pushto proverbs
"Melma bewaqt pa cha rashee, laka akhtar che roje pa
gharma rashee "
(When a non-wanted, unexpected guest comes to some one, it is just
like the
Eid coming after a half day fasting!)
Normally people know when ramzan month ends, at least on the day
before the
Eid. Some times,
this is not possible, then on the 30th day of ramazan people wake up
before
dawn to have "peshmanay"
then they avoid eating untill the after noon and... one sees the new
moon.
The pleasure one gets from the
Eid coming is lessened by its late coming.
Mæ kawæ pa mã chi wæ ba si pa tã.
(Donot do any harm to me, you will get the same)
He who digs a pit for others, falls in himself.
ka yaw war may khatabasay ta da khudai wowahi, aw ka dwa war may
khatabasay
ma de khudai wowahi.
(If you fool me once a curse on you, if you fool me twice a curse on
me.)
One must learn from his past experiences.
there is a LITERAL phrase used in English re above:
"Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."
Hindu stharay Khudai naraz
(The Hindu is tired, God is still angry)
Hindu is tired (despite praying so much) but God is still angry
with him. No matter how much he prays he prays to the wrong God..hence
nothing he does will ever be accepted
moral..it means with some people no matter how much you do they will
never
be happy
dangAli, nA dangAli.
(Jumped? not Jumped!) Did I jump? let's say
I didn't.
An old man was sick and went to doctor. After thorough check up the
doctor
told the old man not jump from the drain (nalaii na ba na dangay).
The old
man forgot about it and jumped a drain on the way. A friend of his
accompying him reminded of his mistake. The old man jumped back the
other
side and said "dungali, na dungali".
Somewhat like the "Undo" option in some software, but in real life,
when
something is done it can not be undone!
This saying is used when one recognizes the wrongness of what is
done, but
porposes to forget about it.
(Even if it is difficult to do so)
Che ade, haghase ye lmasAy.
How the grand mother is, same is her grand daughter.
Chi na kar, pa hagha the sa kar
When it is not any of your business, then stay away
OOba chi thur sur wawooshte, se yawa naiza, se sul naize
When water is passed your head, then it doesn't matter if it is one
yard in height or 100.
(naiza is a spear,a weapon consisting of a long shaft with a sharply
pointed end, and indicates the hight here. So it can be better
translated
as "yard".)
Khar da kheed pa khorak sa puhigi
(The donkey does not know how to eat green grass)
kheed is the green grass given to cattle in spring time (in winter
animals
eat "bus",the dried straw). A donkey is too stupid an animal, that it
can
even not appreciate a very fine food like "kheed";
You shall not give something to the one who can not appreciate it.
Damano ka mato gatali de
(In drummers, the man with strong arms is winning)
da kora uza da narkha ma uza
(Leave your home, but donot lower your price)
nArkh stands for the rules of pashtunwali, what all people agree on.
The
proverbe says
"Leave your home, but do not contravene to the common law" i.e. one
should
respect the conventions.
chanr rapasi kozi wayi ta ki dwa sori de
(Sieve is saying to the Koza (clay pot used for washrooms in
pashtunkhwa)
, you have two holes)
No body is seeing its own weaknesses.
landai la halal na da khanak pa sar garzawe.
The animal is not even slaughtered, you come with your plate on your
head
(to collect meat).
ugai da dodo tapar avri
(hungry listen the sound of bread preparation by hands (like clapping)
Mola bal ta masali kavi pa khapla pri hamli kawi
(moulvi preches to others, but voilates himself)
yaw da logi mri au bal ye sar ta parati gori
(One is dying of hunger, and the other searches for parata under his
pillow)
When people expect help from somebody who, himself is in trouble
Oor la raghla au da kor merman shwa
(She came to get some fire, and became the house lady.)
In the past, there were no matches, so people used to keep fire alive
all
the time.
Sometimes, when the fire was dead in one's own house, he went to the
neighbour to get some fire.
So, "or ta raaghla" (she came for the fire, she came because she
needed
help) "dA kor mermAn shwa"
(she became the house lady, i.e. she took possession of the whole
house)
Chi da kAmakal La dAng oue UkhYar La iSHara
(For foolish a kick, and for wise, only pointing out)
dA kamakal malgari nA kho ukHyar duShman khA dae!
(from foolish friend, a wise enemy is better)
Wrori ba kawu hesab tar menza
(The brotherhood at one side, and the business matters at the other)
We will behave like brothers, but we shall know what is yours and
what is
mine.
Some matals are specific to certain area e.g. "da staro zai
shahbazgarah de
(The place for the tired people is Shahbazgarh"
"che zee zee amazo la ba razee (He will at last come to the azmazo)"
Just to name a few, they may not be heard in other area but have great
meanings and stories behind them.
Like Shahbazgarah is located at the junction of a road from Rostum and
Sawabai. People would walk, ride etc to reach there, by then they will
be tired and will rest there to continue their journey hence "da staro
zai shahbazgaragh de" was coined.
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