

1012 D arvaza gapi'si'm baghlam ax olar xalgh'fn aghzi'ni baghlam ax olm az.
O ne can close the gate of a tow n, b u t no t the m ouths of people.
X- X- X-

1013 D arvish evini chininda gazdirar.

195
 A dervish carries his hom e on his shoulder.
X- X- X-

1014 D arvisha dedilar, "B aghdadda pilo var." Dedi, "Yalan olm asa uzax
dayir!?"
They told a d erv ish /'P eo p le are giving aw ay free pilaf in B aghdad." He
re p lie d /'If it is true, is it n o t rath er too far away!?"
* X- *

1015 D arvishin fikri na olsa zikri d a o olar.

W hatever a dervish thinks about he w ill rem em ber that too.
[R edhouse 95: W hatever a p erson has on his m ind comes o u t in his
conversation.]
* X- X-

1016 D arya soz dinlam az.

The sea w o u ld n 't listen to a w o rd [of advice].
* x- x-

1017 D aryiya bir d ash atm axla su u bulam m az.

You can't m ake a sea to-become turbid by throw ing a rock into it.
* * *

1018 D aryiya diishan azhdahaya sarilar.

H e w ho falls into the sea [drow ns] w ill cling to a dragon.
X- * X-

1019 D arzi oz kiirkini tikm az.

A tailor d o e sn 't sew his ow n fur coat.
x- x- x-

1020 D arziya dedilar,"Koch!" Iynasin soxti yaxasina.

The said to the tailor, "M ove!" H e stuck his needle into his collar.
X- X- X-

1021 D ava asta gedar am m a yol kasar.

A camel goes slow b u t it covers a long distance.
X- X- X-

1022 D ava chim dihdan, garnish siishakidan na annir!?

W hat does a camel know about pinching and w h at does a bull know
about spitting!?
X- X- X-

1023 D ava da yekadi am m a girxini bir eshshah chakar.

A camel is big b u t a donkey carries [leads] forty of them .
X- X- X-

1024 D ava girx dafa m akkiya getsa gena haji olmaz.

Even if a camel goes to Mecca [because of the caravan] it w o u ld n 't
becom e a Haji. [Every m uslim w ho can afford to is supposed to visit
Mecca once in his life. By doing so he or she becom es a Haji.]
X- X- X-

1025 D ava gushuna dedilar, "Gach!" Dedi, "G usham ." D edilar, "Uch!"
Dedi, "D aveyam ."
They asked the ostrich to run, it answ ered, "I am a bird." They asked it
to fly. It answ ered, "I am a camel."

196
 * X- *

1026 D ava kini, gari kini.

The revenge of an old w om an is like the revenge of a camel.
X- X- X-

1027 D ava na gadar olii olsada darisi sarvana bir yiihdi.

N o m atter how w eak the camel is its hide is a b u rd e n for the camelier.
* * x-

1028 D ava na gadar uzag otlasa yena birbirin gozlar.

N o m atter how far camels m ight graze from one another, they still
w atch out [care] for each other.
X- * *

1029 D ava na halda, davachi na halda!

See w hat condition the cam el is in and see w h at condition the cam elier
is in!
* **
1030 Dava oyni'yanda gar yaghar.
W hen the camel dances it starts to rain. [Qods 102: W hen adults act
like children it is an u n u su al thing an d childish.]
X- * X-

1031 Dava olsa da darisi yiihdi toyux olsa bir changa tiihdi.
If a camel dies, its skin [hide] is still a load; if a hen dies, it [its skin] is a
han dful of feathers.
X- * *

1032 Dava sohdiyi yeri tanir.

The camel recognized the earth that it h ad d u g up.
X- X- *

1033 D ava taninm asa osar! tani'nar.

If the camel isn 't recognized its reins w ill be.
* X- *

1034 D ava var bir axcha dava v ar m in axcha.

Some camels are w o rth one silver coin and som e are w o rth one
th ousand silver coins.
a- * *

1035 D ava xixlam'fyinja yiiklam ay olm az.

Unless a camel kneels one can 't load it.
X- * X-

1036 D avadan boytih fil var.

A n elephant is bigger than a camel.
X- * X-

1037 D avani gonax chaghirdilar. Dedi, "Ya o d u n dashitdirajaxlar ya su."

The camel w as invited to a party. It said, "Either they need m e to carry
w ood or w ater."
X- X- X-

1038 D avani hara chaghi'rallar? Ya m eshiya o d u n a ya G ilana diiyiiya.

W here do people call the cam el to? Either to a w o odland for [to carry]
w ood or to Gilan for [to carry] rice.

197
 * * *

1039 D avani yarghannan u ch u ran bir chim dih o td u r.

It is [for] a clum p of bushes that a camel falls off the cliff.
* * *

1040 D avani yel aparsa, kechini goyda apapar.

If the w ind carries aw ay a camel, it will carry the goat into the sky.
* * *

1041 D avanin dizin baghla sora A llaha ism arla.

First tie the knees of the camel, then en tru st it to God.
***
1042 D avanin ganadi olsayd'f giinda yiiz ev y'fxard'i.
If a camel had w ings it w ou ld have ru in ed a h u n d re d houses every
day.
* * *

1043 D avanin golii gangal istarsa b o ynun u zad ar yeyar.

If the camel w ants brush [to eat] it stretches its neck.
* * *

1044 D avasini satan kiishshah alam m az.

He w ho sells his camel can 't b u y a baby camel.
* * *

1045 D aviya dedilar, "Boynun ayridi." Dedi, "H aram diizdiki!?"

They told the camel, "Your neck is crooked." It replied, "W hich p a rt of
m y body isn't!?"
***
1046 Daviya dedilar, "Enish yaxshidi ya yokkush?" Dedi, "L anat h ar
ikisina."
They asked the camel, "Is uphill better or dow nhill?" It answ ered,
"C urses be upon both of them ."
* * *

1047 D aviya dedilar, "Ishin nadir?" Dedi, "Baxiyachilih." D edilar, "G oriim ir
d o d ax larin n an ."
They asked the camel: "W hat is y o u r profession?" It answ ered,
"M ending." They said, "W e can tell th at from y o u r lips."
* X- *

1048 Dedi dedi ev yixar.

A house gets ruined by too m any argum ents.
* * *

1049 Dedi, "G udi gardashi gardash d an ayi'rar."

It is said that the m other-in-law causes separation betw een brothers.
* * *

1050 D edilar, "A zrayil ushax paylir." Dedi, "O ziinunki oziiniin m anim kini
alim n an alm asin."
They said, "The angel of death is han d in g ou t children." She said, "Let
him keep his ow n children and leave m y children alone."
* * *

198
1051 D edilar, "M alla ip ver gedah o d u n gatirah." Dedi, "U stiina yarm a
sarm isham ." D edilar, "Ip ustiina yarm a sarm azlar." Dedi, " Bahanadir
basdir."
They told the m ollah, "L end us y o u r rope, w e need to fetch w ood." He
answ ered, "I spread bu lg ar on it to dry." They answ ered, "N obody
spreads bulgar on a rope." H e answ ered, "It is an excuse and it should
suffice."
* * X-

1052 D edilar, "M alla tum aniv'fn bagh'ini yi'ghishdi'r." Dedi, "H an i m allada o
hosala."
They said, "M ollah pull u p your pants!" H e answ ered, "I am in no
m ood for that."
* X- *

1053 D em a soziin ela diisharsan dila!

D on't tell y our secret to others, you w ill becom e a subject of gossip!
* X- X-

1054 D em in bir A llahi v ar s u lu n u n iki.

[The m eaning isn 't clear.]
* * *

1055 D eshihli m injix yerda galm az.

A pierced bead d o esn 't stay on the ground.
X* X- *

1056 Dibi goriinm iyan b a rd a x d an su ichma!

D on't drink w ater from a glass if you can 't see its bottom!
* * *

1057 Dibi goriinm iyan Sudan gechma!

D o n 't cross a river if you can 't see its bottom!
* * *

1058 Dibsiz kisa bosh am bar.

A bottom less bag and an em pty storehouse.
X- *

1059 D irini oldiirm ay olar, oliini d iritm ay olmaz.

O ne can kill a living p erson b u t one can 't m ake a dead p erson come
alive.
X- X- X-

1060 Dil achani giTinj achm az.

That w hich can be solved by a tongue can't be solved by a sw ord.
X- X- X-

1061 Dil adam i oliim a v erar ham ad am i oliim nan gutarar.

The tongue [language] can cause a m an to die and it can also save him
from death.
X- X- X-

1062 Dil d o g h ru su n diyar.

The tongue tells the truth.
X- X- X-

1063 Dil ki var attandir, h ar tarafa d o lan d irsan olar.

199
 The tongue is m ade out of flesh; one can m ove it w herever one likes.
***
1064 Dil ki var na gox tani'r na gadagha.
[The m eaning isn 't clear.]
* **
1065 Dil var bal gatirar dil var bala.
Some tongues [speeches] gain honey and som e gain [bring] troubles.
* * A

1066 Dil yarasi saghalm az.

A w ound [insult] caused by a tongue [tongue-lash] w o n 't heal.
* **
1067 D ilanchi d ard a galm az.
A beggar is never in a tight [bad] situation.
* A *

1068 Dilanchi kiisar pay in i kasar.

A beggar w ho refuses to accept som ething cuts [looses] his share.
A A- *

1069 D ilanchinin torbasi dolm az.

The bag of a beggar never gets full.
A A A

1070 D ilanchiynan y alanchinin soziina inanm a!

D on't believe the w ords of a beggar and a liar!
A A A

1071 D ildan chixan aldan galsa h ar kas p a d sh a h olar.

That w hich is said by the tongue, if the h an d can carry it ou t everyone
becom es a king.
* A A

1072 D ildan galan aldan galm az.

That w hich can be achieved by the tongue can 't be achieved by the
hand.
A A A

1073 Dili balasidir biilbiilun gafas.

The nightingale is in a cage because of the trouble of its tongue.
A A *

1074 Dili olanin dilchayida olar.

H e w ho has a tongue he w ill have sm all tongue too.
A A A

1075 Dilila d u y iin n a n a n dishila achilm az.

That w hich has been tied [entangled] by the tongue can 't be u n d o n e by
the tooth.
A A A

1076 Dilin gissasi dos[t] artirar u zu n i diishm an.

A short [controlled] tongue [mouth] increases friends and a long tongue
increases enem ies.
AAA

1077 D ilinan olan z o ru n a n olm az.

200
 That w hich can be achieved by the tongue can 't be achieved by force.
***
1078 Dilini saxla d an an i yoxla.
W atch your m outh, taste the w eaned calf.
* **
1079 Dilini saxl'iyanin bashi salam at olar.
A person w ho controls his tongue w ill have a healthy [untroubled]
head.
***
1080 D ilsizin ohd asin n an im ansiz galar.
O nly a w icked person can stan d u p against a dum b [incooperative]
person.

1081 Dini dinara satm ag olm az.

One sh o u ld n 't sell ones religion [belief] for m oney.
***
1082 D inm iyanin bir d in an i var.
H e w ho d o esn 't listen [obey] has a person w ho listens [obeys].
***
1083 D irilm az n axoshun olm asi yaxshidi.
If a sick person d o e sn 't recover it is b etter for him to die.
***
1084 Diriya dirilih garah.
A living p erson needs living m aterials.
***
1085 Dish chiri garin doyurm az.
Food crum bs [hidden] betw een the teeth w o n 't m ake a stom ach full.
***
1086 Dish olm adan dodax varidir.
Lips w ere created before teeth.
***
1087 Dishi dtishm iish boz okiiz g o chulup chongalara.
The grey ox th at has lost its teeth has joined [walks am ong] the calves.
* **
1088 Dishi it g u yrughim sallanm i'yinja arkay it o n u n dalinja diishm az.
If the she-dog w o u ld n 't w ag h er tail, the he-dog w o u ld n 't chase her.
* **
1089 D ishin aghridi chah g u rta r g u n sh u n p isd ir koch gurtar!
If your tooth h u rts have it pu lled ou t and if y o u r neighbor is bad m ove
out!
* **
1090 D ishin aghridiTf yera dil soxanar.
The tongue enters the spot th at a tooth aches.
* X-*
1091 Dishsiz agh'iz dashsiz dayirm andir.
A m outh w ith o u t teeth is like a m ill w ith o u t the m illstone.

201
 X- * X-

1092 D ivan hagga da aghnar nahagga da.

The court cries [feels sorry] both on the guilty and the innocent people.
* X- X-

1093 D ivandaki evdakinin arvadin ara verar.

Those w ho w ork in the court can m arry off the wife of a m an to
another m an. [Qods 134: The law is a tool in the h an d of the executive
and judicial people and they use it for their personal gain.]
X- X- X-

1094 D iyan aghilsiz olsa eshidan aghilli garah.

If a person w ho is stupid says som ething he w ho listens needs to be
wise.
X- X- X-

1095 D irnax ki var attandi.

A fingernail exists because of the flesh.
X- X- X-

1096 D oghm a y u rt shirin olar.

H om eland is sweet.
X- X- X-

1097 Dogguz abdal bir gashixla gechinir.

N ine hum ble m en can live w ith one spoon.
X- X- X-

1098 D oghdughun yera baxm a, do y d u g h u n yera bax.

D on't look [long for] the place y ou w ere born [hom eland], look at w here
you get full.

1099 D oghru danishanin bashi daz olar.

The head of a person w ho tells the tru th becom es bald [for people beat
him ].
X- X- X-

1100 D oghru h am ini d o g h ru bilar, oghri ham ini oghru.

A n honest person considers everyone to be honest, a dishonest person
thinks everyone is dishonest.
X- X- X-

1101 D oghru soz dam iri dalar.

T ruth can p en en trate th ro u g h iron.
X- X- X-

1102 D oghru soza jan gurban.

People w ould give their lives for a truthful w o rd [truth].
X- X- X-

1103 D oghru y o ru lar am m a yi'xilmaz.

T ruth gets tired b u t it w o n 't fall dow n.
X- X- X-

1104 D oghruya zaval y oxdur chahsalar h ar divana.

T ruth never disappears [loses] before any tribunal.
X- X- X-

202
1105 D oghulm am ish ushagha ad goym azlar.
N o one nam es a child before he is born.
* **
1106 D olm ani xati'n yeyar y u m ru g h i yetim .
The lady eats the dolm a an d the o rp h an eats [gets] blows.
***
1107 D olu bardax su gotiirm az.
A full pitcher d o esn 't accept m ore w ater.
***
1108 D olu chanaghi bosh chanagha vurm ax olmaz.
A full jar sh o u ld n 't be knocked against an em pty jar.
* **
1109 D olu k iip d an sas chixmaz.
A full jug d o e sn 't m ake noise.
***
1110 D olu su ald an kim sa goxm az.
N obody gets afraid of a full [decent] question.
* **
1111 D olu ttifahdan bir nafar gorxar, bo sh u n n an iki nafar.
W hen a gun is full one p erso n is scared and w h en it is em pty tw o
people.
* X- *

1112 D oluya diishan yaghishdan goxmaz.

H e w ho is caught in hail d o esn 't fear rain.
* X- X-

1113 D onguz dalisi iista yatm iyinja goyi gorm az.

U nless the pig lies on its back it can't see the sky.
* * X-

1114 D onguz darisinnan chust olm az gari diishm an d o st olm az.

You c an 't m ake a slipper o u t of the skin of a pig and you can 't m ake a
friend out of an old enem y.
* X-*
1115 D onguzdan donguz d oghar goyunnan goyun.
A pig begets a piglet and a sheep begets a sheep.
** *
1116 D onguzu ita tutturallar.
They set the dog to catch the pig.
** *
1117 D o n guzun balasi xirildam aghi n an asin n an organar.
A piglet learns how to sn o rt from its m other.
***
1118 D onguzun goyliinnan dogguz top bez che char [kechar].
A pig dream s of [longs for] nine bolts of cloth.
* X-*
1119 D oshan na gadar iri olsa da bahasi iki gara p u ld u r.

203
 N o m atter how big a rabbit is, its price w o n 't be m ore th an tw o
farthings.
***
1120 D oshan yatd ig h i y erda ovlanir.
A rabbit is h u n ted [caught] at its den.
* **
1121 D oshanin chixishi g u z u n u n enishi.
The clim bing u p [going up] of a rabbit and the clim bing do w n of a lamb.
if * *

1122 Dos[t] basha baxar, diishm an ayagha.

A friend looks at the head of a friend and an enem y looks at a m an 's
feet. [Qods 52: A friend gets h ap p y by a friend's success and an enem y
gets h appy by p eople's failure.]
>f i f *

1123 Dos[t] bil gam li giinda alindan tutan'i.

H e w ho comes to your rescue in b ad [troubled] days is a genuine friend.
if if if

1124 Dos[t] dash! bark injidar.

The stone of a friend h u rts a lot.
if if if

1125 Dos[t] d ostun eybini iiziina diyar.

A good friend tells the fault of his friend in his face.
i f i f if

1126 Dos[t] m ani xatirlasin bir dan a p u ch helinan.

A friend w ho calls on m e is a real friend even if he brings m e [only]
one grain of cardam on.
if if if

1127 Dos[t] m ani yad eylasin bir yashil yarpaghinan.

A friend w ho calls on m e is a real friend even if he brings me a yellow
leaf.
i f i f if

1128 Dos[t] saym a shanli giinda dost olani.

H e w ho show s kindness in a good tim e isn 't [necessarily] a true friend.
if if if

1129 Dos[t] sirrin dosta diyar.

A friend tells his secret to his friend.
if if if

1130 Dos[t] sozi xarm an tozi.

The w ord [scolding] of a friend is like the d u st of a harvest.
i f i f if

1131 Dos[t] uziin n an d iish m an go ziinnan ballanar.

You can tell [recognize] a friend from his face and an enem y from his
eye [look].
if if if

1132 D os[t]lux uch alm adir: gah ikisi san d a biri m anda, gah biri m anda ikisi
sanda.

204
 Friendship is three apples: som etim es you have tw o apples and I have
one and other tim es I have tw o apples you have one.
* **
1133 D ostun ila ich al-ver elama!
Socialize w ith a friend b u t d o n 't do business w ith him!
if if *

1134 Do[v]lat gushu basha bir dafa gonar.

The bird of luck sits on the head of a m an only once.
if-* *
1135 Do[v]latliya bali, yoxsula dali diyallar.
People say 'Yes, yes, sir' to a rich m an and they call a p o o r m an crazy.
i f i f ifr

1136 D 5[v]lattinin iti yatm az, kasibin siki.

The dog of a rich m an d o e sn 't sleep and the p h allu s of a poor m an
d o e sn 't sleep either.
if if if

1137 D oshayi harirli bala axirda g u ru yerda olar.

A child w hose bed w as m ade of silk [spoiled] will eventually die on a
dry floor.
if if if

1138 D oym a gapim i iiziih gash'iyla doyallar gapi'vi' balta bashi'yla!

D on't knock on m y door w ith the [precious] stone of y o u r ring, for
people w ill knock on y our door w ith the edge of an ax!
if if if

1139 D oyiilanin jibinnan gedar.

H e w ho is beaten up is a looser.
if if if

1140 D oyulm am ish diiyiidan ash olm az.

You can 't m ake a soup w ith o u t p o u n d in g the rice.
if if if

1141 D oytishda y um urux sayilm az.

N obody counts the blow s in a fight.
if if if

1142 D ul arvadin dillayi garaja yazin gtinnari.

The desires of a w idow are like the days of the black spring [first six
w eeks of spring; a short time].
if if if

1143 D ul arvadin d u v a ri alchax olar.

A w idow has a short wall.
i f i f if

1144 D ul arvat geja yarisi p eshm an olar.

A w idow regrets in the m idd le of the night.
if if if

1145 Dul arvat yam an olur tishagin atar gedar.

A w idow is w icked, she w o u ld abandon h er child and go [for a
husband].

205
 ***
1146 D ul arvat yetim saxlar naxi'rchiya m in n at goyar.
The w idow keeps an orphanage and reproaches the herder.
***
1147 D um an alchaxdan galxar ujani gozlar.
The m ist ascends and w atches over the heights.
***
1148 D um anli daghin yaghm'fri olur.
A m isty m ountain has rain.
***
1149 Dumanli' daghlar yaghishsiz olm az.
M isty m ountains a re n 't w ith o u t rains.
***
1150 Duz chorah bilm iyan adam itd an pisdir.
H e w ho d o esn't recognize the bread and cheese [services] of other
people is less than a dog.
***
1151 D uzi yiyip duzgabini sindirm a!
D on't break a saltshaker after you have us^d the salt! [D on't bite the
hand that feeds you!]
***
1152 D uzsuz shorbanin d a d i olm az.
A soup w ithout the salt w o n 't taste good.
***
1153 D uvar yixilanda toz galxar.
W hen a w all comes d o w n there w ill be dust.
***
1154 D uvari alchax olanin d u v a rin n a n baxarlar.
People look inside the house of a p erson w ho has low walls.
***
1155 D uvarin bir iiziin yixsan b ir iiziin saxla.
If you dem olish one side of the w all y o u 'd b etter keep on the other side.
***
1156 D uvarin dalisi gurbatdi.
Behind the w all is a foreign land.
***
1157 D uvarin gulaghi var.
The w all has ears.
***
1158 D iinan bir b u gun iki.
Yesterday w as one, today is two.
***
1159 D iishiina diishiina gorsa ishi so rad an p esh m an olm az kishi.
A m an w ho thinks before he does som ething w o n 't rep en t it.
***
1160 Diiz aghaji ojagha goym azlar.

206
 No one w ould p u t a straight [good] piece of w ood in a furnace.
***
1161 Dtiz ayrini kasar.
The straight [truth] cuts [overcomes] the crooked [false] thing.
* X- *

1162 Dtiz chorah d u z chorah.

Legally earned bread is a salty [tasty] bread.
* X- *

1163 Dtiz d ad an barm ax yalar.

H e w ho has tasted legality [truth] w ill lick his fingers.
***
1164 Dtiz soyliyanin bir ayaghi iizangida galar.
O ne foot of a m an w ho tells the tru th come [is] in a stirrup.
XXX-

1165 Dtiz soz aji olar.

T ruth is bitter.
XXX

1166 Diiz soz danishani dogguz kattan govallar.

H e w ho tells the tru th w ill be chased ou t of nine villages.
X- X- X

1167 Dtiz soz d an ishanin b ashini kasallar.

People chop off the head of a person w ho tells the truth.
X- X- X-

1168 Diiz sozdan ziyan galm az.

N o h arm comes from telling the truth.
X- X- X-

1169 Diiz tani'nm ayinja ayri taninm az.

It is the honest m an w ho exposes a crook.
X- X- X-

1170 D tizanlikda tapa oziin dagh sanar.

O n flat g ro u n d a m ound considers itself a m ountain.
X- X- X-

1171 D iizgtin yarax bir gtin garak.

[The m eaning isn 't clear.]
X* X- X-

1172 D tizliih bir sikkadir har yerda isha galar.

H onesty is a [gold] coin th at p asses everyw here.
X- X- X-

1173 D tizliihdan p a n ir chorah olar.

H onesty leads to bread and cheese.
X- X- X-

1174 D ayanah dalinin stiptirga galinin.

A m ace belongs to a crazy m an and a broom to a bride. [Qods 101: In
assigning jobs to people one should keep in m ind people's abilities.]
X- X- X-

1175 D ayirm an dashinin bir dontisi al dayirm anin on b ir doniisi.

207
 O ne tu rn of a m illstone equals eleven tu rn s of a hand mill.
***
1176 D ayirm an danin dartajax chi'rix chirighi bash aghiradajax.
The mill separates [cleans] its seeds and its squealing noise w ill cause a
headache.
* **
1177 D ayirm an iki dashli m uhabb at iki bashli.
The mill has tw o m illstones [for grinding] and love has tw o heads
[people].
* **
1178 D ayirm an nobatinandi.
The mill takes turns. [R edhouse 90: If several people w an t the sam e
thing they have to take turns.]
* **
1179 D ayirm anchidan kiisan chuvalin bosh aparar.
H e w ho is at odds w ith a m iller will carry aw ay his bag em pty.
* **
1180 D ayirm an! su d o n d a ra r insani dil.
The w ater tu rn s [runs] the mill and the tongue runs the m an.
* **
1181 D ayirm ani'n dan in yetirm asan d ash dashi siirtar.
W hen the m ill runs o u t of seeds, the m illstones rub against one
another. [Qods 176: W hen people are h u n g ry and w ith o u t jobs they
cause trouble.]
***
1182 D ayirm ani'n yarashighi torbayinan chuvaldi.
A bag and a sack befit a mill. [Qods 101: A sm all house needs small
furniture.]
***
1183 D ayirm annan geyidannan sora ulax adam chox olar.
Once one returns from a m ill, there w ill be m any donkeys.
***
1184 D aym a m ana daym iyim sana.
D on't touch [bother] me, if you d o n 't w an t m e to touch you.
***
1185 D ort arvadin aghli bir gara toyux aghlija olmaz.
The brains [intelligence] of four w om en can 't m atch th at of a black
rooster.
* **
1186 D urux sikin im ani olm az.
A n erected [excited] phallus has no faith.
* **
1187 D unya bir yaghli guyrux yiyana eshg olsun yem iyana m innat.
The w orld is a fat tail; he w ho eats [benefits from] it praise be him and
he w ho d o e sn 't w ill be in debt [misses his chance].
***

208
1188 D unya bir y orgun ovdu h a r galan bir dam olar.
The w orld is a fatigued arrow ; w hoever arrives throw s the arrow once.
***
1189 D unya d edighin bir d ay irm an d i d o n ar insan dedighin bir chiraxdir
bir giin sonar.
As you said [know], the w orld is like a m ill that rotates and m an is like
a candle th at w ill go out one day.
***
1190 D unya dedighin bir yoxdi.
As you said [know], the w orld is nonexistent [will disappear].
***
1191 D unya hesh kim a galm ayip.
The w orld d o esn 't belong to anyone. [No one can ow n the w orld.]
***
1192 D unya m all diinyada galar.
M aterial w ealth w ill rem ain in the w orld.
***
1193 D iinyada adam a bir ad d i galan baghisi hech-puchdi inan.
Believe m e, w h at rem ains behind in the w orld is a good nam e
[reputation]; the rest is trifle.
***
1194 D iinyada aldanm ax dayirdi.
C heating is com m on [custom] in the w orld.
** *
1195 D iinyada bir pislix galar bir da yaxchilix.
O nly kindness and evil rem ain b ehind in the w orld [w hen a m an dies].
* **
1196 D iinyada iich shey gordiim : oldum , evlandim , oldiim .
I saw [w itnessed] three things in the w orld: I w as born, m arried and
died.
***
1197 D iinyaja gozallighin olunja zarraja baxtin olsun.
It is better to have a little luck than to have the w o rld 's beauty.
***
1198 Diinyan'i xosh istiyan har sheya xosh baxmali.
H e w ho w ants to enjoy the w orld needs to look at things positively.
X- * *

1199 D iinyanin chatin ishi gam m azi gandirm axdi.

The w o rld 's m ost difficult task is to m ake an ignorant m an understand.
***
1200 D iinyanin d a d i goz ashin d a d i d u z evin d a d i giz.
The eye is the pleasure of the w orld, salt is the pleasure of the food and
a girl [a w om an] is the pleasure of the house.
** *
1201 D iinyanin zahrin d ad m iy an sh ah d in d ad a bilm az.

209
 He w ho h a sn 't tasted the poison [pain] of the w orld can 't taste its nectar
either.
* **
1202 D iinyaya bel baghlam a.
D on't believe in the w orld. [No one stays in the w o rld for ever.]
* **
1203 D iishm an sani d ashinan san d iish m an i ashinan.
If the enem y treats you w ith a stone, you should treat him w ith food.
* **
1204 D iishm ani bas h a r fanninan b asirsan bas!
Beat [overcome] the enem y no m atter w h at trick y o u m ay use!
***
1205 D iishm ani giijli san zayif olar vaxtina.
C onsider your enem y strong [take him seroiusly], it is y o u r good luck if
he is weak.
* **
1206 D iishm ani oz ichinda ara.
Look for the enem y am ong yourselves.
* **
1207 D iishm anin tikasinnan d o stu n sillisi yaxchidi.
The slap of a friend [in the face] is b etter th an the m orsel [of food] of an
enem y.
* **
1208 D iishm anina guyu gazinja d o stu v a ev tih.
Instead of digging a well for y o u r enem y, build a house for y o u r friend.
***
1209 D iishm annan go[r]x valo garishga ola.
Be aw are of the enem y, even if he is an ant.
* * X-
1210 El aghiz'i chuval agh'fzi.
The m outh of a people is like the m o u th of a sack.
* A- *

1211 El aghzi'na baxan arvadin tez boshar.

He w ho listens to the gossip of people divorces his w ife quickly.
* * X-

1212 El aghzi'na baxan sel aghzi'na baxar.

He w ho pays attention to the m o u th [gossip] of people w ill look at the
m outh of a flood. [Gossip is destructive like a flood.]
* X- *

1213 El arifdi tez ganar.

People are w ise they will find o u t soon. [You can 't h id e the tru th from
the people.]
***
1214 El atan dash uzax gedar.
A stone that is cast by the people w ill travel very far. [Qods 77: H e w ho
is abandoned by society w ill have a h ard tim e com ing back.]

210
 * * X-

1215 El atani' H ag da atar.

H e w ho is abandoned by the people w ill also be abandoned by God.
* * X-

1216 El dalisini chola atm az.

People w o n 't throw o u t their crazy ones. [Qods 28: It is not a good idea
to abandon one's relatives because of their foolishness.]
X- * X-

1217 El dalisiz yol chalasiz olmaz.

N o society [com m unity] is w ith o u t a crazy m an, an d no road is w ithout
a ditch.
* X- X-

1218 El el ichin aghlam az bashina gara baghlam az.

People w o n 't cry [worry] for other people or w ear black on their heads.
* X- X-

1219 El ela sighar ev eva sigh'inmaz.

A tribe can co-exist w ith another tribe, b u t a house [family] can't fit in
another house. [Two tribes can live together in harm o n y b u t tw o
related families [relatives] can't.
X- X- X-

1220 El gazaniynan ash geynam az.

Food d o esn 't cook in another p erso n 's pot. [R edhouse 116: D o n 't count
on the help of others.]
X- X- X-

1221 El giiji sel giiji yel giiji.

The pow er of people is like the p o w er of a flood and the w ind.
X- X- X-

1222 El ichin aghliyan gozstiz galar.

H e w ho cries [worries] for other people, w ill be w ith o u t eyes. [Qods 56:
H e w ho w orries about other people too m uch w ill ignore his ow n
needs.]
X- X- X-

1223 El o g h lunnan oghul olm az oghul ojaxdan garah.

No one's son is a real son for an o th er m an, a son has to com e from the
fam ily line.
X- X- X-

1224 El oz dalisin yaxshi tanir.

People know their crazy individuals the best.
X- X - X-

1225 El sozi xarm an tozi.

The talk of people is like the d u st of the harvest. [Gossip travels far
away.]
X- X- X-

1226 El tu tan gu sh u n g u y ru g h u gissa olar.

A bird caught by people has a short tail.
X- X- X-

2 11
1227 El iirah v erar kiirah verm az.
People only encourage a person, b u t they w o n 't give him a shovel.
[People can give you advice only, the rest d ep en d s on you.]
X- * *

1228 El iiztina nam az gilanin arxasi Allahdi.

G od protects a person w ho prays [works] for the health [benefit] of
others.
X- * *

1229 El yighilsa zarbi karan sindirar.

If people gather [unite] their blow will break a log.
X- * X-

1230 El yum urugh'i yem iyan oz yum urughin'f d ay irm an dash'i bilir.
H e w ho h a sn 't tasted [received] a blow from an o th er m an considers his
ow n blow to be as hard as a m illstone. [Redhouse 116: A person w ho
h a sn 't yet h ad his com euppance im agines that he can alw ays call the
shots.]
* * X-

1231 Ela giilan oziina giilar.

H e w ho laughs at people, w ill laugh at himself.
* X- X-

1232 Ela giivam m a bela giivan.

D on't tru st strangers, tru st your ow n w aist [strength].
* X- X-

1233 Ela yerda o tu r ki dem asinnar d u r burdan. [This is the fo u rth hem istich
from a Bayati.] M an ashigham d u r b u rd an sadaf b u rd a n d o r b u rd a n
m ajlisda yerin tan i dem asin n ar d u r bu rd an .
I am a bard. M ove from here. Be a pearl or jewel. In a gathering one
should know his place. D on 't sit in a place th at you w ill be asked to
m ove from. [One should know his place and position in a crow d.]
* **
1234 Ela yerda yatm a ki iistiina su chixsi'n!
D on't sleep in a place w here the w ater w ill rise above you!
***
1235 Elchiya zaval yoxdi.
There is no danger to an envoy. [An envoy is free of guilt.]
X-* *
1236 Eldan galan m in il galar.
That w hich rem ains behind from people, rem ains for th o u san d s of
years.
X- X- X-

1237 Eli hiirkiit axsaghi'na bax.

Scare the people if you w ant to find ou t w ho is lam ed [weak].
X- X- X-

1238 Elini itiran haram zadad'i.

H e w ho loses [sells out/disresp ects] his ow n people is a bastard.
X- X- X-

212
1239 Ellar kochar daghlar galar.
People m ove on, b u t the m o u n tain s rem ain.
***
1240 Elm p u lu n a n ala galm az chalishm aghinan ala galar.
K now ledge [wisdom] isn 't acquired by money; it is acquired by hard
w ork.
***
1241 E rm ani diyar m usalm an dan ish an d a u ta n a r sav ash an d a utam m az.
A rm enians say that M uslim s are shy w hen they talk, b u t n o t w hen
they fight.
* if *

1242 E rm ani diyar m u salm an in son aghli m anim ola.

A n A rm enian says I w ish to have the final th o u g h t [decision] of a
M uslim . [M uslim s act by passion rath er than thinking through.]
if * *

1243 E rm ani yaxchi diyib, "P ul dem a p u g h de!"

A n A rm enian said it well: "D on't say 'm o n e y / say 'penny!'"
i f i f >f

1244 E rm anidan shahid istadilar getdi iiziim ayaxliyani gatirdi.

The A rm enian w as asked to present a w itness, he b ro u g h t a person
w ho presses grapes [wine m aker].
i f i f if

1245 E rm aninin tam bali keshish m u salm an in tam bali d arv ish olar.
The laziest of A rm enians becom es a p riest and the laziest of M uslim s
becom es a dervish.
if if if

1246 Eshg basha baladi.

Love is trouble for the head [man].
if i f if

1247 Eshg olm iyan yerda oliim yeli asar.

W here there is no love [devotion], the w in d of d eath blow s there.
if i f if

1248 Eshgin alosi gorum m az issisi jan yandirar.

The flam e of love isn 't visible, b u t its w arm th b u rn s the soul.
if i f if

1249 E shihda m inin olsun evinda biri olsun.

H aving one in the hom e is b etter than having a th o u san d outside of
the hom e.
if if if

1250 Eshshah ishlar at yiyar.

A donkey w orks and a horse eats. [Those w ho are capable enjoy the
w ork of those w ho are less capable.]
if if if

1251 Eshshah kiila bulbul giila ashigdi.

A donkey is fond of ashes and a nightingale is fond of roses.
if if if

213
1252 E shshah palan'iynan satilar.
A donkey is sold w ith its saddlepack.
* X- *

1253 E shshah palchigha batd ig h i y erdan birda gechmaz.

A donkey th at gets stuck in a m u d d y place w ill never pass through it
again. [A m an should avoid m aking the sam e m istake twice.]
X- X- X-

1254 E shshah tazayin shisha bashina goysan azilar diishar ichina.

If you p u t the droppings of a donkey on top of a bottle it presses and
drops in the bottle.
X- * *

1255 Eshshaya chaxir versan palan'in su[y]a baghishlar.

If you give w ine to a donkey, it w ill give aw ay his saddlepack to water.
X- * *

1256 Eshshaya dedilar, "M arifatini gorsat!" Yixildi kiila aghnad'i.

They said to the donkey, "Show your talent!" It fell in the ashes and
rolled on them .
* X- *

1257 Eshshaya m inm ax bir eyb eshshahdan diishm ax iki eyb.

M ounting a donkey is a disgrace and falling from it is worse.
* **
1258 Eshshaya palan i aghirlix salmaz.
The saddle-pack isn 't a b u rd e n to a donkey.
* *
1259 Eshshayi bir yera aparanda gu y ru g h u n hesaba goym azlar.
W hen a donkey is taken to a place, its tail isn 't considered.
***
1260 Eshshayi dam a chixardan dam n an yendirm aghin da basharar.
’ H e w ho p u ts a donkey u p on a roof, also know s how to get it dow n.
[Redhouse 121: O ne w ho does heavy w ork badly has to correct his ow n
m istakes.]
***
1261 Eshshayi tum arlayan ossurm aghina gatlansin garah.
H e w ho prods a donkey m ust also endure its farts.
X-* *
1262 Eshshayi ya oduna aparallar ya su[y]a.
A donkey is used either for carrying w ood or water.
* X- X*

1263 Eshshayi yiyasi dedighi yera baghla.

Tie a donkey to the spot th a t its ow ner told you to.
X- X- X-

1264 Eshshayi yoldan chixaran g u rd u n oynamagh'idi.

It's the w olf's trickery th a t distracts a donkey from continuing along its
road.
X- X- X-

1265 Eshshayi yiihladixja yeyin gedar.

214
 The m ore a donkey is loaded, the faster it goes. [Pressure m akes one
w ork harder.]
***
1266 Eshshayin g u y ru g h u shahara taraf ola bash'i kanda g u y ru g h u
bashinnan afzaldir.
If the tail of a donkey w ere in the direction of a city and its head in the
direction of the village, its tail w o u ld be superior.
* **
1267 Eshshayin g u y ru g h u n jam aat arasin d a kassan kim i diy ar u z u n d i kimi
diyar gissadi.
If you cut the tail of a donkey in a crow d, som e say the tail is short and
som e say it is long. [People have different opinions on the sam e issue.]
***
1268 Eshshayin havasi torpagha ag h n iy an d a galar.
A donkey finds h appiness w h en it rolls in ashes.
***
1269 Eshshayin jani injiyanda a td an yeyin gedar.
W hen a donkey is in p ain it w ill go faster than a horse.
* **
1270 Eshshayin yorulsa karvana g at atm yorulsa torba tax gatirin yorulsa
durm a sat!
If your donkey gets tired, join a caravan—if y o u r horse gets tired hang a
bag—and, if y o u r m ule quits on you, d o n 't w ait for it—sell it!
***
1271 E shshiddighina inam m a g o rd iiy iin a inan.
D on't believe in w h at you hear, believe in w h at y ou see. [Seeing is
believing.]
***
1272 Ev ayrani aji olar.
H om e-m ade sour m ilk is [tastes] bitter. [Soheili 82: T hat w hich isn 't
earned w ith h a rd w ork isn 't valu ed highly.]
* * a-

1273 Ev danasi ev dan asin n an gorxm az.

A calf raised in the house d o e sn 't fear another one.
***
1274 Ev d anasinnan okiiz olm az.
A calf that grazes in its im m ediate area [spoiled calf] d o e sn 't grow into
an ox.
***
1275 Ev oghrusina it hiirm az.
A dog d o esn 't bark at a thief w ho is from the sam e household. [Qods
170: C atching a house thief isn 't easy.]

1276 Ev oghrusi'ni tutm ax olm az.

O ne can't catch a house thief w h o is from the sam e household.
***

215
1277 Ev satan bir il dolatli olar ev alan b ir il kasib.
A house-seller w ill be rich for a year and a house-buyer w ill be poor for
a year.
X- * *

1278 Ev sossiiz gor azabsiz olm az.

N o house is w ith o u t gossip and no grave is w ith o u t anguish.
X- X- X-

1279 Ev tikan balta cholda galar.

The ax that builds houses stays outside. [Qods 150: H e w ho takes care
of other people's needs w ill ignore his ow n needs and w ill suffer.]
X- X- X-

1280 Ev y'ixanin evi yix'flar.

He w ho destroys [causes the destruction of] other houses [families], will
have his ow n hom e ru in e d too.
X- X* *

1281 Ev yiyasi evin giblasini yaxchi tanir.

Every house ow ner know s the direction of Mecca the best. [Every
person know s his ow n w o rk the best.]
***
1282 Ev yiyasinin bir evi v ar kirayaneshiynin m in eybi.
The house ow ner has one house, the ren ter has thousands.
**
1283 Ev yiyasiz galanda donghuz tapaya chixar.
O n a house th at has no house ow ner, the sw ine [dirt] w ill climb u p on
top.
* **
1284 Ev zibilin kiichiya atm azlar.
People w o n 't throw the trash of their house on the street. [Abasguliev
95: It is an ill bird that fouls its ow n nest.]
* X- X-

1285 Evda ati olan daghda yorulm az.

H e w ho ow ns a horse at hom e w ill never get tired in the m ountains.
* X- *

1286 Evi olanin gonshusi da olar.

H e w ho keeps a house w ill also have a neighbor.
X- * *

1287 Evi yaxchi saxla gaffl gonaxdan!

Keep the house neat and clean for the guest is at the door!
X- X- X-

1288 Evin shadlighi ichinnan galan sasd an bilinar.

The happiness of a house is know n from the sounds com ing ou t of it.
X- X- X-

1289 Eybli eybini bilsa bashina palaz ortar.

If a faulty person w ere aw are of his flaws, he w ould hide u n d er a
carpet.
X- X- X-

216
1290 Eybsiz yar axtaran yalghi'z galar.
H e w ho looks for a perfect com panion [sw eetheart] w ill be alone
forever.
* **
1291 F orghun siiranindi.
The w heelbarrow belongs to he w ho m oves [operates] it.

1292 Gab m al yiyasina geydar.

[The m eaning is not clear.]
* * X

1293 Gab sirkiya goradi.

The container is m ade for vinegar.
* * X

1294 Gab'il shagird u stad olar u stad d an .

A capable apprentice becom es a [good] m aster from a [good] m aster.
***
1295 G achan balix boyiih olar.
It is the big fish th at escapes.
* ** t

1296 G achan da Allah! chaghirir govan da.

Both the escapee and the assailant call u p o n G od [for help].
* **
1297 G achan! govalam azlar yixi'lan! virm azlar.
O ne sh o u ld n 't chase a ru n n e r [an escapee], n or should one h it a person
w ho has fallen [weak person].
* +*
1298 G achanin anas! aghlam az.
A person w ho [m anages to] escapes his m other w o n 't cry [be upset].

