Persian Proverbs Sayings

Persian culture is rich with fascinating proverbs that offer wisdom and insight into life. These proverbs have been passed down through generations and continue to resonate with people around the world. Let's explore some of these timeless Persian sayings and their meanings.

One popular Persian proverb is “خانه‌تا خانه‌تراکتور” (khaane ta khaanetraktor), which translates to “from house to house, it looks like a tractor.” This proverb humorously highlights the fact that people often look for faults in others while overlooking their own flaws. It serves as a reminder to practice self-reflection and humility.

Another thought-provoking saying is “هرکی مخ کند، یازد” (har ki maks kand, yazad), meaning “whoever sows the wind shall reap the whirlwind.” This proverb emphasizes the concept of cause and effect, conveying the idea that our actions have consequences. It encourages us to consider the potential outcomes of our choices and to act with mindfulness and responsibility.

A well-known Persian proverb that promotes optimism is “برای پرواز باید بال داشت” (baraay-e parvaaz bayad baal daasht), which translates to “in order to fly, one must have wings.” This proverb reminds us that in order to achieve our goals and aspirations, we must equip ourselves with the necessary tools and skills. It encourages perseverance and preparedness in pursuing our dreams.

In addition to these, there are countless other Persian proverbs that offer valuable lessons on various aspects of life, from relationships and personal growth to perseverance and resilience. These timeless sayings serve as a testament to the depth of Persian culture and its enduring wisdom.

In conclusion, Persian proverbs are a treasure trove of timeless wisdom and insight. They offer valuable lessons that are relevant across cultures and generations. Whether they inspire introspection, promote mindfulness, or encourage optimism, these sayings continue to resonate and enrich the lives of those who encounter them.

May God strike the rich man blind by his own gold.

Bugbear took it all.

The wise man who does not put his knowledge into practice is like a bee that gives no honey.

Go as far as you can see, and when you get there you'll see further.

He gives a party with bath-water.

When the tide of misfortune moves over you, even jelly will break your teeth.

Once a friend, always a friend.

We come into this world crying while all around us are smiling. May we so live that we go out of this world smiling while everybody around us is weeping.

The tears of the roasting meat kindle the fire even more.

One spark is enough to burn a hundred worlds.

While yearning for excess we lose the necessities.

Take from the hungry, give it to the full/satisfied.

Life is like perpetual drunkenness, the pleasure passes but the headache remains.

Necessity turns lion into fox.

The lack of gold only a headache.

When its time has arrived, the prey becomes the hunter.

Look at the strainer that tells the skimmer: You have three holes.

Water does not trickle out of his hand.

The eyes can do a thousand things that the fingers can't.

One sin is too much, a hundred prayers are not enough.

In winter a fire is better than a muscat blossom.

When I am dead the world can be an ocean or a dried up ditch.

Doubt makes the mountain which faith can move.

The world is a rose; smell it and pass it on to your friends.

Every fault that a Sultan pleases can be a quality.

Listening to good advice is the way to wealth.

Death is a camel that lies down at every door.

What is brought by the wind will be carried away by the wind.

The virtuous will be praised but not envied.

One sip of wine is an antidote against death, cupfuls poison life.

In this world generous people have no money and those with money are not generous.

Crooked load will not get to the destination.

You cannot hang everything on one nail.

Persian Sayings in English

A greedy man is always poor.

Little by little the cotton thread becomes a turban.

There is water in the jug, and we're going around thirsty.

When fate strikes physicians are useless.

He gives him roast meat and beats him with the spit.

A camel does not drink with a spoon.

Those who are richer, are needier.

What you give away you keep.

I eat what others have planted and I plant what others want to eat.

The guard's sleep is the lamplight of the thief.

Treat your superior as a father, your equal as a brother, and your inferior as a son.

When there's fire, dry and wet burn together.

A bad wound heals, but a bad word doesn't.

When a cat wants to eat her kittens, she says they look like mice. *

Of everything else the newest; of friends, the oldest.

I used to feel sorry for myself because I had no shoes until I met a man who was dead.

Woe to Leili's doogh, the yogurt was too little and the water too much.

Little by little the wool becomes a carpet.

