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I am pleased to share some of the common proverbs with you. Those who understand Hindi well, can use them while talking to others. I have tried to explain them to best of my ability,wherever required.. I love them.
A कहावतें (proverbs), (from the Latin proverbium), is a simple and concrete saying popularly known and repeated, which expresses a truth, based on common sense or the practical experience of humanity. They are often metaphorical. Almost every language has own proverbs. The study of proverbs is called: paremiology from Greek which dates back to Aristotle’s time. Paremiography, on the other hand, is the collection of proverbs. I believe that a prominent proverb scholar in the United States is Wolfgang Mieder who has written or edited over 50 books on the subject.
जहाँ चाह (will) वहां राह (way) |
(Jahan chaah wahan raah. )
Where there is a will, there is a way. It means, if you have an inclination, you would attend to that job.
ताली (clap) दोनों (both) हाथों (hands) से बजती (sound) है |
(Taalee donon haathon se bajtee hai. )
It takes two to make a quarrel. For any fight ,both the parties
are responsible.
जैसी करनी वैसी भरनी |
(Jaisee karnee vaisee bharnee.)
You have to accept the consequences of your actions.
As you sow, so shall you reap. If we harass (trouble) some one,
one day somebody else can harass us.
दूध(milk) का जला (burnt) छाछ (butter milk_known as
Mattha in Hindi_
फूंक फूंक कर पीता है |
(Doodh ka jala chhanchh phoonk-phoonk kar peeta hai. )
The meaning is: once bitten twice shy or you can call a burnt child
dreads the fire. It means a bad experience will make people stay away
from certain things.
मुंह में राम , बगल (near) में छुरी (knife) |
(Munh mein Ram, bagal mein chhuree. )
A honey tongue, a heart of gall. There are several sweet talkers
but with bad heart, I mean , they can stab at the back.
मित्र (friend or Dost) वही जो समय (time) में काम आये |
(Mitra vahee jo samay mein kaam aaye. )
A friend in need is a good friend indeed.
One can understand about a friend i.e. when he /she is there or
helps you when you want. Someone who helps you when you are
in trouble, is a real friend. समय में काम ( Samay mein kaam)
means in help in trouble or=मुसीबत (Museebat.)
नीम हकीम खतरे में जान |
(Neem Hakeem khatare mein jaan.)
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Think of quack
( the self proclaimed doctors in the village ) can put your life in danger.
Besides, if we are not thorough about a subject , can lead others to a wrong way.
नाच (dance) न जाने आँगन (courtyard) टेढ़ा |
(Naach na jaane aangan tedha. )
A bad carpenter quarrels with his tools.
The dancers would complain regarding uneven floor) may not be true,
when they do not perform well on the stage. In rustic form, आँगन
is also pronounced as anganway =अंगनवे (courtyard) .
Blaming the tools for bad workmanship is an excuse for lack of skill.
एक और एक ग्यारह होते हैं |
(Ek aur ek gyaarah hote hain. )
Union is strength. I mean Ekta (unity) mein bal (taakat i.e strength) hota hai.
A group has more force than an individual. Be an Organization or family
or country, stay united,we can complement and supplement each other,
would remain strong. Never split.The strength of a group depends on each
individual member.
गया (gone) वक्त या ( or ) समय (time) फिर वापस (return)
हाथ (hand) नहीं आता (लौटता) |
(Gaya vakt or samay) phir wapas haath nahin aata (lautata)
Time once lost can not be regained (recovered or retrieved).
It means , if we would not do work on time ,then that time would never come.
जो गरजते (roars) हैं ,सो बरसते (rain fall) नहीं |
(| Jo garajate hain,so barasatey nahin .)
Barking dogs seldom bite. Those who enforce their point of view,
don’t complain. Believe in act and not on speaking is the gist of this.
थोथा (hollow) चना (gram) बाजे घना (heavy) |
(Tthottha chana baaje Ghana .)
An Empty vessels makes much noise. Really wealthy don’t talk about money.
. A person who has stuff won’t have to say bla ..bla. A person not having
knowledge would try to justify what he knows regarding the subject.
अपनी अपनी डफली अपना अपना राग |
(Apnee apnee dafli( a musical instrument in India) apna apna raag.)
Many heads mean they have many minds. Everyone will have their own say
i.e. Beating own bush.
एक ही थैली (bag) के चट्टे -बट्टे |
(Ek hee thailee key chattey-battey.)
Birds of a feather flock together. People of the same sort are usually found together.
People from the same background have the same behaviour.