1299 Galayl! gab yam m az.

A tin pot doesn't b u rn [become black].
X Jf *

1300 Gan! ganinan yum azlar g an i su [y]unan yiighallar.

One sh o u ld n 't w ash blood w ith blood. Blood should be w ash ed w ith
w ater.
XXX
1301 Ganix bilir chakan na chakir.
[The m eaning is not clear.]
XXX

1302 G apaghan it dish gostarm az.

A dog that bites d o esn 't show its teeth.
XXX

1303 Gap! bizovu okiiz olm az.

A calf that grazes in his im m ediate area [spoiled calf] can 't grow into a
cow.
* **

217
1304 Gapi' lolas'i iista firranar.
The door sw ings on its hinge.
* X- X-

1305 G apisi olm iyana gap'iji na garah.

H e w ho d o esn 't have a door, w o n 't need a doorm an.
X- X- X-

1306 G ar na gadar chox yaghsa yaza galmaz.

N o m atter how m uch it snow s, it w o n 't last till spring.
X- X- X-

1307 G ara baxanin gozi gam ashar.

The eyes of he w ho stares at snow get bedazzled.
X- X- X-

1308 G arga balasina baxar diyar, "A gh baldirlarina anan gurban."

The crow looks at its child and says, "W hat p retty legs y ou have, m y
child." [R edhouse 208: O ne is blind w h en it comes to one's ow n
children.]
X- X- X-

1309 G arga garganin goziini oym az.

A crow never picks out the eye of another crow.
X- X- X-

1310 G arga garin doyurm az.

A crow d o e sn 't fill a stom ach.
X- X- X-

1311 G arga galdi gaz yerishi yeriya v'irdi' oz yerishin yad in n an chixartd'i.
The crow so w anted to im m itate a goose w alk that it forgot its ow n
kind of w alking. [Redhouse 208: A boor w ho tries to act refined ends
up a laughingstock.]
X- X- X-

1312 G arga oziini gush bilar ovm ach oziini ash.

A crow considers itself to be a bird and an ovm ach [thick soup]
considers itself a dish.
X- X- X-

1313 G arganin m inina bir dash.

O ne stone is enough for thou san d s of crows.
X- X- X-

1314 G argaynan yoldash olanin dim diyi poxda garah.

H e w ho has a crow for a com panion finds its beak in shit [dung].
X- X- X-

1315 G argishdan chakinm iyan bala chakar.

H e w ho d o e sn 't keep aw ay from cursing w ill encounter m isery.
X- X- X-

1316 G ari diishm an d ost olm az.

A n old enem y d o esn 't becom e a friend.
X- X- X-

1317 G ari giz galin olar orayi sarin olar.

W hen an old [unm arried] w om an gets m arried, she becom es calm.

218
 ***
1318 G ari goja ipah ariya girani kopah.
H usband and wife are like a silk rope; he w ho intervenes is a dog.
[W hen husband and w ife are at o d d s no one should intervene in their
affairs.]
***
1319 G ari g u d u ran d a gizini aparar.
W hen an old w om an [m other-in-law ] gets m ad she takes aw ay her
daughter.
***
1320 G arin boghazdan ashagidir.
The stom ach is low er th an the throat.
* **
1321 G arin doyannan sora yetim lar yada diishar.
A fter the stom ach gets its fill, one rem em bers the orphans.
* **
1322 G arin doyuran ashi goz tanir.
The eye know s w hich food can fill u p the stom ach.
***
1323 G arin gard ash d an iralidi.
The stom ach comes before the brother.
***
1324 G aringuli yem ahda gochax olur kom ahda gachax.
A gluttonous person acts like a hero at the tim e of eating and like a
fugitive at the tim e of w orking.
* **
1325 G arim n sachi agh olar galbi gara.
The hair of an old w om an is w hite, b u t h er h eart is d ark [bad]. [Qods
107: The w hite hair or friendliness of an old w om an d o e sn 't m ean that
she can't be m ean at heart.]
***
1326 Garinja oz gadrin bilar.
The gluttonous person only cares for himself.
** *
1327 G arishga bir il yighdighini baggal bir dafa taraziya goyar.
The grocer can p u t the annu al provisions of an ant on the scale.
** *
1328 G arishganin gatirdighini kim sa gottirm az.
N obody w ould steal [touch] th at w hich has been b ro u g h t [gathered] by
an ant.
* **
1329 G arishganin oliimii yetan d a g an at gatirar.
W hen an ant is about to die it w ill sp ro u t w ings. [R edhouse 208:
W hen a person overreaches him self he is h eaded for disaster.]
***
1330 G arnin doym adighin y erd a ajlighini bildirm a!

219
 In a place [house] that y o u r stom ach d o esn 't get full d o n 't let anyone
know about it!
X- * X-

1331 G arpiz tagh iista boyiir.

W aterm elons grow on the bush.
X- X- X-

1332 G ashm ax da ho n ard i goghm ax da.

Escaping is an art as m uch as chasing is.
X- * *

1333 G ashim agha dirnax istar.

Scratching requires nails. [Qods 137: To solve a problem one has to
have the m eans.]
X- X- X-

1334 G atighina giym iyan chorayin yavan yiyar.

H e w ho d o e sn 't share his yogurt, w ill eat his bread plain.
X- X- X-

1335 G atir h iirk u tan in shilagha tab! garah.

H e w ho scares a m ule has to en d u re his kicks too.
X- X- X-

1336 G atir na bilir xatir!?

A m ule w o u ld n 't know any th in g about respect!?
X- X- X-

1337 G atira dedilar, "D adan kim di?" Dedi, "Xalam m adiyan."
They asked the m ule, "W ho is your father?" It answ ered, "The m are is
m y aunt." [Redhouse 212: A person w ho feels inferior dw ells only on
his best qualities.]
X- X- X-

1338 G atm nan dallala xabar yoxdi.

There is no new s for the m ule and the dealer.
X- X- X-

1339 Gati'x daghilsa yeri galar ayran daghi'lsa nayi galar!?

If y ogurt spills, it leaves a m ark behind, if sour m ilk spills w h at w ill
rem ain of it!?
X- X- X-

1340 G aynana pambi'x olsa bele, yerinnan galxsa galinin bashi'n yarar.
Even if the m other-in-law is a cotton ball [gentle as cotton], if she gets
up [angry] she can sm ash the head of the bride.
X- X- X-

1341 Gaz su su zlu g h i sondiirm az.

A goose d o e sn 't quench the thirst.
X- X- X-

1342 G azan d ash an d a chom cha tapilm az.

W hen the cauldron boils, the ladle isn 't available.
X- X- X-

1343 G azan dalih tas dalih oda getdi iistalih.

[The m eaning is not clear.]

220
 * * X-

1344 G azan dedi', "D ibim gizi'ldi." C hom cha dedi, "Indi gazip galm isham ."
The cauldron said, "M y bottom is burning." The ladle said, "I just
cam e from p ro m en ad in g ."
* X- *

1345 G azan gaynar d ashar dibina.

W hen a cauldron boils, it spills over its base.
X- X- X-

1346 G azan gaynar m eym un oynar.

The cauldron boils and the m onkey dances. [Redhouse 215: People
w o n 't w ork w ithout p ro p e r pay.]

1347 G azan ishlar yiyar yaxasini dishlar yiyar.

[The m eaning is not clear.]
* * X-

1348 G azanirsan dos[t] gazan diishm an ojax bashm dadi.

Try to find friends for the enem y is on top of the house.
* X- *

1349 Gaziya tah gedan razi galar.

H e w ho goes to a judge alone w ill retu rn satisfied.
x- x- *

1350 G abul olm iyan duaya am in deyilm az.

N o one says am en to a pray er that h a sn 't been answ ered.
* *X
-
1351 G adar galm asa gadr tanilm az.
N o m atter how valuable a person is, if luck isn 't on his side no one
appreciates his value.
X- * *

1352 G ahba yorgan d o sh ah d an kiisar yalax sufradan!

A p rostitute hates bed and blanket and a gluttonous person hates the
table of food!
X- X- X-

1353 G ahbanin duasi gabul olsa goydan yera sih yaghar.

If the prayers [wishes] of a prostitute w ere answ ered phalluses w ould
p o u r dow n from the sky. [Redhouse 190: If scoundrels ran the w orld it
w ould be uninhabitable for the rest of us.]
X- x- X-

1354 G ahbanin g azandighi anikin an kirshana gedar.

A pro stitu te spends her incom e for m ake-up tools.
X- X- X-

1355 G ahbanin goyli olsa d u v a r chattaghinnan verar.

If a prostitute consents she will m ake love th ro u g h the crack of a wall.
[Qods 184: You can 't stop an indecent (loose) w om an from indulging
in her desires.]
X- X- X-

1356 G ahbanin iki koynayi olar birini ozi giyar birini ozgiya giydirar.

22 1
 A p ro stitu te has tw o shirts; she w ears one and m akes another person
w ear the second one. [M ujtehedi 218: A bad person thinks that others
are like him.]
* **
1357 Gal dem ax asan get dem ax m ushgildi.
Inviting people is easy, b u t asking them to leave is a difficult job.
* * *

1358 G alam chox m ard olur na desan yazar.

The pen is a hero; it w rites w h atev er you ask it to w rite.
** *
1359 G alam a u zan ar u zan ar goya chatm az.
A sapling grow s and grow s, b u t it can never reach the sky.
* * *

1360 G alam in uj'i gihchin giij'i.

The tip of a p en [is as pow erful as] the tip of a sw ord.

1361 G alan bilm az gedan gatirm az.

H e w ho com es d o e sn 't know and he w ho leaves d o esn 't bring it back.
[The new ly b orn d o sen 't know about the affairs of the w orld and the
dead d o n 't com e back to tell us about the other w orld.]
* **
1362 G alan gedana rah m at oxudar.
H e w ho arrives m akes people to p ray for the one w ho has left. [The
new com er [ruler] m akes the people realize how good they h ad it u n d er
the form er ruler.]
***
1363 G aldi goghulm az olan boghulm az.
O ne can neither kick out he w ho has arrived n o r strangle he w ho has
been born. [Qods 48: O ne cannot throw ou t a guest or kill a child.]
* * *

1364 G aldih jahana haggi tapax m alla goymad'i.

We w orked h ard to find the tru th [God] b u t the m ollah d id n 't let us.
* * a-

1365 G alin b ird a n asnar sasi dag h lari ashar.

W hen a daughter-in-law yaw ns the noise w ill travel over the
m o u n ta in s .
* * *

1366 G alin diy an d a gusm aghi'm galir gari d iy an d a gachm aghim galir.
W hen the daughter-in-law talks, I get n au seated and w hen the old
w om an talks I w a n t to ru n aw ay.
* * *

1367 G alin ojagha galar.

A bride com es to a house [home]. [Qods 42: A household can get along
only w ith a bride w ho goes along w ith the fam ily rules.]
X-*
1368 G alin oyniya bilm adi dedi, "O tagh ayridi."

222
 The bride couldn't dance; she said, "The room [floor] isn 't flat." [A
faulty person alw ays finds excuses to p ro v e him self innnocent.]
***
1369 G alinin dili yox gaynananin imani.
The bride has no tongue and the m other-in-law has no faith [shame].
* **
1370 G alinin d u z u bitar d alinin sozi bitm az.
A bride's salt [respect] w ill come to an end one day, b u t the blubberings
of a crazy m an never end.
* **
1371 G alm ax gonaghinan yola salm ax ev yiyasiynandi.
Com ing to a party is the reponsibility of a guest, b u t taking care of them
is the resp o n sib ility of the host. [Satisfaction of a guest d ep en d s on
how he is treated by his host.]
* * *

1372 G arnish h a rd a jam ish orda.

The bull is w here the reed-bed is.
* * *

1373 G aranlix yerda halva yiyanin sirrini X uda bilar.

G od know s about the secrecy of he w ho eats halva in a d ark place.
[Qods 178: H e w ho does som ething in secret has b ad intention.]
* * *

1374 G ara giiniin dostu az olar.

A m an d o esn 't have m any real friends in his d ark [hard] days.
* * *

1375 G ara itin balasi garalar boynuna yayilsa ala olar.

[The m eaning is not clear.]
* * *

1376 G ara kishm ishi jiba tokallar agh ayrani ita.

They pocket black raisins and give the w hite so u r m ilk to dogs.
* X- *

1377 G ara palaz yum aghinan agharm az.

A black carpet will never become w hite by w ashing.
* *

1378 G ara xabar tez yayilar.

Bad new s spreads fast.
* * *

1379 G arabaxt dagha chixdi daghlari d u m an aldi.

W hen the ill-starred m an w ent to the m o u n tain s, the w eath er becam e
cloudy. [Qods 161: A n unlucky m an sees the reverse of his actions.]
* * X-

1380 G arachi alah verib ela bilir dirah verib.

The m iser gave [lent] a sieve and he thinks th at he has given a pole.
**
1381 G arachi garachiya opiish verm az.
A m iser d o esn 't give a kiss to another miser.

223
 ***
1382 G arachiyla dost olan'in darvazasi gan garak.
H e w ho associates w ith a beggar m ust have a w ide gate.
* * *

1383 G aragul oziini oldiirar ki aghas'ina zarar vi'ra.

A slave w ould do everything to harm his m aster.
* * *

1384 G aragula shahlix versan avval oz n an asin in am jayin kasar.

If a slave becomes a king he w o u ld cut off his m o th er's breast first.
* * *

1385 G arahm azi saxla bir gun g arah olar.

Keep an object that appears unnecessary; you w ill use it one day.
* * *

1386 G aranin ustiina rah olm az.

There is no color over black.
***
1387 G araya sabin daliya ogiit neynasin!?
H ow can a soap be of use to a sw arthy m an and advice to a crazy man!?

1388 G ardash gardashin pis g u ntin i istar olum iini istam az.
A b rother m ight w ish to h a rm his brother, b u t he w o u ld never w an t to
see that his brother die. [A b ro th er's intention cannot be taken
seriously.]
* * *

1389 G ardash yaxchi olseydi A llah ozi ichin yaradardi.

If having a brother w ere a good idea, G od w ould have created one for
H im self.
* **
1390 G ardasha baxallar bajin'f alallar.
People check the reputation of a b rother before m arrying his sister.
* * X-

1391 G ard ash d an kichih olunja d o m u zd an boyiih ol.

Better to be older than a sw ine rather th an to be a younger brother.
* * *

1392 G ardashin gisasin g ard ash d an alm azlar.

N o one punishes one brother for the crim es of another brother.
* * *

1393 G ardashlar savashdi ablahlar inandi.

O nly fools w ould take the quarrels of brothers seriously.
* * X-
1394 G ardashlighim iz yerinda kechi biri alti Abbasl.
No one disputes our brotherh o o d , nevertheless each goat costs six
abbasi. [small coin]. [Business is business.]
* X- *

1395 G atiranda yel gatirar sel gatirar ap aran d a yel ap arar sel aparar.

224
 W hen it is tim e the w ind and the flood bring it and w h en it is tim e
they take it away.
* * *

1396 Gaza jannan irax dayir.

A ccidents are not far from m an. [Man is volatile.]
* * *

1397 G azajaghin m in yer olsa yatajaghin bir yer olsun.

If you visit thousands of places m ake sure that you have one place to
sleep. [No place is like a m an's hom eland.]
* * *

1398 G azan ayagha dash dayar.

A foot that w alks around bum ps into rocks. [Qods 141: O ne has to be
p repared to face h ardship in reaching ones goal.]
* * *

1399 G azan g urd aj galmaz.

A w olf that w alks around w o n 't go hungry.
* * *

1400 G azanin ayagh'i shishar otu ran in bashi.

H e w ho w alks will have sw ollen feet and he w ho sits w ill get a sw ollen
head. [Qods 141: If hard w ork causes physical tiredness idleness w ould
cause psychological im pairm ent.]
* * *

1401 G azayan bir yerda gala bilmaz.

A w an d erer c an 't rem ain in one spot.
* * *

1402 G azayan gizdan arvad olmaz.

A girl w ho w anders around d o esn 't m ake a good housew ife.
* * *

1403 G azayanin ya .bashina ya baldirina.

Either the head or the calf of a w anderer.
* * *

1404 G echan geshdi galan giiniin xeyri olsun.

W hat happened has h ap p en ed —m ay the com ing [new] day b rin g
blessings. [D on't cry over spilt milk.]
* sf a-

1405 G echan gu n om iirdan.

A day that passes by shortens life.
* X- *

1406 G echan giina g u n chatm az chalasan giiniiz kora.

[The m eaning is n o t clear.]
* * *

1407 G echana giizasht diyallar.

That [a day] w hich has passed is called passe.
* * *

1408 Gechi jan hayinda gassab pi axtarir.

225
 The goat fears for his life and the butcher thinks about its fat. [One
m an 's m isery is another m a n 's fortune.]
* * *

1409 G echinin ajali galanda, b o y n u z u n u chobanin dayanayina stirtar.

W hen the death of a goat is near, it rubs its horns against the club of
the shepherd.
* * *

1410 G echinin g o tu ri cheshm anin bash in an su ichar.

The m angiest goat drinks from the head [source] of the w ater.
[R edhouse 216: W orthless people deem them selves w orthy of the best.]
* * *

1411 G echinm aya koniil olm iyanin adin'f organm ayi neynir?
[The m eaning is not clear.] ?
* * *

1412 Gechiya chaxir ichdirsan dava neynam oxur.

If you force the goat to d rin k alcohol, the camel w ill sing 'alas.'
* * *

1413 G edan gedar otu ran yol gozlar.

H e w ho w ants to go, he leaves, and he w ho sits [stays], waits.
* * *

1414 G edar bahalix galar ujuzlux.

The expensive tim es [difficult times] go aw ay eventually and the good
times [prosperity] w ill come.
* * *

1415 G edaram diyani saxlam az olm az.

N o one can stop a person w ho is determ ined to leave. [Qods 42: N o
one can change the m ind of a w om an or a servant w ho threatens to
go-]
a- x- *

1416 "G edaram galanda sana geytan don gatirram ." Dedi, "Balka getdi
galm adi!?"
"I'll go and w hen I return, I'll bring you a cotton dress." She said,
"W hat h ap p en s if he goes and never returns!?"
sf * *
1417 G edargi gonaghin getm asi yaxchidi.
A guest w ho has decided to go should go.
** *
1418 G ediram dos[t] yanina ali bosh iizi gara.
I am visiting a friend and m y h ands are em pty and m y face is dark
[asham ed]. [I feel bad th a t I can't bring anything to m y friend as a gift.]
* * *

1419 Gej gej galsan chox xosh galdin tez tez galsan, "N iya ali bosh galdin!?"
W hen you m ake occasional visits people w elcom e you—b u t if you
m ake frequent visits, people say, "W hy did you come em pty handed!?"
* * *

1420 Gej goriinan chox soyiinar.

226
 H e w ho occasionally show s u p [visits] w ill be m ore happy.
* X- *

1421 Geja d am ir uzanar.

A piece of iron stretches at night. [M ujtehedi 247: It is dangerous to
clean or test a w eapon at night.]
X- X- X-

1422 Geja gedan gun chixanda soyiinar.

H e w ho travels at nights is h ap p y w hen the sun rises.
X- X- X-

1423 Geja sol yatan sahar sagh oyanar.

He w ho sleeps on his left side in the night w ill get u p healthy in the
m o rn in g .
X- X- X-

1424 Geja yalan d an ishanin sahar iizi garalar.

He w ho tells a lie in the evening w ill be asham ed in the m orning.
X- X- X-

1425 G ejanin ishi Sahara tapilm am ish olar.

D on't p ostpone the w ork of an evening until d aw n [morning].
X- X- X-

1426 G ejanin xeyrinnan g tiniizun sharri yaxshidi.

The evil [trouble] of the day is better [preferable] than the blessings of
the night.
X- X- X-

1427 G etdim gazdim h ar yam jan n at gordiim burani.

I have traveled everyw here, b u t found this place to be the [real]
paradise. [No place is like a m an 's ho m e/h o m elan d .]
X- X- X-

1428 G ina da om ri diishiinm a chixajaghim diishiin.

If you d o n 't take life seriously you w ill do so w h en the soul is departing
from your body.
X- X- X-

1429 G iym atdan diishm ax istam irsan ozgani g iym atdan salm iyasan garah!
If you w an t to be respected, then respect others!
X- X- X-

1430 G izlin kalagan ashkar doghar.

She w ho becom es p reg n an t secretly will beget [the baby] openly. [Qods
111: Som ething th at has been done in secret cannot be kept secret.]
X- X- X-

1431 Gi[r[x daviya bir eshshah!

Forty cam els equal one donkey!
X- X- X-

1432 Girx yashinda adam a chara olmaz.

There is no rem edy [hope] for a m an w ho is [passes] forty years of age.
X- X- X-

1433 G ish chixar iizii garalix kom iira galar.

227
 The w inter w ill go aw ay and the darkness [shame] w ill stay w ith the
coal. [One cannot hide his actual nature.]
* * *

1434 Gish du m an i gar gatirar yaz d u m a n i bar.

The w inter fog brings snow and the sum m er fog brings fruit.
* * *

1435 Gish gishlighini y erd a g o rsad ar goyda gorsatm az ki.

The w inter show s itself on the g ro u n d , no t in the sky. [Redhouse 225:
Everything acts in accordance w ith its ow n intrinsic nature.]
* * *

1436 G ishda bal kuzasina yer olm az.

There is no place for honey jar in w inter.
* * >f

1437 G ishdan sorushdilar, "H ard a gishladin?" D edi, "Y oxsullarin janinda."
They asked the w inter, "W here did y ou cam p?" It answ ered, "In the
souls [bodies] of the p oor people. [Qods 195: It is the p o o r m an w ho
cannot tolerate difficulties in life n o t the rich man.]
if * *

1438 Gishi'n gabaghi yazdi gara g iin u n om ri azdi.

W inter is followed by sum m er and the d ark [hard] days are short-lived.
if * if

1439 G ism at olsa galar yan'iva gism at olm asa chixar janinnan.
If your fate allow s, it com es to you otherw ise it w ill trouble your soul
[body].
if if if

1440 G ism atdan arti'x yem ax olm az.

You can't eat [bite] m ore than w h at has been p ro v id ed by destiny.
if if if

1441 G ism atdan bashga olm az.

N othing m ore can h a p p en th a n w h a t is in one's destiny.
if if if

1442 Giyam at o gun g u p ar biri yiya biri baxa.

U pheavals h a p p e n w h en one p erso n eats and an o th er one w atches.
[Revolutions occur because of the existence of inequality.]
if if if

1443 Giz alan alana kim in giz v eran olana kim in.
H e w ho m arries a girl has to p u t u p w ith all dem an d s until the actual
m arriage day, b u t he w ho m arries off his d au g th er has to keep a
straight face [suffers] until he dies.
if if if

1444 Giz alanin ya bir chuval gizili garak ya bir chuval yalani.
H e w ho w ants to m arry a girl m u st either have a bag of gold or a bag of
lies.
if if if

1445 Giz aparm agha galani y u x u tutm az.

228
 H e w ho is sent to ask for a the h an d of a girl can't fall asleep. [Laziness
and success contradict each other.]
* X- *

1446 Giz evi gaziya yarashm az.

A girl's house d o esn 't suit a judge. [?]
* * X-

1447 Giz gariyanda dayisinin boy n u n a diishar.

W hen a girl gets old [rem ains unm arried] h er m arriage becom es the
responsiblility of her m aternal uncle. [Qods 41: W hen a girl rem ains
unm arried her uncle m arries h er off to his ow n son.]
X- * *

1448 Giz gizanda tez sour vay o n d ad i d u l giza.

W hen a girl gets excited [about m arriage] she can get over the idea
quickly if she has to, b u t a w idow can 't do this easily.
X- X- X-

1449 Giz gobayinda dayam m az.

A girl w o n 't stay on her um bilical cord.
X- X- X-

1450 Giz yiikii d u z yiikii.

The load [burden] of a d augh ter is like a load of salt.
X- X- X-

1451 Gizi goziinan baxib alm a gulaghinan eshidib al.

D on't m arry a girl by y our eyes [for h er appearance], m arry h er by your
ears [check on her reputation].
X- X- X-

1452 Gizi oz bashina goysan ya halvachiya gedar ya zirnachiya.

If you let a girl m arry w hom ever she likes, she w ill either m arry a
confectioner or a m usician. [Qods 41: Since grirls consider singing and
dancing to be a sign of happiness if you let them choose their husbands
they m ight m ake a big m istake in their decisions.]
X- X- X-

1453 Gizi saldin beshiya jahazin chak eshiya.

Once you p u t a girl in a cradle then you need to get her trousseau ready.
X- X- X-

1454 G izidim giydirdilar abr-e vafa koynayini nishanladim giydirdilar zogh-

e safa koynayini galin old u m g iydirdilar jor-o jafa koynayini.
W hen I w as a girl they m ade m e w ear the dress of fidelity. W hen I w as
betrothed they m ade m e w ear the dress of joy. W hen I becam e a bride
they m ade m e w ear the dress of suffering.
X- X- X-

1455 G izidim sultanidim adaxlandim xan old u m ara getdim gabaxlarda gul
oldum birin d o g h d u m astan ad a chol oldum .
W hen I w as a girl, I w as a king. I becam e a khan w hen I becam e
engaged. W hen I got m arried I tu rn ed into a servant [slave]. W hen I
gave birth, I becam e a rag [footmat] on the threshold.
X- X- X-

229
1456 Gizil garanlixda parildar.
Gold shines in darkness. [A capable m an show s his skills everyw here.]
i f X- X-

1457 Gizi'l torpaxda paslam m az dash y ag h m u rd an islam m az.

Gold d o esn't ru st in the soil and a rock d o esn 't soak u p [water] in the
rain.
X- X- X-

1458 Gizil yera d ushm aghinan geym atdan diishm az.

Gold d o esn't lose its value by falling on the ground.
X* X- X-

1459 G izildan aghajim olsa ziim u rru d d an y arp ag h im axiri goziim i

d oyurdub bir oghush torpax.
If trees w ere m y gold and leaves m y em erald, in the end m y eyes w ill
be filled w ith a hand full of soil. [One sh o u ld n 't have hopes in the
world.]
X- X- X-

1460 G izildan balta kasdirsan gedar diishar kol dibina.

Even if you m ake an ax from gold it w ill fall on branches.
X- X- X-

1461 Gizili m ahak b ildirar insani amak.

Gold is tested by a touchstone and person by his w ork.
X* X* X-

1462 Gizili pas basm az.

Gold d o esn't rust.
X- X- X-

1463 G izilin azizlighi aghlighinnandi.

The value of gold is in its being w hite [shiny].
X- X- X-

1464 G izin doym ayan dizin(ozun) doyar.

H e w ho does not beat [punish] his daughter, w ill b eat his knees.
[Redhouse 227: Spare the rod spoil the child.]
X- X- X-

1465 Gizivi ita verm isan iti d a allatm isan.

If you m arry off your daughter to a dog you w ill cheat the dog. [Qods
41: Parents sh o u ld n 't give a suitor hard time.]
X- X- X-

1466 Goch igid dayisina chakar.

A strong young m an takes after his m aternal uncle.
X- X- X-

1467 G odux boyiisa eshshah olar eshshah boyiisa koshak olar.

A donkey foal grow s up and becomes a donkey and a donkey grow s up
and becom es a camel foal.
X- X- X-

1468 G ohum ajlsi gohun ajisi.

The bitterness of relatives is [like] the bitterness of m elon. [Qods 32:
H arm received from relatives is unexpected an d h a rd to sw allow .]

230
 * * *

1469 G ohum galm iya galm iya y ad olar yad gala gala gohum .
A relative w ho d o e sn 't visit for long tim e becom es a stranger and a
stranger w ho often drops by becom es a relative.
* * *

1470 G ohum gohum i sikar y ad oliisuniin gorun.

A relative fucks [sic] a relative and a stranger fucks [sic] the tom b of his
dead. [Qods 32: H arm com es from relatives no t from the strangers.]
* * *

1471 G ohum gohum in atin yesa d a siim uyuni chola atm az.
Even if a relative w ould eat the flesh of his ow n kin, he w o u ld n 't
throw aw ay his bones.
* * *

1472 G ohum um gara gazan iim id im u n chuvali.

My relative is a black cauldron, m y hope is a flour bag.
* * *

1473 G ohum un pisina da g u rb an yaxshisina da.

O ne should sacrifice ones life for ones relatives, good or bad.
* * *

1474 Gojaya gedan d u l arvad geja yarfsi peshim an olar.

A w idow w ho m arries an old m an w ill repent [her m arriage] in the
m iddle of the night.
* * *

1475 G oldan tutan az olar ayaxdan chakan chox.

There are few people w ho w o u ld hold u p one's arm [support one] bu t
m any w ho w ould pull one's legs [cause problem s].
* * *

1476 G olun sim ghi boyuna yiikdi.

A broken arm is a load [burden] for the neck. [Qods 52: It is the d u ty of
the older fam ily m em bers [influential ones] to help their relatives in
need.]
***
1477 G onagha iiz versan taxchalari gazar.
If you spoil a guest, he w ill look aro u n d the shelves [for food].
* * A-

1478 G onaghi xoruz olanin d a n galm az am barinda.

H e w ho has a rooster for a guest w o n 't have any seeds left in his
storage. [Qods 47: A guest w ho visits only for food w o n 't leave as long
as food is available.]
* * *

1479 G onaghin ru zu su oziinnan gabax galar.

The daily allowance [bread] of a guest comes [is provided] before the
guest. [God provides the daily bread of a guest ahead of time.]
* * *

1480 G onaghin ru z u su n u A llah yetirar.

God provides the daily allow ance of a guest.

231
 * * *

1481 G onaghin iizi giilsiin sahibxana gan aghlasin.

The guest has a happy face and the host is deeply distressed. [The host
tries hard to m ake the stay of the guest pleasant.]
* * *

1482 Gonax bir gu n olar.

A guest should stay only one day.
* * *

1483 Gonax b u il b u rd a d i galan il sarasar.

The guest spends a year here and the next year it h ap p en s all over
again.
* * *

1484 Gonax evda chox galsa arvad ushax aghaya aghi'l basar.
If a guest stays too long the w ife and the children w ill im pose their
ideas on the m aster of the house.
* * *

1485 Gonax ki var ev yiyasinin bulbiilidir h ar n a hava chalsa ona oynar.

A guest is a nightingale to the host, he has to dance to any tune th at the
host plays. [Qods 46: A guest has to sit w here the host tells him to sit.]
* * *

1486 Gonax ki var ev yiyasinin davasidi h ard a xixi'ltsa o rd a xixar.

A guest is like a camel to a host, he has to kneel d o w n w herever the
host m akes him kneel dow n.
* * *

1487 G onax u m d u g h u n yem adi.

The guest d id n 't eat [get] w h a t h e 'd hoped for.
* * *

1488 G onax tizlii olsa ev yiyasin ev d an goghar.

A ru d e guest w ould even th ro w o u t the o w n er of the house.
* * a-

1489 G onaxdan gachm ax olm az.

N o one can escape a guest.
* * *

1490 G onsh’i darisi iri olar.

The neighbor's m illet is larger. [The grass is alw ays greener on the
other side of the fence.]
X-* *
1491 G onshi gonshi olsa kor giz ara gedar.
If a neighbor w ere a real neighbor, even a blind girl w o u ld n 't rem ain
w ithout a husband. [Qods 53: G ood relatives or neighbors can be
helpful in a person's success.]
* **
1492 G onshi gonshiya baxar janini ota yaxar.
A neighbor sees his neighbor and throw s him self into fire. [M ujtehedi
226: Im m itation ruins people.]
* * X-

232
1493 G onshi gonshiya tan garah tan olm asa jan garah.
A real neighbor sacrifices his body [life] for his neighbor; if not his life,
he sacrifices his soul.
** *
1494 G onshi iti gonshiya hiirm az.
The neighbor's dog w o n 't bark at a neighbor.
** X
*
1495 G onshi m injighln gotiiran g o rd a taxar.
H e w ho steals the bead of his neighbor w o u ld w ear it in the grave.
* * *

1496 G onshi paxil olm asa bagh chapari neynir!?

W hy w o uld a garden need a fence if the neighbor w eren 't jealous!?
* **
1497 G onshi shad m an da shad.
If m y neighbor is h appy [satisfied], I w ill be h ap p y too.
***
1498 G onshinin pisi oti oziina hajatdi.
[The m eaning is not clear.]
* * *

1499 G onshinin to y u g h u gonshiya gaz goriinar.

The hen of the neighbor looks like a goose. [The grass is alw ays greener
on the other side of the fence.]
* * *

1500 G onshinin tim idina olan sham siz yatar oynasha iim id olan arsiz.
H e w ho relies u p o n his neighbor [for food] w ill go to bed w ithout
din n er an d she w ho believes in h er lover [m arriage prom ise] w ill
never get a husb an d [married].
***
1501 G onshivi iki inahli ista A llah sana b irin versin.
A sk G od to bestow tw o cows u p o n your neighbor, so H e w ould give
you one.
***
1502 Go[r]x gorxm azdan chakil utm m azdan.
Beware of a fearless person and stay aw ay from a sham eless man.
* * *

1503 Go[r]x o n nan ki gorxm az tanrisinnan!

Beware of a p erson w ho does no t fear his God!
***
1504 Go[r]x p ayizdan gabaghi gisha gedir goxma gishdan gabaghi yaza gedir!
Beware of a fall that turns into w inter [suddenly], d o n 't w orry about a
w in ter th a t changes into sum m er!
* * X-
1505 Gorxan adam bad gorar.
A cow ard w ill get hurt.
X-* *
1506 G orxan adam ozi oz m azarin gazar.

233
 A cow ard w ill dig his ow n grave.
* X- X-

1507 Gorxi' ajal gabaghini alm az.

Fear [caution] d o e sn 't stop the h o u r of death.
X- * *

1508 Gorxi daghlar ashirar.

Fear can tu rn over m ountains.
* X- *

1509 Gorxi olm iyan yerda nazm olm az.

W here there is no fear there w o n 't be any ord er [peace, security].
***
1510 Gorxli bash salam at olar.
A head [person] that is fearful [heeds] w ill stay healthy [untroubled].
X- X- X-

1511 G onshinin arvadi giz gbriinar.

The wife of a neighbor looks like a girl [unm arried w om an].
Jf s f s f

1512 G orunan goza chop diishar.

A n overprotected eye gets a splinter.
X- X- *

1513 G oym a xaldan xal olm az xal an ad an doghm a garah.

A n artificial m ole isn 't real; one has to be b o rn w ith a n atu ral mole.
X- X- X-

1514 G oyun girxilanda gechinin gozi yashalar.

W hen a sheep is shaved the eyes of the goat fill w ith tears [is
frightened].
X- X- X-

1515 G oyun guzu ayaghi basm az.

A sheep w o n 't step on a lam b's foot.
X- X- X-

1516 G oyun ichinda eshshah da gazar.

D onkeys w alk am ong the sheep too.
X- X- X-

1517 G oyun kababi baharda gechi kababi payizda.

Roast sheep tastes the best in the spring and roast goat in the fall.
X- X- X-

1518 G oyun olm iyan yerda gechiya A bdul Karim agha diyallar.
In the absence of a sheep, a goat is called A bdul K arim [m an's name].
X- X- X-

1519 G oyunu goyun ayaghinnan g u z u n u g u zu ayaghinnan.

A sheep [is hung] from its ow n leg and a lam b from its leg too. [Qods
109: People can be forced to give in or to be ru in ed w ith the help of
their ow n people.]
X- X- X-

1520 G oyunun ayaghi injalar g u z u n u n ayaghi dirchalar.

234
 The feet of a sheep becom e thinner b u t the feet of a lam b get stronger.
[Qods 195: The health of older people deteriorates as tim e goes on and
the health of the younger people becom es better.]
* X- X-

1521 G oyunun ishi toydada vay d ad a yasdada zaydi'r.

W hether it is a w edding or a funeral the sheep are alw ays in trouble.
X- X- *

1522 Goz aghaji'nin yayilm asina bais gargad'f.

It is the crow that spreads the w aln u t trees.
* X- *

1523 Goz gabi'xsiz olmaz.

The w aln u t isn 't w ith o u t a skin.
* X- *

1524 Gol gurbaghasiz olmaz.

A lake isn 't w ithout frogs.
X- * X-

1525 Gol gushi golda chol gushi cholda olar.

A lake bird roam s in the lake and a d esert b ird in the desert.
X- * *

1526 Gon charighi sixar charix ayaghi.

The leather presses the raw h id e sandal and the sandal presses the foot.
* X- *

1527 G ordiin lotu orada otu g ordiin dali sav u r gari.

If you see a generous m an stay there, if you see a crazy m an ru n away.
* * a-

1528 G ordiin m alla ordan yollan g o rd iin seyit o rd an geyit.

If you see a m ollah ru n aw ay, if you see a seyit [descendants of the
p ro p h et M oham m ad] tu rn back from there.
X-* *
1529 G orm am ish ash p ish irar yem am ish g arn in i shishidar.
The parv en u [upstart] cooks soup and he fills u p his stom ach [quickly].
X- X- X-

1530 G orm am ishin bir oghl'i old! ch ah d i chiikiin chixatdi.

The parvenu [upstart] h a d a son; he p u lled off his penis. [Redhouse
144: A n ignorant m an c an 't h an d le good fortune.]
X- X- X-

1531 G oriilm iish ishdan giil iyi galar goriilm am ish ish d an kiil iyi galar.
A com pleted w ork sm ells like a flower; an u nfinished w ork sm ells like
ashes.
X- X- X-

1532 G oriinalinm az dash bash yarar.

An unnoticed [unexpected] rock w o u n d s the head. [A basguliev 139:
That w hich one least anticipates soonest com es to pass.]
X- X- X-

1533 G oriishan dagh'in dibi adam a yaxin galar.

235
 The bottom of a m ountain th at is seen from the distance appears to be
close.
XXX

1534 G oriishan kanda balatchi istam az.

A village that is seen d o e sn 't need a guide.
XXX

1535 Goy aghlam asa yer giilm az.

The earth [soil] w o n 't laugh [blossom], if the sky d o esn 't cry [rain].
[Qods 142: Success comes from h ard w ork and endurance.]
XXX

1536 Goya dirak daniza gapax tapilm az.

You can't find a [matching] pole for the sky and a lid for the sea.
XXX
1537 G oydan na yaghdi ki yer oni gabul elamadi!?
W hat came dow n from the sky th at the earth refused to accept it!?
XXX

1538 Goz ganim in tanir.

The eye know s its benefactor.
XX*

1539 Goz gordi goniil soydi.

W hat the eye sees the heart w ants.
XX*

1540 Goz gorm asa iiz utam m az.

The eye is the source for shyness. [Qods 141: That w hich can be denied
from far aw ay cannot be denied in the presence of a person.]
X- X- X-

1541 Goz gorm ax ichindi aghil annam ax ichin.

The eye is for seeing and the brain for understanding.
X- X- X-

1542 Goz n a d an gorxar gordighinnan.

The eye is afraid of w hat it has seen.
X- X- X-

1543 Goz var gorm ax ichin gulax v ar eshitm ax ichin.

The eye is for seeing and the ear is for listening.
X- X- X-

1544 Goz yashiynan guyu dolm az.

The tears of an eye w o n 't fill u p a well.
X- X X-

1545 G oza galm iyan galinin salam i da sovushdi.

The good intentions of a brid e w ho is no t appreciated is considered as a
curse.
XXX
1546 G ozal b iiru n tir chirkin goriinur.
The pretty one [girl] covers [hides] herself and the ugly one show s off
herself. [Redhouse 152: Beautiful girls w ith d raw from sight, b u t ugly
ones show them selves off.]

