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Punjabi Proverbs - Add Your Favorites!

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
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Jun 17, 2004
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One way to learn a new language, or learn about one you already speak, is through proverbs.

These are short sayings that say more than they mean in any language. You could call them quotes on life.

Proverbs help build vocabulary, learn turns of speech or idioms, and give an insight or two into the culture of the people who speak a language.

The list to follow is just a start. Feel free to add your own. Include both Engish and Punjabi so that some of our members are not left in the dark, and lose out on the fun.
 
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spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
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Jun 17, 2004
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From Wikiquotes


آہلکیاں دے پنڈ وکھرے نئیں ہوندے
ਆਲਸੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਪਿੰਡ ਵਿਹੜੇ ਨੀ ਹੁੰਦੇ
Transliteration: "Aahlkiayan de pind vekhray naeen hondey."
English Translation: Villages of lazy people are not separated.
Idiomatic Meaning: Lazy people live in same society.
Sadey Akhan (ساڈے اکھان), p.29, (2004)


جام دی رن تے بلی دے کن
ਜਾਮ ਦੀ ਰੰਨ ਤੇ ਬਿੱਲੀ ਦੇ ਕੰਨ
Transliteration: "Jam di rann tay billi day kenn."
English Translation: Wife of Jam and ears like cat.
Idiomatic Meaning: Wealth without use is no wealth.
Sadey Akhan (ساڈے اکھان), p.140, (2004)


عشق مجازی تے تلکن بازی
ਇਸ਼ਕ ਮਿਜ਼ਾਜੀ 'ਤੇ ਤਿਲਕਨ ਬਾਜੀ
Transliteration: "Ish mjazi tay tilken baazi."
English Translation: Love is a slippery game.
Idiomatic Meaning: Love is a risky game.
Sadey Akhan (ساڈے اکھان), p.268, (2004)


شیرنی دا دد سونے دے پانڈے وچ ای سماندا اے۔
ਸ਼ੇਰਨੀ ਦਾ ਦੁੱਧ ਸੋਨੇ ਦੇ ਭਾਂਡੇ 'ਚ ਹੀ ਸਮਾਉਂਦਾ ਐ
Transliteration: "Sherni da dud soney dey pandey vich ee smanda ae."
English Translation: Pot of gold is needed to keep the milk of lioness .
Idiomatic Meaning: Extraordinary care is needed for unique things.
Sadey Akhan (ساڈے اکھان), p.264, (2004)


http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Punjabi_proverbs

add a proverb to this list
 
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spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
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Jun 17, 2004
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Jummeraat di jhari, ath din di khari.
it will continue to rain for eight days if it starts on a thursday

Rakhiye te preet, nahi te paleet.
Love, if you sustain it. Futile, if you can't.

Har sufi saafi nahi hunda.
Careful, not every sufi is genuine.

Gana te rona sabh nu aaunda ae.
Everybody sings and everybody cries.

Gana te rona sabh nu aaunda ae.
You'll sing and you'll cry. That is human.

Je sukh chahveń jeen da, khulle khambeeń udd.
Life begins when you are absolutely free

Baat badli, saakh badli.
Change your word and lose respect.

Hatho hath nabeṙa, na jhagṙa na jheṙa.
Deals closed right at the spot spare you troubles later on

Tu vi rani main vi rani, kon bhare ga pani?
Where everybody wants VIP treatment, nothing gets done.

Kothi wala roye, chhappar wala soye.
The rich are restless, the poor sleep peacefully.

Dhee moi, jawai chor.
Son-in-law is welcomed only until the daughter is alive.)

aasa jiye, nirasa mare.
hope keeps you alive.

turvaya taaN gaya, munda viaheya taaN gaya.
Make change for a note or get your son married, they're no longer yours.

Nain mila ke kade chain nai milda.
Fall in love, embrace restlessness.

Aap bure taañ jag bura, aap bhale taañ jag bhala.
Be good and people will be good to you. Be bad and expect the same.

Parayi aas, aayi na raas.
Expectations lead to disappointments.)

Aata gundhi hildi kyon aeN?
Blaming someone for no reason.)

Suno sub di, karo apni.
Listen to everyone but do what you consider right.)

Udeek naloN kahl changi.
It's better do it yourself instead of waiting for someone else to get it done.

Bhuk na mange lazataaN, ishq na puchhe zaat
Hunger asks not for taste, love cares not about caste.

JuvaaN wala sir saRe, Maran wala khassam mare.
Death upon the husband who beats his wife; fire upon the head that's full of lice.

Shehar kih te mehar kih!
brotherhood among city folks? you're kidding me.

Changi matt chaho taan buddhe nu puchhan jao.
Need a good piece of advice? Consult an old person.

