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Hindi proverbs
Reference material by Wikiquote contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
उल्टा चोर कोतवाल को डांटे
Transliteration: ulta chor kotval ko daten
Meaning:The pot is calling the kettle black. One who makes the error has no right to blame someone else
Singh Dr. D. V Trivedi Dr. R. L. ICSE Hindi Language Links: For Class 8 https://books.google.com/books?id=9N6CAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA194 2014 194 GGKEY:UZ3Z2FJ8KQG
हाथ कंगन को आरसी क्या
Transliteration: Haath kng'gan ko aar'si kya
You don't need a mirror to look at the bracelet on your wrist.
Plukker D. F. Zanten R. Veldhuijzen van Allied Chambers transliterated Hindi-Hindi-English dictionary http://books.google.com/books?id=_kWROaer5UsC&pg=PA239 1 January 1993 Allied Publishers 978-81-86062-10-4 239
जान है तो जहान है
Transliteration: Jaa'n hey to ja'han hey
there is life, there is world.
Source: Phansi se Poorv http://books.google.com/books?id=qAv1lLwwJdMC&pg=PA360 Atmaram & Sons 360 GGKEY:0ELREBJ4Q0B
जंगल में मोर नाचा किस ने देखा ?
Transliteration: Jun'gl mei mo'r na'che kis ne de'ka
Who saw a peacock dance in the woods?
English equivalent: If you got it, flaunt it.
Source: India Today Volume 25 2000 Thomson Living Media India Ltd. viii
जिस की लाठी उसकी भैंस
Whoever owns the lathi (a huge cane/stick) owns the buffalo.
English equivalent: Might is right.
Source: S. W. Fallon Sir Richard Carnac Temple Faqir Chand (Lala.) A dictionary of Hindustani proverbs 1998 Asian Educational Services 978-81-206-0663-0 119
घर का भेदी लंका ढाये
An harmless-appearing confidant can bring down Lanka (a then very prosperous city with probably smaller territory from Hindu mythology, today known by name of country called Srilanka)
Source: Tivārī Gajendra Rañja līḍara ko bahuta hai http://books.google.com/books?id=MB28AAAAIAAJ 1996 Amana Prakāśana 1
बंदर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद
What does a monkey know about the taste of ginger?
English equivalent: Laying pearls before swine.
"Any fool can be happy. What I'm interested in is satisfaction. There's got to be more to life than just being happy. You've got to be fulfilled. You've got to be satisfied; philosophically satisfied is what I mean."
Chicago Tribune Staff, Charlie Trotter: How One Superstar Chef and His Iconic Chicago Restaurant Helped Revolutionize American Cuisine (2012)
Source: Prakash Om Vyavharik Hindi Shuddh Prayog http://books.google.com/books?id=BatAz9tXPH0C&pg=PA166 1995 Rajpal & Sons 978-81-7028-107-8 166 110
अब पछताए होत क्या जब चिड़िया चुग गई खेत
What is the use of crying when the birds ate the whole farm?
English equivalent: It's no use crying over spilled milk.
"It’s no use crying over spilt evils. It’s better to mop them up laughing."
Eleanor Farjeon, Gypsy and Ginger (1920)
Source: Shyam Bahadur Varma Encyclopaedia of Quotations 2006 Prabhat Prakashan 96
नाच न जाने, आँगन ठेढ़ा
Literal: Knows no dance, claims the stage is tilted.
English equivalent: A bad workman blames his tools.
"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."
Douglas Adams in Mostly Harmless (1992)
Source: Hindi Proverbs, Popular Sayings, Hindi Kahavat, Kahawat
दूर के ढोल सुहावने लगते हैं
The drums sound better at a distance.
برگرفته از ضرب المثل فارسی : صدای دهل از دور خوشه .
From persian proverb -refer to the people that their lifes seems to be very good but infact they arent happy and just try to show something else to the others
English equivalent: The grass is always greener on the other side.
"We tend to like the things we don't have."
Source: Hindi Proverbs, Popular Sayings, Hindi Kahavat, Kahawat
घर की मुर्गी दाल बराबर
Something owned(POSSESSED) in abundance is undervalued. Literally it means chicken at home (expensive food) feels like daal (lentil dish, staple food in India)
"Self possessions are always undermined and other's possessions seem better."
Source: Hindi Proverbs, Popular Sayings, Hindi Kahavat, Kahawat
जल में रहकर मगर से बैर ठीक नहीं
You should not have enmity with the crocodile if you are living in the water.
English equivalent: It is hard to live in Rome and strive against the Pope.
"You should not be hostile with people you need to stay/work with."
Source: Hindi Proverbs, Popular Sayings, Hindi Kahavat, Kahawat,
जाति ना पूछो साधु की; पूछ लीजिए ज्ञान.
Ask not a saint of his caste; ask of his knowledge.
English equivalent: Don't judge a book by its cover.
"A person's merit should be determined by his inherent qualities and contributions as an individual, not by superficial traits which fail to capture the essence of a person."
इश्क अंधा होता है
English equivalent: Love is blind.
Siṃhala Omprakāśa Hindī-Aṅgrezī muhāvarā-lokokti kośa https://books.google.com/books?id=j35jAAAAMAAJ 2000 47
See also
Indian proverbs
Category:Indian proverbs
Category:Proverbs by language