236
 sf s f sf

1547 Gozal goz ichindir aghil koniil ichin.

Beauty is for the eye and w isdom for the heart.
***
1548 Gozal iizdan doym ax olar gozal xuydan doym agh olmaz.
O ne can get tired of a pretty face, b u t one never gets tired of a good
habit.
si- * *

1549 Gozal xuylu olanin jan verilar soziina chirkin xuylu olanin baxan
olm az soziina.
O ne w ould give ones life for a person w ho has good habits [nature], bu t
no one w ou ld pay attention to the w ords of he w ho has bad habits.
sf s f sf

1550 Gozala bazah na garah?

W hat does a pretty girl need m ake u p for?
X-

1551 Gozala etebar olmaz!

D on't tru st a pretty wom an!
s f s f sf

1552 Gozala goz dayar chirkina soz.

A p retty w om an gets hit by the evil eye and the ugly one is h it by w ords
[criticized].
Sf s f Sf

1553 G ozalin baxt aynasi kas olar.

The m irror in w hich a p retty girl looks for h er fortune is m att [dull].
[Qods 84: Pretty people are unsuccessful in love.]
sf s f sf

1554 G ozalin talei chirkin olar.

The lucky star of a pretty person is ugly.
Sf s f Sf

1555 G ozdan gedan koniildan gedar.

That w hich disappears from the eye [sight], w ill d isap p ear from the
heart. [Out of sight out of mind.]
sf s f sf

1556 G ozdan uzax koniildan irax.

A w ay from the eyes, aw ay from the heart. [Out of sight, ou t of heart.]
Sf Sf sf

1557 Gozallix o n d i d u k k u zi dondi.

If prettiness gets ten points, nine of it is for dressing [well].
s f Sf sf

1558 Gozliiya gizli yoxdi.

A n alert person d o esn 't get cheated.
Sf Sf sf

1559 G oziiviinan g o rd u g h iv i atay iv in an ort.

C over th at w hich you have seen w ith your eyes w ith y o u r skirt.
Sf sf Sf

237
1560 Gu ati guda garah b u d ati budda.
Sw an m eat has to be found in sw ans and thigh m eat has to be in the
thigh.
***
1561 G uduran gi'rx g u n yatar.
An angry m an sleeps for forty days.
***
1562 G u d u rg h an gurbagha ad am a d a yum ular.
An angry frog w ould even attack a hum an.
***
1563 Gul dedighin bir gozi kor bir gulaghi kar garah.
He w ho has [asks for] a slave m u st have one blind eye and one deaf ear.
[Redhouse 239: A w ise em ployer d o e sn 't call his em ployees to account
for every m istake they make.]
** *
1564 Gul annm in yazisin gorar.
A h um an being m eets his destiny.
***
1565 Gul gulluxda garah.
A slave m u st be at w ork.
***
1566 G ulan at olunja yiyasi m a t olar.
By the tim e a foal becom es a horse its ow ner w ill be finished [w orn
out]. [Qods 24: Bringing up a child u n til the age of m atu rity w ill
exhaust his parents.]
***
1567 Gulax asan oz soziini eshidar.
He w ho listens w ill hear his ow n w o rd s [advice].
***
1568 Gulax giinda taza bir soz eshitm asa kar olar.
A n ear that d o esn't hear a new w o rd each day w ill go deaf.
* X-*
1569 G um ar lotu n i soyar.
G am bling likes [calls for] a bold person.
* * a-
1570 G um ar oynam iyan hesap bilm az chaxir ichm ayan sadagat.
H e w ho d o esn 't gam ble w o u ld n 't know anything ab o u t counting and
he w ho d o esn 't drink alcohol, w o u ld n 't know anything about loyalty.
***
1571 G um arbazin axiri olm az.
A gam bler do esn 't have a good end [happy future].
X- * *

1572 G um da oyna dabaniva chop getm asin.

Play in the sand, if you d o n 't w an t to get splinters in y o u r heel.
***

238
1573 G urbaghaya dedilar, "Evin yixilsin." Dedi, "Goliin b u bashi' olm asa o
bashi var."
They told the frog, "M ay y ou r house be ruined." H e replied, "If no t this
side of the lake, there is another side." [He w ho is w et w o n 't be afraid
of rain.]
***
1574 G urban olum o davaya iistiinnan b ir g un gecha.
A fight postponed to a future settlem ent is no t a fight anym ore.
* **
1575 G u rd aghizinnan guyrux alinm az.
You can 't rescue a sheep's tail from the m outh of a wolf.
***
1576 G urd balasi gurd olar.
A w olf's cub becom es a wolf. [Like father like son.]
* **
1577 G urd doyiishanda, kopayin yuxusi galar.
W hen the w olves fight the dog falls sleep.
* **
1578 G urd dum anlix soyar.
A w olf likes a foggy w eather. [A person w ho is u p to som ething
devious prefers tu rb u len t conditions.]
***
1579 G urd gariyanda iistiina kapanah goghar.
W hen a w olf grow s old, [even] a butterfly chases him . [W hen a
pow erful person becom es old and poor he becom es the laughingstock
of w eak people.]
* **
1580 G urd gechiya daym asa gechi m akkaya gedar.
If a w olf w o u ld n 't touch a goat, it [the goat] could m ake it to Mecca [for
a pilgrim age].
a- a- *
1581 G urd gojalanda g u y ry g h u n u n dibinda chakirtga yuva salar.
W hen a w olf grow s old crickets build a hom e close to its tail.
* **
1582 G u rd gonshisim yem az.
A w olf d o esn 't eat its o w n neighbor. [People of the sam e trade respect
each other.]
***
1583 G urd goyuna darashar.
A w olf w ould attack a sheep.
* **
1584 G urd g u rd a dal choyiirm az.
A w olf w o u ld n 't tu rn its back on another wolf.
* X- *

1585 G urd na bilir goyun bahadi!?

W hy w ould a w olf know [care] that a sheep is expensive!?

239
 ***
1586 G urd siiriiya galanda tak g o y u n lu n u n g u y u n u n u aparar.
W hen a w olf attacks a h erd , he takes the sheep of the ow ner w ho has
only one sheep. [In a difficult tim e it is the w eak person w ho suffers
the m ost, not the pow erful one.]
* * X-

1587 G urd tiikiin dayishar x u yun dayisham m az.

A w olf can change its color, b u t it can never change its habits.
* **
1588 G urd uluya uluya bashina gal gatirar.
A w olf brings troubles u p o n him self by how ling.
* **
1589 G urd yix'ilanda kopayin yuxusi galar.
W hen a w olf falls dow n, the d og gets sleepy.
* **
1590 G urd yuvas'i siim u h su z olm az.
The hom e of a w olf isn 't w ith o u t bones.
* * A-

1591 G urda dedilar, "Sani choban eliyiplar." A ghladi. Sorushdilar, "N iya
aghliylrsan?" D edi, "G orxuram yalan ola."
The w olf w as told th at people w anted to m ake him a shepherd. He
began to cry. They asked him , "W hy are you crying?" H e answ ered, "I
am afraid th at it [the news] w o n 't be true."
* * A-

1592 G u rd a gonax gedanin iti yan in d a garah.

H e w ho visits a w olf needs to have his dog along.
a- a- x-

1593 G urda san tikm ax orgat yitm ax d ad a peshasidi.

You just teach the w olf how to sew; he already know s how to tear
som ething into pieces, for th at is his ancestor's trade.
* AA-
1594 G u rd d a n choban olm az.
A w olf w ill never becom e a shepherd.
A- A A-

1595 G u rd d a n gorxan goyun saxlam az.

H e w ho is afraid of w olves sh o u ld n 't keep sheep.
A- A- A-

1596 G u rd d a n olan g u rd olar.

H e w ho is born from a w olf w ill becom e a wolf.
A- A A-

1597 G u rd d an sorushdilar, "N a vaxt yaylagha gedarsan?" Dedi, "Bizimki

e lin a n d ir."
They asked the w olf, "W hen do you go for sum m er encam pm ent?"
H e answ ered, "It depends on the tribe [tribe's plan]."
A- A A-

1598 G u rd u n abadanligha galm asi itin h u rm ag h in n an d i.

240
 It is the barking of the dog th at brings [attracts] the w olf to the village.
[M ojtahedi 117: It is the laziness of hum ans that allow s the w olf to eat
h u m an s].
***
1599 G u rd u n adi yesa da bad n am d i yem asa da.
W hether the w olf touches [the sheep] or not he w ill still be blam ed for
it. [A person w ith bad reputation is the prim e suspect in any m ishaps.]
***
1600 G u rd u n zo ru n an g orm adigh i ishi ttilki hileynan gorar.
A job that the w olf failed to solve by force, the fox solves by trickery.
* * X-

1601 G uru aghash bar verm az.

A dry tree d o esn't bear fruit.
X- * >1-

1602 G uru geyrat charix yirtar.

U nplanned effort w ill tear the shoes. [Efforts w hich are no t w orked out
properly will go wasted.]
X- * X-

1603 G uru otuna yashlar yanar alishar dashlar yanar.

The w et [grass] burns along w ith dry [grass]. They catch fire and [even]
the stones get burned.
X- X- *

1604 G uru palchix d u v ara yapi'shmaz.

Dry m ud doesn't stick to the wall. [Qods 139: N o u n d ertak in g succeeds
w ithout a re w a rd / bribe.]
X- X- X-

1605 G uru pox gota yapi'shmaz.

Dry poop d o esn't stick to the ass.
* x- *

1606 G uruya gurd diishm az.

A w orm w o n 't grow in dryness.
X- X- X-

1607 G ush dana yi'ghilar m ilchah shiraya.

Birds gather for seeds and flies for syrup.
X- X- X-

1608 G ush dim digh'innan tora tiishar insan dilinnan.

A bird falls into a trap by its beak, hum ans by their tongues.
X- X- X-

1609 G ush ganadi'nnan kiraya istam az.

A bird d o esn't ask for rent from its wing. [Redhouse 243: O ne does not
expect to be p aid for w ork that one does for oneself.]
X- X- X-

1610 G ush sababsiz ushm az.

A bird d o esn't fly w ith o u t reason.
X- X- X-

1611 G ush uchar uchar bir gol dibina yixilar.

241
 A bird flies and flies and falls in a lake.
***
1612 G ush var atin yiyallar gush v ar at yedirdarlar.
There are som e birds w hose m eat is eaten by people and there are som e
birds th at people feed m eat. [Redhouse 243: Some people y ou treat as a
servant, and others you w ait on h an d and foot.]
* **
1613 G ush y u v ad an uchar.
A b ird flies aw ay from the nest.
***
1614 G ushu g u sh u n an tutallar.
A bird is caught [hunted] by another bird.
* * X-

1615 G uvvati al goldan al'fr.

The hand gets its strength from the arm.
* **
1616 G uyunu darin gazan ozi diishar.
He w ho digs a deep w ell [for others] w ill fall in it first.
* **
1617 G uyunu ela gaz ki chixa bilasan.
Dig a w ell in such a w ay th at you yourself w ill be able to get out.
* * *

1618 G uyusu d arin sulari sarin.

Deep w ells have cold w ater.
* **
1619 G uyusuz ev g u ru m u sh chaya banzar.
A house w ith o u t a well is like a d ry river.
* **
1620 G uzu ichina girm iyan kabab yiyabilm az.
H e w ho d o esn 't enter [attack] the herd of goats can't eat kebab either.

1621 Giijstiz soz gtijli yaninda giinahkardi.

A w eak w ord [argum ent] is guilty w hen confronted w ith a strong w ord.
* **
1622 Giijiina bax shalani baghla.
Check your strength first and then pack your baggage.
* * >{•
1623 Gul ayagh altina d u shm agh in an paym al olm az.
A flow er d o es't lose its value by being tram pled on.
X- * X-

1624 Gill daran ala tikan batar.

Thorns prick the h an d th at picks a flower.
* sf*
1625 Gul gadrini bulbul bilar.

242
 The nightingale know s the real value of a rose. [Qods 24: It is the
intelligent and caring p erso n w ho appreciates a favor no t the crazy and
insensitive person.]
***
1626 Gul so[v]ulanda dibina tokiilar.
W hen a flow er w ilts it falls o n its bottom . [Qods 33: W hen people are
in need an d trouble they tru n to their relatives.]
*)(•*
1627 Gul tikansiz olm az eshg jafas'iz.
There is no flow er w ith o u t th o rn s neither is there any love w ith o u t
pain.
* * X-

1628 Giili soyan tikanina gatlanar.

H e w ho likes a flow er m u st also en d u re its th o rn too.
***
1629 G iilm a gon sh u v a galar bashiva.
D on't laugh at your neighbor for it m ay h ap p en to you too.
* **
1630 G iilm a giiliinj olana san d a giiliinj olarsan!
D on't m ake fun of those w h o have m isfortune for it m ay h ap p en to
you too!
* sf *

1631 G un gechar om ur tiik an ar dali soviinar bay ram galir.

Days goes by and life reaches its end. The fool gets h ap p y th at bayram
[religious holiday] is coming.
* * sf

1632 G un ham isha b u lu d altinda galm az.

The sun [truth] d o e sn 't stay b ehind the clouds for ever.
***
1633 G un i'shighm i hech n a d a n asirgam az.
The su n w o u ld n 't w ith h o ld its light w ith o u t good reason.
* **
1634 G un sonar kim som m az.
Even the sun dies dow n [goes dow n], let alone people.
* **
1635 G iinah giinah iista galm asa b ir giinahi baghishlam agha na var.
O ne can forgive a person for one sin [mistake], b u t no t if the sin
increases.
* sf *

1636 G iinah ipak shal olsa da hechkas belina baghlam az.

Even if a sin w ere a silk shaw l, no one w o u ld w rap it aro u n d his w aist.
* * a-
1637 G iinah olanda olar o ld iiran d a olm az.
The killer isn 't guilty; the victim is. [Qods 128: H e w ho is killed is
p u n ish ed for his w rongdoings; one s h o u ld n 't h o ld the oth er person
guilty.

243
 X- * *

1638 G iinah sem ur kiirk olsa kim sa chiynina salm az.

Even if a sin w ere a fur coat m ade of the sable, no one w ould w ear it
aro u n d his shoulders.
X- X- X-

1639 G iinaha sahap d u ra n olm az.

No one adm its his sins [mistakes].
* X- *

1640 G iindoghan salam atdi giin b atan m alam at.

The sunrise is health and the sunset is repentance.
***
1641 G iindiiz fanis gazdirm azlar.
N o one carries a lantern d u rin g the day.
***
1642 G iindiiz sham yandiran geja garanlixda galar.
He w ho lights candles in the daylight w ill spend the n ig h t in darkness.
* * X-

1643 G iini giina satm agh olm az.

O ne can't trade off one d ay for another. [D on't postpone todays's w ork
till tom orrow ].
* X- *

1644 G iini xosh gechana h am m i xosh baxar.

He w ho has a good day [time] is adm ired by other people.
X- * X-

1645 G iinii giiniiniin oliim iin istar.

A rival wife w ishes that the other wife dead.
X-X-X-
1646 G iiniin iiztinii palchixla sivam ax olm az.
O ne can 't sm ear the face of the su n w ith m ud.
X- X- X-

1647 G iiniinan b a t giiniinan chix.

Go dow n [go to bed] w ith the sun and rise u p w ith sun too.
X- X- X-

1648 Haji hajini M akkada g orar K iird K iirdi dayirm anda.

A pilgrim sees another pilgrim in Mecca and a K urd encounters
another K urd in the mill. [Those w ho belong to sam e professions
know w here to find each other.]
X- X- X-

1649 Haji M akkaya darvish takkyaya.

A pilgrim goes to Mecca and a dervish to a dervish lodge. [Qods 100:
Everyone should p u rsu e a job th at he know s the best.]
X- X- X-

1650 H akim siz hakim siz y erd a oturm a.

N ever stay in a place w here there are no judges or doctors.
X- X- X-

1651 H alvachinin var h alvasi o d u n c h u n u n baltasi.

244
 A halvach'f [confectioner] has [offers] halva and a w oodcutter has an ax.
** *
1652 H alviya d u z gatm azlar.
N o one w ould add salt to halva.
* * *

1653 H am am a giran tarlam am ish chixm az.

H e w ho enters a b ath d o e sn 't come out w ithout getting sweaty. [Qods
130: Involvem ent in any un d ertak in g requires h ard sh ip and sp en d in g
m oney.]
* * X

1654 H am am nan chixanin ari olasan safard an galanin arvadi.

O ne should be the h u sb an d of a w om an w ho has just come from the
bath and the w ife of a m an w ho has just retu rn ed from a trip. [Qods 30:
A w om an looks her best after taking a bath and a hu sb an d w ho returns
from a journey brings the best souvenir.]
* * *

1655 H am am nan galanda ar evina get p altar yum axdan galanda d ad a evina.
U pon retu rn in g from the public bath go to y o u r h u sb an d 's house and
w hen doing lau n d ry go to your father's hom e. [Qods 30: Looking
m essy and unclean can be tolerated at father's house b u t no t at
h u sb an d s's house.]
* X *

1656 H am m i behishta getsa jahannam bosh galar.

If everyone goes to p aradise then hell w ill rem ain em pty.
XXX

1657 H am m i bilir d ag h d a kahlih gozaldi.

E veryone know s th at the p artrid g e is beautiful in the m ountains.
[A baskuliev 118: N ever try to prove w h at nobody doubts].
X X X

1658 H am m i goyun balasin istar kala goyun gotiin godanayin chixardar.

Every sheep loves its child dearly b u t the sheep w ith less w ool is
extrem e. [Qods 24: One can express his feelings [love] tow ard his child
as long as it d o esn't look bad.]
XXX

1659 H am palighiva gora danish.

O ne should talk according to the size of his land.
XXX

1660 H am p an i ayaxdan salm agha galm az.

O ne s h o u ld n 't exhaust a farm er.
XXX

1661 H arda y o ru ld u n orada otur!

Sit do w n w herever you get tired!
XXX

1662 H alva halva d em ag h in an aghiz shirin olm az.

The m o u th d o e sn 't becom e sw eet by m entioning the nam e halva.
X XX

245
1663 H ayinan galan zirinan gedar.
That w hich comes w ith lots of noise w ill leave w eeping.
X- * X-

1664 H aysiz arvada goch inah versan ayrani bol olar yaghi yagh olmaz.
If one gives a strong cow to a shiftless w om an she m ay p ro d u ce a lot of
sour milk, b u t she w o n 't p ro d u ce good butter.
* X- X-

1665 H addini bilm iyana h a d d in i bildirallar.

H e w ho d o esn 't know his lim its w ill be rem in d ed of his limits.
X- X- X-

1666 H adsiza had d in i b ildirm ah okiizi xafangdan girdirm ax.

M aking an inconsiderate p erso n realize his lim its is as h a rd as a job as
m aking an ox go through a door [stable's door].
X- X- X-

1667 H ag bashi aghir olar.

The head [punishm ent] of justice is heavy. [Qods 130: Injustice w o n 't
go unpunished.]
X- X- X-

1668 H ag injalar tizulm az.

Justice [truth] becom es w eak [denied], b u t it can never disappear.
X- X- X-

1669 H ag iyasina yad olmaz.

Justice is no stranger to its ow ner. [The tru th w ill alw ays come out.]
X- X- X-

1670 H ag soym adin adin goyallar hag verdin.

H e w ho d o e sn 't like the tru th ; people call him Mr. R eturning T ruth
[punished].
X- X- X-

1671 H ag soz aji olar.

Th w ord of tru th is bitter.
X- X- X-

1672 H ag soz danishanin b o rk u n iin tapasi yirtix olar.

The top of the h at of he w ho tells the tru th has a hole in it. [He w ho
tells the tru th gets p u n ish ed by others.]
X- X- X-

1673 H ag sozdan gul iyi galar.

The w ord of tru th sm ells like a flower.
X- X- X-

1674 H ag sozi shirin olar.

The w ord of tru th is sweet.
X- X- X-

1675 H ag yandiran chiraghi piifliyanin saggali yannar.

H e w ho tries to p u t out the lam p th a t G od has lit w ill b u rn his beard.
X- X- X-

1676 H ag y an d iran chiraghi sondiirm ax olm az.

N o one can extinguish a lam p th at is lit by God.

246
 sf sf *

1677 H ag yiyasina gaydar.

The tru th returns to [finds] its ow ner.
* sf *

1678 H ag h d an galan hag h d ir inanm iyan ahm axdir.

That w hich is created by G od is the ultim ate truth; he w ho d o esn 't
believe it is a fool.
sf * *

1679 H akim a getsan dava verar falchiya getsan dua.

If you go to a doctor he gives you m edicine and if you go to a fortune­
teller he gives you am ulets.
s f s f sf

1680 H alalzada diizar haram zada pozar.

A n u p rig h t person fixes [solves] problem s, b u t a b astard causes trouble.
* s f sf

1681 H alalzada soziiniin iistiina chixar.

A n u p rig h t person keeps his prom ise.
* s f X-

1682 H am isha dava goz sichm az.

Cam els d o n 't alw ays shit w alnuts.
* s f sf

1683 H anakin axiri dayanahdi.

[The m eaning is not clear .]
a- * *

1684 H ar adam ’fn bir adi- h ar m eyvanin bir dadi.

Every h u m an has a nam e and every fruit has a flavor.
X- * X-

1685 H ar adam in ipiynan guyuya diishm ax olm az.

O ne sh o u ld n 't climb in a w ell w ith som eone else's r-ope.
***
1686 H ar adam in ipinin tista o d u n yighm ax olm az.
O ne can't bind w ood on the rope of every m an.
sf * sf

1687 H ar aghajdan saz olm az al xabari zirnadan.

O ne can't build a saz [a long-necked lute] from just any kind of tree.
Ask the shaw m [predecessor of the oboe] about it.
sf sf *

1688 H ar ana oghul bejarm az n a r ana oghul bejarar.

It is only a m other w ho is like a m an w ho can raise a successful child.
Sf Sf 5f

1689 H ar angirana axir baghlam azlar.

N ot every ass w ho brays should be taken to a m anger.
s f s f Jf

1690 H ar aparan sua araz dem azlar.

N ot every river th at can take aw ay a m an should be called the Araxis
R iver.

247
 XXX

1691 H ar ashi'gin bir d o ran i var.

Every m instrel has his era.
XXX

1692 H ar ash'in bir d ad i var.

Every soup has a different taste.
XXX

1693 H ar d ar giiniin bir gan giinii var.

Every tight [difficult] day has a w ide [hopeful] day.
XXX

1694 H ar darli'ghin b ir b o llughu h ar b o llu g h u n b ir darlighi var.

Every tightness [poverty] is followed by abundance and every
abundance has a tightness [poverty].
X- X X-

1695 H ar dash bash yarm az.

N ot every rock breaks a head. [Redhouse 164: N ot all frightening
things are really dangerous.]
XXX
1696 H ar d a rd in bir d arm an i var.
Every pain requires a special rem edy.
XXX
1697 H ar evin bir giblasi var.
Every house has its ow n Kiblah [the direction that M uslim s pray to].
XXX

1698 H ar evin gazanchasinin dibi garadi.

The bottom of the p o t of every household is dark.
XXX
1699 H ar faslin nobasi var.
Every season has a turn.
XXX

1700 H ar garpiz gab'ighi ayaxliyanin g'fchi si'nmaz.

N ot every person gets a broken foot by stepping on a w aterm elon rind.
XXX

1701 H ar gazilan yerdan su chixmaz.

N ot every place that has been d u g provides w ater.
XXX

1702 H ar galan dedi yetim ye tapm asan hech kim dem adi az ye chattasan.
Everyone said, "[poor] o rp h an eat as m uch as you can; no one said eat
m oderately or you w ill explode."
XXX

1703 H ar galan su kotiik gatirm az.

N ot every current has a stum p in it.
XXX

1704 H ar galishin bir gedishi var.

Every arrival has a d ep artu re too.
XXX

248
1705 H ar garanlighi'n bir aydinlighi var.
Every darkness [misery] has a brightness [enlightenm ent]. [Abaskuliev
24: A fter a storm comes a calm.]
** *
1706 H ar gedishin bir galishi h a r yenishin b ir yoxushu var.
Every d ep artu re has a re tu rn and every dow nhill has an uphill.
[Abasguliev 94: It is a long road (or lane) that has no turning.]

1707 H ar gejanin bir gtindiizti var.

Every night has a day.
***
1708 H ar goruldiyan galyan olmaz.
N ot every roaring thing is a w ater-pipe.
** *
1709 H ar gorani dost sanib gizli soziin so y lam al
D on't consider everyone w hom you m eet as a friend and d o n 't reveal
your secret to him!
** *
1710 H ar goldan bir gurbagha goy goydan m in gurbagha!?
O ne frog from one lake and one th o u san d frogs from the green lake!?
***
1711 H ar gozalin bir eybi var.
Every beautiful person has a flaw. [No one is perfect].
***
1712 H ar gush oz yuvasm fn aghasidi.
Every bird is the m aster of its ow n nest. [A basguliev 60: Every dog is a
lion at home.]
***
1713 H ar gu sh u n ganadina gora g u y ru g h i olar.
The tail of a bird m atches w ith its w ings.
***
1714 H ar gulm agh'in bir aghlam agh’i da var.
Every laughter [happiness] has a cry [m isfortune] in its turn.
* X-*
1715 H ar g u n galan hargiz olub bir g un galan nargis olub.
A guest w ho visits frequently becom es non-existant [loses respect] and
he w ho visits once in a w hile is considered a narcissus.
***
1716 H ar giiniin bir ishi var.
Every day has a specific job.
* a- *

1717 H ar ishin avvali chatindi.

The beginning of every job is alw ays hard.
* * *

1718 H ar ishin bir vaxti var.

There is tim e for everything.

249
 * » t- X -

1719 H ar ita dash ati'lsa diinyada dash gurtarar.

If people threw rocks at every dog, rocks w o u ld d isap p ear from the
w orld.
X- * X-

1720 H ar jafan'fn bir safasi var.

Every suffering [unhappiness] has a pleasure [happiness].
* * *

1721 H ar kas akdighim bichar.

You reap w hat you sow.
X- * X-

1722 H ar kas desa bozbash pilo d an iyidi eshit am m a inanm a.

If som eone tells you that bozbash [a dish] is b etter th an pilaf, listen b u t
d o n 't believe it.
X- X- X-

1723 H ar kas istar arvadin boshiya ustiina ad goyar.

H e w ho w ants to divorce his wife calls h er nam es [accuses h er of doing
som ething im m oral].
X- X- X-

1724 H ar kas od'i oz gabaghi'na eshar.

Every person stirs u p the fire adjacent to himself.
X- X- X-

1725 H ar kas oz arshin'fynan bichar.

Everyone m easures according to his ow n yardstick. [R edhouse 165:
Everyone w ants to have everything tailored to suit him self.]
X- X- X-

1726 H ar kas oz am alinin jazasi'ni gorar.

Every m an is held accountable for his actions.
X- X- X-

1727 H ar kas oz davasin govalar.

Everyone drives his ow n camel.
X- X- X-

1728 H ar kas oz oliisina aghlar.

Everyone w eeps for the loss of his ow n dead [loved one]. [Redhouse
165: A person can 't really share the sorrow of another.]
X- X- X-

1729 H ar kas oz ruzusin yiyar.

Everyone eats his ow n daily allowance.
X- X- X-

1730 H ar kas oziin bayanar dava dizin bayanar.

Every m an is p ro u d of him self and the cam el is p ro u d of its knee.
[Everyone thinks that he is the best.]
X- X- X-

1731 H ar kas yiyar fatiri gedar o d u n gatiri.

He w ho w ishes to eat flat cake has to fetch firew ood. [No p ain no gain.]
X- X- X-

250
1732 H ar kasa yaxchiTigh etsan oziinu o n nan goru!
W hom ever you do a favor for protect yourself from him!
* * *

1733 H ar kasin tishaghi ozuna gozaldi.

Everyone considers his ow n child to be the m ost beautiful one.
* * *

1734 H ar kasinan gazsan o n n a n taninarsan.

People judge you by those w ith w hom you associate.
* * *

1735 H ar kishi giijiina gora ytik goturar.

Every m an carries a load according to his strength [ability].
* * *

1736 H ar na toksan ashiva o galar gashi'ghiva.

W hatever you p u t in y o u r soup you w ill get in y o u r spoon. [Qods 143:
You reap w h at you plant.]
* * *

1737 H ar oxuyan M alla N a sra d d in olmaz.

N ot everyone w ho goes to school becom es M ollah N a sru d d in [14th
century w it/sa g e /fo o l]. [Qods 114: Success d ep en d s on one's character
not on w h a t one does.]
* * *

1738 H ar saatin bir hokm i var.

Every h o u r has a judgem ent.
* * A-

1739 H ar saggalliya baba dem azlar.

N ot every m an w ith a beard should be called baba [sage]. [A m an m ay
have a beard and still not m erit respect.]
* * *

1740 H ar saharin bir axsham i h a r axsharm n bir sahari var.

Every d aw n has an evening and every evening has a daw n.
* * A-
1741 H ar shey nazihlixdan sinar adam yoghunlixdan.
Everything breaks dow n from being thin [delicate] and m an from being
fat.
* * X-

1742 H ar sheya banziyan bir sheya banzam az.

T hat w hich resem bles every th in g d o e sn 't resem ble anything.
* * sf
1743 H ar sheyi bilan hech sheyi bilm az.
H e w ho know s everything d o e sn 't know anything.
* **
1744 H ar sheyi bitsa da kosanin saggali bitm az.
W hatever a thin-bearded m an plan ts grow s except his ow n beard.
X- * *

1745 H ar sheyin tazasi d o stu n kohnasi.

Everything new is the b est b u t for friends; the oldest are the best.

251
 if * *

1746 H ar soza inamma!

D on't believe in every w ord [news]!
* * *

1747 H ar soziin bir yeri var.

There is a place [time] for every statem ent.
* if *

1748 H ar taragginin bir tanazziili var.

Every progress [upw ard] has a decline too.
* * *

1749 H ar uja boylu aghaj sarvi xi’ram an olmaz.

Every tree that is tall isn 't a cypress.
* * *

1750 H ar ujuzlighin bir bahalighi h ar bahalighin bir ujuzlighi var.

Every cheapness has an expensiveness and every expensiveness has a
cheapness.
* * *

1751 H ar iiza giilana dost dem azlar.

D on't call a person w ho gives you a smile a friend.
* * sf

1752 H ar yaghan gar olmaz.

That w hich comes dow n isn 't alw ays snow.
* X-*
1753 H ar yem ishin bir d a d i var.
Every fruit has a special taste of its own.
if * *

1754 H ar yerin bir dibi var.

Every place has an end [source].
>f > f > f

1755 H ar yerin bir rasm i var.

Every place has its ow n custom s.
if if if

1756 H ar yol bostan kanarinnan gechm az.

N ot all roads pass by a fruit garden.
if if if

1757 H ar yuxuni dem azlar.

O ne sh o u ld n 't reveal every dream .
if if if

1758 H aram dediyin dam ir pogh'fdur dish batm az.

Ill-gotten gain is like iron filings; the tooth can 't bite into it.
if if if

1759 H aram galdi halaldan dadlidir.

Ill-gotten gains taste better th an legally-gotten gains.
if if if

1760 H aram galdi halali da apardi.

Ill-gotten gains came and took along [spoiled] the legally-gotton gains.

252
 X- * X-

1761 H aram m al garin doyurm az doyursa da d av am i olmaz.

Ill-gotten gain w o n 't fill the stom ach and even if it does, w o n 't last
longer.
* X- X-

1762 H aram m alin barakati olm az.

Ill-gotten gains w o n 't grow .
X- X- *

1763 H aram nan galan haram a gedar.

Ill-gotten gains go to waste.
X- X- X-

1764 H aram zad an in bir zeyi v a r zu n u zlu n u n iki.

There is one "z" in the w ord haram zada [bastard] b u t there are tw o
"z's" in an inhabitant of Z unuz.
X- X- X-

1765 H aradan bir tiih chaksan kosaya saggal olar.

If you pull out one hair from each perso n 's beard the thin -b eard ed m an
can have a beard. [Redhouse 164: If everybody helps a little there will
be enough to cover the need of o u r friend.]
X- X- X-

1766 H arakat sannan barakat A llahdan.

A person w ho m oves [works hard], G od w ill show er w ith blessings.
X- X- X-

1767 H arza soziin m arza javabi var.

A nonsense w ord [statem ent] deserves a stu p id reply.
X- X- X-

1768 H asan da galyan chakar H iiseyn da galyan chakar tam baki bol olanda
ansam da galyan chakar.
H assan sm okes a w aterpipe, H ussein sm okes a w aterpipe; w h en there
is so m uch tobacco available even m y neck sm okes.
X- X- X-

1769 H az sozdan gill iyi galar.

A pleasant w ord smells like a flower.
X- X- X-

1770 H ech kas hechkasin c h u x u ru n i doldurm az.

N o one fills up the pit of another person.
X- X- X-

1771 H ech kas oz gunahin! boynu n a almaz.

N o one adm its to his m istakes.
X- X- X-

1772 Hech kasin sasi hech kasin boghazinda galm az.

No one's voice stays in anoth er p erso n 's throat.
X- X- X-

1773 H ech kim oz ayranina torsh dem az.

N o one adm its that his so u r m ilk is sour.
X- X- X-

253
1774 H ech kim in chiraghi Sahara kim in yanmiy'ib.
No o n e's lam p b u rn s u n til daw n.
* X- *

1775 H ech nayi olm ayan hechna da itirm az.

He w ho has noth in g [a poor m an] w o n 't lose anything either.
* * *

1776 H ech yatan in ardinja oyax olm asin.

M ay no aw akened [alert] perso n be b ehind a sleeping [unalert] person.
[Qods 113: A n ignorant m an can't stand against a know ledgable man.]
***
1777 H ekm atdan sual yoxdur.
No one can question divine authority.
* * *

1778 H esab b ilm iyaninan d u ru p oturm a!

D on't associate w ith a careless person!
***
1779 H esab giyam ata galm az.
Settlem ent [punishm ent] can 't w ait u n til the day of judgem ent.
* * sf

1780 H esab v ar d in a r d in a r baxshesh v ar tiim an tiim an.

Som etim es one needs to keep track of pennies and som etim es one can
give aw ay dollars as baksheesh [tip].
* * *

1781 H eyvan aghirlighxdan iiziilar insan yo g h u n lu x d an .

A n anim al dies of getting heavy, a m an of getting fat.
***
1782 H eyvan yalasha yalasha insan sorusha sorusha.
A nim als by licking and h um an s by asking [find each other].
* * *

1783 H ileynan ish go ran m eh n atin an jan verar.

H e w ho conducts his affairs by trickery w ill pay it back by loosing his
life. [Qods 176: A cunning person spends the last days of his life w ith
h ard sh ip and w ith o u t friends.]
* * *

1784 H im m ata d a g h dayam m az.

Even a m o u n tain can 't resist the am bition. [W ith h ard w o rk one can
overcom e any obstacle.]
* X- s f

1785 H irs galanda aghir gedar.

A nger takes its toll.
* x- a-
1786 H irs galar goz gizarar hirs gedar iiz gizarar.
W hen anger takes over the eye gets red and w h en it leaves the face gets
red.
* * *

1787 H irsin dolata ziyani var.

254
 A nger threatens w ealth.
***
1788 H orkiitm a dosh an i aslan elarsan!
D on't frighten a rabbit, it w ill becom e a lion!
X- X- X-

1789 H orm atli gonax iish gun oturar.

A respected guest stays only three days.
X- X- X*

1790 H iinarsiz ozgiya giivanar hiinarli oziina.

A n unskilled m an relies on other people b u t a skilled m an relies on
h im self.
X- X- X-

1791 H iiriyan kopah gapm az.

A barking dog d o esn't bite.
X- X- X-

1792 H urm ayini bilm iyan it oziini g u rd a verar.

A dog that d o esn 't know how to bark exposes itself to wolves.
X- X- X-

1793 H urm ayini bilm iyan it siiriiya g u rd gatirar.

A dog w ho d o e sn 't know how to bark w ill bring the w olves to its herds.
X- X- X-

1794 H iirm ax basharm irsan barf y atan lari oyatma!

D on't w ake u p people if you d o n 't know how to bark!
X- X- X-

1795 Igid aghzini achm az alini achar.

A real m an never opens his m o u th [begs], he opens his h an d
[struggles].
X- X- X-

1796 Igid arxadan vurulm az.

A real m an cannot be h it from behind.
X- X- X-

1797 Igid am ah itirm az.

A real m an never forgets good deeds [other people's kindness].
X- X- X-

1798 Igid bashi galda garak.

A m an's head is alw ays in trouble.
X- X- X-

1799 Igid doyiishda ballanar.

A m an is recognized in a fight.
X- X- X-

1800 Igid ilgarinnan donm az dava osarinnan.

A real m an d o e sn 't retreat from his assault and a cam el d o e sn 't refuse
to be harnessed.
X- X- X-

1801 Igid o d u r apardighin geytara.

A real m an returns that w hich he has taken [borrow ed].

255
 * * Sf

1802 Igid o d u r atd an diisha atlana igit o d u r h ar yaraya gatlana.

O nly he w ho falls from a horse and gets back on it again and he w ho
end ures any w o u n d deserves to be called a real m an.
* * X

1803 Igid o d u r diishm ana ayilm iya.

H e w ho d o e sn 't yield to the enem y is a real man.
XXX

1804 Igid o d u r sar vera sir verm iya.

H e w ho gives his head [life] rath er than reveal a secret is a real m an.
XXX

1805 Igid oghlan dayisina xanim g'iz bibisina chakar.

A brave m an takes after his m aternal uncle and a decent girl after her
patern al aunt.
XXX

1806 Igid olar ad i galar m uxam m asin nayi galar.

W hen a brave m an dies people rem em ber him forever, b u t nobody
talks about a cow ard.
X X X ,

1807 Igid ya H aratda ya yer atda.

A real m an is either in H arat [a city in A fghanistan] or u n d erg ro u n d
[buried].
XXX

1808 Igid yaras'i saghalar dil yarasi saghalm az.

O ne heals from a h ero 's w ou n d , b u t not from a tongue-lashing [insult].
* '* X

1809 Igid yoxsul olanda dindirallar giilallar.

W hen a generous m an becom es poor people tease him and laugh at
h i m.
XXX

1810 Igiddan gorxm a gorxaxdan gorx!

D on't fear a real m an b u t fear a coward!
XXX

1811 Igidin ad i chixinja jani chixar.

A real m an w ho loses his respect is better off dead.
XXX

1812 Igidin igid d an nayi artixdlr? Sayixlighi.

W hat m akes one m an b etter th an another? Respect.
XXX

1813 Igidlix gtiliik giyafiya dayir.

A sm iling face isn 't w h at m akes som eone a real man.
XXX

1814 Igidlix o n d u r d o kkuzu gachhm ax biri da goza goriinm am ak.

If one w ere to count ten points th at m ake som eone a real m an, nine of
them are [the ability] to ru n aw ay and the tenth is no t to be seen
a ro u n d .

256
 * * *

1815 Ihtiyaj adam i har isha goyar.

Necessity m akes one try everything.
* * *

1816 Ihtiyatli oghulun anasi aghlam az.

The m other of a cautious son never cries [grieves].
* sf *

1817 Iki aghiz bir olsa bir aghiz hech olar.

If tw o m ouths becom e one [united], one m o u th is [worth] nothing.
[Qods 78: U nity in w ord [promises] overcom es rivals.]
* * *

1818 Iki arvadl'i ev su p u riilm am ish olar.

A house w ith tw o w ives rem ains unsw ept.
* * *

1819 Iki arvadl'i kishi geja sham siz yatar.

A m an w ho has tw o w ives goes to bed hungry. [Qods 32: A m an w ith
tw o w ives w o n 't have peace.]

1820 Iki arvadl'i kishinin aghzin'fn dad'i olm az.

A m an w ith tw o w ives has no taste.
* * *

1821 Iki at bir gazi'gha baghlanm az.

Two horses can't be tied to one stake.
* * *

1822 Iki bash bir gazanda gaynam az.

Two heads can't cook in a caldron. [Abasguliev 156: Two dogs seldom
agree over one bone.]
* * *

1823 Iki doshan dali’n ja yiigiiran hech birini tu ta bilm az.

H e w ho chases tw o rabbits can 't catch either of them.
a- * *
1824 Iki bulbul bir budagha gom m az.
Two nightingales w o n 't perch on one branch.
* * A-

1825 Iki eshshah bir axirda arpa yem az.

Two donkeys can't eat barley in one stable.
* **
1826 Iki eshshahdan bir karvan iki a rv a d d an b ir divan!
Two donkeys form a caravan and tw o w om en a governm ent [court]!
[M ujtehedi 69: W om en can 't avoid adversity.]
* * *

1827 Iki find'fx bir olsa bir gozun bashin yarar.

Two hazelnuts w hen u n ited can break a w alnut.
***
1828 Iki garpi'z bir golt'fgha si'gh'inmaz.

257
 Two w aterm elons w o n 't fit u n d e r one arm pit. [R edhouse 179: You
can't do tw o things at once.]
sf * sf

1829 Iki gechi bir gam ini batirar.

Two goats m ake a boat sink. [Two kings can 't rule in one city.]
sf sf sf

1830 Iki gilij bir ghina sighishm az.

Two sw ords can't fit in one sheath.
>f sf *

1831 Iki giranlix eshshayin on shahihxda g o d u g h u olar.

The off-spring of a donkey th at is w o rth tw o dim es w o n 't be m ore than
a penny. [A good thing c an 't come ou t of som ething bad.]
Sf Sf sf

1832 Iki giilashanin biri basilar.

Two w restlers have one loser.
Sf sf sf

1833 Iki hachali mix yera gechm az.

A tw o-headed stake w o n 't drive in the ground.
Sf Sf sf

1834 Iki hakim bir shahra sighinm az.

Two rulers can't live in a city.
Sf Sf sf

1835 Iki janbaz bir ip iista oynam az.

Two tight-rope w alkers can 't perfrom on one rope. [Qods 93:
C ooperation betw een tw o cheaters is against b o th of them.]
Sf Sf sf

1836 Iki xoruzu olan birini yedak chakar.

H e w ho has tw o roosters will carry one of them .
sf sf sf

1837 Iki yana baxan cher galar.

H e w ho looks sim ultanously at tw o sides becom es cross-eyed.
sf >f sf

1838 Iki yum urux bir basha jafadi.

Two blow s are detrim ental to one head.
sf sf sf

1839 II u g h u rsu z u n ayyam arsizin.

The year [era] belongs to unlucky people and the days to sham eless
people. [Redhouse 438: N ow adays everything seem s to be going in
favor of crooks and undeserving.]
sf sf sf

1840 Ilan adam in tu p u g h u n u gozlar ad am ilan'in bashini.

A snake w atches out for a m an 's heel and a m an takes note of a snake's
head.
Sf Sf sf

1841 Ilan chixdighi bajani yaxch'i taniyar.

A snake know s well the hole from w hich it exits.

258
 * * *

1842 Ilan gablghlni dayishar xasiyatini dayishm az.

A snake sheds its skin b u t it never changes its habit [of biting].
* * *

1843 Ilan h a r yera ayri getsa oz yuvasina diiz gedar.

N o m atter how crooked a place m ight be that a snake tries to get in, bu t
it alw ays enters its ow n nest straight. [Abasguliev 141: The devil is
good (or kind) to his kind.]
* * *

1844 Ilan v'fran ala chat'idan gorxar.

H e w ho is bitten by a snake w ill be afraid of a black and w hite rope.
** *
1845 Ilan v'iran yatar aj yatm az.
A person bitten by a snake w ould fall sleep b u t a h u n g ry m an can't.
** *
1846 Ilani gorana lanat goriib oldurm iyana lanat olduriib guylam iyana
lanat.
C ursed be he w ho sees a snake and d o esn 't kill it and he w ho kills it
and d o esn 't b ury it.

1847 Ilanin bashi aghriyanda yolu n arasinda yatar.

W hen a snake looks for trouble it lies on the road.
* * *

1848 Ilanin ganim i oz balasidi.

The cause of troubles for a snake is its ow n child.
** *
1849 Ilanin g u y ru g h u n ayaxlasan d o n ar ad am i sanjar.
If you step on the tail of a snake it w ill bite you. [Abasguliev 117:
N ever trouble trouble till trouble troubles you.]
** *
1850 Ilanin yedighi to rp ax d i onida girtim girtlm .
A snake's m eal is soil and even that it eats it bit by bit.
* sf- *

1851 Ilanin zahlasi y a rp u z d an ged ar oda yuvasinin aghzinda bitar.

The snake hates the pennyroyal b u t it grow s right in front of its nest.
[Redhouse 438: A person w ho is b en t on doing evil often finds him self
constantly plagued by people or things th at he finds loathsome.]
* X- *

1852 Ilaninan o y u n olm az.

One s h o u ld n 't play w ith a snake.
***
1853 Ildirim shaxm asa goy guriildam az.
U nless th u n d e r comes, the sky w o n 't m ake a loud noise.
* X- *

1854 Ilgarinnan d o n an n am artdi.

H e w ho d o e sn 't follow u p on his prom ise isn 't a real m an.