Habits are first cobwebs, then cables.

Thinking is the essence of wisdom.

When its time has come, the prey goes to the hunter.

If fortune turns against you, even jelly breaks your tooth.

If he has seven blind daughters, he will marry them in an hour.

There is no need for fish in an empty pond.

A hungry person dreams of sangak bread.

When there are two cooks, the soup becomes either salty or saltless.

It is better to be in chains with friends, than to be in a garden with strangers.

There are four things every person has more of than they know; sins, debt, years, and foes.

If you enter the city of the blind, cover your eyes.

Go further and fare worse.

You can't polish a turd.

Who sows barley cannot reap wheat.

The world is a rose: smell it and pass it on to your friends.

If it doesn't have water for me, instead it has bread for you.

The water doesn't move.

With one ear he hears, and with the other he dismisses.

A sword in the hands of a drunken slave is less dangerous than science in the hands of the unscrupulous.

The strictness of the teacher is better to bear than the prejudice of the father.

Work is twice done by the man in a hurry.

If there are two cooks in one house, the soup is either too salty or too cold.

The lover who gives you her body but not her heart is generous with thornless roses.

Arabic is a language, Persian is a delicacy and Turkish is an art.

From truth to falsehood there's a four-finger distance.

If he hasn't seen her/his father, he would claim to be a king.

You can't escape death and guests.

It is not from the love of God that the cat catches mice.

If you really have to sin, then choose a sin that you enjoy.

The hand that gives is also the one that receives.

You can't squeeze blood from a rock.

Doubtful the die, and dire the cast.

For his master the dog is a lion.

He who wants content can't find an easy chair.

You only appreciate your father the day you become a father yourself.

Maturity comes from wisdom not in the passing of years.

A broken sleeve holdeth the arm back.

Good grape becomes fox's possession.

In the hour of adversity be not without hope.

The fireside is the tulip bed of a winter day.

Forgiveness hides a pleasure that you can't get back from revenge.

Fear those who do not fear God.

The doctor must heal his own bald head.

Everyone thinks his own spit tastes good.

It is a wise man who can laugh at his own jokes.

Be a lion at home and a fox abroad.

The blind man is laughing at the bald head.

A man's servant can live for a hundred years; the slave of a woman dies in six months.

Learn good manners from those who don't have them.

As long as the clouds dolt weep, the pasture cannot laugh.

Epigrams succeed where epics fail.

Never open a door that you can't lock again

It takes two days to learn everything about a man; to know animals you will need more time.

The best mode of instruction is to practise what we preach.

You cannot applaud with one hand.

Courtesy on one side can never last long.

A wolf's repentance died a long time ago.

If the Lor doesn't go to bazaar, everything will rot.

One pound of learning requires ten pounds of common sense to apply it.

The devil looks after his own.

Do not use words that are too big for your mouth.

Stretch your foot to the length of your blanket.

One finger cannot lift a pebble.

The stars shine brightest when the moon is gone.

I wept because I had no shoes, until I saw a man who had no feet.

An egg thief becomes a camel thief.

He who eats alone is Satan's brother.

If he says yogurt is white, I'll say it's black.

If the Sultan demands five eggs, let his soldiers roast a thousand chickens.

From sudden desire of halim he fell in the pot.

Silence betokens consent.

A snake can change its skin but not its disposition.

Left from there, driven from here.

I can only get better if I have good friends.

Sometimes the body becomes healthy by being very sick.

The arrow that has left the bow never returns.

Aspiration is not a defect for youngsters.

Poured clear water on hiher hands.

There are three kinds of enemy: the enemy himself, the friends of your enemy, and the enemies of your friends.

If regret was a horn, one's horn would reach the sky.

He who has been bitten by a snake fears a piece of string.

It is a real compliment that comes from an enemy.

Expect trust from a dog but not from a woman.

He takes from one ear, and lets it out from the other ear.

Persian Proverbs

Go and wake up your luck.

Make bread while the oven is hot.

Heaven is at the feet of mothers.

All work is as seed sown; it grows and spreads, and sows itself anew.

The best memory is that which forgets nothing, but injuries. Write kindness in marble and write injuries in the dust.