Punjabi proverbs

This page is for proverbs from the Punjabi language, an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region (north western India and eastern Pakistan). In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken native tongue.

Quotes

 * اننے کتے ہرناں دے شکاری
 * ਅੰਨ੍ਹੇ ਕੁੱਤੇ,ਹਿਰਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਸ਼ਿਕਾਰੀ
 * Transliteration: "Annay kuttay hirnan day shikari."
 * English Translation: Blind dogs hunting deer.
 * Idiomatic Meaning: Incompetent persons can not do a tough job.
 * Sadey Akhan (ساڈے اکھان), p.64, (2004)


 * آہلکیاں دے پنڈ وکھرے نئیں ہوندے
 * ਆਲਸੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਪਿੰਡ ਵਿਹੜੇ ਨੀ ਹੁੰਦੇ
 * Transliteration: "Aalsiyan de pind vehray 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: "Ishk 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 gifts from loneliness.
 * Idiomatic Meaning: Extraordinary care is needed for unique things.
 * Sadey Akhan (ساڈے اکھان), p.264, (2004)


 * پیلیاں دا گھر ماتماں توں خالی نہیں ہوندا۔
 * Transliteration: Paeliyaan da ghar matmaan tuN khali nhin honda.
 * English Translation: Mourning never end in ants' home.


 * ਲੜਾਈ ਤੇ ਲੱਸੀ ਦਾ ਕੀ ਵੰਡਣਾ
 * Transliteration: ladaai te lassi da ki wadhaanan
 * English meaning: You can continue with difference of opinion as much as you want similar to lassi/buttermilk can be increased by simply adding water


 * Transliteration: Besharm de dhue te aak ugyae te aune kya ki chaahn hoyegi
 * English meaning: A shameless person will be happy with a thorny tree on his backside saying that it will give him shade meaning a shameless person has no values


 * ਆਬ ਆਬ ਕਰ ਮੋਇਓ ਬੱਚਾ ਫ਼ਾਰਸੀਆਂ ਘਰ ਗਾਲ਼ੇ
 * Transliteration: Aab Aab Kar Moiyo Bacha Farsian Ghar Gaale
 * English Transliteration: Child died calling out for water when he adopted Persian (foreign Language) in Punjab
 * Meaning: ਜਦੋਂ ਕੋਈ ਵਿਅਕਤੀ ਆਪਣੀ ਬੋਲੀ ਛੱਡ ਕੇ ਓਪਰੀ ਬੋਲੀ ਬੋਲਣ ਲੱਗ ਪਏ।
 * Idiomatic Meaning: When a person adopts a foreign language and forsakes his own mother tongue