259
 sf sf sf

1855 Ilm p u lu n a n ala galm az chahshm aghi'nnan ala galar.

K now ledge isn 't attainable by m oney b u t by h ard w ork.
sf * *

1856 Ilm i ar olm az alidan b arx o rd ar olmaz.

[The m eaning is n o t clear.]
sf sf *

1857 Ilxchim n gazanji havay'i m inm axdi.

The [fringe] benefit of a herd er is a free ride.
sf * *

1858 Im am zada niyaz veranini tanir.

The [holy] shrine know s w ho has pledged a vow .
sf sf sf

1859 Im an shaftali aghaji dayir ki h ar ganatda bita.

Faith isn 't a peach tree w hich grow s in a furrow . [Qods 10: Everything
requires aptitu d e or talent.]
sf sf sf

1860 Im anim yox sheytan apara m alim yox divan.

I have no faith to be taken by the devil nor pro p erty to be taken by the
g o v e rn m e n t.
sf sf Jf

1861 Inanarsan dostuva sam an ta p ar pustu v a.

If you tru st y our friend he w ill stick straw in y o u r skin.
sf sf *

1862 Ina ishini juvaldiz goram m az.

A bodkin can 't do the w ork of a needle.
sf sf sf

1863 Inak goz elam asa bogha sichiram az.

It is the cow 's w inking [invitation] th at m akes the bull m o u n t her.
Sf Sf sf

1864 Inak kim in slit verm iyan okiiz kim in ko p an siirar.

H e w ho can't give m ilk like a cow has to p u ll a plow like an ox.
[Redhouse 184: If a person is not able to do skilled w ork, he w ill have
to do heavy labor.]
Sf Sf sf

1865 Inak slit verar ilan ot.

A cow gives m ilk, a snake gives fire.
sf >f sf

1866 Inani oziina bat'ir chuvaldi'z'f ozgiya.

Prick yourself w ith a needle before you try a b o dkin on other people.
sf sf sf

1867 Indi ki gorxursan p ish ih d an niya chixirsan beshihdan!?

If you are afraid of the cat w hy do you step ou t of the crib!?
Sf Sf Sf

1868 Insaf dinin yaris'idi E rm ani diyir ham m isidi.

260
 Fairness m akes up half of a religion b u t A rm enians believe it m akes
up the w hole religion.
* **
1869 Insan gah olur daghi galdi'rir gah olur dar'ini galdiram m az.
A m an can som etim es m ove a m o u n tain an d som etim es he c an 't even
lift a grain of millet.
* * sf

1870 Insan gism ati aram asa gism at insani arar tapar.
N o m atter w h a t hum ans do to avoid their fate, fate comes and finds
th em .
***
1871 Insan gojalar goniil gojalm az.
H um ans get old b u t their desires don't.
***
1872 Insan gonushm axla h e y v an koklashm axla.
H um ans com m unicate by talking, anim als by sniffing.
***
1873 Insan gulaxdan kokalar h ey v an dirnaxdan.
H um ans grow fat from their ears and anim als from th eir hooves.
[Redhouse 184: A person get sick w h en his feet are cold, and an anim al
w hen its hoof is injured.]
* **
1874 Insan dlmaghi'na inansa m azarin ozii gazar.
If hum ans w ere to believe in d eath they w o u ld dig their ow n tombs.
* * sf

1875 Insan oziini bayam m asa chattar.

H um ans die if they d o n 't ap p ro v e of them selves.
***
1876 Insan pax'll olm asa h ey v an dam ghan'f neynar!?
If h um ans w ere not m iserly, anim als w o u ld n 't need to be b randed.
* * sf-

1877 Insan yiiz il yasham az m in ilin gam m f dashiyar.

H um ans can hardly live a h u n d re d years b u t they carry the w orries of a
thousand years.

1878 Insani dilin n an okiizii b u y n u z u n n a n tu tarlar.

H um ans are caught by tongues [promises] an d oxen by their ears.
[Redhouse 184: A n anim al's actions are lim ited by its lead rope; a
m an's actions are lim ited by his prom ises.]
* **
1879 Insani gam y'fxar d u v a ri nam .
Sorrow ruins a m an, m oisture a wall.
***
1880 Insani gorm ax asan iirayind ak in i bilm ax chatin.
O ne sees hum ans b u t one c an 't see th ro u g h their hearts. [People's
appearance d o esn 't show their intentions.]

261
 ***
1881 Insanin ati yiyilm az darisi giyilm az shirin dilinnan bashga nayi var.
O ne can neither eat the flesh of h u m an s n or m ake clothes of their
skins; the only good thing hum ans have is their sw eet tongue.
***
1882 Insanin bashi'na h a r na galsa d ilin n an galar.
All h u m a n s' troubles are caused by their tongues.
** *
1883 Insanin gozii torpaxdan doym az.
H u m an s' eyes never get en o u g h of looking at the soil. [H um ans never
recognize the lim it to their greed. O nly death can p u t an end to m an's
greed.]
** *
1884 Ip na g ad ar u z u n olsa yena dovanaxdan gechar.
N o m atter how long a rope is, it w ill eventually pass th ro u g h the hoop.
** *
1885 Ipayi yum ushaxl'ighinnan giTij kasm az.
The sw ord can 't cut the rope because the rope is soft.
***
1886 Ipi chox chahsan girilar.
If a rope is pulled too m uch [hard] it w ill break.
** *
1887 Ipi girildighi yerdan diiyunallar.
O ne ties a knot on a spot w here a rope is broken.
***
1888 Ish anlam agha dayir basharm aghad'f.
It isn 't enough to u n d erstan d a job, w h at m atters is how to get it done.
* * a-
1889 Ish aldan soz dild an oghul beldan chixm asa faydasi yoxdur.
A job th at isn 't done by ones ow n h an d and a w ord [promise] that isn 't
m ade by the tongue and a son w ho isn 't b o rn from the w aist [from a
family] are w o rth nothing.
* X- *

1890 Ish b ad an in joharidi.

W ork is the essence of the body.
* X-*
1891 Ish igidin bashi'na galar.
M ishaps h ap p en to a m an.
***
1892 Ish ishi gorsadar.
O ne event leads to another. [Qods 122: Things are done step by step.]
* if *
1893 Ish tarsa galanda fali'da dish sind'irir.
W hen a m an is out of luck even fali'da [ice-cone beverage] w o u ld break
his teeth. [W hen a m an is ou t of luck the sim plest thing creates a big
problem .]

262
 * * X-

1894 Ish yiyasi ishda garah.

The ow ner of a w ork has to tend his w ork.
4- * *
1895 Ishi olmi'yan'in ash'f olm az.
H e w ho d o e sn 't have a job w o n 't have food either.

1896 Ishi ver ish bilana.

E ntrust a job to som eone w ho know s it well.
* * X-

1897 Ishin asani- yem ax oda cheynayilm asa udulm az.

Eating is the easiest of all jobs b u t one still has to chew.
X- * X

1898 Ishin axirin dushtin m iy an veylan galar.

H e w ho d o esn 't forsee the end [result] of a job will be helpless [sorry].
x- * *

1899 Ishin diishdi arvada olan gun iin sal yada.

If you ever need the help of a w om an [in solving y o u r problem ], y o u 'd
better think of the day you die. [To be d ep en d en t on a w om an is like
dying.]
* **
1900 Ishin diishdi darligha v'fr oziivi biarli'gha.
W henever you find yourself in a bad situation, act like a careless man.
X- * X-

1901 Ishin gabaghm i tu t dalisin'i yoxla.

Seize the front [beginning] of a job, exam ine its end [result]. [A job well
started is half w ay done.]
***
1902 Ishin oniina baxm a sonuna bax.
D on't look at the beginning of a job, look at [watch for] the end [result]
of it.
X- * *

1903 Ishin yoxdir shahid ol p u lu n choxdur zam in.

If you d o n 't have a job, becom e a w itness and if you are rich become a
guarantor. [Qods 122: H e w ho becom es a w itness w astes his tim e and
he w ho becom es a g u aran to r w astes his money.]
X- X- X-

1904 Ishkanjiya dozan o g h u rlu g h i jannan shirin bilar.

H e w ho can endure torture, likes stealing m ore th an his life.
X- X- X-

1905 Ishlah eshshah bekar d alid an yaxshidir.

A w orking donkey is b etter th an an idle stupid man.
X- X- X-

1906 Ishlam iyan dishlam az.

H e w ho d o esn 't w ork c an 't eat either.
X- X- X-

263
1907 Ishlanan d am ir ishildar.
A piece of iron that is u sed glows.
* * Jfr
1908 Ishlanan dam iri pas basm az.
A piece of iron that is u sed w o n 't rust. [Redhouse 190: A n active,
industrious person is a healthy, p ro d u ctiv e person.]
***
1909 Ishtiha dish altindad'i.
The appetite is u n d er the tooth. [R edhouse 190: A p erso n 's desire for a
particular food can be aroused by tasting a little bit of it.]
***
1910 Islanmishi'n yag h ish d an na gorxusu!?
W hy should a w et person have fear of rain!? [A basguliev 81: H e that
is dow n fears no fall.]
***
1911 Issi ashi gashi'x tani'r.
The spoon know s [recognizes] the h o t soup.
* **
1912 Istadighin soyliyan istam adighih eshidar.
He w ho says w hatever he w an ts to say hears w h a t he d o esn 't w a n t to
hear. [He w ho is careless in speaking w ill rep en t it.]
* **
1913 Istirsan bal chorah al aliva bel kurah.
If you w an t honey and b read y ou should pick u p the shovel.
***
1914 Istirsan dinj galasan dinj oti.
If you d o n 't w ant to be b othered th en you should sit quietly.
***
1915 It aj galanda kohna kiiluklari gazar.
W hen a dog rem ains h u n g ry it goes th ro u g h its old trash. [Qods 153:
Necessity forces m an to do u n u su al things.]
* * X-
1916 It ajinnan o g h u rlu g h elar.
A dog steals because of hunger.
** *
1917 It artighin aslan yem az.
A lion w o u ld n 't eat the leftovers of a dog.
* **
1918 It aya hiirar.
The dog barks at the m oon. [A basguliev 145: The m oon d o esn 't heed
the barking of dogs.]
* X- *

1919 It charighi yiyar ozi ayaxyalin gazar.

The dog chews up [eats] the raw hide shoe and w alks barefoot.
***
1920 It chorah veran ali tan'fr.

264
 A dog know s the h an d th at feeds it well. [Even a dog d o esn 't bite the
h an d that feeds it.]
* **
1921 It chorahchi d u k an in n an b ir k u t ap arar oz ayaghini kasar.
A dog, by stealing a lum p [of bread] from a baker, stops itself from going
back. [Some people create enem ies for them selves by their actions.]
* **
1922 It chorahdan adam m u h ab b atd an gachm az.
A dog d o esn 't refuse bread and hum ans d o n 't refuse affection [love].
* X- *

1923 It gaya kolgasinda yatar ela bilar oz kolgasidi.

A dog sleeps in a rock's shadow and thinks th at it is its ow n shadow .
[Redhouse 191: It is a stupid person w ho d o esn 't recognize how others
have helped him in his accom plishm ents.]
***
1924 It go[r]xdugh'i yera hiirar.
A dog barks at anything that scares it.
* X- X-

1925 It gulagh'fn kasannan gorxar.

A dog fears a person w ho has cut its ear.
X- * *

1926 It gursagh'f sari yagh gotiirm az.

The stom ach of a dog can 't hold [digest] butter.
* X- *

1927 It hara g uyrughu da ora.

W herever a dog goes its tail will accom pany it too. [Qods 93: H e w ho
accepts an incorrect principle has to accept everything else too.]
X- * X-

1928 It hiirar karvan yiirar.

A dog barks and the caravan keeps going. [Redhouse 191: Progress
can't be stopped by the criticism of scoundrels.]
***
1929 It ilxisi kopahdir.
The lineage [offspring] of a dog is a dog. [Like father like son.]
***
1930 It isham aghinan daniz m 'irdar olm az.
The sea do esn 't becom e dirty if a dog urinates in it. [Redhouse 190: A n
up rig h t person's reputation isn 't endangered by the slander of a
scoundrel.]
X- A- X-

1931 It it ati yemaz.

A dog d o esn't eat another dog's flesh [Abasguliev 216: Crow s w o n 't
pick out crow 's eyes.]
X- X- X-

1932 It ita b u y iirur itda g uyrughu n a biiyiiriir.

265
 A dog asks another dog to do [something] and the latter asks his tail to
do it. [R edhouse 190: People pass the buck w henever they can.]
* **
1933 It itinan bogh u sh ar g u rd i goranda arxalashar.
Two dogs th at fight one another unite w h en they see a wolf.
***
1934 It itinan b o g h u sh d i yolchun u n Allahi' verdi.
Two dogs got into a fight and the traveller got away. [Abasguliev 162:
W hen rogues (or thieves) fall out, honest m en com e by their own.]
***
1935 It itinan savashanda bir ayaghi'n dalida goyar.
W hen a dog fights w ith another dog, it keeps one foot behind.
[M ujtehedi 64: In a fight (dispute) one should leave some room for
reconciliation too.]

1936 It ith'ghinnan al chahsa da sum sunm aghi'nnan al chahm az.

A dog m ay give up being a dog b u t it w ill never give u p prow ling
[begging]. [T. A. 149: The w olf m ay lose his teeth b u t never its nature.]
***
1937 It ol kichih g ard ash olma!
Be a dog b u t d o n 't be a younger brother!
***
1938 It oztini m i'rdar bilm az.
A dog never considers itself dirty. [In the Islamic countries dogs are
considered unclean.]
***
1939 It sum iiyii u d a n d a soyiinar tam ashadi chi'xanda!
W hen a dog sw allow s a bone it gets happy. See how it suffers w h en it
defecates! [Qods 121: Carelessness has its ow n remorse.]
***
1940 It yedighm i gusm az.
A dog d o e sn 't vom it that w hich it has sw allow ed. [Qods 172: D enial of
o ne's prom ise isn 't hum an.]
***
1941 Ita yiyasina xat'fr chorah atallar.
People feed bread to a dog because of its ow ner.
a- * *
1942 Itdan chox charigh ap aran olm az yena ayaxyalindi.
N o one steals raw hide sandals m ore than a dog, yet it alw ays w alks
around barefoot. [Qods 172: A sw indler will never have an easy life.]
***
1943 Itdan sorushdilar, "G iinda necha dafa hiirarsan?" D edi, "M ardim azara
rastgalm aya baxar."
They asked a dog, "H ow m any tim es do you bark a day?" It answ ered,
"It all dep en d s on how m any tyrants I come across."
* a- *

266
1944 Iti ita boghushdirallar.
People let dogs fight it out.
* **
1945 Iti bldtirana siiruttiirallar.
He w ho kills a dog has to carry its carcas too. [Redhouse 121: H e w ho
does heavy w ork badly has to correct his ow n m istakes.]
***
1946 Iti sel aparm az.
A flood can't carry aw ay a dog.
***
1947 Iti yum aghinan p ak olm az.
W ashing d o e sn 't clean a dog. [You c an 't m ake som ething good o u t of
som ething bad.]
***
1948 Itin ahm aghi geysavadan p ay um ar.
It is a stupid dog that hopes for a piece of sw eet omelet! [Redhouse 190:
H e w ho alw ays hopes for the im possible is a fool.]
***
1949 Itin ajixlisi g u y ru g h in n a n b ilin ar atin ajixlisi g ulaghinnan.
A m ad dog is recognized by its tail and an angry horse by its ears.
* **
1950 Itin ayaghm i ayaxlasan d o n ar gapar.
If you step on a dog's foot it w ill tu rn aro u n d and bite you. [One
sh o u d ln 't irritate nasty people.]
***
1951 Itin duasi m iistajab olsa goy d an su m u h yaghar.
If the prayers of a dog w ere answ ered, bones w ould rain from the sky.
[Redhouse 190: If scoundrels ran the w o rld it w o u ld be uninhabitable
for the rest of us.]
***
1952 Itin gulagh'in kassan sart olar.
If you cut the ear of a d o g it becom es nastier. [Qods 122: C onfrontation
w ith a nasty person m akes him becom e nastier.]
** *
1953 Itin m irasi g u rd a chatar.
W olves inherit [claim] the belongings of the dogs.
***
1954 Itin yanina dalidan get atin yanina gabaxdan.
A pproach a dog from b ehind and a horse from the front.
* **
1955 Itinan yoldash ol aghajini ald an goym a.
Befriending a dog is all right, b u t do n o t forget your stick. [Abasguliev
78: H e w ho sups w ith the devil m u st have a long spoon.]
* * X-
1956 Itiva haya orgatm a gonshiva paya.
[The m eaning is n o t clear.]

267
 ** *
1957 Jam ishin shuxlughu goz chixardar.
W hen a bull teases one loses his eyes.
***
1958 Jam ishinan gazan d an an i g u rd yem az.
A calf that hangs out w ith a bull w o n 't be eaten [harm ed] by wolves.
** *
1959 K aghazin iiziini ag h ard an garadar.
It is black [color] that m akes the face [surface] of a p ap er w hite.
** *
1960 K am il insan kalam innan ballidi.
A m ature person is recognized from his w ords [speech].
***
1961 Kar eshitm az y arashdirar kor gorm az yorashdirar.
A deaf person m akes things u p and a blind m an im agines.
** *
1962 Kar eshitm az yorar.
A deaf person can 't hear; he interrupts.
** *
1963 Kar iki dafa giilar.
A deaf m an laughs twice.
* * X-

1964 Kar oziina gazanani eshidar.

A deaf person hears th at w hich he considers to be beneficial to him .
** *
1965 Kasi'b at tapanda ot tapm az ot tap an d a at.
W hen a poor m an gets hold of m eat, he can 't find firew ood; and if he
finds firew ood, he can 't find meat.
* X- *

1966 Kasib chixarin bilsa giydighi atlas olar.

If a p oor m an w ould only know w h at his incom e w ere, his clothes
w ould be m ade of silk. [Qods 108: Since a poor m an d o esn 't know
w h at his income w ill be, he is alw ays careful w ith his m oney.]
* X- *

1967 Kasib dan tapdi gab tapm adi.

The p oor m an found cereal b u t he co u ld n 't find a pot.
***
1968 Kasib m iishtarini goziinnan tanir.
A grocer can tell a real custom er by his eyes [look].
X- * *

1969 Kasiba taza bashm ax giydighi giin bayram di.

To a poor m an the day th at he can afford to buy a new p air of shoes is a
real holiday [celebration].
* **
1970 Kasibi dava iista biiva sanjar.

268
 A p oor m an w ho rides a camel gets stung by a tarantula. [W hen a poor
m an gets a break from his troubles his peace gets in terru p ted by
u n u su al troubles.]
** *
1971 Kasibin ahdighi bitm az tapd ig h i bitar.
That w hich is planted by a poor m an never grow s and w hatever he gets
is used up quickly.
***
1972 Kasibin dan asi dolatdinin tayasi'na baxar.
The calf of a poor m an stares at the [hay] stack of a rich man.
***
1973 Kasibi'n d u v a ri alchax olar.
The w all of a poor m an is low. [Qods 195: A poor m an is subject to all
sorts of m ishaps.]
***
1974 Kasibin mal'i bashi'nin altinda garah.
The p ro p erty [money] of a poor m an ought to be u n d er his head
[pillow].
***
1975 Kasibin saji gizanda kiindasi gurtarar.
W hen a p oor m an m anages to heat his bread-pan, the [dough] starter
loses its effectiveness.

1976 Kasibin sozii y o rg h u n u n gozii.

The w ords [promise] of a poor m an and the eyes of an tired m an.
* X- *

1977 K asibin xastasi diilattinin gahbasi diyilm az.

N o one talks about the w eariness of a poor m an and the harlot [faults]
of a rich m an. [Qods 195: People d o n 't talk about the troubles of p o o r
people nor do they talk about a rich m an becom ing disgraced.]
***
1978 Kaba yixm ax bir gan olsa koniil yixmax iki gandir.
If the destruction of Kaaba [the fundam ental object in Mecca of m uslim
pilgram ages] w ere considered as one crime, breaking a h eart w ould be
tw o crimes.
* **
1979 Kaklih gaggildam asa garagush oni h ard an tapar!?
H ow w ould the eagle find the partridge if the p artrid g e d id n 't coo!?
***
1980 K and katxudasiz olmaz.
Every village has a chief stew ard.
***
1981 Kasad bazarin galiri olmaz.
A stagnant m arket w o n 't have [provide] an income.
X-* 0-
1982 K asanin tizuni bichan aghardar.

269
 The one w ho sews saves the face [honor] of he w ho cuts. [Qods 109:
The success of a p lan dep en d s on the w ay it is carried out.]
* **
1983 Kasih bash soylam iyan olar.
A head th at is chopped off w o n 't speak.
* **
1984 Kasilan bashin ziilfii iichiin aghlam azlar.
No one cries [m ourns] for the hair of a head that is cut off.
* **
1985 K asildi aghajlar dagh ild i gushlar.
Once the trees are cut do w n the birds will scatter. [Qods 140: People
scatter w hen the cause of their gathering d o e sn 't exist anym ore.]
* **
1986 Kasilsin o iki al ki bir b ash i saxl'iyamm'iya.
Two h ands th at fail to hold [support] a head deserve to be cut.
* **
1987 K atxuda atlanar oz kandini chapar.
W hen the head of a village m ounts his horse, he ram pages his ow n
village [first].
* **
1988 Katxudalix hesab'f gedan evina boshli gedar.
[The m eaning isn 't clear.]
* **
1989 K atxudani gor kandi chap.
If you w an t to rob a village, see the head of the village first. [Qods 81:
He w ho gets the consent of the leaders of a people d o esn 't have to
w orry about the consequences of violating the rights of th at people.]
* **
1990 Kechal bashin goruyar kor goziin.
The bald m an protects his head and a blind m an protects his eyes.
* **
1991 Kechal bazaninja toy b ash d an olar.
By the tim e a bald m an gets ready, the w ed d in g begins all over again.
***
1992 Kechal darm an bilsa bashi'na gilar.
If the bald m an w ere aw are of any rem edy he w ould cure his ow n head
first.
**X -
1993 Kechal gizin nayi var d a m ird an b ir daraghi.
W hat does a bald girl have? A comb m ade ou t of iron! [Qods 109: H e
w ho acquires item s that he can 't use for his personal use m akes a
laughingstock of himself.]
***
1994 Kechal kalahbaz olar.
A bald m an is tricky.
* X- *

270
1995 Kechala kosadan na yardim !?
H ow can a bald m an be of help to a thin-bearded man!?
X- X- *

1996 Kechali b o rk iin u n g irag h in n an tanirlar.

People recognize a bald m an from the corner of his hat. [Qods 140: One
can guess a person's intention from his o u ter appearance.]
X- X- X-

1997 Kechalin da A llah! var.

A bald m an has a G od too.
X- * *

1998 K echalin kechallighiynan na ishin v ar ishinin gecharlighiyla ol!

N ever m ind that a m an is bald check o u t how successful his affairs are!
* X- *

1999 Kechalin tiih d an ajighi galar.

A bald m an can't stand hair.
x- x- x-

2000 K echalinan dolanan yorulm az.

H e w ho w alks around w ith a bald m an w ill never get tired.
* X- *

2001 Kefli iki dafa keflanar bir ichanda b ird a p u lu n veranda.

A d ru n k a rd becom es intoxicted twice, once w h en he drinks and the
second tim e w hen he has to pay for it.
* **
2002 Kichih dash bash yarar.
Small rock breaks head. [A ppearances can be fooling].
* * X-

2003 Kichih evlanan gojalanda soyiinar.

H e w ho m arries early w ill be h ap p y w h en he gets old.
* * a-

2004 Kichih so zu n dalisi uzulm az.

Short talk w o n 't spread around.
***
2005 Kichih suda boyiih balix olm az.
Large fish a re n 't in a sm all p o n d [lake].
X- X- *

2006 K ichihdan xata boyiihdan ata.

Y ounger people [inexperienced ones] m ake m istakes and the gro w n ­
up s forgive them.
X- X- X-

2007 Kilim atda tabil chalinm az.

A d ru m can 't be played u n d e r a carpet.
X- X- X-

2008 Kimi aghlar kimi giilar diinyadi'r bela gedar.

Some people cry [are sad] and som e people laugh, the w orld will go on
like this. [Redhouse 228: Fate deals kindly w ith som e and harshly w ith
others.]

271
 * X- *

2009 Kimi anasin soyar kim i gizini.

Some people love their m others an d som e love their dau g h ters.
X- * X-

2010 Kimi dam a girm az kim i sam an yem az.

Some refuse to go on the roof and som e refuse to eat straw .
X- X- X-

2011 Kimisi su tapm ir ichm aya kim isi korpi tap m ir gechm aya.
Some can't find w ater to drin k and som e c an 't find a b rid g e to cross.
X- X- X-

2012 Kishi anadan u ry an doghar.

M an is b orn naked from his m other.
X- X- X-

2013 Kishi gizi olunja kishi arvad i olasan.

It is better to be m an's wife than a m an 's daughter.
X- X- X-

2014 Kishi gojalanda gapida nokar saxlam azlar arvad gariyanda it.
In a house w here there is an old m an and old w o m an no one w ould
keep [hire] a doorm an or a dog.
X- X* X-

2015 Kishi hislanada yum urux bichar arvad h islan an d a yash tokar.
W hen a m an gets m ad he clenches his fist, w h en a w om an gets m ad
she cries.
X- X- X-

2016 Kishi kishidan goxm az utanar.

A n u p rig h t m an isn 't afraid of another m an, b u t he feels asham ed.
[Fear isn 't w h at m akes a m an a good person, sham e is.]
X- X- X-

2017 Kishi kishinin eybini oziina diyar.

An u p rig h t m an tells the shortcom ings [faults] of a p erso n to his face.
X- X- X-

2018 Kishi sel arvad goldiir.

A m an is like a torrent and a w om an like a lake.
X- X- X-

2019 Kishi tiip iird u g h u n yalam az.

A n u p rig h t m an w ould never lick back his ow n spit. [A real m an
keeps his promises.]
X- X- X-

2020 Kishida soz bir olar.

A m an stands by his prom ise.
X- X- X-

2021 K ishinin h iirm ati oz alindadi.

The honor [respect] of a m an is in his ow n hands.
X- X- X-

2022 K ishinin oziina baxm a soziina bax.

N ever m ind how a m an looks, judge a m an b y his w o rd s [prom ise].

272
 ***
2023 K itap am anat veranin bir alini kitap gaytarani'n iki alini kasm ax garah.
O ne h an d of the lender of a book and both h an d s of the retu rn er of a
book deserve to be chopped off.
** *
2024 Kor aghaj'in'f aldan buraxm az.
A blind m an w ould never let go of his cane. [Qods 140: O ne can 't let go
of that w hich is essential for life.]
* **
2025 Kor ati m inib kondalan chapar.
A blind m an w ho rides a horse gallops crookedly.
***
2026 Kor atin kor da nalbandi olar.
A blind horse has a blind farrier too. [Qods 110: A faulty person
deserves to have faulty relatives too.]
***
2027 Kor ati'nan kor adam a yaxin durm a.
N ever stand close to a b lind horse and a blind m an.

2028 Kor bazara varm asin b azar korsuz galm asin.

Blind m en sh o u ld n 't go shopping and a b azaar sh o u ld n 't be w ith o u t
blind m en. [Redhouse 237: People w ho d o n 't know how to shop
sh o u ld n 't go shopping, thou g h the shopkeepers need such custom ers
to boost their profits.]
* **
2029 Kor da bilir balix shordi.
Even a blind m an know s th a t the fish is salty. [A basguliev 118: N ever
try to prove w hat nobody doubts.]
***
2030 Kor gozdan yash um m ax olmaz.
O ne can't expect tears from a blind eye.
***
2031 Kor goztinnan gorxar kachal bashinnan.
A blind m an fears for his eye and a bald m an fears for his head.
* **
2032 Kor g u sh u n yuvasin T anri ozi tikar.
G od builds the nest of a blind bird himself. [Qods 15: G od comes to the
rescue of those w ho are in need.]
* **
2033 Kor kora diyir ju t bari b u yandaki goziiva.
The blind m an tells another one, "M y spit be in y o u r other eye!"
[M ujtehedi 236: The p o t calls the cauldron black.]
* *>f
2034 Kor kora neja baxar A llah da ona ela baxar.
G od treats a blind m an the w ay a blind m an treats his fellow blind
m an.

273
 X- X- *

2035 Kor kori ta p ar su chuxuri.

A blind person alw ays finds a blind person and w ater finds [flows into]
a ditch. [Abasguliev 85: Birds of a feather flock together.]
x- x- x-

2036 Kor olar ad! galar badam goz.

W hen a blind m an dies people talk about his alm ond-shaped eyes.
[R edhouse 237: W hat w as ugly or w orthless seem s beautiful or
valuable once it has been lost.]
X-X-X-
2037 Kor tu tu g h u n u buraxm az.
A blind m an never lets go of w h at he is holding on to. [A person
d o e sn 't let go of his livelihood.]
X- X- X-

2038 Kor yeri yoxlar sora adi'm atar.

A blind m an first checks [feels] before he takes a step.
X- X- X-

2039 Kora ayna satilm az.

A m irror isn 't sold to a blind m an.
X- X- X-

2040 Kora geja gundiiz da birdir.

N ight and day are the sam e to a blind m an. [Qods 110: A person w ho
lacks a sense of appreciation, w h eth er one does a favor for him or
causes trouble for him , it is the same.]
X- X- X-

2041 Korlar vilayatinda bir gozli padishahdi.

The m an w ith one eye is considered a king in the village of blind
people.
X- X- X-

2042 K orun gozi alindadir.

The blind m an has his eye in his hand.
X- X- X-

2043 K orun gozi baghli gonli achigh olar.

The eye of a blind m an is closed b u t his heart is open [generous].
X- X- X-

2044 K orunan chorah yiyanda Allah! arada gor.

W hen you eat bread [food] w ith a blind m an keep G od in m ind. [Qods
82: In dealing w ith a w eak person be just.]
X- X- X-

2045 Kosa evda yasham asa yashini A llahdan sora bashga bilan olmaz.
If a thin-bearded m an d o e sn 't live in a house no one w ould know his
real age except God. [A thin-bearded m an is considered tricky.]
X- X- X-

2046 K osani g u n b atm am ish allatm ax olm az.

N o one can cheat a thin-bearded m an before sunset.
X- X- X-

274
2047 Kosaya rishxand edan gara saggali garak.
H e w ho ridicules a thin-bearded m an m u st him self have full beard.
[Redhouse 238: You should m ake sure th at y o u are perfect before you
m ake fun of the deficiencies of others.]
* **
2048 Kotan bilir oktiz na chakir.
The plow know s how h a rd the ox has it.
***
2049 Koch arxasi cham an olar.
Beyond the encam pm ent is grass.
* **
2050 Koch geyidanda gechinin axsaghi gabaxda gedar.
W hen the tribe returns [home], the lam e goat w alks in front of the
h o u seh o ld .
***
2051 Koch kochar it ytigiirar ikisi da b ird an m anzila chatar.
The tribe m oves on and the d og hastens, yet b o th of them reach their
destination at the sam e time.
* **
2052 K ochan y u rd u n gadrini gonan y u rtd a bilallar.
O ne appreciates the value of the old place w h en one m oves to a new
place. [T. A. 141: The cow know s n o t w h at h er tail is w o rth until she
has lost it.]
***
2053 K ohna g u rd y o lu n u shashm az.
A n old [experienced] w olf d o esn 't lose his path.
***
2054 K 5hna stipiirgani dam a atallar.
A used broom is tossed aw ay on the roof. [Qods 163: A person or an
object that d o esn't render service w ill lose its usefulness.]
* **
2055 K ohna taghvim p ula getm az.
A n outdated calendar w o n 't be sold [purchased].
***
2056 Kok arixlayinja arighin jani chixar.
By the tim e an obese m an gets thin [loses w eight], a thin m an w ould
die. [Qods 195: As hard tim es becom e unbearable for w ealthy people,
poor people will die.]
X- * *

2057 Kolgada yatan bichinchinin orag h i iti garah.

A reaper [farmer] w ho sleeps in the shade m u st have a sharp sickle.

2058 Kom iirchi am barina giran iizi gozi gara chixar.

H e w ho enters the w arehouse of a charcoal dealer gets his face and eyes
blackened.
* X- *

275
2059 Konli bali'x istiyan gottini soux sua goyar.
H e w ho w ants fish p u ts his buttocks in cold w ater.
** *
2060 Konli sam an istayan torbani b o y n u n d a gazdirar.
He w ho w ants chaff has to carry the sack on his [its] shoulder.
***
2061 Koniil gozdan su ichar.
The heart drinks w ater from the eye. [The eye is the source of the
heart.]
***
2062 Koniil ki var shishadi d ash daysa sinar.
The heart is like a glass; w hen it is h it [hurt] by a rock it breaks.
***
2063 Koniil soyan goychay olar.
That w hich is liked by the heart is beautiful. [Beauty is in the eye of the
beholder.]
***
2064 Koniil soyan gozalin na aghi na garas'f.
Black and w hite are the sam e w hen the h eart likes a person. [Beauty is
in the eye of the beholder.]
** *
2065 Koniila giizh yoxdi.
N o one can force the heart.

2066 K oniildan koniila yol var.

There is a path from one heart to another heart. [R edhouse 144: Close
friends think alike.]
***
2067 Koniilsiiz ava gedan tazi avlam az.
A h o u n d that goes h u n tin g w ith o u t [genuine] interest w o n 't catch any
game. [One can 't force som eone to do som ething th a t he d o e sn 't like.]
***
2068 Koniilsiiz nam az goylara aghm az.
Insincere praying w o n 't rise to [reach] the sky [God].
***
2069 K oniiliin yazi'da var gi'shida.
The heart has both sum m er and w inter. [Life has u p and dow ns.]
***
2070 K opahsiz kanda gu rt girar.
The w olf enters a village th at has no dogs.
X* * *

2071 K opahsiz siiriiya gu rt soxular.

The w olf attacks a herd th a t isn 't guarded by a dog.
** *
2072 K bpayin guyrughun'i kasm aghi'nan tu lu g h olm az.
You can 't m ake a churn o u t of a dog by cutting its tail.

276
 ***
2073 Kiila adam in konliinnan A llahlix gechar.
A m idget desires to be a god. [Those w ho are least capable have big
dream s.]
** *
2074 Kiila atildi uzu n a bam bacha v u rd i u zu n dedi, "Yaxchi yad im a saldin."
The m idget jum ped u p and h it the tall m an on the head . The tall m an
said, "Thank you for rem inding m e [of y o u r w eak points].
** *
2075 Kiila fasad olar.
A m idget is m ischievous.
** *
2076 Kiila goyun iki dafa hiirkar.
A short [small] sheep gets scared twice.
* **
2077 Kiileyla kosanin yashi bilim m az.
N o one w ould know the real age of a m idget and a th in -b eard ed m an.
** *
2078 K ulahin satgilan xarj eyla tiifeyli olm a n am ard a jah an d a kalla sagh
olsun kiilah askeyh dayir m arda.
Better to sell your hat than to beg from a dishonorable person! Long
live y our head, to be w ith o u t a h at isn 't the last [worst] thing in the
w orld for a m an. [One sh o u ld n 't bow to a dishonorable person.]
* X- X-

2079 K iildan tapa olm az.

A shes w o n 't m ake a hill.
***
2080 Kiili kiilliikdan gotiirallar.
A shes are picked from ash piles. [Everything retu rn s to its origin.]
*4
2081 K iird evinda ye Erm ani evinda yat.
A lw ays dine in the house of a K urd, b u t sleep [rest] in the house of an
A rm e n ia n .
***
2082 K iird gozdan gizar Tat dizdan.
A K urd feels [gets] w arm in the eyes, a Tat [a sedentary people] in his
knees. [Qods 110: Some people get joy from w atching and som e get joy
from action.]
* X- *

2083 K iirda dedilar, "A llah shirindi ya doshab?" Dedi, "M an iki azizin
arasina girm aram ."
They asked a K urd, "W hich is sw eeter [more dear], G od or syrup?" He
answ ered, "I never interfere betw een these tw o."
* a- x-
2084 K iirdiin yaghl bol olanda ham yeyar ham iiziini yaghlar.

277
 W hen a K urd has lots of oil he w o u ld eat som e of it and he w ould
apply the rest on his face. [Redhouse 210: W hen there is excess there
tends to be waste.]
* * *

2085 K iisan barish ar olan to rp ag h a garishar.

The d isgruntled m an w ill eventually come to term s and he w ho is
dead w ill tu rn into d u st [w o n 't return].
***
2086 Kiisiili g ard ash kusiim uz kiisti gal yiiki chatax!
O m y disgruntled b ro th er [friend] let's p u t aside o ur differences and
take the load to its destination!
***
2087 Kiiza gabinan sular yighi'shdi yighishdi inayi apardi.
The w ater th at w as collected in jars little by little took aw ay the cow.
* **
2088 K iizagar s'fnix kiizada su ichar.
The potter drinks w ater in [from] a broken jar. [The cobbler's wife is
alw ays ill-shod.]
***
2089 Lakkilti bilm iyan m ajlisdan gachar.
H e w ho d o esn 't know h ow to chatter [talk properly] w ill ru n aw ay from
the gatherings.
***
2090 Lakkilti' lakkilti achar.
C hatter creates m ore chatter.
***
2091 Lalin dilin nanasi bilar.
O nly the m other of a m ute person know s his tongue [w hat he w ants].
[Qods 111: Let a person w ho know s how take care of another person's
needs.]
* a-*
2092 Lari xoruz bannam az ban n asa vaxt annam az, annam aza soz dem a
annam iyib annam az.
A gam e-duck d o esn 't sing; if it does it does it at an in appropriate time.
[D on't give advice to an ign o ran t m an, he never has and never w ill
u nderstand.]
***
2093 Lab labi dem axdan lablabi olmaz.
Just by saying "sugar-beet, sugar-beet" no sugar-beet is created.
***
2094 Lapani dem a diiytini de diinani dem a biiyiini de.
D o n 't m ention lentils, talk about rice, and never m ind yesterd ay 's talk,
talk about today. [Yesterday is gone.]
***
2095 Lavand lavandi tap ar got atan got atani.
[The m eaning is not clear.]

278
 s f s f Sf

2096 L avanda goshulan balaya dushar.

H e w ho hangs out w ith a b ad p erson w ill bring calam ity u p o n himself.
sf * *

2097 Lotu lo tu n u n soziina inanar.

A generous p erson believes in [listens to] another generous person.
sf sf sf

2098 Lotulux tark gotiirm az.

G enerosity d o e sn 't accept the idea of a rider carrying another m an on a
bicycle. [Qods 181: A generous m an takes a joke seriously too].
s f sf- sf-

2099 L otunun p u li g u rtu lan d a p a n ir chorak salam atdi.

W hen a generous m an becom es poor, plain bread and cheese is the
healthiest food [for him].
st- s f s f

2100 Liilayin vera vera chixar aftafa bahasi.

Better bu y an aftafa [m etal ewer] th an have a liileyin [earthern ew er
w ith a spout] repaired over and over. [It isn 't w o rth fixing som ething if
that costs m ore than replacing it.]
st- st- s f

2101 Mai gedar bir yana im an ged ar m in yana.

W ealth goes to one direction, b u t faith goes a th o u san d directions.
Sf Sf sf

2102 Mai yem azin m alin yiyallar.

He w ho d o e sn 't spend his w ealth people w ill spend it [lavishly].
st- s f s f

2103 Mai yem azin m alini bir kallach yiyar.

He w ho d o esn 't spend his w ealth w ill spend have it sp en t by a
sw indler. [A basguliev 31: A m iserly father m akes a prodigal son.]
Sf Sf s f

2104 Mai yiyasina chahm asa haram di.

Property m u st resem ble its ow ner otherw ise it is considered haram .
[Abasguliev 795: Such carpenters such chips.]
s f s f >f

2105 M ali chox giini gara.

He w ho has lots of w ealth has a dark [u n h ap p y /w o rried ] life to lead.
sf Sf sf

2106 M ali giro oldiiriir gishin a d i badnam di.

The frost kills the cattle yet w inter gets the blame.
sf sf sf

2107 M alin sh arih li olunja a rv a d in sharihli olsun.

H aving a business p a rtn e r is w orse th an having to share one's wife
w ith a partner.
Sf Sf Sf

2108 M alin yiyasi u sh ag h in atasi.

279
 Property needs an ow ner to look after it as m uch as a child needs a
father.
* x- *

2109 Mali'ni aziz tu tan in jan'i zalil olar.

H e w ho values his p ro p erty m ore th an his soul [life] w ill ru in himself.
X- X- *

2110 M alla olm ax asan adam olm ax chatindi.

Becoming a m ollah is easy, b u t becom ing a decent person is very
difficult.
* X- X-

2111 M alla p u lu gordii yaasini yadirgadi.

Once the m ollah saw the m oney he forgot the Yaasin. [The 33rd chapter
of the Koran.]
* X- *

2112 M allanin chorayin ilanin ayagh'fn g o rm ah olm az.

To w itness generosity from a m ollah is as im possible as w anting to see
the foot of a snake.
** *
2113 M allanin garni boshdi h a r h ald a dili boshdi.
W hen the stom ach of a m ollah is em p ty his m o u th [tongue] is em pty
too.
** *
2114 M allanin garni doyannan sora girx am ru t yiyar: "B unun yeri
bashgadir," diyar.
A fter the m ollah fills his stom ach he eats forty pears on top of that. He
says, "This tastes different." [M ollahs are know n for eating a lot.]
X- X- *

2115 M allaya al m alla diyiplar ver m alla dem iyiplar.

A m ollah is know n for receiving, b u t n o t for giving.
X- X- X-

2116 M am a iki olsa ushax tarsa galar.

Two m idw ives cause a baby to come o u t in the w ro n g position. [Too
m any cooks spoil the broth.]
X- X- X-

2117 M am a yiiz nafar olsa da gina giizh doghana diishar.

Even w ith one h u n d re d m idw ives available, it is the p reg n an t w om an
w ho endures the pain [labor].
X- X- X-

2118 M asha olan yerda oti alinan gotiirm azlar.

No one picks up a fire w hen fire-tongs are available.
X- X- X-

2119 M ayasiz yoghurt tutm az.

A yogurt w ithout a starter does n o t becom e yogurt.
X- X- X-

2120 M afluk tajir kohna d aftarlarin i g arishdirar.

A b an k ru p t m erchant checks his old notebooks.