Dogs of the same street bark alike
अध्जल गगरी (pitcher or earthen pot) छलकत (sprinkle) जाय |
(Adhjal gagaree chalkat jaay. )
An empty vessel makes much noise.
The least intelligent people are often the most talkative or noisy.
हर चमकने (glittering) वाला चीज सोना (gold ) नहीं होता है |
(Har chamakane waala cheej sona nahin hota hai. )
All that glitters is not gold.
It means that appearances can be deceptive.
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.
दरार (crevices) फिर (again) जुटते (join) नहीं
(Darar phir jutney nahin.)
Crevices never join together.A broken friendship may
be soldered but will never be sound. It means that the friendships
can be rebuilt after a dispute but will never be as strong as before.
लोहा (iron) लोहा or हीरा (diamond) हीरा को काटता है |
(Loha loha or Heera Heera ko kaata hai.)
Diamond cuts diamond.
It refers to two people equally matched in wit or cunning.
मेहनत (labourious work) का फल मीठा होता है |
( Mehnat ka fal meetha hota hai . )
Hard work brings rewards. Diligence is the mother of good fortune.
फूल (flower) में भी कांटे (thorn) होते हैं|
( Phool mein bhee kaante hote hain. )
Every rose has also its thorn.
Every good thing has an unpleasant side.
असफलता ही सफलता की सीढ़ी है|
(Asafalata hi safalta ki seedhi(ladder) hai. )
Failure is the success of stepping stone. Failure teaches success.
घर (house) की मुर्गी (chicken) दाल (lentil-pulse) बराबर (equal) |
(Ghar ki murgi daal barabar. )
Familiarity breeds contempt.Knowing somebody
very well may lead to a lack of respect for them.
अंधों (blind) में काना (one eyed) राजा (king)|
(Andhon mein kaana raja.)
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
A man of even limited ability has an advantage over a person who is less able.
अब पछताते (remorse) होत क्या जब चिड़ियाँ (birds) चुग (ate) गयी खेत (farm) |
(Ab pachhtatey hoa t kyaa jab chidiyan chug gayee khet.)
Don’t express regret for something that has happened and cannot be remedied.
It’s no use crying over spilled milk
बूँद (drop) बूँद कर घड़ा (pitcher) भरता (fills) है |
(Boond boond kar ghada bharta hai. )
Little efforts systematically put in ,would allow us to accomplish the task.
With regular small savings ,you can become rich.
आवश्यकता (necessity) ही आविष्कार (invention) की जननी (mother) है|
(Aavashyakta hee aavishkaar ki jananee hai. )
Necessity is the mother of invention.
The need for something forces people to find a way of obtaining it.
काल (tomorrow) करे सो आज (today)कर , आज करे सो अभी (now) कर |
(Kal kare so aaj kar, aaj kare so abhi kar.)
Don’t postpone (procrastinate) something you can do now.
Never put off till tomorrow what can be done today
एक म्यान (sheath) में दो तलवारें (swords) नहीं हो सकती हैं |
(Ek myaan mein do talwarein nahin ho saktee hain.)
There cannot be two swords in a sheath .
It’s impossible to follow instructions from two different sources.
No man can serve two masters.
शीशे (glass) के घरों (houses) में रहने वाले दूंसरों के घर पर पत्थर (stone) नहीं फेंका (pelt) करते |
(Sheeshey ke gharon main rahney waale doosaron ke ghar par patthar nahin fenka kartey. )
People who live in glass houses should not throw (pelt) stones on other’s homes .
One should not criticize others for faults similar to one’s own.
कथनी और करनी में फर्क (difference) है |
(Kathnee aur karnee mein fark hai.)
Saying is one thing, doing is another . People don’t always do what they announce.
Practice what you preach. Do yourself what you advise others to do.
मौन (silence) का अर्थ है सहमति (consent) |
(Maun ka arth hai sahmati. )
Silence means(implies) consent
If you don’t object to something it can be assumed that you agree with it.
कलम (pen) बड़ी या तलवार (sword) |
(Kalam badi ya talwaar.)
The pen is mightier than the sword,
Words and communication have greater effect than war and fighting.
दीवारों ( walls) के भी कान होते हैं |
(Diwaron ke bhee kaan hotey hai.)
Walls have ears. Be careful. People could be listening.
Homework:
Please write another five idioms in Hindi and share with transliteration in
English and meaning in English. The source could be from any part of the world.
DHANYWAD.
Suresh
A Hindi tutor and translator
Cell: 91 9840643690
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