Note turvaya taaN gaya, munda viaheya taaN gaya.
Make change for a note or get your son married, they're no longer yours.

Turreya te appaReya.
You will reach the destination, once you start.

Dharti jaid gareeb na koi, Indar jaid na data.
Poorest of all is Earth, most gracious is God.

Daal roti ghar di, vasakhi ambarsar di.
Best food is at home, best Vaisakhi in Amritsar.

Rajjeya kih jane bhukke di saar.
Well-fed people don't want to know how the hungry live.

Ghar da jogi jogra, bahar da jogi sidh.
a learned person is honored, except in their own house.

Dadhe da hath chale, maRe di zaban.
The powerful use their hand, the weak their tongue.

Jehri mauj chhaju de chobare, na oh balakh na bukhare.
East or west, home is best.

Annhi peehe te kutte khaan.
No checks? Things are sure going to waste.

Changi hoye ta apni, maRi waheguru di.
"I worked hard" if it's good, "God's will" when it's bad.)

Sochi peya te banda gaya.
think too much about something, and you can't get anything done.

Palle nai dhela, kardi mela mela.
got no money but want to go shopping, eh?

Rann nu te ann nu nindana nai chahi da.
Wife and food, one should not speak ill of these two

Ranjha, sub da sanjha.
it's the same god everyone looks up to.

Namazañ bakhswaan gaye, rozay vi gall pay gaye.
when someone's trying to lower the burden but gets more in the process.

aakar phooñ the fitte muñh.
nobody welcomes an arrogant person.

Neoñh na lagda zori da.
You can't make yourself fall in love.

jagde da lakh, sutte da kakh)
it's only the active ones who make something out of this world.

add a proverb to this list
 

Gyani Jarnail Singh

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KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA
Diggah KHOTEH ton GUSSAH ghamair teh..
Fell off the Donkey but angry at the Potter (Owner of donkey)
When we blame someone for our own stupidity or mistakes..

I have this book and many on proverbs but have no time to type them out...will try to do so..
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
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Jun 17, 2004
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Yes, it is fine to use the translator if it has Punjabi. Last time I checked it did not. Maybe there has been an upgrade.
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
Diggah KHOTEH ton GUSSAH ghamair teh..
Fell off the Donkey but angry at the Potter (Owner of donkey)
When we blame someone for our own stupidity or mistakes..

I have this book and many on proverbs but have no time to type them out...will try to do so..


I think Punjabi may top the list for proverbs. Of course I don't have a master list for all languages. But... for those I do know, Punjabi has to have the most by a large number.

And that you because proverbs are ways of learning language and culture.
 

Gyani Jarnail Singh

Sawa lakh se EK larraoan
Mentor
Writer
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Jul 4, 2004
7,706
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KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA
Punjabi has two kinds..
MUHAVRA..and AKHAAN...Muhavra is METAPHORICAL sayings..AKHAANS are PEOPLES COLLECTIVE WISDOM types of sayings..

Lets begin with OORRAH...
1. Ustadee karna..chalaki karna cheating...fraud..trickery...Ustaad is "MASTER"...
2. Ukaaee khanna - make a mistake galtee karnee..Khunjh jaana
3.Ukhlee vich sir deanna - take on difficult job like Hercules and the stables..get into trouble..
4. Ukhlee ivc Chharrna - get ebaten up badly (Ukhlee is the vessel in whcih rice is
beaten to remove husks)
5. Ungglee karna - point fingers..accuse, find fault..

Akhaans:
1. Ustakaar uchaka cela chorr chapatt- When the Follower (chela) is even worse than the Master (ustaad).. In Gurbani Guru ji uses this..GURU JINNAH DE TAPNNEH..CHELEH JAAN CHHARRAPP...The Gurus dance..while the Chelas GO WILD.. Same emaning akhaan..Maan nalon dhee siyanne..ridhe pakkeh payeh paanee...Daughter is even better than the mother...she cooks eats and washes (over) Wash over means leave no traces by pouring water !!..
to be contd...
 

aristotle

SPNer
May 10, 2010
1,156
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Ancient Greece
"Chor te daang do jane, mai te bhaaiya kalle"
(Chor=robber, daang=baton/long stick, jane=folks/individuals, bhaaiya=father/elderly, kalle=alone)
Literally, 'The robber and his baton were two folks, me and father alone'
(Used when highlighting the use of irregular adjectives by someone while describing a situation according to his/her fine will)
 

muddymick

SPNer
Jan 17, 2011
96
107
kawaan daey tattey hone taan bannerey dha daen!!

if crows had ***** ,they would break the walls

***** is the rude word for testicles.
 

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