280
 ***
2121 M aghrur olup dem a yoxdur m an kim in bir m uxalif kiilah asar sovur
ar xirm an kim in.
D on't becom e p resu m p tu o u s and say th at there is no one like me. For
an adverse w ind m ay come and blow you aw ay like a harvest.
***
2122 M ahabbat gozda olar.
Affection [love] exists in the eyes. [Qods 142 From a p erso n 's look one
can say if one is sincere or not.]
* * *

2123 M ahabbatdan m araz hasil olar.

Affection [love] causes illness [troubles].
***
2124 M an oliim san olasaninan ish geshm az.
N o w ork gets done by standing on ceremony.
* * *

2125 M an sevaram o adam i m ani seva kechal ola daz ola, m an sevm aram o
adam i shah ola shahbaz ola.
I care for a person w ho cares for m e even if he is a bald m an; I d o n 't
care for person w ho d o esn 't care for m e even if he is a king or a royal
falcon.
* **
2126 M ana daym iyan g u rd m in yashar.
A w olf that w o u ld n 't touch me can live for thousands of years.
* st-*
2127 M anam lik sheytan ishidi.
Selfishness is the job of devil.
* sf*
2128 M anim ayaghim bilani sanin bashin bilm az.
T hat w hich m y foot know s your head can 't know. [Travel teaches
experience.]
***
2129 M ard oziinnan gorar nam ard ozgadan.
A n u p rig h t m an w ill see [face] the results of his ow n acts and a
dishonorable m an w ill be p u n ish ed by other people.
* **
2130 M ardinan gazan m ard olar n am ard in an gazan biyabangard olar.
H e w ho associates w ith an u p rig h t m an becom es am u p rig h t m an and
he w ho associates w ith a dishonorable m an becom es hom eless.
* **
2131 Masjit na gadar boyiih ossa axund bildighini oxur.
R egardless of the size of the m osque, the m ollah w ill preach w h a t he
know s.
* **
2132 M aya A llah gargadi ki goz oya!?
Do you think that G od is a crow that picks ou t eyes!?

281
 * * *

2133 M azlum un ah'i yerda galm az.

The grievances of the oppressed w o n 't rem ain on earth [unansw ered].
***
2134 M eydana giran tiilki sagh chixmaz.
A fox that enters the field w o n 't retu rn safely.
***
2135 M eym una dedilar, "O yna!" D abanin gozadi.
They said to the m onkey, "Dance!" H e raised his heel. [R edhouse 121:
They asked the donkey to show its grace and it let fly w ith b o th back
feet.]
***
2136 M ilchah d am ird an na gapar.
W hat can a fly take [steal] from a piece of iron.
* * sf

2137 M ilchah m ird ar olm az koniil b u lan d irar.

A fly isn 't filthy, b u t it turns the stom ach.
***
2138 M ilchah shiraya yighilar.
Flies gather for molasses.
* **
2139 M in aghashli uzax yol b ir addim ila bashlanir.
The distance of a road th a t is a thousand trees aw ay w ill be covered by
the first step. [A tree equals six kilometers.]
***
2140 M in dost azd i bir d u sh m an chox.
T housand of friends a re n 't enough b u t one enem y is too m any.
***
2141 M in gapida d u z d ad an bir gapida b an d olmaz.
H e w ho has tasted salt [got used to a different w ay of life] in a th o u san d
hom es w ill never be content to stay at hom e.
** *
2142 M in goyunada bir choban garah bir goyunada.
W hether there are one th ousan d sheep or one they all need one
sh ep h erd .
* **
2143 M in ishchiya bir bashchi.
O ne forem an is [needed] for a thousand w orkers. [R edhouse 54: For a
project to be successful som eone has to be in charge.]
* * *

2144 M in serchaya bir dash yetar.

O ne stone is sufficient to [for scaring] one tho u san d sparrow s.
* X- *

2145 M ina dozan m in birada dozar.

282
 H e w ho can e n d u re for one tho u san d [losses] can en d u re one thousand
and one too. [Qods 112: H e w ho accepts a m ajor loss sh o u ld n 't gripe
about so m thing m inor.]
* * sf

2146 M inariya p u l verm iyan ela bilar gobalahdi y erd an chixip.

H e w ho has n o t p aid for [the construction of] a m inaret thinks that it is
a m ushroom grow ing o u t of the ground. [Redhouse 266: Those w ho
have never p ro d u ced anythin g great them selves d o n 't realize how
long it takes to create a great thing.]
sf sf *

2147 M indin atin saghrisina g a td an yanin aghrisina.

H e w ho sits on a horse's ru m p has to en d u re the pain in his sides too.
* * sf

2148 M innatdan aghir yiik olm az.

O bligation is the heaviest of all loads.
sf sf sf

2149 M iva chuvala dorm az ch u v ald u z ch u v ald a durm az.

[The m eaning isn 't clear.]
sf sf *

2150 M ivanin g u rd u ichinda olar.

The w orm of a fruit is inside it.
sf sf *

2151 M ivanin yaxshisina g u rd tiishar.

H ealthy fruit is eaten by w orm s. [Redhouse 26: The un d eserv in g are
often lucky.]
sf sf *

2152 M ivasiz aghaj olar kolgasiz aghaj olmaz.

There are trees w ith o u t fruit b u t there are no trees w ith o u t shade.
Sf s f s f

2153 M irdar esgi ot tutm az.

A n old rag w o n 't catch fire. [A bad vessel is seldom broken.]
sf sf *

2154 M irdashir haggin istar oli h ar na olur olsun.

The w asher of the dead d o e sn 't care about the dead. [All he cares is his
fee.]
sf sf *

2155 M ughan m u g h an olar b ir goy u n iki g u zu M ughan M ughan olm az na

goyun na guzu.
[The m eaning isn 't clear.]
Sf Sf Sf

2156 M iifta sirka b ald an shirin olar.

Free vinegar is sw eeter th an honey.
sf sf X

2157 M iihabbat bir bala sheydi giriftar olm'fyan bilm az. [This is half of a
verse. The other half is: G iilistan chahm iyan bulb u l baharin gadrini
bilmaz.]

283
 To be in love is such p ain that he w ho h a sn 't experienced it can't
un d erstan d it. A nightingale th at h a sn 't got the taste of a rose garden
can't appreciate the spring.
* **
2158 M iilk alan girx gun aj galar m iilk satan girx g un tox.
H e w ho buys land w o n 't hav e anything to eat for forty days and he w ho
sells his land w ill have food for forty days.
* **
2159 M iilk gizil m ix toladi.
Land [real estate] is like a golden stable-nail [to w hich people tie
donkeys]. [Qods 186: Real estate is a secure business.]
* * *

2160 M tiriivvatsiz adam su u chakilm ish d ayirm ana banzar.

A person w ho isn 't generous is like a m ill th at has ru n o u t of w ater.
* **
2161 M tisalm anin ishi olm iyanda chiikiin kasar oziina ish elar.
W hen a M uslim is idle he cuts his penis to keep him self busy. [Idle
people start trouble.]
* * *

2162 N abalat kor olar.

A stranger is like a blind m an.
* * *

2163 N ahax ish b ash tutm az.

A w rong [undertaken] d o e sn 't succeed.
* * *

2164 N ainsafa got versan dashaxlarin da yeridar.

If you let an unfair person screw you, he w ill also try to force his balls
into y our ass too. [An u n just p erson d o e sn 't recognize the lim its of his
actions.]
* X- *

2165 N akas yaxchitix etm az etsa da chalar basha.

A dishonorable m an d o e sn 't do a favor. If he does, he w o u ld alw ays
cast it in one's teeth.
* * *

2166 N am arda al ashm axdan d ash dash'imax yaxch'id'fr.

C arrying rocks is b etter th an begging a dishonorable m an [for a favor].
>1-* sf
2167 N am arda bel baghlam a.
N ever tru st a dishonorable m an.
* **
2168 N am ardi bir gordiin iki gorsan san d a nam ardsan.
H e w ho associates w ith a dishonorable m an m ore th an once becom es a
d ishonorable m an him self.
X - * X-

2169 N am ard in pilovinnan m a rd in gatigh ash'f. [verb n o t used]

284
 The sim ple yogurt soup of an u p rig h t m an is b etter th an a
dishonorable m an 's pilaf.
* * *

2170 N apaki ham am tam izlam az.

The bath can't clean an unclean [dishonest] person.
* * *

2171 N axirchi gizinin gey rati naxir g alan d a tutar.

The daughter of a herd er gets excited only w h en the h erd returns
[home]. [Qods 112: A p reten tio u s enthusiasm d o e sn 't have positive
results.]
* * *

2172 N axirchi gizinnan xanim olm az.

The daughter of a herd er c an 't m ake a lady.
* * *

2173 N axirchinin xeyri godux istam ak.

A herder can only get m ore children.
* * *

2174 N axjivanin gizi tu z i garpizi.

The city of N axjivan is k now n for its girls, salt and w aterm elons.
***
2175 N azih charix bark jirildar.
A thin leather shoe m akes a lo u d noise.
* * *

2176 N a asi ol asil na paxm a ol basil.

A m an should neither becom e rebellious if he d o e sn 't w a n t to be
hanged nor he should act incom petent and let people su p p ress him .
[Qods 320: Keeping m oderate in one's affairs is the safest thing of all.]
* **
2177 Na balighi istiram na balasini.
I neither care for fish nor for its troubles.
* * *

2178 N a dari akaram na da serchad an shikayat elaram .

I neither grow m illet nor do I have to w o rry about the sparrow s.
* X-*
2179 Na gadar uzax olsa yol yaxshidi na g ad ar yam an olsa el yaxshidi.
No m atter how far a road one should still travel; no m atter how b ad a
m an's family is it is still b etter to have them th an no t to have them .
[Qods 17: H aving a fam ily even it is a bad one is b etter th an not having
one.]
** *
2180 Na go[r]x na da gorxuni oray in n an chixart.
You sh o u d n 't be afraid, b u t you s h o u ld n 't also leave fear o u t of your
heart.
* * *

2181 N a istasan A llahdan ista.

A lw ays tu rn to God for y o u r needs.

285
 * X- *

2182 N a saldi na saggaldi u lulux kam aldi.

G reatness is neither the age nor the beard; it is m aturity.
* X- *

2183 N a yarashi'p arigha geda gira gorugha v'iralar g'ilchaghi' s'ina!

It is not the business of a w eak [poor] person to enter g u ard ed pro p erty
for they w ill break his legs!
X- X- X-

2184 N a yoxsuldan alajaghin olsun na varliya verajaghi'n.

O ne should neither lend m oney to a poor m an n o r be in debt to a
w ealthy m an.
X- X- X-

2185 N aghdi buraxip nisya dalinja getma.

D on't let go of cash and p u rsu e credit.
X- X- X-

2186 N alar galdi nalar kechdi jahana ajal galdi bash aghr'isi bahana.
So m any things have h ap p en ed in the w orld, b u t once ajal [the h o u r of
the death] nears even a sim ple headache can kill a person. [One can't
escape from his fate.]
X- X- X-

2187 N asil h a rd a n asil ordan.

The origin comes from ancestors. [Like father like son].
X- X- X-

2188 N axanahchi garpizin ara dilin yiyar.

A snitcher eats the m iddle p a rt of a w aterm elon.
X- X- X-

2189 N axanahchi sahib-e saliga olar.

A snitcher [thief] has good taste.
X- X- X-

2190 N isya chaxir ichan iki yol keflandirar.

H e w ho buys alcohol on credit gets intoxicated twice.
X- X- X-

2191 N isya girm az kisiya.

C redit w o n 't enter the bag [wallet]. [He w ho conducts his business on
credit w o n 't becom e rich.]
X- X- X-

2192 N isya ki v ar m iiftanin bajis’i oghludur.

C redit is the cousin of given aw ay free of charge. [Credit is like given
aw ay for free.]
X- X- X-

2193 N iyyat hara m anzil ora.

A m an 's destination is w here his intention is. [Qods 113: W here there
is a w ill there is a way.]
X- X- X-

2194 O baghi'n ichina aghi- gat'im ki kilidi m iirad an ola.

A g arden w hose key is m ade of term ites isn 't a garden. [?]

286
 X XX

2195 O bardagha sich bu bardagha sich bar! birini saxla su ich!

D o n 't shit on this glass and that glass, keep one for drinking water!
* * *

2196 O dagha yaghar bu bagha yaghar axir bir gun buraya yaghar.
It snow s over th at m ountain and over this m ountain, one day it w ill
also snow over here too.
XXX

2197 O d u n bash basha chatilsa yaxchi yanar.

Firew ood th at is stacked burn s better.
XXX

2198 O d u n c h u n u n gozi aghachda olar.

The w oodcutter sets his eyes on trees. [Redhouse 186: Everbody sets
out to satisfy his ow n needs.]
XXX

2199 O ghlan ataya chakar giz anaya.

A son takes after his father, a d au g h ter after h er m other.
XXX

2200 O ghlan evinda toydi giz evinda xabar yox.

The real excitem ent is at the house of the groom no t at the house of the
bride.
X- X X-

2201 O ghlan odi d ag h d a av avliya evda tu y u g h u abajim da avlar.

H e w ho can h u n t gam e in the m ountains is a real m an; m y sister can
also catch a hen at home.
XXX
2202 O ghlana siinnat obaya m innat.
The circum cision of a boy [is] the joy of the tribe [nation].
XXX
2203 O ghlani atm ax olm az gizl bazarda satm ax olmaz.
O ne can neither kick o u t ones son n or sell ones d au g h ter in the
m arket. [Qods 36: O ne sh o u ld n 't sacrifice ones d au g h ter for m oney or
tu rn ones back to ones son.]
XXX
2204 "O ghlum olsun soza baxm asin okiizum olsun jiita getm asin!?"
"A son w ho w o n 't listen to me and an ox th at refuses to plow are
[useless]!?"
XXX
2205 O ghlun sun galini da olur gizin son korakani da.
A son w ill have a bride an d a d au g h ter will have a groom.
XXX
2206 O ghluva giz axtarinja giziva oghlan axtar.
Instead of w orrying about finding a wife for y o u r son w orry about
finding a husband for y our daughter. [Qods 37: A girl needs the
su p p o rt and advice of h er parents m ore than a son w hen she gets
m arried.]

287
 * * *

2207 O ghri galana ajiyar ev sahib'i gedana.

The thief gets u p set ab o u t the item s th a t he could no t pack and the
house ow ner is u p set ab o u t the item s th at he has lost.
* * *

2208 O ghri h am m ini o g h ri bilar.

A thief thinks everyone else is a thief.
***
2209 O ghri oghrini tez tanir.
A thief know s [recognizes] another thief right aw ay.
* * *

2210 O ghri pishih aghaji g otiirand a gachar.

A cat that steals runs aw ay w h en you raise the stick [to punish].
* * *

2211 O ghridan oghriya halaldi.

It is perm issable [allowed] for a thief to steal from another thief.
* * *

2212 O ghridan sald iran i z h an d a rm aparir.

The police officer takes [steals] th at w hich has been confiscated from a
thief.
* * *

2213 O ghrini anda v erd ilar evina m u sh d u lu x tikir.

They m ade the thief sw ear [not to steal again]. H e bro u g h t hom e
tidings.
* X- *

2214 O ghul ala diishar g ard ash ala dtishm az.

O ne can alw ays have a son, b u t no t a brother.
* * *

2215 O ghul beldan chixm asa faydasi yoxdur.

A son that isn 't b orn from one's ow n loins w o n 't be useful. [A son has
to come from a man.]
* * *

2216 O ghul beldan soz dildan.

A son has to com e from the loins and a prom ise from the m outh.
* * *

2217 O ghul ol im ansiz olma!

Be a son b u t be faithful!
* * *

2218 O ghul olsa iirayim y an ar gard ash olsa belim sinar.

If [my] son dies, I'll be heart-broken, b u t if m y b rother dies, m y back
[support] w ill break. [Losing one's brother is h ard er than losing a son.]
* * *

2219 O ghul sh u u rlu olsa n ey n ar d a d a m alin sh u u rsiz olsa ney n ar dad a

m a lin .
If a son is intelligent and w ise, he w ill have no need for the w ealth of
his father, if he is unw ise he w ill ru in his father's w ealth.

288
 * * *

2220 O ghul sufra achm aghi a tad a n organar.

A son learns the art of spread in g the tablecloth [generosity] from his
father.
* * *

2221 O ghul xi'rdasi noghul x'frdasi.

The youngest son is sw eet like tiny sugar-coated nuts.
* **
2222 O ha var dagha chi'xardar oha v ar d ag h d an andirar.
The right m oo [word] can m ake one climb u p the m o u n tain and the
right m oo [word] can m ake one descend the m ountain. [R edhouse 351:
Everything depends on w h a t one says: the right w o rd to the right
person can profit him greatly; the w rong w o rd to the w ro n g person can
m ake one's life m iserable.]
* **
2223 O lajagha chara yuxdi.
There is no rem edy for th a t w hich has been ordained. [One can 't escape
from ones destiny].
* * *

2224 O lan yarm a geynadar olm iyan alin oynadar.

H e w ho has w ill boil [cookj split-peas and he w ho d o esn 't have, will
tw iddle his thum bs. [Qods 192: H e w ho can 't live like the w ealthy
individuals has to settle for w h at he has.]
* * *

2225 O lan y erd an um allar.

People expect m ore from those w ho can afford.
* * *

2226 O landa goz gizardar olm'fyanda iiz.

W hen everything goes w ell the eyes get red and w h en no t the face gets
red. [Qods 192: H e w ho spends lavishly w h en he is rich w ill feel
asham ed w hen he is poor.]
* * *

2227 O lduynan oldiiya chara yoxdi.

There is no rem edy for th a t w hich has h ap p en ed and he w ho has
passed away. [D on't cry over spilt milk.]
X-* *
2228 O lm az olm az dem a olm az olm az.
D on't say it is im possible, it m ight becom e im possible.
***
2229 O n iki im am a yalvarinja b ir A llaha yalvar!?
Instead of begging for the intercession [mercy and help] of the tw elve
Im am s [holy religious leaders of the Shiah M uslim s] w h y n o t p lead to
God!?

2230 On olch bir bich.

M easure ten tim es cut it once.

289
 * * *

2231 O rd u n i yalan saxlar.

Lies keep an arm y together.
* * *

2232 O rd u n i yaxchi shishitm isan baggal am ru d versa.

You can feed an arm y w ell, granted th at the grocer pro v id es you w ith
pears.
** *
2233 Ortalix gazani geynam az.
A shared [com m unal] p o t never cooks.
a- * a-
2234 Ot diishanda yashda g u ru n u n o d una yanar.
W hen a fire starts the w et will be destroyed along w ith the dry. [The
innocent people get p u n ish ed along w ith the guilty ones.]
***
2235 O t gah yolun iista bitar gah altinda.
A w eed som etim es grow s on the road and som etim es u n d e r the road.
***
2236 O t galdi barit galdi.
W hen the fire comes, the gu n p o w d er comes w ith it too.
** *
2237 O t har yera diishsa oziina yer achar.
Fire m akes room for itself w herever it falls. [Qods 121: If trouble or
illness isn 't stopped it spreads everyw here and to everyone.]
***
2238 O t koki usta bitar.
The grass grow s from its root. [Abasguliev 36: As the tree, so the fruit.]
***
2239 O t oghujlanm az.
Fire c an 't be touched.
***
2240 O t yam m asa kiil olmaz.
U nless the fire burns there w o n 't be ashes.
* **
2241 O t yanan yerdan tiissi chixar.
W herever there is fire, there w ill be sm oke too.
** *
2242 O tdan kiil torar kiildan ot.
Fire creates ashes and ashes create fire.
* X-*
2243 O tu n an b arit o y unu tapi'sh'ir g u rd a goyunu.
Playing w ith fire and gu n p o w d er is like entrusting the sheep to a wolf.
* **
2244 O tu n an oyun olm az.
O ne sh o u ld n 't play w ith fire.
***

290
2245 O tura otura ozanin evi yixilar gaza gaza julfanin.
Sitting idle w ould destroy the livelihood of a m instrel and w an d erin g
constantly destroys the livelihood of a w eaver. [Qods 120: A job that
requires m obility for its success if one stays stagnant and a job that
requires im m obility for its success if one m oves on w ill be harm ful.]
** *
2246 O tuz iki d ishdan ch'xxan o tuz iki obaya yayilar.
That w hich comes from thirty-tw o teeth w ill spread to thirty-tw o
villages. [Gozler 446: G ossip and chatter travel to m any places in a
short tim e and cause trouble in society.]
** *
2247 Ox ki kem annan gurtuld'i gedajax charasi yox.
W hen an arrow is released from the bow , it has no choice b u t
traveling.
* **
2248 Ox oxlandi dali evlandi.
The arrow got shot and the m ad m an got m arried.
** *
2249 Ox oxlayanin kam ar baghlayan'in.
The arrow belongs to he w ho can shoot and the belt to he w ho can
w ear it. [Redhouse 32: Possession is nine point of the law.]
***
2250 O x u d u g h u v i dem a a n n ad ig h iv i de!
D on't tell m e w hat you have read; tell m e w h at you have understood!
** *
2251 O ynash da baxdadi gardash da.
H aving a good b ro th er an d a good lover depends on one's luck.
** *
2252 O ynashdan ar olmaz.
A lover d o esn 't m ake [become] a husband.
** *
2253 O yuna giran oynasin garah.
H e w ho enters a gam e m u st play along. [Qods 121: Participation in an
undertaking w ith o u t intend in g to get involved w ith it is absurd.]
** *
2254 O kiiz in ildam axdan b o y u n d u ru x inildir!
Instead of the ox, the yoke is moaning!
** *
2255 Okiiz oldi ortalix bozuldi.
Becuase of the death of the ox the friendship fell apart.
** *
2256 O ktiz oziina kiiriishna akanda bashi aghrar.
W hen the ox plants buffalo peas for him self, he gets a headache.

2257 O kiiza korpiini gechanajan day! diyallar.

People call the ox uncle till they cross the bridge.

291
 * X- *

2258 O kiizii olana gon borj verallar.

People lend leather to a perso n w ho has an ox. [Qods 303: People
w o u ld n 't be w orried about lending som ething to som eone w ho can pay
it back.]
X- X- X-

2259 O kiizii yorulana chox soz diyallar.

People ridicule a person w hose ox gets tired.
X- X- X-

2260 O kiiziin gashgasini diiyallar.

People beat the the w hite-foreheaded ox. [Qods 154: The w ell-know n,
capable people end u p covering the dam age and loss created by
ordinary people.]
X- X- X-

2261 O kiiziin itdi ishin bitdi.

Once one's ox is lost one is finished.
X- X- X-

2262 O kiiziin jiita getm iyanini atlix adina satallar.

A n ox that isn 't w illing to plow w ill be sold as livestock.
X- X- X-

2263 O kiiziin taydi ishin zaydi.

H e w ho has one ox w ill be in real trouble. [Qods 303: C arrying out a
job w ith o u t having the right eq u ip m en t is a difficult task.]
X- X- X-

2264 O lan bir olm iish galan iki.

H e w ho dies is finished once and he w ho lives on w ill die twice.
X- X- X-

2265 O lan oldi borjin verdi vay galanin giiniina.

H e w ho passed aw ay, he p aid back his debts, m ay G od have m ercy on
those w ho still live on. [Qods 304: As h ard as dying m ight be, the pain
of living on w ith o u t the d ead is m uch h a rd e r for the relatives.]
X- X- X-

2266 Olchm amish bichma!

D on't cut before you m easure ! [M easure tw ice cut once.]
X- X- X-

2267 Oldiiriim diyannan go[r]xma ollam diyannan gorx!

D on't be afraid of him w ho says "I'll kill you," be afraid of him w ho
says "I'll sacrifice myself!"
X- X- X-

2268 Olii gabristannan geyitmaz.

The dead never retu rn from the graveyard. [M ujtehedi 100: W hat's
done can't be undone.]
X- X- X-

2269 Olii kafansiz galmaz.

A dead person w o n 't rem ain w ith o u t a shroud. [Qods 11: The
livelihood of the needy people w ill som ehow be provided.]

292
 ***
2270 Oliim ati yiigiiriik olar.
The horse of d eath m oves fast.
* **
2271 O liim bir d av ad i ham m inin g ap isin d a xixlanajax.
Death is a camel that w ill kneel at ev ery m an 's door.
***
2272 Oliim gashinan goz arasindadi.
D eath is as near as the distance betw een the eye and the eyebrow.
* **
2273 O liim a chara yuxdi.
There is no rem edy for death. [W hen the h o u r of d eath nears n othing
can be done about it.]
* X *

2274 O liim dan gachm ax olsun.

N o one can escape from death.
XXX
2275 O liim dan tu t gizdirm iya razi olsun.
U nless one is threathened by d eath one w o n 't accept a sim ple fever.
[Redhouse 296: A person is w illing to suffer a sm all loss to avert a
m ajor disaster.]
XXX

2276 Oliinii bir yul yughallar.

A dead person is w ashed only once.
XXX

2277 O liinii oz bashina goysan sichar kafanin batirar.

If you let a dead person be on his ow n, it w ill defile its shroud.

2278 O liiniin iizii soux olar.

The face of a dead m an is cold.
***
2279 O liiniin vasiyyati oziiynan gedar.
A dead m an buries his w ill w ith him self.
XXX

2280 Oliiya vasiyyat galar.

The dead m an leaves b eh in d his will.
XXX

2281 Oliiya yam an getm az.

Curses d o n 't harm the dead.
XXX

2282 O rdah gaz yerishi yeriyanda pachasi arali galar.

A duck th at im m itates a goose's w alk, his gait becom es w ider.
[Redhouse 298: A boor w ho tries to act refined en d s u p a
laughingstock.]
XXX

2283 O rtiilii bazar dostlughu pozar.

293
 A covered b azaar ruins friendship. [A business that h a sn 't been
discussed w ill ru in friendship.]
* **
2284 Oz soziinii ozga soziinda eshit.
H ear your ow n w ords in other people's w ords [speech].
+* +
2285 O zga ati'na m inan tez diishar.
H e w ho rides other peo p le's horses w ill soon fall off.
X- X- X-

2286 O zga gapisini baghli istiyanin oz gapisi baghli galar.

H e w ho w ishes to see the destruction of som eone's door [household],
w ill be asking for the destruction of his ow n door.
* X- X-

2287 Ozga ipinan guyuya diishma!

N ever climb dow n a w ell w ith the rope of an o th er person!
* X- *

2288 Ozga jani duvar yarn.

As long as it is som eone else's life [body] that is p u t against the w all
nobody cares.
***
2289 Ozga malina dayma oz m alivi aldan verma.
D on't encroach on the p ro p erty of another m an, if you d o n 't w an t to
lose yours.
* X- *

2290 Ozga oghlunnan oghul olmaz.

The son of another m an w o n 't be like a real son.
X- X- *

2291 Ozga ozganin itirdighini bayati oxiya oxiya axtarar.

A m an w ho searches for another p erso n 's [lost] item , he does this w hile
singing bayatis [a quatrain of folk literary songs]. [Abasguliev 96: It is
easy to bear the m isfortune of others.]
X- X- X-

2292 Ozga ozganin namazim ossura ossura oxiyar.

A m an perform s another p erso n 's prayers, w hile farting [carelessly]. [If
a M uslim flatulates d u rin g any of the five daily prayers, he has to do
his prayer all over again.] [No one w o u ld do a job for another person
w ith enthusiasm .]
X- X- X-

2293 Ozga zamisi diiz gorunar ozga arvadi giz.

The land of another person appears flat [suitable for farm ing] and the
wife of others' appears as a girl [unm arried]. [The grass looks greener
on the other side the fence.]
X- X- X-

2294 Ozganin sirrini sana diyan sanin da sirrini ozgiya diyar.

H e w ho reveals other peo p le's secrets to you w ill also reveal yours to
others.

294
 ***
2295 Ozii yixilan aghlam az.
H e w ho falls dow n by his ow n m istakes never cries.
* **
2296 O ziin bilm iyani bildirallar alam i ona giildiirallar.
People teach a m an w ho d o es't know and the w hole w o rld w ill laugh
at him .
***
2297 O ziin gazan oziin ye!
Earn yourself and eat too!
***
2298 O ziina baxm a soziina bax.
D on't judge a person by w ho he is; ju d g e him by his w o rd s [by w h at he
says].
***
2299 O ziina diishm an olan ozgiya d o st olm az.
H e w ho is an enem y to him self can 't be a friend to others.
** *
2300 O ziina rava bilm iyani ozgiya rava bilm a. -
W hatever you d o n 't like for yourself, y ou s h o u ld n 't w ish for other
people.
***
2301 O ziinnan ashaghi giz al oziinnan y u x ari giz verm a.
M arry a girl w hose status is low er than yours, b u t d o n 't m arry a girl
w hose status is higher [better].
***
2302 O ziinnan u tanm iyan hech k asd an u tan m az.
H e w ho isn 't asham ed of him self w ill n ev er feel ash am ed in the
presence of other people.
Jf * *
2303 O ziinnan iista olanlara baxm a oziinnan ashaghida olanlara bax!
N ever m ind those w ho are higher than you are! C om pare yourself
w ith those w ho are low er than you are. [One should alw ays be content
w ith ones situation.]
***
2304 O ziinnan varlisiynan ortagh olma!
D on't becom e a p artn er w ith a person w h o is richer th an you!
***
2305 O ziinnan zorbasina satashm a!
N ever provoke a person w ho is stro n g er th an you!
***
2306 O ziinii soyani Xal'fgh soym az.
God d o esn't like selfish people.
** *
2307 O ziinii y o rulm ush bilsan yoldashivi olm iish bil.

295
 W hen you feel th at you are tired yourself, then be sure th at your friend
is dead. [Prick yourself w ith a needle before you prick your friend w ith
a bodkin.]
* **
2308 Pi'x kat chalxasinnan ballannar.
A .. .village is know n by its ... [?]
* **
2309 Sadagha gada geytarar.
A lm s b rin g m isfortune.
* **
2310 Saggal ila kam il olsa kishi kechiyla dan'fshirlar h a r ishi.
If having a beard w ould secure m aturity [authority and respect], people
w ould seek advice from a goat.
***
2311 Saggal olsun darax ala diishar.
O ne can alw ays find a comb bu t first one needs a beard.
* **
2312 Saggalda feyz olsayd'f kechi peshnam az olardi.
If there w as any use in a beard, the goat w ould have becom e a
peshnam az. [prayer leader].
* **
2313 Saggal'in chexm am ish kosaya rishxand elama!
D on't m ake fun of a thin-bearded m an before your beard is grown!
* H-*
2314 Saggali'ni ushax m ushax alina verma!
D on't give your beard to children [to d rag you around]! [It isn 't w ise for
an adult to be a follower of younger people.]
***
2315 Saggi'z cheynandihja churiiyar.
C hew ing gum w ears out the m ore it is chew ed.
***
2316 Sagh alin am ayi sol ala haram di.
It isn 't fair that the left h a n d th at h a sn 't done anything benefit from the
h ard w ork of the right hand.
* X- *

2317 Sagh goziin sol giiziina m ohtaj olmas'in.

M ay the right eye not be in need of the left eye.
a- * *

2318 Saghalar ox yarasi- saghalm az dil yarasi’.

A w ound inflicted by an arrow heals b u t a w o u n d inflicted by harsh
w ords doesn't.
* **
2319 Saghlighin da kor Fatm a olanda b ad am gozali.
W hen alive, she w as referred to as blind Fatim a, b u t w hen she died she
w as know n as Fatim a w ith the alm ond-shaped eye.
* **

296
2320 Saghlix sultan'ixd'i.
To be in a good health is like being a king. [Being healthy is better than
being rich and sick.]
***
2321 Sah arm u t sap d an dtishm az.
A good [faultless] pear d o e sn 't fall off the stem.
** *
2322 Sah bash yasdigha galm az.
A healthy head d o esn 't com e to [rest on] a pillow.
***
2323 Sah bashuva saggiz salma!
D on't apply resin to y our healthy head that d o esn 't ache! [Resin w as
p u t on the forehead to cure headaches in the past.]

2324 Sahibsiz eshshayi h ar yetan m inar.

People climb on a donkey th at has no ow ner.
* **
2325 Sahibxana keflananda gourm a kiipi galar evin arasina.
W hen the host gets d ru n k , the jar of corned beef show s u p in the
m iddle of the room .
* **
2326 Sam an gala gala gizila d o n ar arpa gala sam ana.
Straw becom es gold [gains m ore value] the m ore it stays, b u t w heat
becom es straw [loses value] the m ore it stays.
** *
2327 Sam an tiissusii goz chixardar.
The sm oke of the straw b u rn s the eye.
* **
2328 Sap saxadan u zan ar dirnax jafadan.
[The m eaning isn 't clear.]
* X-*
2329 Sapi u z u n v e rd u v a n uzax uchar.
A kite w ith a long string can fly far [high]. [?]
* **
2330 Sapsiz balta sua batar.
A n ax w ith o u t a handle sinks in the w ater. [A person w ith o u t
supporters goes under.]
***
2331 Sar chalaxanin dayisidi.
A starling is the uncle of a vulture.
X-* *
2332 Sarala sarala galm axdan gizara gizara olm ah yaxshdi'r.
A n honorable d eath is better th an sham eful living.
* **
2333 Sari sam an vaxt yetar gizil olar.
The yellow chaff becom es gold [money] in its time.

297
 X- * X-

2334 Sarim saghi galin gaynana ila yedi girx gun iyi galm adi.
The daughter-in-law ate the garlic w ith h er m other-in-law and no one
noticed its sm ell for forty days.
X- X- *

2335 Saxla gonii galar giinu!

Keep the leather, its tim e [turn] w ill come too!
* * X-

2336 Saxla sam ani galar zam ani!

Keep the straw its tim e w ill come too! [A nything that seems
u n im p o rtan t today can becom e useful tom orrow .]
* X- X-

2337 Sayana gul ol saym'fyana agha.

Be a servant to a considerate person, b u t becom e the m aster of an
inconsiderate person.
X- X- X-

2338 Saydighin'i goy giragha gor falah nalar sayar.

It d o e sn 't m atter w h a t you have th o u g h t [planned]; w ait and see w hat
the destiny w ill do.
* **
2339 Saygi'si'z bash gabagha banzar.
A n inattentive head resem bles a p um pkin.
X- X- X-

2340 Sayil'i goyunu k u rt yem az.

The w olf d o esn 't eat [take] a sheep that is w atched.
X- X- X-

2341 SayiTi gun tez gurtarar.

Days that are w aited for pass by quickly.
X- X- X-

2342 SayiTi p u lu n barak ati olm az.

A lim ited [sum of] m oney d o esn 't increase.
X- X- X-

2343 Sayi'x it dalini gozlar, sayigh at gabagh'i.

A cautious dog w atches its back and a cautious horse w atches its front.
X- X- X-

2344 Saym az it adam tutar.

A n inattentive dog [apparently disinterested] bites the man.
X- X- X-

2345 Sazax tak aghaji chox kar kasar.

A cold w ind penetrates a single tree deeply.
X- X- X-

2346 Sabr ela ishina xeyr galsin bashiva.

H e w ho exercises patience, blessings w ill fall on his head.
X- X- X-

2347 Sabr elayan m in yashar.

298
 H e w ho exercises patience lives thousands of years. [Patience is a
virtue.]
***
2348 S abrdan d arv ish m urad'fna varm ish.
Because of patience, the dervish has reached his destination [desires].
***
2349 Sabrdan gissa yol olmaz.
Patience is the shortest of all roads.
* **
2350 Sabrin sonu salam atdi.
Patience has alw ays a healthy result.
* **
2351 Sabrinan halva pishir ey gora sannan baslasan atlas olar tu t
y arp ag h in n an .
If you exercise patience, you can m ake halva from sour grapes as m uch
as one can m ake silk from m ulberry leaves. [T. A. 166: W ith tim e and
patience the leaf of the m ulberry becom es silk.]
* **
2352 Sabrinan har ish basha chatar.
All w ork gets done thro u g h patience. [Patience is a virtue].
***
2353 Safar m ahay dashidi'r.
Travel is a touchstone. [One can find ou t about the tru e character of a
friend w hile traveling together.]
***
2354 Safara gedan su gotiiriir.
H e w ho goes on a trip brings along w ater.
* X- *

2355 Safeh oziinnan aghillisin bilm az.

A fool thinks him self to be the wisest.
***
2356 Sahar giiniina gi'zm'iyan axsham giiniina hech gizm az.
H e w ho d o esn 't w arm u p w ith the m orning su n w o n 't w arm u p w ith
the evening sun.
** *
2357 Saharin alovu axsham in pilovu.
The heat of the m orning [hard w ork brings about] the pilaf of the
ev en in g .
***
2358 Sahsan doxsan bir gun yoxsan.
Comes [the age of] eighty and ninety and one d isappears one day.
* **
2359 Sahvi dayirm anchi elar b u g h d a alar u n verar.
The m iller m akes a m istake that he gets w h eat an d he gives flour.
* **
2360 San dava m an dava at'i kim tu m ar eda!?

299
 "You are a cam el an d I am a camel. W ho w ill harness the horse!?"
* **
2361 San eli sorm axdan goy el sani sorsun.
R ather than ask [worry] about other people, let other people w orry
about you.
X- X- *

2362 San hax ila olsan hag da san ila olar.

If you conduct y o u r affairs w ith justice [honesty], justice w ill be w ith
you. [Be w ith G od, G od w ill be w ith you].
* **
2363 San ishi beraxm ayinja ish sani beraxm az.
If you d o n 't let go of w ork, w ork w o n 't let go of you.
X* X- X-

2364 Sana dashla toxunana san pam bixla toxun!

H e w ho hits you w ith a rock, you should h it w ith cotton!
* * X-

2365 Sannan harakat h ax d an barakat.

If you m ove, G od blesses you. [God blesses those w ho help
them selves.]
X* X- *

2366 Sar verip sir verm iyan sarvardir.

H e w ho gives his head [life] instead of revealing a secret is a gentlem an.
* X- X-

2367 Sarxoshun kaghazi- toyda oxunar.

The letter of a d ru n k a rd is read at a w edding.
X- * X-

2368 Sel gedar gum galar.

The flood travels on and the sand rem ains behind. [R edhouse 335:
D on't get excited about those things th at are here today and gone
tom orrow ; think instead of those things th a t you m u st contend w ith
over a long period of time.]
***
2369 Sel haraya getsa okiiz da oraya gedar.
W herever the flood runs, the cow w ill go too.
* **
2370 Serchadan gorxan d a ri ahmaz!
He w ho fears [w orries about] sparrow s s h o u ld n 't p lan t millet!
X- * *

2371 Serchiya dedilar, "Filan yeriva hiziim ." D edi, "O yer olsa."
They said to a sparrow , "This log u p yours [sic]!" It said, "I d o n 't m ind
it if it w ould fit."
X- X- X-

2372 Shahbalutdan yagh chixm az.

No one can get oil from a chestnut tree.
X- X- X-

2373 Shahin dava olam m az.

300
 A falcon can't become [act like] a camel.
XXX

2374 Shahin korpa olsa da goja d u rn a n i goydan yendirar.

Even a young falcon can bring do w n an experienced crane. [Redhouse
358: D on't look askance at som ething, m erely because it's small.]
XXX

2375 Shahin da garachiya ishi tiishar.

Even the king m ight be in need of a beggar one day. [Qods 81: A sking
for help from other people isn 't a bad thing.]
XXX

2376 Sham in b ahalanm asinin kora na ziyani!?

H ow can the price increase of the din n er harm the blind man!?
XXX

2377 Shabpara geja gazar giindiiz gazm az ela bilar ozi bilar ozga bilm az.
The bat w anders around in the night not in the day and it thinks that it
is the only one w ho know s this.
XXX

2378 Shahri gorana kilaviz na lazim!?

W hy should a person w ho sees [find] the city need to have a guide!?
XXX

2379 Shalani ela baghla gotiiranda giijun chatsin.

Pack luggage according to your strength so that you can lift it up.
X- X- X-

2380 Shar ish gala gala xeyra donar.

A n evil deed drags on and on and [eventually] it turns into a good one.
X- X- X-

2381 Sharih yaxchi olsayd’i A llah oziina garar verardi.

If having a p artn er w ere a good idea, G od w ould choose one for
H im self.
X X- X

2382 Shar' zahira hokm elar.

Religious law overcom es m an 's actions. [K hodayar 430]
XXX

2383 Shar' kasan barm aghin aghrisi olm az.

A finger that is cut according to the religious law d o esn 't hurt. [Qods
136: H e w ho is p u n ish ed for his w rong-doing sh o u ld n 't com plain.]
XXX
2384 Shar'a gedan oz soziin danishar.
H e w ho goes to a judge alone, he will tell him his side of the story.
XXX
2385 S har'da utam m ax yoxdur.
O ne has to com ply w ith the religious law s and one sh o u ld n 't feel bad
about w h at one is doing.
XXX
2386 Sher agh zin n an shikar alinm az.
N o one can take aw ay [rescue] gam e from the m outh of a lion.

301
 ***
2387 Sheytani'n karxanasi bosh olm az.
The factory of devil never stands idle. [Qods 106: M any people get
tem pted by devil to do evil things.]
** *
2388 Sheytani'nan sharih akanin gism ati sam an olar.
H e w ho chooses devil for a p artn er in planting gets chaff for his share.
***
2389 Sheyx uchm az m iiridlar uchu rd arlar.
A sage d o e sn 't [can't] fly, b u t his disciples m ake him fly. [Redhouse 362:
A person's followers tend to regard him as greater than he really is.]
** *
2390 Shirin dil ilani y u v asin n an chixardar aji dil adam'f im annan.
A sw eet tongue can charm a snake ou t of its nest and a bitter tongue
m isleads m an from his faith.
***
2391 Shirin olm iyan yerda idiya gaga diyallar.
In the absence of sw eets people call an olive food. [In the blind m en's
village the m an w ith one eye is king.]
** *
2392 Shirin shirin yem agh'in aji aji gusm aghi var.
He w ho eats w ith such pleasure w ill vom it bitterly [painfully]. [Qods
136: H e w ho exceeds in profit-m aking or eating w ill pay back
painfully.]
** *
2393 Shiltax evi avval abad axiri' xarab.
A house that is b uilt w ith unjust dealing [cheating] looks good first, b u t
eventually w ill be ruined.
***
2394 Shor yiyan sua galar.
H e w ho eats salty food w ill eventually come to get w ater.
***
2395 Shora yerda siinbiil bitm az.
The hyacinth w o n 't grow on salty m arshland.
* **
2396 Shorazarda bostan ahsan adi bostan olar taghi tag h olm az.
If you grow m elons on a salty m arshland, the field is called a m elon
field, b u t its fruit isn 't m elons.
***
2397 S huxlughun axiri davaya chakar.
Fights and quarrels come ou t of too m uch teasing.
* X-

2398 Shuxlux d o stlu g h u n geychisidi.

Teasing is the scissors of friendship.
***
2399 Sifarishila haj gabul olm az.

302
 You can 't ask som eone else to m ake a visit to Mecca for you.
X- * X-

2400 Sirka tiind olanda oz gabin chattadar.

Sour vinegar breaks its container.
x- * x-

2401 Sirdash arayan sirrini yasagh istar.

H e w ho seeks a confidant should keep secrets.
X- * *

2402 Sichan goranda palanga oxshiyan pishih p alan g goranda sichana

oxshar.
A cat th a t looks like a tiger, w h en it sees a m ouse, w ill look like a
m ouse w hen it sees a tiger.
* * X-

2403 Sichan sudiiyiiniin d aryaya xeyri var.

Even the urine of a m ouse is beneficial to the w ater of a sea.
* * X-

2404 Sichan tu td u g h i bajani tanir.

The m ouse know s well the hole th at it occupies. [Redhouse 340: A
person w ho is u p to no good alw ays has a place to ru n to w hen the
going gets ro u g h for him.]
***
2405 Sichana dedilar, "Bu dalih d an chix o daliya gir, besh m in gizil al!"
Dedi, "M anzil yaxin p u li chox. B unda b ir hisab olmiya!?"
They offered five th o u san d gold coins to the m ouse and asked it to
leave its hole and go to anoth er one. H e said, "The distance is short
and you are offering a lot of m oney. Is there no t a trick involved!?"
[Qods 136: A silly request m eans that there is a trick involved.]
X- * X-

2406 Sidghinan ga-ra d ash d an m atlab alm ax olar.

O ne can get inform ation even from a black stone by being sincere.
X- X- *

2407 Sinix gabda su durm az.

A broken dish w o n 't h old w ater.
* **
2408 Sizik get dostina sani gorajax galxsin ayax ustiina.
If you w an t to be a w elcom ed guest in your friend's house d o n 't avail
yourself of his hospitality too often.
X-* *
2409 Soghan eyb achar.
The onion solves defects.
X- * *

2410 Soghan sayrah olunja bashi yeka olar.

As an onion becom es th in its head grow s larger.
X- X- X-

2411 Soghan'i akasan aji'sin chakasan.

If you grow an onion y o u have to en d u re its bitterness.

303
 xxx

2412 Soghan! kim yiyar dardajar eybini kim chixardar eybajar.

W ho eats the onion? H e w ho is sick. W ho cavils? The caviler.
XX X

2413 Soghanin d adlisi dadsizi olmaz.

O nion is onion; there are no such things as tasty onions or tasteless
o n io n s.
** *
2414 Soghansiz pishan xorayin dad! olm az.
A dish cooked w ithout onions w o n 't taste good.
XXX

2415 Solaxay soldan yaxchi virar.

A left-handed m an strikes better from his left side. [Qods 177: H e w ho
is good at cheating will be caught suddenly.]
X- X* X-

2416 Sonsuz adam p u li chox sovar.

A childless person loves m oney.
X- X- X

2417 Soradan chixan boynuz gulaghi dalar.

A horn that comes later w ill pierce the ear.
XXX

2418 Sorushan dag h lari ashar sorushm iyan d iizd a chashar.

H e w ho asks questions can climb [overcome] m ountains, b u t he w ho
d o esn't ask gets lost on a plain.
XXX

2419 Sorushan yanilm az.

A n inquirer w ill never regret it.
X X X

2420 Soux dam ir taptam m az.

Cold iron can't be beaten [can't be m olded].
XXX

2421 Soyundughun yerda da giyin.

O ne should dress w here one has taken off ones clothes. [Qods 105: You
can expect people to help you ou t only if you have been helpful to
them .]
XXX

2422 Sogiit kolgasinda otu ran in biti olmaz.

H e w ho sits in the shade of a w illow w o n 't have lice.
XXX

2423 Soy m ani soyiim sani.

Love m e I w ill love you.
XXX

2424 Soyma gul atam i soym ayim bay atani!

D on't bad-m outh m y father if you d o n 't w an t m e to b ad -m o u th y o u r
father!
XXX

304
2425 Soyiinan g u rd u n aghzi baghlanar.
A w olf w ho gets happy, its m o u th w ill be tied u p [it'll go under].
** *
2426 Soz dedighin dam irdi boyiidixja uzanar.
W ords [gossip] are like iron, they grow longer as you stretch them .
***
2427 Soz dedighin d ari torbasidi dishlansa tokiilajax.
W ords [gossip] are like a bag of millet; if it is chew ed open it w ill pour.
** *
2428 Soz dedighin yash darid i chahdixja uzanir.
W ords [gossip] are like w et leather, they stretch longer the m ore you
p u ll them .
***
2429 Soz dem aghinan aghiz yorulm az.
The m outh w o n 't get tired by talking [giving advice].
** *
2430 Soz eshitm ak adabdandi.
Listening to people's advice is a sign of politeness.
** *
2431 Soz sababsiz soylanm az chirax illatsiz yam m az.
There are reasons th at advice is given and there are reasons th a t a lam p
b urns.
** *
2432 Soz sozi achar.
W ords lead to w ords. [Redhouse 351: O ne topic leads to another.]
** *
2433 Soz sozi gatirir arshin bezi.
O ne w ord [topic] brings abou t another one an d a yardstick brings cloth.
** *
2434 Soz su kim in yol achar na g ad ar gizlin olsa.
Like w ater, new s m akes room for itself no m atter how secretive it is.
** *
2435 Soz var el ichinda soz v ar ev ichinda.
Some w ords [news] can be shared w ith other people and som e should
be discussed only at home.
X-* *
2436 Soz var shahid istar soz v ar shahidi oz y an in d a olur.
Some w ords [statem ents] require w itness and som e speak for
th em selv es.
**X -
2437 Soz vaxtina chakar.
There is a tim e for talking.
**X-
2438 Soz verm ax asan yerina yetirm ax chatindi.
M aking prom ises is easy, b u t carrying them ou t is difficult.
* * X-

305
2439 Sozdan soz chixar.
W ords [argum ents] lead to m ore w ords [argum ents].
***
2440 Sozi aghzi'nda pishir sora chi'xart.
First cook [think about] the w ords in your m outh and th en let them
out. [Think before you speak,]
* X- *

2441 Sozi at yera yiyasi goturar.

Say w hat you w an t to say, the ow ner of it [whom the statem ent is m ade
for] w ill pick it up.
* * X-

2442 Sozi giza soylayin galin ayi'gh olsa duyar.

A clever bride u n d erstan d s quickly w hen a rem ark is intended for her
even if it is addressed to the d au g h ter [sister-in-law].
* X- X-

2443 Sozi yerinda soylam ax honardi.

M aking a statem ent at the right tim e is an art.
X- X- X-

2444 Soziin ajisini yiyan bilm az doghrayan bilar.

H e w ho eats [receives] a bitter w ord [insult] w o n 't u n d erstan d b u t he
w ho m ade it will.
x- * *

2445 Soziin d o g h ru su n u u shaxdan xabar al.

True w ords [inform ation] are acquired from a child.
***
2446 Soziin gan ad i var.
W ords [news] have w ings [travels].
***
2447 Soziin yalani olm az yannishi olar.
N ew s isn 't lies b u t it can be m isunderstood.
* X-*
2448 Soziin yeri galanda de getsin!
O ne should let w ords [opinions] come out w hen it is the p ro p e r tim e
for them!
X- * *

2449 Soziini bilm iyani kiichiya atallar.

A n unw ise m an w ho d o e sn 't know w h at he is saying is th ro w n o u t on
the street.
X- X- X-

2450 Soziinan d u v a r g u ru lm az d ash in an m ohra garah.

A w all can't be built by talking [promises], to build a w all m an needs
stones and m ud.
X- X- X-

2451 Su bir yerda chox galsa goxur.

W hen w ater stays in one spo t for too long it spoils.
X- X- X-

306
2452 Su chichiyin soz boyuyiin.
W ater is for children and w ords [talking] for adults. [Redhouse 352: A t
m ealtim e children sh ould be the ones w ho get w ater first, b u t the
adults should be the first ones w ho begin to eat and converse.]
* **
2453 Su ilan giran ganila chixm az.
That w hich enters w ith w a ter w o n 't leave w ith blood.
* **
2454 Su galanda kiizasin d o ld u rm ay an susuz galar.
H e w ho d o e sn 't fill his jar w h en w ater comes w ill be thirsty.
* * *

2455 Su galanda yoluni tapar.

W ater finds its w ay w hen it comes do w n [starts running].
* **
2456 Su garah g u y u n u n d ib in n an chixsin.
W ater [spring] has to com e o u t from the bottom [earth].
* **
2457 Su girdi gaba oldi ichmali.
Once w ater enters the jar it becom es drinkable. [Qods 105: That w hich
is in a m an 's reach is like being his.]
***
2458 Su h ar sheyi tam izlar ev garasin yox.
W ater can clean everything except the darkness [dishonor] of a house.
** *
2459 Su ilan giran ganila chixm az.
That w hich enters w ith w ater w o n 't leave w ith blood.
* **
2460 Su ki bash d an ashdi istar bir garish istar yiiz garish.
W hen w ater rises above the head be it one h a n d sp an or one h u n d re d
spans m akes no difference.
**X-
2461 Su klizasi suda sinar.
A w ater jug breaks in [fetching] w ater.
** *
2462 Su m irdarlix gotiirm az.
W ater d o e sn 't accept filth.
* X-*
2463 Su olan y erd a tayam m im batildir.
W here there is w ater available, ablution w ith earth or sand is void.
[Redhouse 352: W hen it becom es possible to do som ething properly
one m ust start doing it p ro p erly and abandon all m akeshift m easures.]
* X- *

2464 Su oz y o lu n u tapar.
W ater [stream] finds its way.
* **
2465 Su su u tap ar suda chuxuri tapar.

307
 W ater finds [runs into] w ater and it finds [flows into] the ditch. [Qods
110: People usually find or m ake friends w ith those w ho have sim ilar
tastes.]
** *
2466 Su ujadan g aydar alchagha axar.
W ater retu rn s [comes] from the elevation and p o u rs into a ditch.
* x *
2467 Su yatar diishm an yatm az.
W ater sleeps [the tide goes dow n], b u t an enem y w on't.
** *
2468 Subay gozila giz alm a, geja gozila bez alma!
D o n 't m arry a girl th ro u g h the eye of an u n m arried person and d o n 't
buy cloth at night [in dim light]!
* X X

2469 Subayidim sultanidim , adax lan d im khan oldum , evlandim x andan

o ld u m .
W hen I w as single [unm arried] I w as a king. W hen I got betrothed, I
becam e a khan and w hen I got m arried, I becam e happy.
** *
2470 Subaylix sultanixdir.
A single [unm arried] p erson is [feels] like a king.
** *
2471 Suda bitan suda yetar.
That w hich grow s in the w ater thrives b etter in the w ater.
* * X

2472 Suda bog h u lan ilana sarilir.

A p erson w ho is d row ning w ould grab a snake.
** *
2473 Suda boghulan sam anada al atar.
A person w ho is d row ning w o u ld grab a straw .
** *
2474 Sufi soghan yem az alina diishsa gabi'ghini da buraxm az.
A Sufi [m em ber of an ascetic sect] d o esn 't eat [like] onions, b u t if he gets
hold of one he w o n 't even let go of its skin. [Qods 136: Some people
w ho lack certain necessities of life som etim es p reten d otherw ise.]
X-*
2475 Sufrada alin saxla m ajlisda dilin.
W atch y o u r h a n d at the food table and w atch your tongue at a m eeting.
X* *
2476 Sukut etm ah kim i alam da n ad an a javab olm az.
Silence is the best answ er to an ignorant person.
XXX

2477 S ulanm ish ay ran su lanm am ish y o g h u rtd a n yaxshidi.

D iluted sour m ilk is b etter th an u n d ilu ted yogurt.
XX X

2478 Susuz aghaj b a r verm az.

308
 A thirsty tree w o n 't bear fruit.
* X- *

2479 Susuz it kahriza baxar.

A thirsty dog sets his eyes on a canal.
* * X-

2480 Suu b ash d an tutm ali.

Fetch w ater at its head [source]. [Redhouse 352: If you w an t to m ake
sure that your business is han d led p roperly, discuss it no t w ith
underlings, b u t w ith the m an w h o 's in charge of the w hole thing.]
* X- *

2481 Suu gizdir sora b u rg h u n i chah.

First heat up the w ater an d then pull the siren [let the public know that
the public bath is ready].
* X- X-

2482 Suu olm ayan gol g u rb ag h an i neynar!?

W hat use are frogs to a lake w ith no water!?
* X- X-

2483 Suu ver susuyana ichsin gana gana.

Give w ater to a thirsty m an, he w ill d rin k it w ith appreciation.
***
2484 Suun axirini izliyan yorular.
He w ho intends to find the source of the w ater w ill get tired out.
X- X- X-

2485 Suun lam axan'i adami'n yera baxani.

Take notice of calm w ater [river] and an obedient person.
X- X- *

2486 Stileym ana galm iyan diinya sana d a galm az.

This w orld d id n 't rem ain for King Solom on and it w o n 't rem ain for
you either. [Everyone dies one day.]
X- X- X-

2487 Siir get dem ishlar gor get dem am ishlar.

You w ere told to keep driving, no t w atch and go. [Redhouse 356: D on't
m ake an issue out of every situation or action th at you d o n 't like.]
X- X- X-

2488 Siirii chobansiz olm az.

A herd can't be w ithout a shepherd.
X- X- X-

2489 Siirii sana pishkeshdi chipish sakkiz g iran n an askih olm az.
If you w ish, I'll give you the herd to you, b u t the price of each goat
w o n 't be less than one penny. [Business is business.]
X- X- X-

2490 Siitsiiz inah m aliyan olur.

A cow that lacks m ilk m oans.
X- X- X-

2491 Talei yaar olanin yaari sarar yarasin, talei y ar olm iyanin ag h lad ar falah
anasi'n.

309
 H e w ho is accom panied by luck, his w o u n d s [troubles] w ill be taken
care of by his beloved and he w ho is d ep riv ed of it, fate w ill m ake his
m other m ourn for him. [He w h o is lucky d o esn 't need to w o rry about
anything.]
* * *

2492 Talein gozda sina, oghulda sina gizda sina!

Try y our luck w ith a w aln u t [used in gam es], d au g h ter and son!
* * *

2493 T am ahkar olm asa m iiflis ajinnan olm az.

It is because of greedy people th at people are poor.
* **
2494 T am ahkarin goziin toprax doyurar.
O nly soil [grave] can cover the eyes of a greedy m an. [A greedy person
w o n 't stop being greedy until he dies.]
***
2495 T am ahkarin saggali m uflisin gotiinda olar.
The beard of a greedy m an is in the ass of a p o o r m an.
***
2496 T am ahkari yalanchi alladar.
A liar [cheater] deceives a greedy man.
***
2497 Tas d am n an tiishiib jingildisin alam eshidip.
The bald m an fell from the roof and the entire w orld h eard his echo.
** *
2498 Tavus har yana baxar farahlanar ayaghina baxar gussalanar.
The peacock becom es h ap p y w henever it looks at its body, b u t it gets
sad w hen it looks at its feet.
* **
2499 Toy elinan xarm an yelinan.
M arriage w ith other people and h arvest by w ind.
** *
2500 Toy gejasi galin evda galm az yas gejasi olii yerda.
O n the w edding night the bride w o n 't stay hom e [at h er father's house]
and on the m ourning n ig h t no d ead person w o u ld stay on the ground.
[Qods 14: Events concerning d eath and m arriage can 't be postponed.]
* * X-

2501 Toya gedan yasa da gedar.

H e w ho goes to the w edding has to go to the funeral too. [Qods 136: He
w ho participates in a person 's w ed d in g (happiness) has to p articiapte in
a person's funeral (misery) too.]
A- * *

2502 Toydan sora hanani gota yaxallar.

After the w edding henna w ill be used to rub [color] the ass. [Qods 106:
U ntim ely prosperity is considered useless.]
* * X-

2503 Uja daghlara gar yaghanda gish olar kishi oz ahval'in bilsa xosh olar.

3 10
 W hen the snow covers h igh m ountains, it is a sign of w inter. W hen a
m an know s about his affairs th at is a good thing.
* * *

2504 Uja ev talv arin n an ballanar.

A tall house is recognizeable from its aw nings [penthouse].
* * *

2505 Ujuz at satan tez satar.

He w ho sells the m eat cheaper w ill sell it fast.
***
2506 Ujuz atin shorbasi olm az.
C heap m eat d o esn't m ake [good] soup. [Redhouse 407: C heap goods
usually give their buyer little satisfaction.]
***
2507 Ujuz atin shorbasm i it yiyar.
Dogs eat the soup that is m ade out of cheap m eat.
***
2508 Ujuz atin su u dadsiz olar.
The broth of a soup m ade of cheap m eat is tasteless.
***
2509 U juzdan bahasi olm az.
The cheapest of an item is the m ost expensive one. [R edhouse 407:
Buying cheap goods is usually false economy.]
* **
2510 U juzdi illati var b ah ad i hekm ati.
If it is cheap there is a reason for it and if it is expensive there is a
w isdom behind it. [Redhouse 407: There are som e so u n d reasons w hy
a piece of m erchandise is priced as it is.]
***
2511 U juzlixda alijinin bahalixda satijinin iiziin baxm a.
One should avoid [seeing] a buyer w hen things are at a low price and a
seller w hen things are [sold] at a high price.
***
2512 U lduz goyiin yarashighi ushax evin yarashighi'di.
Stars m atch the sky and children m atch the house. [C hildren are the
joy of a house as the stars are for the sky.]
* * X-

2513 U lduzu alchax olana tez goz dayar.

He w ho has a low star [is ill-fortuned], w ill be struck by the evil eye.
[An unlucky m an is hit from every side.]
***
2514 U lduzu barishm iyanin galinin, salam i da soviish olar.
The greetings of an ill-fortuned bride w ill be considered curses [insults].
**
2515 U lu soziina baxm iyan uluya uluya galar.
H e w ho ignores the w ords [advice] of his elders w ill suffer at the end.
* * *

3 11
2516 U stadina kaj baxanin gozlarina agh diishar.
H e w ho disrespects his m aster, w ill suffer from cataracts. [Qods 20:
Show ing disrespect to o ne's teacher isn 't a decent thing to do.]
* * *

2517 U tan u tam m azd an gorx gorxm azda.

Stay aw ay from a brazen m an and take note of a fearless man.
* * *

2518 U tan an in og h lu olm az.

A shy person w o n 't have a son.

2519 Uzax yerin sozi chox olar.

People talk about faraw ay places a lot.
* * *

2520 Uzax yerin xabarini karvan gatirar.

H ear the new s of a faraw ay place from a caravan. [Rehdouse 411: If
you w a n t reliable new s about a d istan t place or a person w ho lives
faraw ay, you should consult som eone w ho has actually been to that
place or seen th at person.]
* * * '

2521 U zaxdan baxana doyush asan galar.

H e w ho w atches a fight from faraw ay considers it to be an easy job.
* * *

2522 U zun ad am in aghli to p u g h u n d a olar.

The brain of a tall person is in his heels. [Qods 334: A tall m an is short­
sighted.]
** *
2523 U zu n b azar h am m isi charixchi ham m isim n ru z u sin A llah verar.
It is a long bazaar [from one end to the other] and they [everyone] w ear
shoes, yet G od provides their daily bread no m atter w hat.
* * *

2524 Uch gejalix ayi h am m i gorar.

Everyone can see [recognize] the m oon on its th ird day.
* * *

2525 Uch zat adam i javan saxlar at sasi gizil sasi giz nafasi.
Three things keep a m an young: the sound of a horse, the ringing of
gold [sound of coins] an d the b reath [com panionship] of a w om an.
* * *

2526 U m id ki var yem axdan iyidi.

W hen there is hope th at is b etter th an food.
X-* *
2527 U rah da d o stu n u tani'r.
Even the heart know s w ho a real friend is. [The h eart recognizes a
genuine friend.]
* * *

2528 U rah yam m asa gozdan y ash chixmaz.

U nless a heart is really touched no tears com e o u t of the eyes.

312
 * X- X-

2529 U rayi yanan aghlar.

H e w hose heart is b u rn ed [touched] w ill cry.
X- X- *

2530 U shagha ish biiyiir dali'nja yiigiir.

Give a job to a child, ru n after it yourself.
x- * x-
2531 U shaghi ayagha tu tan d a hav ah dastasin goydan asallar.
W hen a child start w alking, people h an g [put away] the pestle u p high.
* X- *

2532 U shaghi doy d iin gonaghi doydiin.

Beating a child is the sam e as beating a guest.
X- X- X-

2533 U shaghi o x u d ar atanin kisasi anarifn nafasi.

It is the father's p u rse [money] and the m o th er's b reath [support] that
provide a child w ith an education.
X- * X-

2534 U shaghin begi iishaghin gijinnan yaxchidi.

A n au ghty child is better than a light-headed child .
X- X- X-

2535 U shaghinan yol y o ldashi olma.

N ever travel w ith a child.
X- X- X-

2536 U shax azizdi tarbiyasi o n nan da aziz.

It is true th a t a child is dear, b u t his u pbringing is m uch m ore
im p o rta n t.
X- X- X*

2537 U shax boyiitm ax elabir d ash gam irm ax.

Bringing up a child is like chew ing a rock.
X- X- X-

2538 U shax dadasina chakar.

A child takes after his father.
X- X- X-

2539 U shax dedighin bir giil hiikm indadi.

As they say a child is like a flower.
X- X- X-

2540 U shax evin yarashighidir.

A child is a suitable item [part] in a household.
X- X- X-

2541 U shax g o rd u g h u n i gotiirar.

A child picks up [im mitates] w hatever he sees.
X- X- X-

2542 U shax oz atasinnan gujlusiinii bilm az.

A child considers his father to be the strongest of all.
X- X- X-

2543 U shax v a rd i yoxd'i bilm az.

3 13
 A child d o e sn 't u n d erstan d if one says, "I d o n 't have [I can't afford] it."
* * *

2544 U shax yixila yixila boyiiyar.

A child grow s u p by falling and getting up.

2545 U shaxli ev b azard i tishaxsiz ev m azardi.

A household w ith a child is like a bazaar; w ith o u t [a child] it is like a
graveyard.
* * *

2546 U shaxlighda yalan d an ish an in boyiiyanda soziina inam m azlar.

N o one w ould believe a person w ho w as know n as a liar as a child.
* * *

2547 Uz chondi konul dondi.

If you tu rn aw ay y our face there w ill be a change in your heart. [Out of
sight out of heart.]
* * *

2548 Uz utam m asa goz tiikam m az.

Unless the face feels shy, the eye w o n 't get tired. [The eye longs for
w hatever it sees.]
* * *

2549 Uz iirayin aynas'fdi.

The face is the m irror of the heart.
* * *

2550 Uz iizdan utanar.

A face [person] is shy in the presence of other faces [people]. [Redhouse
447: People can solve their problem s m ore easily w h en they m eet and
discuss them face to face.]
** *
2551 Uzli d ash yerda galm az.
A precious stone w o n 't rem ain on the ground. [A skilled or intelligent
m an w o n 't rem ain idle.]
* * X-

2552 Uzii iista galani arxas'i iista choviirm azlar.

People w o n 't tu rn a person on his back w ho has fallen on his face.
***
2553 U zum bir birina baxar garalar.
The grapes look at each other and becom e d ark [ripe]. [Redhouse 416:
A person w ho falls in w ith b ad com panions grad u ally acquires their
bad habits.]
* **
2554 U ztirm in ye baghin sorm a.
Just eat the grapes and d o n 't ask about their garden. [Gozler 490:
Som etim es one has to restrain oneself from too m uch curiousity.]
* * *

2555 U zun garalighl eyb dayir galbin garalighi eybdi.

H aving a dark face isn 't a disgrace, b u t having a d ark heart is a disgrace.

314
 * * *

2556 V ardan ziyan galm az.

N o harm can com e from w ealth.
***
2557 V ardi p u lu n ham m i g u lu n yoxdi p u lu n d a rd i yolun.
If you have m oney [wealth] everyone is your slave [ready to serve you],
if you d o n 't have m oney, y o u r p a th w ill be very n arro w [you w ill have
a hard time].
* * *

2558 V arin veran u tam m az yoxun v eran dalidir.

H e w ho gives aw ay [spends] his w ealth sh o u ld n 't be asham ed of his
deed b u t he w ho gives aw ay his basic necessities is crazy.
* * *

2559 Varl'i arabasini d ag h d an ashirir yoxsul diiz y erd a yo lu n shashirir.

A w ealthy m an m anages to bring d o w n his cart from the m ountains
[safe and sound], b u t the cart of a poor m an tu rn s over on a clear [flat]
path. [Qods 196: M oney is the source of happiness and progress and
poverty is the source of m ishaps and failure.]
* * *

2560 Varl'i kisasini doyar yoxsul dizini.

A w ealthy m an beats [touches] his p u rse and a p o o r m an beats his
knees.
* * *

2561 Varl'i yoxsul yashiyanda alii il dasg ah in i pozm az.

W hen a w ealthy m an becom es poor he w o n 't destroy [spend] his
w ealth for fifty years.
* * *

2562 V arligha na darligh.

The narrow [hard] tim es can do no harm to w ealth. [Poverty isn 't an
issue to a rich man.]
* * *

2563 V arliligha talasan yoxsulligha tez tiishar.

He w ho rushes to becom e rich becom es poor in no time.
X-* *
2564 V arlinin m al-e m inali yoxsulun ahl-e ayali.
The rich have plenty of w ealth and the poor have m any w ives and
children.
* X- *

2565 V arlinin m ali yoxsulun chanasin yorar.

The w ealth of a rich m an tires o u t the chin [m outh] a poor m an. [The
poor m an talks about the w ealth of a rich m an uninterruptedly.]
* *+
2566 V arlinin xoruzu da y u m u td ar.
Even the rooster of a rich m an w ould lay eggs. [N othing is im possible
for a rich man.]
* * *

315
2567 V arlinin yoxsu ld an xabari olm az.
A rich m an cares least abou t a p o o r m an.
X- X- *

2568 Varliya toxun gech yoxliya g o ru n gech.

If you see a w ealthy [influential] m an greet him and keep going; w hen
you see a p oor m an escape as fast as you can. [Qods 196: Association
w ith rich people is a good idea as long as you benefit from them and
association w ith poor people is all right as long as it d o e sn 't h u rt you.]
* * X-

2569 Vay o n d ad i charvadar bajdar ola vay o n d ad i shah gapisin kiird ala.
Beware w hen a sw indler becom es a tax-collecter and the K urds gather
in front of a king's door [palace].
X- * *

2570 V axtinda gorulm am ish [ish] axira tak gorulm am ish galar.
A job w hich h a sn 't been taken care of at its ow n tim e rem ains
unfinished till the end.
* * *

2571 Vaxtsiz achan giil tez solar.

A flow er w hich blossom s untim ely w ilts quickly.
X- * *

2572 Vaxtsiz banlayan x o ru zu n bashi'ni kasallar.

A rooster th at sings untim ely w ill lose its head.
* X- *

2573 Vaxtsiz galan gonax oz kisasinnan yiyar.

A guest w ho arrives late has to eat from his ow n bag.
X- X- *

2574 V adasi bitm ish nokarin ajali yetishm ish aghast garah.
A servant w hose tim e is u p w ill be free w h en d eath calls u p his m aster.
* * a-
2575 V adasi yetinana na chara!?
W hat can be done w hen the h o u r of d eath is there to take one!?
X-* *
2576 V assiyyat yiingiiHixdi.
M aking a w ill is a relief for a m an.
X- X- X-

2577 V eran ashi ichallar.

O ne should drink soup th a t has been offered.
X- X- X-

2578 V erdighin bir y u m u rta o n u da yirta yirta!

All you could lay w as one egg and you did th at w ith lots of huffing and
puffing! [H aim 337: The m o u n tain w as in labour, and b ro u g h t forth a
m ouse].
X- X- X-

2579 Verip pis olunja verm ayip pis ol.

Better not to give [lend] them an y th in g and let them criticize you
rather than give to them an d be criticized.

316
 ***
2580 Xala evina d ad an an er evinda dayam m az.
A w ife w ho is used to h er au n t's hom e w o n 't stay at h er h u sb an d 's
hom e at all. [Qods 31: A w om an w ho spends m ost of h er tim e at her
relative's house w o u ld n 't m ake a good housew ife for a m an.]

2581 Xalam bildi alam bildi.

Once m y aunt know s about it, the w hole w orld w ill know ab o u t it too.
* **
2582 X alam nan bir dilah elaram versa da xalam di verm asa da.
I w ill ask m y aunt for a favor; if she fulfills it fine, if n o t she is still m y
aunt. [There is no such a thing as a good relative and b ad relative.
H aving relatives is better than not having any.]
* * *

2583 Xam d am ir tapdanm az.

You can't beat [mold] an unh eated [cold] piece of iron.
jfrifX -

2584 Xana inam m a sua dayanm a.

D on't tru st a khan, nor you should lean against w ater.
* * *

2585 Xanim s'indiran gabin sasi yox.

A dish that is broken by the lady [of the house] m akes no noise. [People
ignore the m istakes of im po rtan t people.]
* * *

2586 Xanim sindirirsa gaza kiilfat sindirirsa jaza.

W hen the lady breaks som ething it is considered bad luck an d w hen
the servant does it, punish m en t is considered. [Im portant people
a re n 't questioned for their m istakes, b u t ordinary people are.]
* * *

2587 Xanimin garni toxdi garabaxta bir chorah choxdi.

All th at m atters is that the stom ach of the lady is full, as for the
unfortunate [poor] servant even a piece of bread is considered to be too
m uch. [N obody cares about the needs of the poor people, all that
m atters is the needs of the w ealthy people.]
* * *

2588 Xayin xofli olar.

A treacherous person is dangerous.
* * *

2589 X abarchin axm ax olar ona gulax veran onnan da ahm ax.
A tale-bearer is stupid and he w ho listens to him is m ore stupid.
* * *

2590 X abarchin yalanchi olar yalanchi xabarchi.

A tale-bearer is liar and liar is a tale-bearer.
X- * *

2591 Xalgin aghzin baghlam ax olaz.

No one can close the m o u th of the people.

317
 XXX

2592 Xamir xam irin m ayasi galin geynananin tayasi.

Yeast is the starter for the d o u g h and the bride is a n u rse for the
m o th e r-in -la w .
XXX

2593 X am irdan artar cham ird an artm az.

D ough becom es bigger [rises] b u t m u d doesn't.
XXX

2594 Xarab olmi'yinja abad olm az.

N othing flourishes before being destroyed.
XXX

2595 X arabata giran istayan y o g h u n u n axtarm az.

He w ho w ishes to enter a tavern w o u ld n 't look for a ... [?]
XXX

2596 X arm an yelinan diiyiin elinan.

To w innow a harvest one needs w ind; to have w ed d in g one needs
people.
XXX

2597 X arm anin tozu barakatli olar.

The d u st of the harvest is a blessing [useful].
X- X- X-

2598 X azanadarlix yaxchi ishdi p u llarm ham m isi sanin ola.

The office of the treasury is good only if the m oney is yours.
X- X- X-

2599 Xaziniya tiipuranin tiipiirjayi oz saggalina yap'fshar.

H e w ho spits in a public bath , the spit w ill stick to his ow n beard.
X- X- X-

2600 X eym agaha giran aghlasin garah.

He w ho enters a cam p m ust cry too.
X- X- X-

2601 Xeyr soyla gonsh'iva xeyr chixsin garshiva.

W ish good w ill for y our neighbor if you w a n t to come across good w ill
yourself.
X- X- X-

2602 Xeyr soylam aza soyladilar, "Xeyr soyla safardan gaydanda sana bir don
verax." Dedi, "Balka geddiz galm adiz."
They said to m alevolent perso n , "W ish us good luck. W hen w e retu rn
from o u r trip w e w ill give you a piece of cloth. H e answ ered, "W hat if
you d o n 't return?"
X- X - X

2603 X eyzarannan olm az shakar olsa da jinsina chakar.

Sugar can't be m ade out of bam boo. If m ade, it w o n 't be sugar.
XXX

2604 Xonaxa xonaxani'n hesabin galbinda elar.

O ne hotel ow ner calculates the incom e of an o th er hotel ow ner.
XXX

318
2605 Xoruz chox olan katda sahar gej achilar.
In a village w here there are too m any roosters, daw n com es [m orning
is announced] late.
* * *

2606 Xoruz oliir gozi choplixda galir.

Even w hen a rooster is about to die it still dream s [thinks] about its
dunghill. [Redhouse 169: O ne can never becom e reconciled to losing
rank, w ealth or power.]
X- * X-

2607 Xosh g u n gorm iyan iiz giilm az.

A face [person] that has never experienced happiness d o esn 't smile.
X- * X-

2608 X uddam ligh'i jam isha versan sam anlighi oziina chixar.
If you appoint a bull to be a servant, it will take all of the straw s.
X- X- *

2609 X uyunu bilm adighin atin dal gabaghina gechma.

N ever get close to a horse w hose behavior you d o n 't know.
X- X- X-

2610 Ya aldighin ver ya alma.

Either one should retu rn w h at one has borrow ed or one sh o u ld n 't
borrow anything.
X- X- X-

2611 Ya dedighini etm ali ya b u d iy ard an getmali.

Either you fulfill w hat you have said [prom ised] or y o u 'd better leave
this land.
X- X- X-

2612 Ya gazaldir ya gasida arm aghani shaerin.

The present of a poet is either an ode or a eulogy.
X- X- X-

2613 Ya zor ya zar ya shahardan safar.

Either you need to have pow er or m oney, or you have to leave the
tow n.
X- X- X-

2614 Yaar m anim nan yar olsun kill dibinda ev olsun.

As long as I have m y sw eetheart, I w ould be w illing to live next to a
garbage dum p.
X- X- X-

2615 Y aardan na doym ax olur na aldan goym agh olur.

O ne can never get tired of ones sw eetheart nor let go of her.
X- X- X-

2616 Yaar-e sadegh aghrabadan chox yaxindir adam a.

A good friend is even closer to a m an than his relatives.
X- X- X-

2617 Yaari gor oziin danish ev yixar ara sozi.

Talk to y our sw eetheart yourself, for people's gossip w ill ruin you.
X- X X-

319
2618 Yaari'm alm a janim al!
You m ay take m y life b u t d o n 't touch m y sweetheart!
* X- *

2619 Yaarin yara soghati bir dasta bulagh oti.

A lover's present to his sw eetheart is a bunch of w atercress.
* X- *

2620 Yaarsiz galar jahanda eybsiz y ar axtaran.

H e w ho searches for a flaw less sw eetheart w ill rem ain alone in the
w orld.
* * *

2621 Yabilarda gotur yabi m ard olar y o rulanda yiyasina d ard olar.
A m ong pack-horses the one w ho has scabs is the bravest and w hen it
gets tired it is the m ost troublesom e for its ow ner.
X- * X-

2622 Yabini tom arlasan shillax atar.

If you groom [care for] a pack-horse it w ill kick you.
X- * *

2623 Yad galib dost olunja kdhna dost aldan gedar.

By the tim e a stranger becom es a friend, one loses old friends.
* * x-
2624 Yad it giraxta yatar.
A stranger dog sleeps [rests] in the corner. [A m an in a new place feels
insecure.]
X- * *

2625 Yad itin g u y ru g h u chim chim in arasinda olar.

The tail of a stranger dog is betw een grass.
* * *

2626 Yagh yagh iista gedar, yarm a yavan gaynar.

Oils sit on top of each other b u t bulgar cooks w ith o u t oil. [M ujtehedi
277: M oney begets money.]
* A-X-
2627 Yagh yaxshi yaghdi, heyif it darisindadir!
The fat looks good. Too b ad it is on a dog!
* * *

2628 Y aghan b u lu t, g u riiltiisiinnan ballanar.

The rain cloud is recognizable from its th under.
* * *

2629 Yaghanda ich kasanda yat.

W hen the rain comes d rin k and w hen it stops go to bed.
X-* *
2630 Yaghar yaghar gun chixar.
It rains and rains and finally the su n com es out.
X- X- X-

2631 Yaghin choxlughunun shorbaya n a zarari!?

W hy should too m uch oil ru in a thick soup!?
X- X- X-

320
2632 Y aghina giym ayan chorayini yavan yiyar.
H e w ho d o e sn 't use his oil has to eat his b read dry.
* * *

2633 Y aghish kasar su lar d u ru lar.

W hen the rain, stops the stream s stop [running].
* * *

2634 Yagh'ishda diishm anin goyni satilsin, d o stu n afi.

M ay the sheep of an enem y and the horse of a friend be sold in the
rain. [Qods 74: Because sheep are heavy to tran sp o rt w hen it rains they
are sold for less m oney than their norm al price, and since horses are
badly in need in rainy w eath er they are sold for a better price. The true
value of things d epends on su p p ly and dem and.]
* * *

2635 Yaghli inak tu k tin n an balli olar.

O ne can tell a fat ox from its skin.
* * *

2636 Y aghm adi yaghish bitm ad i garnish.

It d id n 't rain, the bam boo d id n 't grow .
* * *

2637 Yalan ila d u n y an i gazm ay olar, gayitm ax olmaz.

O ne can travel th ro u g h the w o rld by lying b u t one cannot return.
* * *

2638 Yalan ila im an bir yerda olm az.

Falsehood and tru th can 't stay in one place.
* * *

2639 Yalan olm asa d o g h ru yerim az.

It is because of the lie th at the tru th w ins.
**
2640 Yalan olm asaydi d o g h ru n u n gad ri bilinm azdi.
H ad it not been for the lie, no one w o u ld have realized the value of the
tru th .
* * *

2641 Yalan tez ayax tu ta r am m a yerim az.

A lie stands up b u t it can 't walk.
* X- X-

2642 Yalan v ar ki d o g h ru d a n yerlidir.

Some lies are m ore effective th an the truth.
a- x-*
2643 Yalanchi chox and ichar.
A liar sw ears a lot.
* * *

2644 Yalanchi kim di? E shiddiyini diyan.

W ho is a liar? H e w ho repeats w h a t he has heard.
* * A-
2645 Yalanchi tam ah k ari aldadar.
A liar cheats a greedy person.

321
 * * *

2646 Yalanchi' uz gi'zdirar.

A liar gets a red face [ashamed].
* * *

2647 Y alanchida na vafa olar na ar.

A liar has neither faith n o r sham e.
* **
2648 Yalanchini evina g ad ar govallar.
People chase aw ay a liar to his hom e.
* * X-

2649 Y alanchinin avji tez ach'ilar.

A liar is caught quickly.
X- X- X-

2650 Y alanchinin evina ot d iish d i hech kas inm m adi.

A fire started in the house of a liar b u t no one believed it.
* * *

2651 Y alanchinin hafizasi olm az.

A liar lacks m em ory.
X- * *

2652 Y alanchinin shahidi yan in d a olar.

A liar has his w itness next to himself.
X- X- X-

2653 Y alanchinin yalani gurtarm az.

A liar never runs out of lies.
X- X- X-

2654 Yalanla d o g h ru n u n arasi d o rt barm axdir.

The distance betw een a lie and the tru th is four fingers.
X- X- X-

2655 Y alani dinlam ak yalani soylam ak d an chatindir.

Listening to a lie is m ore difficult th an telling a lie.
X- X- X*

2656 Yalghiz galani gurd yiyar.

The w olf eats up a person w ho is alone.
X- X- X-

2657 Yalghiz gush yuva salm az.

A lonely bird d o esn't build a nest.
X- X- X-

2658 Yam an adam in bashina d ash salsan, chiynina diishar.

If you drop a rock on the head of a w icked person, it w ill fall on his
shoulder. [A bad vessel is seldom broken.]
X- X- X-

2659 Yam an b u rd a d u r yaxshi galinja.

The w icked person can stay here as long as the good p erson h a sn 't
come yet.
X- X- X-

322
2660 Yam an g u n sh u yam an arvat yam an at, b irin n an koch, birin bosha,
birin sat.
If you have a bad neighbor, a w icked wife or a b ad horse, m ove aw ay
from the neighbor, divorce the w ife and sell the horse.
***
2661 Yaman giina sabr edan yaxshi gtina tez chatar.
H e w ho can en d u re the b ad [difficult] d ay w ill reach the good
[comfortable] day.
* * *

2662 Y am an giiniin om rii az olar.

Bad [hard] days have a short life.
* * *

2663 Yam an yeygil olsun yam an deygin olmasi'n.

[The m eaning is not clear].
***
2664 Yam an yoldash ilannan pisdir.
A b ad friend is w orse th an a snake.
***
2665 Yamanlix yam an galar.
Evil rem ains.
* **
2666 Y am m ayanda yam m az istar ptifla istar yella.
W hen it is not supposed to b u rn [catch fire] it w ill not, w hether you
blow on it or fan it. [You cannot change the course of the faith.]
* * *

2667 Yam m ish hesap B aghdatdan gaydar.

A m istake in counting return s from B aghdad. [Qods 74: O ne has to pay
back the difference in an accounting m istake no m atter how long ago it
occured.]
* **
2668 Yanan yerda ot bitm az.
G rass does not grow in a place that has been burned.
***
2669 Y anan yerdan ttissi chi'xar.
Smoke rises from a place that has been bu rn ed .
* * Jf

2670 Y anana yam m azlar.

N o one feels sorry for a perso n w ho has been b u rn ed [suffers from his
ow n m istakes.]
** *
2671 Yangh'in ev yexar bohtan ar.
Fire ruins a house and slan d er ruins a man.
A- * X-

2672 Y anm ayan bir Allahd'ir.

O nly God does not regret.
* * a-

323
2673 Yapi'njinin gadri yaghi'shda bilinar.
O ne appreciates a felt coat in rainy w eather.

2674 Yarali eshshah chox angirar.

A w ounded donkey brays a lot.
***
2675 Yaram az yarasiz olmaz.
A m ischievous person w o n 't be w ith o u t w ou n d s.
X- * X-

2676 Yaram aza oz balasi yetar.

The troubles of a m ischievous person are en o u g h for him .
***
2677 Y aram azinan yar ol igitlardan ibrat al.
To appreciate a real m an one needs to h an g o u t w ith m ischievous
people.
X- X- X-

2678 Yarasi anninda olanin tabibi garshi galar.

The m an w ith a w o u n d ed forehead encounters his doctor.
* **
2679 Y arpax dedighin iich gun stirar.
A leaf lasts for three days.
* **
2680 Y asam an uja bitar atri alam a yetar.
The jasm in flow er grow s tall and its arom a reaches the entire w orld.
** *
2681 Yasax dedigim iich giin siirar.
A [royal] decree lasts only three days.
X- X- *

2682 Yash aghaj tez ayilar gezh sinar.

A young tree bends easily, b u t d o esn 't b reak easily.
X- X- X-

2683 Yash da guru oduna yanar.

The w et [innocent] w ill also b u rn along w ith the d ry [guilty].
X- X- X-

2684 Yashi at m eydaninda sorushallar.

People ask about age in the battlefield.
X- X- X-

2685 Yatan iti oyatm a.

D on't w ake a sleeping dog. [Let sleeping dogs lie.]
X- X- X-

2686 Yatan okiiza yem yoxdi.

A sleeping [lazy] ox doesn't get fodder.
X* X- X-

2687 Yatan okuziin bashina d u ra n okiiz sichar.

A n ox that stands up [is awake] urinates on the h ead of an ox th at is
asleep.

324
 X- * X-

2688 Y atan olm az yetan olar.

H e w ho stays in bed w o n 't necessarily die, b u t he w hose h o u r of death
is n ear will.
* X- X-

2689 Y atanin ayixdan xabari olm az.

H e w ho is asleep [not alert] w o n 't know anything about he w ho is
aw ake [alert].
X- >1- X-

2690 Yatma tiilki d aldasinda goy yesin aslan sani gechm a nam ard
korpiisiinnan goy aparsin sel sani.
D on't sleep [hide] behind a fox, be ready to be eaten by a lion! D on't
cross over the bridge of a dishonorable m an, let the flood take you
away!
* X- X-

2691 Y atm agha gaya kolgasi, ayar ilan olmasa.

Sleeping in the shade of a rock is good if there aren 't any snakes
around. [Qods 350: Peaceful living u n d er the protection of pow erful
people isn 't w ith o u t danger.]
* * x-
2692 Yaxinidix yaxin oldux bildira ayri diishdiik baxm az oldux uz iiza.
We m oved closer to one another last year. O ur friendship w as
dam aged and w e hardly look at each other's faces [anymore].
X- * *

2693 Yaxsh'i at yem ini artirar pis at gam chini choxardar.

A good horse w ill increase its fodder and a bad one increases its
w hippings.
X- X- X-

2694 Yaxsh'i atin yaxchi arv ad in gadas'fni alm ali yam an ati'n yam an arvad'm
n o x d a sin i vurm ali.
Dote on a good horse and a good wife b u t harness a bad horse and a bad
wife.
X- X- X-

2695 Yaxsh'i bichinji xarjini y erd an chexardar.

A good [skilled] farm er earns his incom e [living] from the land.
X- X- X-

2696 Yaxsh'i dos[t] adam a galya ashi yedirdar.

A good [the w ord good is used sarcastically; w hat is m eant is bad] friend
m akes one eat black vitriol [poison]. [A bad friend can bring calam ity
u p o n m an.]
X- X- X-

2697 Yaxshi dost yam an gonda bilinar.

A good friend is tested in a bad day [desperate situation].
X- X- X*

2698 Yaxsh'i gi'zdan pis galin yaxshidi.

A b ad daughter-in-law is better than a good daughter.

325
 ** *
2699 Yaxsh'i gi'zi eshiya verm a heyifdi yam an gizi ozgaya verm a eybdi.
M arrying off a good d au g h ter to an outsider is a pity and a b ad d au g h ter
is a bad thing [idea].
***
2700 Yaxsh'i gonshi pis g o h u m n an yaxshidi.
A good neighbor is better than a bad relative.
* * *

2701 Yaxsh'i igidin adin eshit u z u n gorm a.

Better to hear about a brave m an than to come face to face w ith him.
* * *

2702 Yaxsh'i igid dali'sini gozlar yaxchi at gabaghin.

A brave m an w atches o u t for his back and a good horse w atches his
front.
* * *

2703 Yaxsh'i soz baldan shirin olar.

A good w ord is sw eeter than honey.
* * X-

2704 Yaxsh'i yoldash yol'i gissaldar.

A good friend [com panion] shortens the road [distance].
* * *

2705 Y axshidan pislix galm az.

You w o n 't see any harm from an good man.
* * *

2706 Yaxshiligha yaxshiTix h ar kishinin ishidi yam anligha yaxshilix n ar

k ish in in ishidi.
Every person can retu rn a good [deed] w ith good, b u t he w ho can
re tu rn an evil [deed] w ith a good one is a real m an.
* * *

2707 Yaxshiligha yaxshiTix olseydi okiiza pichax olm azdi!

If one good deed w ere retu rn ed good, then w hy w ould people p u t a
knife to the throat of an ox!?
* X- *

2708 YaxshiTix ela at daryaya balix bilm asa Xaligh bilar.

Do a good deed and throw it in the sea, even if the fish d o n 't notice it,
G od w ould.
* **
2709 YaxshiTix iki bashli galar.
K indness requires reciprocity.
* * *

2710 YaxshiTix yam anlighin galxanidir.

K indness is the shield of an evil act.
* * *

2711 YaxshiTix yerda galm az.

K indless w o n 't rem ain on the floor [go unansw ered].
* **

326
2712 Yaxshim yer tanir.
The earth know s a good person.
* X- *

2713 Yayda kolgani govan gi'shda garnini ovar.

H e w ho alw ays seeks shade in the sum m er tim e w ill rub his stom ach
d u rin g the w inter.
* X- *

2714 Yay ishini gi'shda gor, gish ishini yayda.

C arry o u t the w inter chore in the sum m er and the su m m er chore in
the w inter.
X- * X-

2715 Yay yoxsulun ham atasi'dir ham anas'i.

Sum m er is the father an d m other of a p o o r man.
** *
2716 Yayda h ar du v arin dibi bir evdir.
In the sum m er next to every w all is a house. [In sum m er tim e one can
sleep anyw here b u t in w in ter tim e one can't.]
X- X- *

2717 Yay'i chox chahsan g'fri'lar.

A bow w ill break if you pu ll it too m uch.
***
2718 Yayi'n tokiintusii gishin dad'i d u z u olar.
The w aste of sum m er becom es the taste of w inter. [W aste no t w an t
not.]
x- x- x-

2719 Yaylaghi'n daghi sagh olsun, garl'i da olar garsi'z da, igidin bashi' sagh
olsun varl'i da olar varsi'z da.
Long live the m ountains used for tribal encam pm ent; som e have snow
and som e do n 't. Long live a real m an, som e are w ealthy and som e are
poor.
X- X- X-

2720 Yaz gishinnan balli olu r giz gardashinnan.

O ne can tell a spring from its w inter and a girl from h er brother.
X- X- X-

2721 Yaz gtini p a n ir chorah yarpizinan yay giini abdi'x chorah v u r d u zu n an

payiz gunii p an ir chorah g arp u zin an gish goni issi kiirsi bir gizinan.
In spring eat bread and cheese w ith pennyroyal, in sum m er eat
b utterm ilk w ith cucum bers and salt, in fall eat bread w ith cheese and
w aterm elon and in w in ter spend your tim e u n d e r a w arm bed w ith a
w om an.
X- X- X-

2722 Yaz g u niin yaghish! iki istaklighin doyiishi.

The quarrel of tw o lovers is like the spring rain.
X- X- X-

2723 Yaza chixatdigh d a n an i bayam m adi anani.

327
 We w ent through h ard sh ip raising the calf [child], once it [he] reached
m aturity it [he] show ed disrespect to its [his] m other.
* **
2724 Yazda bashi- pishanin gi'shda ashi pishar.
H e w hose head gets su n -b u rn ed in the spring, he w ill have food in
w inter.
* X- *

2725 Yazda kolga xosh gi'shda chuval bosh.

H e w ho seeks shade in su m m er w ill have an em pty bag [stomach] in
w inter.
X- * X-

2726 Yazin yaghishli olsun gishin dum anli.

M ay ones sum m er be full of rain and ones w in ter full of clouds!
* * X-

2727 Yazichi oziin az yazm az.

The w riter [clerk] d o e sn 't w rite too m uch of himself.
* * x-
2728 Yeddi farsiz oghuldan bir girili giz yaxshdir.
One... d aughter is better than seven useless sons. [?]
* x- x-
2729 Yeddi m alla bir sarik, y ed d i tiilkii bir dalik!?
Seven m ollahs one tu rb an , seven foxes one hole!?
X- * a-

2730 Yeka goziin ishighi olm az.

A large eye d o esn 't have light.
X- * *

2731 Yel asm asa aghach bashi tarpanm az.

The top of the tree d o e sn 't m ove if the w in d d o e sn 't blow.
X- X- X-

2732 Yel asm asa yaprax givildam az.

A leaf d o esn 't shake if the w in d d o esn 't blow.
X- X- X-

2733 Yel gayadan na goparar!?

W hat can the w ind do to the rock cliff!?
X- X- X-

2734 Yel ham isha bir tarafa asm az.

The w ind d o esn 't alw ays blow in one direction.
X- X- X-

2735 Yel kimi galan sel kimi gedar.

That w hich comes like a w in d , also leaves like a flood. [Easy come easy
go-]
X- X- X-

2736 Yeli tutm ag h olm az.

O ne can't catch [stop] the w ind.
X- X- X-

2737 Y enganin batar oldu, giinusiiz b atar oldu.

328
 The m ore beautiful the b rid e 's m aid, the w orse their rivalry.
X- * *

2738 Yer c h u x u ru n d o ld u rm ax olar, u ra h ch u x u ru n d o ld u rm ax olmaz.

O ne can fill a hole on the g ro u n d , b u t one can't fill a hole [wound]
caused by [sorrow] in a heart.
* X- X-

2739 Yerda yatan y u m u rta goyda u ch an gush olar.

The bird th at flies in the sky is [from] the sam e egg laying on the
g ro u n d .
X- X- X-

2740 Yerli ossurax yersiz sozdan yaxshidir.

A tim ely fart is b etter th an untim ely talk [comment].
X- X- X-

2741 Yerin iistiida birdi, alti da.

The top and bottom of the earth are the same.
X- X- X-

2742 Yersiz galdi yerli gach!

Suitable ru n aw ay, the unsuitable is coming!
X- X- X-

2743 Yetim b ild irar vay arxandir.

[The m eaning isn 't clear.]
X- X- X*

2744 Yetim oz gobayin ozi kasar.

A n o rp h an cuts his ow n um bilical chord.
X- X- X-

2745 Yetim ulay an olar.

A n o rp h an how ls [cries] a lot.
X- X- X-

2746 Yetim yarim az yarisa da garim az.

[The m eaning isn 't clear.]
X- X- X-

2747 Y etim in b ag h ri yanigh olur boy n u burugh.

The heart of an o rp h an is b u rn t [broken] and his neck is crooked.
X- X- X-

2748 Y etm ish yashinda zu rn a chalan orgashan zornani g u rd a chalar.

H e w ho starts learning to play a shaw m [predecessor of the oboe] at the
age of seventy w ill play the shaw m in his grave.
X- X- X-

2749 Yiyan bilm az doghrayan bilar.

H e w ho eats w o u ld n 't know , he w ho chops up [prepares] knows.
X- X- X-

2750 Y iyaninan giyaninkini A llah yetirar.

G od provides those w ho need to eat and to dress.
X- X- X-

2751 Yiyasini sovan itina chorah doghrar.

Som etim es one has to feed a dog o u t of [to show] respect for its ow ner.

329
 * * *

2752 Yiyasinin yan'inda pishih da iti basar.

A cat that is accom panied by its ow ner can even attack a dog.
* * *

2753 Yi'ghinti d ash d an galagh olmaz.

O ne can't build a m ound from gathering rocks.
* * *

2754 Yirtiji gu sh u n om ri az olar.

A bird of prey has a short life.
* * *

2755 Yirt'ix tor balix tutm az.

A net w ith holes d o esn 't catch fish.
* * *

2756 Yixilan yixilani soyar.

A fallen m an [loser] likes another fallen m an. [A m an w ho has failed
likes another m an to fail too.]
* * *

2757 Yixilana giilan chox olar.

W hen a pow erful m an falls, w orthless people lau g h at him .

2758 Yixilani' vurm azlar.

N o one should hit [scold] a person w ho has fallen [failed].
* * *

2759 Yixma elin galbini yixar A llah galbini!

D on't h u rt the heart of people; G od w ill h u rt y o u r heart!
* * *

2760 Yol bilan karvana gatilm az.

H e w ho know s the road d o esn 't join a caravan.
* * *

2761 Yol haram isi ol, yoldash haram isi olma.

Be a highw ay-robber b u t d o n 't rob [misuse] a friendship. [Qods 54:
Breaching of the tru st of a person w ho has helped is w orse than
becom ing a highw ay-robber.]
***
2762 Y olchudan yolchiya pay diishm az.
A beggar d o esn 't have anything to share w ith another beggar.
* * X-

2763 Yolchulux bir tiikandir gadrini bir bilan ola.

Begging is a business if one can appreciate it.
* * *

2764 Y olchunun torbasindan yapishm asan, aghaji alin d an buraxm az.

Unless one grabs the bag of a beggar, the beggar w o n 't let go of his cane.
A- * *

2765 Yoldan chixani yol vurar.

H e w ho leaves his road [path] w ill be w aylaid [punished].
* * *

330
2766 Yoldan chi'xmax eyib dagil, yola galm am ak eybdir.
To get off the p ath isn 't bad, b u t no t getting back to it is bad. [Qods 184:
H e w ho h a sn 't learn lessons from his m istakes deserves to be scolded.]
***
2767 Yoldan gal yoldashdan galma.
You had better postpone a trip if you d o n 't have the rig h t com panion.

2768 Yoldan itali yoldash evdan irali gardash.

A friend comes before travel and a b ro th er comes before one's ow n
fam ily.
X- * X-

2769 Yoldash yoldshla tan garak, tan olm asa gan garak.
A good friend gives his life for a friend, otherw ise he should keep
away.
x- x- *

2770 Yolila gedan yorulm az.

He w ho stays w ith the road w o n 't get tired.
* * *

2771 Y olsuzu tapishir yola, yol ozu vuraghandi.

Show the road to a m an w ho is lost; the road w ill teach him .
X- * X-

2772 Yolun azm isha it sasi b u lbul sasinnan xosh galar.

To a m an w ho has lost his path, the sound [barking] of a dog is m ore
pleasant that the sound [singing] of a nightingle.
X- * X-

2773 Y olunan gedan azm az.

H e w ho stays on the road do esn 't get lost.
X- * *

2774 Y olunnan chashm iyana kim sa dolashm az.

He w ho do esn 't get off of his p ath w o n 't be bothered [scolded] by
anyone.
X- X- *

2775 Yorgan doshah sozii yorgan doshahda galar.

Bed conversation [confidential talk] rem ains in bed.
X- X- X-

2776 Yorgana p u l verm iyan arada yatar.

H e w ho d o e sn 't give m oney for the bed-cover has to sleep on the street.
X- X- X-

2777 Y orgun eshshah yorgha gedar.

A n exhausted donkey trots fast.
X- X- X-

2778 Yorgunja kopak bir siiri jeyran arasinda!

A tired dog is [roams] am ong a herd of deer!
X- X- X-

2779 Y orgunu yokusha surm a!

D on't m ake an exhausted person climb!

33 1
 if if *

2780 Y orulana yol gostaran chox olar.

M any people w o uld show the road [give advice] to an exhausted m an.
* * if

2781 Y orulanda karvana ajiyanda chobana.

W hen tired [join] the caravan and w h en h u n g ry the shepherd.
* * *

2782 Y orulm ush okiiz h ar yan d a oha istar

A n exhausted ox needs a p u sh everyw here.
* * *

2783 Yoxdan yongar goyma!

[The m eaning isn 't clear.]
>f if *

2784 Yoxsul arpa tapar yer tapm az.

A poor person finds barley b u t he can 't find land.
if if if

2785 Y oxsullugha diishm iyan varlig h in g adrini bilm az.

H e w ho h a sn 't experienced p overty w o n 't appreciate w ealth.
i f >f i f

2786 Y oxsulun dili godak iizi garadi.

The tongue of a poor m an is short and his face is dark. [He feels
asham ed for w h at he has done.]
if if if

2787 Y oxsulun galbi yuxa olar.

The heart of a poor m an is thin. [A poor m an is a touchy person.]
if if if

2788 Y oxsulun sozi gechm az.

N o one pays attention to the w ords [suggestions or dem ands] of a poor
m an.
if if if

2789 Yoxun iizi garadir.

Poverty is disgraceful.
if if if

2790 Y um urtada tiik bitm az.

H air w o n 't grow in an egg.
if if if

2791 Yurt yiyasin galanday, it ojaxda balalar.

[The m eaning isn 't clear.]
i f i f >f

2792 Y uvani dishi g u sh diizaldar.

It is the female bird that builds the nest.
if if if

2793 Y uvri bash ovsun gotiirm az.

...head can't be enchanted [cheated]. [?]
if if if

2794 Yuxa galam ishlam az.

332
 A thin p en [m ade out of bam boo] d o esn 't w ork.
* * *

2795 Y uxluyan yuxu gorar.

A person w ho sleeps w ill have dream s.
* * *

2796 Yuxu yana yorar.

[The m eaning isn 't clear.]
* * *

2797 Y uxunun yalnishi olar yalan i olm az.

A dream can be a m istake b u t it isn 't a lie.
* * *

2798 Yiigiirak at oziina gam chi yeditm az.

A horse that gallops fast w o n 't be w hipped.
* * *

2799 Y iigiiran yexilar.

H e w ho m akes haste falls dow n.
* * *

2800 Yiigiiran yexilm axdan goxm az.

A n attacker d o e sn 't fear falling dow n.
* * *

2801 Yiik ayilm asa dash gurbata diishm az.

It is because of the luggage th at tips over that rocks fall in a place far
from their home. [Qods 146: A bad result is caused by a fault in the
process of an undertaking.]
**X -
2802 Yiikli eshshah angirm az.
A loaded donkey doesn't bray.
X- X- *

2803 Yiikiin aghir’ini heyvanin yekasina chatarlar.

The bigger pack-anim al gets the h eavier load.
***
2804 Yiikiin yiingiilii m anzila tez chatar.
A light load reaches its destination quickly.
* X-*
2805 Yiingiil chalim yel alar, aghir chali yerinda galar.
The w ind can u p root a light bush, b u t a heavy b u sh rem ains in its
place.
* * *

2806 Yiiz ashighi'n bir saggasi olar.

O ne h u n d re d lovers have one w ater-carrier.
**X-
2807 Yiiz biligi olsan da danish bir bilm azila.
Even if you are a know ledgeable m an, you should talk to a person w ho
know s little.
* * *

2808 Yiiz gaygh'i bir borju odam az.

333
 A h u n d red w orries d o n 't p ay back the loan.
XXX
2809 Yiiz ina yighllsa bir chuvaldi'z olm az.
A h u n d red needles can't becom e [do the job of] a bodkin.
XXX

2810 Yiiz n am ard in chorayin d o g h rasan kasa doym az.

If you w ould slice a h u n d re d pieces of bread of a dishonest person in a
bow l, it w o n 't get full. [?]
XXX

2811 Zahid m ani aldatm a jah an n am d a od olm az onlarki yan irlar odi
b u rd a n aparillar.
Oh you hypocrite d o n 't deceive me! There is no fire in hell. Those
w ho are b u rn ed in hell have b ro u g h t th e w ood from here [this w orld].
XXX

2812 Z ahidin nam azi da reyadi.

Even the w orship of a hypocrite is false.
XX X

2813 Zalim in rishte-ye ighbalini b ir ah kasar.

The com plaints [of a victim] w ill break the star of luck of an oppressor.
X- X- X-

2814 Z ahardan shafa gah b ad an vafa dilam ay olm az.

O ne can't ask for [expect] a cure from poison and fidelity [honesty] from
a prostitute [loose w om an].
XXX-

2815 Z ahm atin bir nuxtasi d iish ar olar rahm at.

W hen one d o t of the w o rd zahm at ["hard w o rk " Arabic] falls do w n it
becomes rahm at ["blessing" or "grace"].
XXX
2816 Zam am -e ixtiyari verm a aldan!
M ake your ow n decisions and d o n 't let people ru n y o u r life!
XXX

2817 Z am anila hesaplashm ax garah.

One has to settle [som ething] w ith time.
XXX

2818 Zar gadrini zargar bilar.

O nly the goldsm ith know s th e real value of the gold.
XXX

2819 Z arar aji olar.

Loss is bitter.
XXX

2820 Zarila olan zorula olm az.

That w hich can be achieved by m oney c an 't be achieved b y force.
XXX

2821 Zer zer m allalix deyil elm -e p a ran d u zlu x d u .

[The m eaning isn 't clear.]
XXX

334
2822 Z irah gush d im d iyinnan taliya dush ar.
A clever bird is caught by its beak.
XX X

2823 Ziyan z ah a rd a n aji'dir.

Loss is bitterer than poison.
XX X

2824 Ziyan'in yarisinnan gayitm ax gazashd'i.

Stopping in the m iddle of a loss [bad undertaking] is a profit.
XXX

2825 Z ingirovli dava itm az.

A belled cam el w o n 't get lost.
XXX

2826 Z irnahin sasi uzaxdan yaxshi galar.

A shaw m [predecessor of the oboe] sounds pleasant from the distance.
xxx
2827 Zor gapidan girsa hax bajadan gachar.
W hen force [injustice] enters th ro u g h the door, tru th [justice] escapes-
th ro u g h the chim ney hole.
* * *

2828 Zor z o ru n d u chaxm ax gozun.

Pressure belongs to [requires] pressure; ham m er belongs to a w alnut.

2829 Zora dagh dayam m az.

Even m ountains can't w ith stan d the pressure.
* * *

2830 Zorula gozallih olm az.

Beauty isn 't created by force [artificially].
* * *

2831 Zorula it chuvala girm az.

You can't force a dog to enter a sack.
* * *

2832 Zorula ova g ed an taz'f b u n n a n artigh ovlam az.

A h o u n d th at is forced to go h u n tin g w o n 't h u n t better th an this.
X- X- X-

2833 Ziilm y erda galm az.

O ppression can't rule forever.
X- X X-

2834 Z iilm un axiri olm az.

There is no future [peace] in oppression.
XXX

2835 Z ulm tinan abad olan adlinan b arb ad olar.

That w hich has been b u ilt [earned] through oppression w ill be ruined
by justice.

335
 2. Index: Keywords of the Proverbs

ablution 2463
abundance 853,1694
accidents 1396
actions 1726
a d u lt 661
a d v ic e 2429, 2430,2515
affairs 2503
affection 2122-2123
afraid 1595, 2267
age 43,1432, 2358, 2684, 2748
alcohol 1412,1570, 2190
alert person 1558
A li 538
alive 141, 2319
all w om en 366,803
allow an ce 1479-1480,1729
alm s 2309
altitud e 231, 694
am bition 567,1784
am putated hand 541
ancestors 420-421, 2187
angel o f death 631,1050
anger 1785-1787
angry head 213
angry horse 1949
angry m an 1 80,189,1561
angry person 212
a n im a l/s 2 6 7 ,1 7 8 1 ,1 7 8 2 ,1 8 7 2 -1 8 7 3 ,1 8 7 6
ant 1327-1329
ap p etite 363,1909
a p p le /s 266, 270, 553,1132, 265-266, 268-269, 271
ap ple tree 271
apprentice 1294
apricot 574
apricot tree 574
apricots 270, 578, 645
aqcha 66
Arab 630
Araxis 1690
argued 801
arguments 1048, 2439
arm 685,88 6 ,1 4 7 5 -1 4 7 6 ,1 6 1 5
A rm en ian /s 1242-1244, 2081,1241,1245,1868
army 2231-2232
arrival 1704
arrow 2247-2249, 2318
asham ed 2302
ash es 2080, 2240, 2242
asleep 2689
ass 1689

336
assailan t 1296
attacker 2800
aunt 1337,1805, 2581-2582
aw ake 2689
ax 901,1279,1460, 2330
baba 1739
bad daughter 2698-2699
bad habits 1549, 2553
bad horse 2660, 2694
bad neighbor 2660
bad new s 1378
bad person 716-717,1356, 2096
bad w ife 351, 2694
badger 467
bag 326,1069, 2427
B aghdad 277
baker 869-870
bald girl 1993
bald m an 1990-1992,1994-1997,1999-2000, 2031, 2497
barber 690,987
barefoot 620
bark 103
barking d og 842,1791
barley 317-325
bastard 1238,1680,1764
bat 1647
bath 1653,2599
b attlefield 391,400
bay 688
bazaar 713-715, 2028,2283
bead 9 7 3,1055,1495
bear, bears 162, 443,472-474, 478-479, 4 8 1 ,4 7 5 , 905
beard 1739,1765, 2310-2314
beardless child 735
beautiful person 809-810,1711
beauty 1547,2063-2064,2830
bee, bees 309,314, 655, 726
b eeh ive 310
beetroot 590
beg 4 83,847
beggar 899,1067-1070,1382, 2375, 2762,2764
begging 851,2229
beginning 1717
belief 1081
belled cam el 2825
belt 438,2249
betrothed 1454
big 4 8 5 ,4 9 4 ,4 9 7 ,1 2 9 5 ,1 4 5 2
big fish 770,1295
big m orsel 327, 774
b ig talk 774
bird, birds 2 3 4 -2 3 6 ,2 5 8 ,5 6 7 ,5 9 7 -5 9 9 ,8 2 9 ,8 9 6 ,1 1 3 4 ,1 2 2 6 ,1 6 1 3 ,
1 525,1608-1 6 0 9 ,1 6 1 1 ,1 6 1 4 ,1 7 1 2 , 2 7 9 2 ,2 8 2 2 ,1 6 0 7 ,1 6 1 2 ,1 9 8 5 ,2 0 3 5
bitter tongue 2390

337
bitter w ord 2444
bitterness 198,1468, 2411
black 7 6 ,1 0 9 ,1 9 5 9 ,1 3 8 6
black rooster 1185
b lessing 722
blind eye 1563, 2030
blind horse 2026-2027
blind m an 1961,1990, 2024-2025, 2027, 2029, 2031, 2044 ,2 0 4 2 , 2040, 2037,
2033-2034, 2036, 2038-2039, 2043
blind p eo p le 2041
blind person 2035
blood 447,918
blow , b low s 7 2 5 ,1 2 3 0 ,2 1 2 1 ,2 6 6 6 ,2 7 3 1 -2 7 3 2 ,2 7 3 4 ,1 8 3 8
board 815,875
bodkin 1862,1866, 2307, 2809
body 492, 624, 7 1 8 ,8 1 7 ,1 4 9 3 ,1 8 9 0 , 2288
book 2023
borage 135
borrowed 1801,2610
borrower 222, 743, 750
borrowing 219,223
bother 1184
bothered 1914
bow 2247,2717
b ow l 371, 756,2810
bozbash 1722
brain 686,1541
brave m a n /m en 1805-1806, 2701-2702, 562
brazen m an 2517
bread 3 1 8 ,4 1 1 ,6 0 1 ,1 9 1 3
breeze 454,471
bride 1340,1367-1369,1545, 2200, 2442, 2592, 2514
b ridesm aid 2737
bride's 1370
bridge 2011
bright 476
brightness 1705
broken arm 1476
broom 1174,2054
b roth er/s 2 7 8 ,3 0 6 ,1 3 8 8 -1 3 9 0 ,1 3 9 2 ,1 9 3 7 ,2 2 1 4 ,2 7 6 8 , 2 2 5 1 ,2 2 1 8 ,4 8 4 ,1 0 4 9 ,1 3 9 3
brown dog 221
b uildin g 795,880
bulgar 1051,2626
bull 1022,1372,1863,1957-1958, 2608
bum 9 4 6 ,1 2 9 9 ,1 6 7 5 ,2 6 6 6 ,2 6 8 3
burned 2668-2670
business 360, 6 0 8 ,1 1 3 3 ,1 3 9 4 ,1 7 8 0 , 2107, 2489, 2283, 2480, 2489, 2763
butcher 1408
butter 375,664
butterfly 1579
buttocks 70,2059
buying 218
buyer 225-226,2511
cage 797

338
cake 1731
calendar 2055
calf, ca lv es 727, 925-928,1273-1274,1303, 2723,1087
calm w ater 2485
cam el 1727,1730,1800, 2360, 2825
cam el foal 1467
cam elier 1029,2781
cam els 1 0 2 8 ,1 0 3 4 ,1 4 3 1 ,1 6 8 2
camp 2600
can d les 1642
capable apprentice 1294
caravan 4 5 2 ,1 0 2 4 ,1 8 2 6 ,1 9 2 8
care 729, 2091, 2125, 2154
careless person 1778
carpet 1377,2007
cash 2185
cat 444, 2210, 2402, 2752
cauldron 19, 856,1342,1344-1346, 2033
cautious d og 2343
cautious horse 2343
cautious son 1816
caviler 2412
celebration 708,1969
certain m en 311
chaff 324, 2060, 2333
charcoal d ealer 2058
ch asin g 1332
chatter 2089-2090,2246
cheap 2510
cheap m eat 2506-2508
ch eap n ess 1750
cheater 237,2496
ch eatin g 238,1194, 2415
chestnut tree 2372
chew ing gum 805,2315
ch ief 318,1980
child, ch ildren 1 4 4 ,2 8 6 ,6 5 8 ,7 3 5 ,2 7 2 3 ,2 4 4 5 ,2 5 3 6 ,1 4 6 4 , 7 7 2 ,1 3 6 3 ,1 1 0 5 ,1 1 3 7 ,1 5 6 6 ,1 7 3 3 , 2108,
2530-2532, 2534-2535, 2537, 31-32,131, 319, 659-660, 662, 773, 2 5 1 2 ,1 0 5 0 ,1 3 0 8 , 2314, 2452, 2512
ch ild less person 2416
chim ney 626, 794, 2827
chops up 2749
chore 2714
city 7 1 9 ,1 2 6 6 ,2 3 7 8
clever bird 829, 2822
clever bride 2442
cloak 3 9 3 ,3 9 8 ,6 8 5
cloth 284, 6 0 3 ,6 9 3 ,2 4 6 8
cloud 2628
cold iron 2420
comb 1993,2311
com panion 3 5 0 ,1 2 9 0 ,1 3 1 4 ,2 7 0 4 ,2 7 6 7
com p anion sh ip 559
com pleted w ork 1531
confectioner 1651

339
confidant 2401
con fid en tial talk 2775
considerate person 2337
container 1293,2400
cotton 1416,2364
court 1092-1093
cow, cow 's 960,1864-1865, 2 0 5 2 ,2 0 8 7 ,2 3 6 9 ,2 4 9 0
coward 1505-1506,1806,1810,1863
crazy cow 960
crazy girl 959
crazy m an 118, 427, 949-956, 958, 961-970, 975-984, 9 9 1 ,1 1 7 4 ,1 5 2 7 ,1 3 7 0 ,1 3 8 7
cream 666
credit 2185,2190-2192
crickets 1581
crook 1169
crooked 1 5 2 ,2 3 5 ,5 9 7 ,6 2 7 , 741, 7 9 4 ,1 0 4 5 ,1 1 6 1 ,1 8 4 3 ,2 7 4 7
crop, crops 939, 889-890, 930
crow 662
crowd 1233,1267
crows 366
crumbs 1085
cry 1 4 2 ,1 4 6 ,5 3 4 ,8 4 1 , 949 ,1 4 0 4 ,2 2 2 7 ,
crying 143
cunning fox 831
current 1703
cursing 1315
cuts 1982
dark face 2555
dark heart 2555
darkness 1433,1705
d a u g h te r/s 287, 818,1450,1464-1465,2013, 2728, 2492, 2203, 2199
2172, 2205-2206, 2698-2699, 2009
d a u gh ter-in -law 1365-1366,2334,
daw n 1740
d a y /s 66, 71, 7 6 7 ,1 7 0 7 ,1 4 0 7 ,1 4 2 6 ,1 6 4 3 -1 6 4 4 ,1 6 9 3 ,1 7 1 6 , 2196,
2375, 2661, 4 7 1 ,4 7 6 ,1 3 7 4 ,1 4 3 8 , 2341,2662
dead 1 4 1 ,1 4 7 0 ,1 7 2 8 ,2 5 0 0 , 2276,2265,2268-2269,2277-2281
dead m an 2278-2280
deaf person 1961-1962,1964
dealer 1338,2058
death 403, 511-512,514-515, 521, 6 3 1 ,1 0 6 1 ,1 5 0 7 ,1 4 0 9 ,1 8 7 4 , 2332,2500
d e b t/s 2 2 3 ,744-748,2184, 749,2265
debtor 184,190
decency 4 5 ,5 6
decent person 2110
d ecisions 1452,2816
decline 1748
decree 2681
deed 5 6 0 ,2 3 8 0 ,2 7 0 8
deep w ater 1010
deep w ell 1616
departure 1704,1706
dervish 1013-1015,1245,1649, 2348
desert bird 1525

340
desires 1355,1871
d estin y 339,1440-1441,1564, 2223, 2338
destroyed 2594
d ev il 1 8 4 3 ,1 8 60,1955,2387-2388
d ign ity 12 8 ,1 3 2 ,8 3 0
d ilu ted sou r m ilk 2477
d iscip les 2389
d isgruntled brother 2086
disgruntled m an 2085
d ish 201,207, 327, 3 3 3 ,1 0 8 5 -1 0 8 6 ,1 3 0 2 ,1 3 1 2 ,1 7 2 2 ,1 7 5 8 ,1 8 9 3 ,1 9 0 9 , 2414
d ishonest person 1100, 2810
dishonor 2458
dishonorable m an 2129-2130, 2165-2168, 2690
dishonorable person 2078
distance 138
d istingu ish ed m en 61
d ivin e 1777
doctor 1679, 2678
d o g /s 72,161, 177-179, 221, 325, 367, 453, 519-520, 2778, 2624 ,1 9 5 2 ,1 9 3 5 ,
19 2 9 ,1598,1577,1136, 709, 842, 866, 9 2 2 ,1 3 0 2 ,1 4 9 4 ,1 5 8 9 ,1 7 1 2 ,1 7 1 9 ,1 7 9 1 -1 7 9 3 ,
1915-1916,1918-1929,1932,1935-1936,1938-1943,1945-1949,1951, 1954-1955, 2051,2072,
2343-2344, 2479, 2625, 2685, 2831, 9, 8 4 4 ,1 8 2 2 ,1 9 1 8 ,1 9 3 3 -1 9 3 4 ,1 9 3 8 ,1 9 4 4 ,1 9 5 3 , 2507, 2685
dog's 27, 4 0 4 ,1 9 3 1 ,1 9 5 0
d o n k ey /s 14, 22, 203, 228-229,288, 320, 407, 433-434,452, 2802, 2 6 7 4 , 2 3 2 4 ,
763, 7 5 5 ,1 0 2 3 ,1 2 5 0-1259,1261-1263,1 2 6 5 -1 2 7 0 ,1 4 3 1 ,1 4 6 7 ,1 8 3 1 ,2 1 3 5 , 2777,1516,1825-1826
d on k ey foal 1467
door 990, 998,1304-1305, 2286,
doorman 1305
dough 2592-2593
d o w n h ill 11706
dream , dream s 1757, 2797, 2795
dress 74,1416
d rivin g 2487
drop 694, 917
drum 2007
drunkard 962, 2001, 2367
dry 1601,1619, 2234, 2683
dry tree 1601
duck 2282
eagle 1979
ear, ears 1 5 4 3 ,1 5 6 8 ,1 7 4 ,2 3 9 ,1 8 7 3
earth 1 5 3 5 ,1 5 3 7,2712,2741
easy 3 6 8 ,6 3 2 ,1 0 1 1 ,2 2 9 1 ,2 4 3 8 ,2 5 2 1 , 2735
eating 5 5 1 ,6 0 8 ,8 4 9 , 2392
education 594, 2533
effort 1602
egg 787, 2578, 2739
elders 775,2515
elep h an t 1036
em p ty jar 757,1108
em pty w ords 758
encam pment 2049
enem y 297, 586, 745, 7 5 4 ,1 1 1 4 ,1 1 2 2 ,1 2 0 4 ,1 1 3 1 ,1 2 0 3 , 2299, 2140,1204
1 203,1205-1209,1316,1348, 2467,2634

341
enm ity 499,501
envoy 1235
escapee 1296-1297
escaping 1332
evening 4 5 4 -4 5 6 ,1 7 4 0 ,2 3 5 7
evening sun 455, 2356
event 1892
evil 7 1 8,1195,14260
evil w om an 358
ew er 65,2100
executioner 672
exhausted d onkey 2777
exhausted m an 2780
exhausted ox 2782
exhausted person 2779
exp en sive 2510
exp en sive tim es 1414
exp en siveness 1750
eye, eyes 1 1 0 ,1 4 7 ,1 5 3 ,5 3 1 , 703, 7 4 2 ,1 3 2 2 ,1 5 5 5 , 2 5 ,1 2 2 2 ,1 3 0 7 ,1 5 5 6 ,1 5 5 9 ,1 8 8 3
1512,1538-1544,1547,1552, 2030-2031, 2033, 2041, 2317, 2391, 2468, 2513, 2548, 2730
face 7 5 ,134, 625, 886, 1959, 2226, 2547-2550, 2552, 2555,2607
fairness 1868
faith 3 1 4 ,1859, 2101, 2647, 2666
falcon 2373-2374
fall 1504, 2721
fallen m an 2756
falseh ood 2638
fam ily 582, 5 8 4,589, 662, 893, 932, 958, 9 6 6 ,1 2 1 9 ,1 4 7 6 ,
2179
faraw ay places 2519
farm 1001
farmer 1660, 2057, 2695
farm land 880
fart 2740
fat 6 64,2627
fat ox 2635
fate 1 4 3 9 ,1 8 7 0 ,2 1 8 6 ,2 4 9 1
fa th e r /s 408-409, 411, 413-416, 418-419, 422-423, 945, 947-948, 960, 2 2 1 9 ,1 5 7 6 ,1 9 2 9 ,
2103, 2108, 2187, 2424, 2538, 2542
father's 4 1 7 ,1 6 5 5 ,2 5 3 3
faulty person 1 2 8 9,1368,2026
favor, favors 990,1732, 496,549
fear 1507-1509, 2180, 2800
fearless m an 2517
fearless person 1502
feet 6 1 3 ,1 4 0 0 ,1 8 7 3 , 2135, 2498
felt coat 2673
fem ale bird 2792
festiv ity 712
few 494-495,1475
field 2396
fight, fightin g 4 3 3 ,8 8 2 ,1 5 7 4 ,2 5 2 1 ,1 0 4 ,8 8 2
fin ger/s 734,676
fingernail 591,1095

342
fire 1724, 2118, 2237, 2239-2243, 2671, 2811
firm ly 723,760
firm ness 761
fish 665, 667-670, 770,1295, 2005, 2059, 2177
fla w less sw eeth ea rt 2620
flyin g 1607,1611,2138
floatin g 845
flood 231, 807, 917,1946, 2368-2369, 2735
flo u r ish in g 2594
flow er 6, 642, 728, 897,1623-1624,1626-1628, 2571
fly 2136-2138
foal 4 2 8 ,1 4 6 7 ,1 5 6 6
fog 891-892,1434
follow er 78,2314
food 5 5 1 ,5 6 9 ,5 7 5 , 1220 ,1 8 9 5 ,2 3 9 1 ,2 3 9 4
fool 114-117,119-122, 382, 4 9 8,1631, 2355
foolish m an 451
foot 615-618, 623,683, 691, 6 9 5 ,1 3 9 8 ,1 5 1 5 ,1 9 5 0 , 2128
footp ain 614
footprint 617
force 2827
forced 275
forehead 2678
forem an 2143
fox, foxer 3 0 3 ,8 3 1 ,1 0 0 0 ,1 6 0 0 ,2 1 3 4 ,2 6 9 0
foxes 2729
frequent visits 1419
friend 1 3 4 ,2 9 7 ,5 4 4 ,5 8 6 ,6 0 9 ,1 1 2 6 ,2 7 6 9 ,1 1 2 2 -1 1 3 1 ,1 1 3 3 ,1 2 0 7 -1 2 0 8 ,1 4 1 8 ,1 7 0 9 ,
1751,1861, 2086, 2307, 2527, 2616, 2623, 2634, 2664, 2696-2697, 2704, 2768-2769
friends 408, 651, 827, 8 8 5 ,1 0 7 6 ,1 3 4 8 ,1 3 7 4 ,1 7 4 5 ,1 7 8 3 , 2066, 2140, 2465, 2623
frien d sh ip 22, 645,1132, 2255, 2283,2398, 2692, 2761
frog 6 6 9 ,1 5 6 2 ,1 5 7 3 ,1 7 1 0
frost 2106
frozen m an 193
fruit 1684,1753, 2150-2152
full 1 7 0 ,1 8 3 ,1 1 0 7
full jar 1108
full jug 1109
funeral 2501
gain 4 7 7 ,5 0 8 ,6 1 6 ,6 5 3 ,1 7 3 1 ,1 7 5 8 ,1 7 6 1
gains 1759-1760,1762-1763
gam ble 1570
gam bler 1571
gam bling 1569
gam e 438-439,2092,2253
garden 6 3 8 -6 4 0 ,6 4 7 ,9 0 4 ,9 0 8 ,1 7 5 6 ,2 1 9 4 ,2 5 5 4
garden bird 896
gardener 637-638,642-644
gardens 648
gatherin g 1233
gen erosity 2098
generous man 1527,1809,2098-2099
gentlem an 560, 688, 2366
gen tlen ess 938

343
genuine friend 2527
girl 280, 284, 389, 728, 732, 862, 9 5 9 ,1 2 0 0 ,1402,1443-1445, 2293 1491 1447-1449,
1 4 5 1 -1 4 5 5 ,1 5 4 6 ,1 5 5 0 ,1 5 5 3 ,1 8 0 5 ,1 9 9 3 , 2301, 2468,2720
girl's 1446
glass 2195
glutton 165
gluttonous m en 362
gluttonous person 1324,1326,1352
gluttonous w om en 362
gluttony 217
goat 93, 767, 916,140 8 -1 4 1 0 ,1 4 1 2 ,1 5 1 4 ,1 5 1 7 -1 5 1 8 ,1 58 0 , 2050
God 5 9 ,1 3 1 , 240-263, 634, 740-741, 867, 878, 986,1 0 4 1 ,1 5 0 3 ,1 6 7 5 -1 6 7 6 ,
1 6 7 8 ,2 0 3 2 ,2 0 3 4 ,2 0 4 4 ,2 1 3 2 ,2 1 8 1 ,2 2 2 9 ,2 2 6 5 ,2 3 6 5 ,2 5 2 3 ,2 6 7 2 ,2 7 0 8 ,2 7 5 0 , 2759
gold 130, 702,1456-1463, 2525
gold sm ith 2818
good brother 2251
good day 1644
good friend 1125, 2616, 2697, 2704, 2769
g ood habit 1548
g ood habits 1549
good horse 2693-2694, 2702
good lover 2251
good man 55
good name 1193
good origin 582-584
good person 57, 2659,2712
good relatives 1491
good tim es 989,1414
good w ife 352,2694
goose 1341,1499
gossip 1211-1212,1225,2426-2428,2617
g r a p e /s 5 5 5,596, 702, 2553-2554
grass 1603, 2049, 2238, 2668
grave 1278
greatness 2182
greed 327
greedy m an 172, 806,2494-2496
greed y p eop le 2493
greetings 645
grey ox 1087
grief 145,156
grocer 633-635, 9 5 2 ,1 3 2 7 ,1 9 6 8 , 2232
groom 2200
guarantor 1903
guard 313
guest 1 2 8 7 ,1 3 6 3 ,1 3 7 1 ,1 4 1 7 ,1 4 7 7 -1 4 8 9 ,1 7 1 5 ,1 7 8 9 ,2 4 0 8 ,2 5 3 2 ,2 5 7 3
guide 721,1534, 2378
gum 805,2315
gun 1111,1158
gunpowder 2236,2243
habit 6 0 ,1 5 4 8 ,1 8 4 2
habits 4 2 5 ,1 5 4 9 ,1 5 8 7 ,2 5 5 3
h ail 914,1112
hair 1984,2790

344
hairy w om en 648
Haji 1024
h alva 879,1652
h a n d /s 525-528, 530-535, 539, 541-542, 550, 616 ,1 1 5 1 , 16 1 5 ,1 6 2 4 ,1 9 2 0 , 2316, 2475,1986
h an d le 674
h app en ed 1404,2227
h a p p y talk 997
haram zad a 1764
hard w ork 8 6 4 ,1 2 7 2 ,1 4 0 0 ,1 7 8 4 , 2357
h ard ship 610, 6 9 2 ,1 3 9 8 ,1 6 5 3
h arvest 509,1001, 2499, 2596-2597,1981
haste 3 8 7 ,5 1 3 ,5 1 6 , 2799
hat 769
hatm aker 700,768
h azelnu ts 1827
head, h ead s 123,148-150, 2 1 3 ,1 7 9 8 , 680, 503, 618, 621-623, 681, 683, 685-686, 694-695,
8 4 5 ,1 0 9 9 ,1 4 0 0 ,1 4 0 3 ,1 5 1 0 ,1 9 8 3 -1 9 8 4 ,2 1 2 8 ,2 3 2 2 -2 3 2 3 ,2 3 3 9 ,2 4 6 0 , 6 82,1822
head o f a v illa g e 1987,1989
h ead ach e 614
h ealth 1228,1520,2320
h ealth y h ead 2322
h ealthy m an 295,963
heart 51, 718, 837, 9 8 0 ,1 5 4 7 ,1 5 5 5 -1 5 5 6 ,1 9 7 8 , 2062-2066, 2069, 2527-2529,
2547, 2549, 2555,2759
h eavy bush 2805
h eavy person 127
h ell 1656
hen 187-188, 787, 978,1031
henna 343,2502
herd 638, 823,1620, 2071, 2488-2489
herder 1857,2171-2173
hero, heroes 52, 679,877, 895, 573
h igh 230-231
h o le 626, 971, 2738
H oly War 344
h om eland 3 ,1 0 9 6 ,1 3 9 7
hom es 2141
honest m an 1169
honest person 1100
h on esty 1173
h on ey 311, 653-657, 664, 666,1913
honor 302, 346, 2021
honorable death 2332
h op e 817,2526
horn, horns 765-766, 2417
horse, horses 67, 8 9,161, 315-316, 322-323, 325, 364, 3 9 1 -4 0 7 ,4 1 2 ,4 2 4 -4 2 5 ,4 2 7 ,4 2 9 ,
433, 579, 739, 776, 9 2 0 ,1 2 5 0 ,1 2 7 0 ,1 2 8 5 ,1 5 6 6 ,1 9 4 9 ,1 9 5 4 , 2027, 2270,2343, 2360,
2525, 2609, 2660, 2693-2694, 2702,1821, 2285
horsem an 435-437
host 1371,1481, 2325
hotel ow ner 2604
hound 2067,2832
hour 1738
hour of death 512, 5 1 4 ,5 1 8 ,1 5 0 7 , 2273,2575, 2688

345
 house 63, 395, 781,1282, 872, 893, 9 3 2 ,, 1 0 4 8 ,1 1 5 4 ,1 1 8 2 ,1 2 0 0 ,1 2 0 8 ,1 2 1 9 ,1 2 4 9 ,
1 2 7 3 ,1 2 7 5 -1 2 7 8 ,1 2 8 1 -1 2 8 4 ,1 2 8 6 -1 2 8 8 ,1 3 3 0 ,1 3 4 8 ,1 3 6 7 ,1 4 4 6 ,1 4 8 4 ,1 4 8 8 ,1 5 7 3 ,1 6 1 9 ,1 6 5 5 ,1 6 9 7 ,
1818, 2014, 2045, 2081, 2200, 2207, 2393, 2408, 2458, 2500,2504, 2512, 2580,2585, 2650, 2671,2716
house ow ner 1281-1283,2207
houses 337, 800,1042,1279-1280
h u m a n /s 1 1 -1 3 ,1 7 ,1 9 , 21, 23-24, 5 0 2 ,1 5 6 4 ,1 6 8 4 ,1 2 -1 3 ,1 5 ,1 8 , 20, 27, 31-32, 52,
5 8 ,1 5 9 8 ,1 6 0 8 ,1 7 8 2 ,1 8 7 8 ,1 8 8 0 -1 8 8 1 ,1 8 8 3 ,1 9 2 2
hum ans' 1882-1883
hum ble m en 1097
hunger 170, 214-217, 624,1916
hungry 160-169,1 7 1 ,1 7 3 ,1 7 5 -1 8 1 ,1 8 3 -1 9 7 ,1 9 9 , 202, 204-211,1819 517, 628,1181,
1399,1845,1915, 2781
hungry bear 162
hungry d og 161,177-179
hungry horse 161
hungry m an 160,163-166, 1 6 9 ,1 7 1 ,1 7 3 ,1 7 6 ,1 8 0 -1 8 1 ,1 8 4 -1 8 6 ,1 8 9 ,1 9 1 -1 9 5 ,1 9 7 ,1 9 9 ,
204-205, 207-211, 517,1845
hungry m an's 206
hungry stom ach 168
hungry w olf 175
hunter 439,442-445
hunter cat 444
husband 77, 79,108, 330, 346-348, 557-558, 563-565, 568-569, 5 7 6 -5 7 7,1318,1654
husband's 575,1655, 2580
h yacin th 2395
h ypocrite 2811-2812
id le 7 5 4 ,1 9 0 5 ,2 1 6 1 ,2 2 4 5
ignorant friend 297
ignorant m an 67,157-158, 290-292, 294, 296, 298-301,1199,1776, 2092
Imams 2229
im p ossib le 2228,2566
in atten tive d o g 2344
in a tten tiv e h ea d 2339
incom petent 2176
inconsiderate person 1666, 2337
incurable pain 1011
inexperienced mem 389
inquirer 2419
insincere p rayin g 2068
in telligen t en em y 297
in telligen t m an 140, 298-301, 2551
intention 1373,1996,2193
in v itin g 1357
iron 991, 994-996,1421,1907-1908, 2420, 2426, 2583
iron door 990
ironsm ith 992-993
item 2291,2509
jackal 9 4,556
jar 7 5 7 ,1 1 0 8 ,1 4 3 6 ,2 4 5 4
jay 220,227
job 6 8 7,696, 843,160 0 ,1 6 4 9 ,1 7 1 7 ,1 8 8 8 -1 8 8 9 ,1 8 9 4 -1 8 9 6 ,
1 8 9 8 ,1 9 0 1 -1 9 0 3 ,2 2 9 2 ,2 5 2 1 ,2 5 3 0 ,2 5 7 0
judge 909,1 3 4 9 ,2 3 8 4
jug 1109,2461

346
justice 1667-1669, 2362, 2827, 2835
Kaaba 1978
key 4-5, 2194
khan 782,1455, 2469,2584
K iblah 1697
kid 93
killer 1637
kindness 1195,2709-2710
king 2125,2375,
kite 2329
knot 545
k now ledge 1240,1855, 233, 307-308, 2807
knucklebones 379
K oroghll 852
Kurd 1648, 2081-2084
ladder 611
lad le 3 7 0 ,8 5 7 ,1 3 4 2 ,1 3 4 4
lady 1106, 2585-2587
lake 1524, 2482
lake bird 1525
lamb 285, 793,1121,1519-1520
lam bs 818, 840
lam e d og 453
lam e goat 2050
lam p 813-814,1675-1676,1774, 2431
land 1156,1659, 2158-2159, 2293
lantern 1641
large eye 2730
large fish 2005
last 353,477, 912
laugh 146,1231
laughter 1714
law 1093, 2382-2383
law n 807
law s 2385
lazy person 924
leaf, le a v es 2 6 79,2732,1459
leath er 1526, 2258, 2335
left eye 2317
left hand 2316
le g a lity 1163
legs 1308,1475, 2183
lender 222, 743, 750, 2023
less 488-491,493, 847, 869
liar 1070, 2496, 2546, 2590, 2643-2653
lice 2422
lid 855,1536
l i e /s 1424, 2639-2641, 2654-2655, 802, 846, 2231, 2642
life 1428,
light bush 2805
ligh t load 2804
lim its 5 7 5 ,1 6 6 5 ,2 1 6 4
lin eage 1929
lion 5 8 7 -5 8 8 ,6 4 9 ,8 7 7 ,1 7 8 8 ,1 9 1 7 ,2 3 8 6

347
lip s 1047,1086
listen 486,488
little 485-487, 4 9 2 ,494, 497, 6 7 7 ,8 3 0 ,2 0 8 7
livin g 1084,2265, 2332
livin g person 1084
load 129, 302, 2804
load ed d onk ey 2802
lo a n /s 224,2808
lonely bird 2657
long tongue 549,1076
lo osely 760
looseness 761
loss 477,1728, 2145, 2260, 2275, 2819, 2823-2824
lost 2291,2771
love 3 7 3 ,1 0 0 9 ,1 1 7 7 ,1 2 4 6 -1 2 4 8 ,1 6 2 7 , 2122-2123, 2157, 2423
lo v e r /s 372, 374, 382,1500, 2252, 2722, 2806
low 230,2513
low w alls 1154
luck 4 3 1 ,4 5 8 , 7 3 0 ,1 1 3 4 ,1 1 9 7 ,1 3 5 1 ,1 8 9 3 ,2 2 5 1 , 2491-2492
luggage 2379,2801
lyin g 2637
mace 825,1174
mad dog 1949
m ad man 2248
m alevolent person 2602
man 6 ,1 2 ,1 4 ,1 6 -1 7 , 22, 25-26, 28-30, 33-39, 41-45, 48-48, 2567, 2056, 2565, 2562, 2560,
2559, 54-55,1976, 460 , 92, 213, 259, 298, 341, 392, 406, 430, 4 4 6 ,451, 517, 560, 566-567,581, 592,
628, 630, 684, 688, 806, 852, 884, 892, 990-991, 9 9 4 ,1 0 0 7 -1 0 0 8 ,1 1 3 5 -1 1 3 6 ,1 1 5 9 ,1 1 6 4 ,1 1 8 9 ,1 3 7 4 ,
1 3 7 9 ,1 3 8 7 ,1 3 9 6 ,1 4 3 2 ,1 4 6 6 ,1 4 7 4 ,1 5 0 2 ,1 5 2 7 ,1 6 5 4 ,1 6 8 6 ,1 7 2 6 ,1 7 3 0 ,1 7 3 9 ,1 7 4 4 ,1 7 7 5 -1 7 7 6 ,1 7 8 1 ,
1 7 9 0 ,1 7 9 5 -1 7 9 7,1819-1820,1840,1869,18 7 9 ,1 9 0 5 , 2012, 2014-2016, 2056, 2074, 2077, 2085, 2099,
2125, 2176, 2184, 2193, 2201, 2248, 2278-2280, 2292, 2296, 2415, 2449, 2483, 2494, 2503, 2517, 2522,
2525, 2565-2568, 2677, 2706, 2719, 2756-2757, 2772, 2780, 2786-2788
m angiest goat 1410
m any 4 9 5 ,8 2 7 ,8 4 0 ,8 5 2 ,2 1 1 6 , 2605
man's 49-51, 62-63,156, 2 0 6 ,1 7 9 8 ,1 8 7 8 ,1 8 8 3 , 2013
m arket 1981
m arriage 1443,1447-1448,1474,1500, 2499
m aster 78, 8 0 ,1 0 5 -1 0 7 ,1 2 9 4 ,1 4 8 4 ,2 5 1 6
m aterial w ealth 1192
maternal uncle 944,1 4 4 7 ,1 4 6 6
mature person 1960
m aturity 418,2310
m easure 2230,2266
m eat 590-602,1560, 2505-2508
Mecca - 1024,1 2 8 1 ,1 5 8 0 ,1 6 4 8 -1 6 4 9 ,1 9 7 8 , 2399
m elons 2396
men 40, 6 1 ,3 4 5 , 357, 362, 428, 562, 570, 957, 9 7 4 ,1 0 9 7 ,1 9 3 4
m erchant 2120
m etal 98,2100
m id get 2073-2075,2077
m id w iv es 2116-2117
m ill 880, 889,1175-1178,1180-1183,
m iller 1179,2359
m illet 543,2178

348
m illston e 1175
m inaret 2146
m ind 112
m instrel 377-378, 380-381, 383-385,1691
mirror 482
m isch ievou s p eop le 2677
m ischievous person 2675-2676
m iser 1380-1381
m isfortune 1630,1714
m ish ap s 1891,
m ist 1147
m ista k e /s 1635, 2 6 6 7 ,2 1 ,1 6 3 9 ,1 7 7 1 ,2 2 9 5 , 2670
m isty m o u n ta in /s 1148-1149
m ole 75,1513
m o lla h /s 376, 384, 953, 95 5 -9 5 6 ,1 0 5 1 ,1 3 6 4 ,1 5 2 8 ,1 7 3 7 , 2110-2115, 2131, 2114, 2729
m oney 46,130, 413, 419, 446, 547, 846, 858, 881, 2533, 2557, 2613, 2776, 2820
m onkey 1346,2135
m onth 460,476-477
moon 463, 466-467, 469-470, 2524
more 82, 486-489, 2090, 2225, 2090, 2225, 847, 2439
morning 2356-2357
morning sun 2356
m orsel 327,774
mosque 607
m o th er/s 145, 275-287, 719, 727, 862,1688, 200, 408-409, 426
mound 1170,2753
m oun tain/s 28, 771, 888, 2222,1533, 2196, 2578, 9 0 4 ,1 1 4 9 ,1 2 3 9
m ountain bird 896
mourning 882,2500
mouse 634,2402-2405
m o u th /s 1 3 4 -1 3 9 ,1 5 2 ,2 3 9 ,6 5 4 ,1 0 7 8 ,1 0 9 1 , 1 2 1 0 ,1 2 1 2 ,1 6 6 2 ,1 8 1 7 ,2 5 9 1 ,1 0 1 2
much 8 3 3 ,8 4 6 ,8 4 9 ,8 7 4 , 1768,2631
mud 1604,2593
mulberry 729,2351
m u le /s 4 3 3,1270,1335-1338, 426
M u slim /s 2161,1241-1242,1245
m ute person 2091
naked m an 166
naked person 811
nam e 63, 318, 424,1193
n au gh ty child 2534
N axjivan 2174
necessity / s 1815, 2558
neck 622,1045
n eed le, n eed les 1862, 2809
n eed y 155,538, 541, 2269
n eigh b or/s 1 0 8 9 ,1 2 8 6 ,1 4 9 0 -1 4 9 7 ,1 4 9 9 -1 5 0 1 ,1 5 1 1 ,1 5 8 2 ,1 6 2 9 ,
2601, 2660, 2700, 559,1491
neighbor's 1494
net 2755
n ew place 2052,2624
newcom er 1362
new s 1378,1746, 2434-2435, 2446-2447, 2520,1824
n ig h t/s 1 4 2 6 ,1474,1707,

349
n ig h tin g a le /s 3, 7 9 6 -7 9 7 ,1 0 7 3 ,1 2 5 1 ,1 4 8 5 ,1 6 2 5 , 2157,1824
nit 824
noise 1663
nonsense word 1767
N oruz 461
oath 204
obedient person 2485
obese m an 2056
object 1385
ob ligation 2148
offspring 175,1929
oil 201, 575, 733, 2626, 2631-2632
old enem y 5 8 6 ,1 1 1 4 ,1 3 1 6
old horse 427
old m an 43,1474, 2014
old place 2052
old w om an 1 0 2 6 ,1 3 1 9 ,1 3 2 5 ,1 3 6 6 ,2 0 1 4
older w om an 355
o ld est ch ild 772
onion 2409-2413
opportunity 536-537
oppressed 2133
oppression 2833-2835
oppressor 156,2813
orchard 347
origin 582-585, 589, 2080, 2187
orp h a n /s 2 2 8 ,1 1 0 6 ,1 7 0 2 , 2744-2745, 2747,1321
ostrich 1025
overprotected eye 1512
ovm ach 1312
ow l 3 ,7 0 7
owner 390, 637,1263,1281-1 2 8 3 ,1 5 6 6 ,1 5 8 6 ,1 8 9 4 ,1 9 4 1 , 2104, 2207, 2441, 2604, 2751
ox 5 0 4 ,1 0 8 7 ,1 8 6 4 , 2048, 2204, 2254-2263, 2635, 2686-2687,2782
oxen 1878
pain 1 4 7 ,5 0 8 ,6 5 3 , 7 4 4 ,1 0 0 2 ,1 0 0 4 -1 0 0 6 ,1 0 1 1 ,1 2 0 1 ,
1696,1731, 2147,2265
parad ise 1427,1656
parents 4 1 0 ,9 4 6 ,1 4 6 5 ,1 5 6 6 ,2 2 0 6
partner 360, 2107, 2304,2381
partridge 1657,1979
partridges 906
party 709-711
parvenu 1529-1530
p assed aw ay 2227
patch 971
paternal u ncle 944
path 2765-2766,2772
p atience 456, 908, 2346-2352
peacock 2498
pear, pears 266, 271,553, 555, 644, 2 3 2 1 ,2 6 6 ,5 5 4 , 556
pear tree 271,553
p ed d ler 802
pen 1 3 58,1360,2794
pennies 1780

350
p eop le 121, 664, 693, 711, 891, 894, 9 2 1 ,1 0 1 2 ,1 1 8 1 ,1 2 1 0 -1 2 1 6 ,1 2 1 8 ,1 2 2 1 -1 2 2 2 ,1 2 2 4 -1 2 2 7 ,1 2 2 9 ,
1 2 3 1 ,1 2 3 6 -1 2 3 9 ,1 2 6 7 ,1 3 4 6 ,1 4 1 0 ,1 4 7 5 ,1 5 1 9 -1 5 2 0 ,1 5 5 3 ,1 5 8 2 ,1 5 9 1 ,1 6 2 6 ,1 6 3 4 ,1 8 3 9 ,1 8 5 1 ,1 9 2 1 ,
1932,1950,1985, 2006, 2028, 2082, 2102, 2161,2234, 2260, 2269, 2306, 2465, 2474, 2493, 2568, 2585-
2587,2591, 2691, 2759
perfect com panion 1290
person 57, 5 9 ,1 2 7 ,1 5 2 , 212, 257, 274, 289, 293, 312-313, 532,541,
594, 623, 625, 627, 681, 716-717, 804, 808-811, 825-826, 837, 887, 924, 940 ,1 0 5 9 ,1 0 7 9 -1 0 8 0 ,1 0 8 4 ,
1 0 9 4 ,1 1 0 0 ,1 1 5 4 ,1 1 6 7 ,1 2 2 8 ,1 2 3 0 ,1 2 8 9 ,1 2 9 7 ,1 3 2 4 ,1 3 2 6 ,1 3 2 9 ,1 3 3 7 ,1 3 5 2 ,1 3 6 8 ,1 4 1 5 ,1 4 6 1 ,1 5 0 2 -
1 5 0 3 ,1 5 1 0 ,1 5 4 0 ,1 5 4 9 ,1 5 5 4 ,1 5 5 8 ,1 5 6 9 ,1 5 7 8 -1 5 7 9 ,1 5 8 6 ,1 5 9 9 ,1 6 2 5 ,1 6 3 5 ,1 6 3 7 ,1 6 6 6 ,1 6 8 0 -1 6 8 1 ,
1 7 0 0 ,1 7 1 1 ,1 7 2 4 ,1 7 2 8 ,1 7 6 6 ,1 7 7 6 ,1 7 7 8 ,1 7 8 3 ,1 8 4 5 ,1 8 5 1 ,1 8 6 4 ,1 9 0 8 ,1 9 1 0 ,1 9 2 3 ,1 9 5 2 ,1 9 6 0 -1 9 6 2 ,
1964, 2026, 2035, 2040, 2044, 2054,2064, 2078, 2091, 2096-2097, 2110, 2160, 2164, 2170, 2183, 2258-
2259, 2269, 2277, 2287, 2292-2293, 2298, 2125, 2305, 2330, 2337, 2378, 2404, 2416, 2468, 2470, 2472-
2473, 2476, 2485, 2494, 2500, 2518, 2520, 2522, 2546, 2550, 2552, 2588, 2602, 2645, 2656, 2658-2659,
2670, 2675-2676, 2758, 2779, 2784, 2795, 2807, 2810
p h allu s 1186
p ig 167,1113,1118
pigeon 799
p ig let 1115,1117
p ilaf 11722
pilgrim 1648-1649
p ilgrim age 720,1580
pinjple 874
pitcher 1107
place, p laces 507, 6 7 3 ,1 0 9 8 ,1 2 3 4 ,1 6 5 0 ,1 7 4 7 ,1 7 5 4 -1 7 5 5 , 2052, 2404, 2520,
618, 2624, 2668-2669, 930,1397, 2246, 2519
p la in tiff 878
plant 5 0 3 ,5 0 8 ,5 1 0 ,1 7 3 6
p lanted 506,50 9 ,5 2 3 -5 2 4
pleasant w ord 1769
p low 2048,2204
plum s 554,951
p oet 2612
poison 2814
p olice officer 2212
poop 1605
poor 173, 427, 541, 812, 2563, 2784, 427, 990,1965-1967,1969-1977,
2184, 2559-2560, 2565, 2567-2568, 2786-2788
poor people 1437, 2056
pot, pots 126, 8 5 4 -8 5 5 ,9 7 2 ,1 2 2 0 ,1 2 9 9 ,1 6 9 8 , 2033, 2233, 9, 856
p ottage 887
potter 2088
poverty 8 5 1 ,1 6 9 4 ,2 5 5 9 , 2562,2785, 2789
pow er 1221,2613
pow erful m an 2757
prayer 1350,2292
p raying 2068
precious stone 2551
predatory bird 234-236
pregnant w om an 2117
pressure 1265,2828-2829
presumptuous 2121
prettiness 1557
pretty face 1548
pretty girl 1550,1553

351
pretty person 1554
pretty w om an 356,1551-1552
priest 1245
p rod ig a lity 328
progress 1928, 2559
prom ise, prom ised 751, 7 8 6 ,1 8 6 0 ,1 8 5 4 ,1 8 8 9 ,1 9 4 0 , 2022, 2183, 2216, 2611
proper tim e 459, 644, 2448
property 417, 2108-2109, 2289
prosperity 722,2502
prostitute 1352-1356, 2814
proud 468,1730
public bath 2599
puppy 824
quarrels 1393
question/s 1110, 2418
rabbit 1119-1121,1788
rabbits 572,1823
rag 2153
rain 2629, 2633
raisins 68,1376
ram 765
real fr ie n d /s 1126-1127, 2527,1374
real m an 104, 560, 566, 1795-1797,1800-1804,1807,1810-1811,1813-1814,
2 019,2201, 2677,2706, 2719
real neighbor 1491,1493
reap 506,1 7 2 1 ,1 7 3 6
reaper 2057
reaps 522
rebellious 106, 2176
reins 1033
r e la tiv e /s 1469-1472, 2582, 502, 5 9 1 ,1 2 1 6 ,1 4 6 8 ,1 4 7 0 ,1 4 7 3 ,1 4 7 6 ,1 6 2 6 , 2582
religion 1081
religiou s law 2382-2383
renter 1282
repaym ent 232
resem bles 1742
resists 943
respect 1429,2021
returning 219, 2610
rice 733 ,1 0 3 8 ,1 1 4 0 , 2094
rich 1 1 3 5 -1 1 3 6 ,1 9 7 2,1977,2226,2562-2568
right com panion 2767
right eye 2317
right hand 2316
river 1057,1690, 2485
road, roads 720, 740, 746 ,1 2 1 7 ,1 7 0 6 , 2139, 2760, 2765, 2770, 2773, 2780,1756
roaring thing 1708
rock, rocks 125, 459, 694, 934, 936-937, 9 4 1 ,1 4 5 7 ,1 5 3 2 ,1 6 9 5 ,9 3 5 , 2002, 2364,2733
rocky gardens 648
roof 9 1 5 ,9 2 1 ,9 2 3 ,2 0 1 0
rooster/s 1478, 2572, 2606,1836, 2605
rope 1 0 5 1 ,1 3 1 8 ,1 6 8 5 -1 6 8 6 ,1 8 3 5 ,1 8 4 4 ,1 8 7 8 ,1 8 8 4 -1 8 8 7 , 2287
rose 55,1625
rotten 876

352
rude guest 1488
rulers 1834
runner 1297
sack 752,759
sad talk 997
sad d lep ack 1252,1255
sage 1739,2389
sa liv a 133
salt 1151,1200
sand 2368
san dal 1526
sap lin g 1359
Satan 248
sa tiety 215
saz 1687
sch ool 1737
scratching 1333
sea 64, 998-999,1016-1018,1536,1930, 2403
searcher 457
searchin g 232
season 1699
secrecy 1373
se cr et/s 111, 1 0 5 3 ,1 1 2 9 ,1 3 7 3 ,1 4 3 0 ,1 7 0 9 , 2294, 2401
secretary 2727
secretly 1430
seed 504-505,741
selfish p eo p le 2306
selfish n ess 2127
seller 225-226,2511
servant 8 0 ,105, 728,1415, 2574, 2586-2587
servant's 108
settlem en t 1779
sew s 1982
se y it ’ 1528
sh ad e 2057,2422
sh am efu l liv in g 2332
sh am eless m an 1502
sh am eless p eo p le 1839
sh eep 69, 650, 822, 8 4 0 ,1 1 1 5 ,1 5 1 4 -1 5 2 1 ,1 5 8 6 ,1 5 9 5 ,1 5 9 9 ,1 6 5 8 ,2 0 7 6 , 2243, 2340
sh ep h erd 818-821,2142
sh eriff 931
sh oe 612, 619, 697-699, 2175
sh oem aker 692,700-701
short d onk ey 228-229
short talk 2004
shrine 1858
shy person 2518
sick person 1083
sid es 1837
silen ce 929,2476
silk cloth 603, 729
s in /s 1635-1636,1 6 3 8 ,6 8 9 ,9 4 7 ,1 6 3 9
sincere 2406
sin gle 465,2469-2470

353
sin gle tree 2345
siren 2481
situation 1900, 2487
sk illed m an 1790
sky 1535-1537,1853
slander 1930, 2671
slave 106, 2 9 9 ,1 3 8 3 -1384,1563,1565
sleep in ess 214
sleep in g d og 2685
sle ep y h ead 168
slo w / l y 3 8 6 ,1 0 2 1 ,1 5 9 ,3 8 6 -3 8 8
sm all person 940
sm all rock 940, 2002
sm ilin g face 886,1813
sm oke 314, 2241,2327
snake 518,1840-1849,1851-1852,1865, 2112
snake's 1850
snitcher 2188-2189
snow 1307,1752, 2196,2503
softly 723
son 4 1 1 ,1 2 2 3 ,1 8 1 6 ,1 8 8 9 , 2203-2206, 2221, 2290
sorrow 989, 994, 997
sound 913
soup 3 7 5 ,1 1 5 2 ,1 3 1 2 ,1 6 9 2 ,1 7 3 6 ,1 9 1 1 , 2577
sour milk 68 ,483, 8 7 1 ,1 2 7 2 ,1 3 3 9 ,1 3 7 6 ,1 7 7 3 , 2477
sp arrow /s 533, 2371, 2178, 2370
spoon 1911
spring 791-792,1517, 2456
Spring (season) 1142,1306,2720-2721, 2724
stagnant market 1981
stake 1833
starling 2331
stars 466,469, 2512
statem ent 1 747,1767,2443
stealin g 1904
step fath er 672
stick 625
stom ach 135-136,168, 206, 2U8, 624,1 3 2 0 -1 3 2 1 ,1 3 2 3 ,1 9 2 6
ston e/ s 432, 911, 937,1313, 2144, 2551, 2450
storehouse 1058
straight 626,1161
strange d og 2625
stran ger/s 484, 2162, 2 6 2 3 ,4 5 0 ,1 2 3 2
stranger d og 2624
straw 2010, 2326-2327, 2336
stream s 2633
strength 1622,1735
strong word 1621
stru ggle/stru gglin g 834,833
stubborn horse 739
stupid d og 1948
stupid hum ans 58
stupid m an 981,1905
sucking 552

354
suffering 42,1720
Sufi 2474
sugar 2093,2603
suitable 2742
summer 1 4 3 4 ,2 7 1 6 ,2 7 2 1 ,2 7 2 6
sun 455,1632-1634,1646-1647, 2356, 2630, 2724
sunrise 1640
sunset 1640
swan 1560
sw arthy m an 1387
sw eet tongue 8 8 5 -8 8 6,1881,2390
sw eeth eart 385, 705,1290, 2614-2615, 2617-2620
sw eets 2391
sw indler, sw in d lin g 1942,2569, 850
sw o rd /s 3 9 6 ,8 8 1 ,1 8 3 0
tablecloth 7,2220
tail 1 0 8 8 ,1 2 6 6 -1 2 6 7 ,1 7 1 3 ,2 0 5 2 ,2 0 7 2
tailor 1019-1020
talk 486, 751, 7 7 4 ,9 9 7 ,1 2 2 5 ,2 0 8 9 ,2 0 9 4 ,2 7 4 0 ,2 7 7 5
tall m an, person 2074, 2522
tanner 883
task 369,1199
taste 884,1753
Tat 2082
tavern 2595
teasing 2397-2398
thief 900, 934, 996,1275-1276, 2189, 2207-2209, 2211-2213
thigh 1560
thin horse 316
thin m an 2056
th in g /s 548, 6 2 9 ,1 0 3 0 ,1 7 0 8 , 790,801
think 605, 2440
thirsty d o g 2479
thirsty m an 2483
thirsty tree 2478
thorn 1628
thousand 2405
throat 742
throne 851
thumbs 2224
thunder 1853
tiger 2402
tightness 1694
tim e /s 1 6 4 4 ,1 7 1 8 ,1 7 4 7 ,2 4 3 7 ,2 4 4 8 , 2817, 651, 989,1414, 2230, 2562
tin pot 1299
tired d og 2778
tired m an 1976
tobacco 1768
today 789,1158
tongue 50-51, 321, 340, 546, 549, 796, 885-886,1060-1063,1066, 1071 -1 0 7 7 ,1 0 7 9 ,1 0 9 0 ,1 8 0 8 , 2390
tooth 151 ,4 7 9 ,1 0 8 9
trash 1284
travel 2128, 2353, 2637
traveler 442

355
treacherous person 2588
treasury 2598
tr e e /s 47, 81-95, 97-103,139, 271, 553, 574, 678, 6 8 4 ,1 6 0 1 ,1 6 8 7 ,1 7 4 9 ,1 8 5 9 ,
2238, 2345, 2372, 2478,2682, 81, 9 6 ,6 7 5 ,1 5 2 2 ,1 9 8 5 , 2152
tribe 1219,2051
trip 2354,2767
trouble 472,1002-1004,1426, 2237
troubled m an 1007-1008
trousseau 1453
truth 4 6 3,1099,1101-1 1 0 4 ,1 1 6 1 ,1 1 6 3 -1 1 6 8 ,1 6 3 2 ,1 6 6 8 -1 6 7 8 , 2638, 2642, 2654
Turtle 641
tw o 1 8 1 7,1821-1831,1835,1837-1838,2116
ugly person 808-810
uncle 9 4 4 ,1 4 6 6 ,2 2 5 7
uncooked bread 601
understood 2250
undertaken 2163
unfair person 2164
u nfinished w ork 1531
uninformed man 295
u n law fu l thing 548
unloaded donkey 755
unlucky people 1839
unmarried 2469
unmarried m an 630
unmarried person 2468, 2470
unmarried w om an 580,1511
unnecessary 1385
u nsk illed m an 1790
unsuitable 2742
unw ise man 2449
upbringing 2536
u p h ea v a ls 1442
u p h ill 1046,1706
upright m an 628, 2016-2017,2019, 2129-2130,2169
upright person 1680-1681
useless sons 2728
useless w om an 1664
vagin a 784
vagrant 441
v a lle y 888,1000
valu e 65
vein 753,918
victim 1637, 2813
v illa g e 1534,1980,2070
vinegar 2156, 2400
visits 1419-1420
voice 1772
vulture 2331
w aist 1232
w ait 7 3 6 ,7 6 7 ,1 2 7 0 ,1 6 1 2 ,1 7 7 9 , 2338
w alk ers 1835
w a ll/s 1153,1156-1157,1355,1879, 2450,1154
w aln ut 1522-1523

356
w ander 440
w anderer 1401,1403
w asher o f the d ead 2154
w aste 2718
w ater 5 4 ,1 9 8 , 448-450, 570, 845, 9 0 1 ,1 0 1 0 ,1 1 8 0 ,1 2 3 4 ,2 0 1 1 ,2 0 3 5 , 2087
2451-2453, 2455-2459, 2461-2467, 2471, 2480-2481, 2485, 2584
w ater jug 2461
w a term elo n /s 1700,1331,1828
w aterm elon grow er 764
w aterp ip e 1768
w eak horse 315
w eak person 1297,1586, 2044
w eak w ord 1621
w ealth 304, 333-334, 379, 411, 413, 418-419, 497, 846, 859-860, 945,
1192, 2101-2103, 2105, 2556-2558, 2562, 2565,2606, 2785
w ealth y m an 983, 2184,2559-2561
w eaver 2245
w ed d in g 710, 2501-2502, 2596
w eed 2235
w eepin g 353,1663
w eig h t 132
w e ll /s 332, 7 5 0 ,7 9 8 ,1208,1616-1618
w et 1573,1603, 2234, 2683
w et nurse 282
w et person 1910
w h eat 317,543, 785,2326
w h e el 571
w heelb arrow 1291
w h ite 7 6 ,1 0 9 ,2 0 6 4 , 2260
w h ite d o g 72
w h ite h orse 67
w h ite rope 1844
w h ite sh eep 69
w icked person 2658-2659
w ick ed w ife 2660
w id o w 264, 319,1142-1146,1448
w ife 77, 79, 330-331, 334-336, 348-349, 351-352, 3 6 0 ,3 6 3 -3 6 4 ,4 3 1 , 5 5 7 ,561, 565, 576-577,
5 8 3 ,1 3 1 8 ,1 6 4 5 ,1 6 5 4 ,1 7 2 3 , 2013, 2293, 2580,2660, 2694
w ild m an 884
w illo w 2422
w ind 632,1040, 2596,2731-2736
w inter 1434-1435,1438,1504, 2106, 2714,2718, 2721,2725-2726
w isdom 113,1240
w ise m an 1-2, 111, 114-122,157-158, 451, 949, 961, 980
w itn ess 909,1 2 4 4 ,1 9 0 3
w iv e s 337,1818-1820
w o lf 175,1399 ,1 5 7 5 -1 5 7 6 ,1 5 7 8 -1 5 9 4 ,1 5 9 6 -1 5 9 8 ,1 9 3 3 ,1 9 3 6 , 2053,
2070-2071, 2126,2243, 2340,2425, 2656
w olf's 1264,1576
w o lv es 2 5 0 ,8 2 3 ,9 0 5 ,1 5 7 7 ,1 5 9 5 ,1 9 5 3
wom an 3 2 9 ,3 3 2 ,3 3 6 ,3 3 9 -3 4 2 ,3 5 3 , 3 5 5 -3 5 6 ,3 5 8 ,5 8 0 ,6 9 4 ,1 0 2 6 ,1 2 0 0 ,1 3 1 7 ,
1 3 1 9 ,1 3 2 5 ,1 3 5 5 ,1 3 6 6 ,1 5 5 1 -1 5 5 2 ,1 6 5 4 ,1 6 6 4 ,1 8 9 9 , 2014-2015, 2018, 2117, 2580
women 124, 338, 345, 354, 357, 359, 361-362, 365-366, 648, 8 0 3 ,1 1 8 5 ,1 8 2 6
wood 100,1160

357
woodcutter 1651,2198
w oods 473,475
w o rd /s 44, 308, 7 8 6 ,1 1 0 2 ,1 6 2 1 ,1 6 7 1 ,1 6 7 3 -1 6 7 4 ,1 7 6 7 ,1 7 6 9 ,1 8 8 9 , 2222, 2433, 2444, 2703,
38, 200, 420-421, 758, 775,1567, 2022, 2284, 2298, 2318, 2432, 2435-2436, 2439-2440,
2445-2446, 2448, 2452, 2515
work 7, 26, 3 4 ,4 4 0 ,4 8 7 , 551, 7 8 8 ,1 4 0 0 ,1 4 2 5 ,1 1 5 3 1 ,1 6 4 3 ,1 7 8 4 ,1 8 6 4 ,
1 8 9 0 ,1 8 9 4 ,1 9 0 6 ,1 9 4 5 , 2124, 2297, 2316, 2352,2357, 2363
w orking donkey 1905
w orld 498, 777-780,1187-1 1 9 1 ,1 1 9 5 -1 1 9 8 ,1 2 0 0 -1 2 0 2 ,1 3 5 3 ,1 3 6 1 ,1 4 5 9 ,2 0 0 8 ,2 4 8 6
worm 1606,2150
worry 121,131, 2361
wound 1 0 ,1 0 6 6 ,2 3 1 8 ,2 7 3 8
w ounded donkey 2674
w ou n d ed forehead 2678
w restlers 1832
yardstick 326,1725
year 4 3 ,4 6 7 , 735
yeast 2592
yesterd ay 1158
yesterd ay's 2094
yogurt 9 1 9 ,1 3 3 4 ,1 3 3 9 , 2119
yoke 60,2254
young tree 2682
younger 661
younger brother 1391,1937
younger people 1520, 2006, 2314
youngest son 2221
yourself 1866, 2300, 2307, 2617
Zunuz 1764

358
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A basguliev, Tofig. 1981. English Proverbs w ith Their Azerbaijan [sic] and
Russian Equivalents. Baku: Elm.

A bdullayev, Bahlul. 1986. Arazam Kiird Bdnddm (I Am Araxis, I A m a

River). Baku: Yazi'chi.

A braham s, D. Roger. 1972. Proverbs and Proverbial Expressions. In

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 V ITA
N am e: Shahyar D aneshgar

Date of Birth: 12 N ovem ber 1952

Place of Birth: T ehran, Iran

Education: Vordiplom , Biology, U niversity of Brem en, G erm any, 1978

B.A., G erm an, In d ian a U niversity, Bloom ington, 1982

M.A., Turkic Studies, Indiana U niversity, Bloom ington, 1987

Ph.D., Turkic Studies, Indiana U niversity, Bloom ington, 1994

Publication: "P ersian Loan Translations in A zeri," U ral-A ltaische

Jahrbticher 64 (1992)

Teaching: Research A ssociate for the Indiana U niversity T urkm en and

A nd R esearch P reparing "A C ourse in Basic and Interm ediate T urkm en,"
June 1993-1994

V isiting Lecturer of A zerbaijani Language, Sum m er

W orkshop in Slavic and East E uropean Languages, Indiana
U niversity, B loom ington, Sum m er 1993

Visiting L ecturer of Persian, D epartm ent of N ear Eastern

Languages an d C ultures, Indiana U niversity, B loom ington,
1990-1991

H onors: Rated am ong the 56 best teachers at Indiana U niversity, and

A nd A w ards B loom ington for the year 1994 by stu d en t evaluations

T urkish Studies P rogram Scholarship, D epartm ent of C entral

E urasian Studies, Indiana U niversity, Bloom ington, 1992

Foreign Language and A rea Studies Fellow ship, D epartm ent

of U ralic an d Altaic Studies, Indiana U niversity,
B loom ington, 1984 and 1985

N ational R esource Fellow ship, D ep artm en t of Uralic and

A ltaic Studies, Indiana U niversity, B loom ington, Sum m er
1982

H onor S tudent, Indiana U niversity, Bloom ington, 1980 and

1981