12 Persian Proverbs With English Translation
We may travel far and wide, but the wisdom and charm contained in Persian proverbs will always ring true. These Persian proverbs convey vital lessons and universal truths that you can apply to any situation. Iranians seem to be a part of a stunningly rich and intelligent civilization that is full of wisdom. Iran, a nation in Western Asia, is home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations, which dates back thousands of years. There have been various rulers throughout the course of the country’s history, from Alexander The Great to the Mongolians and from Safavids to Nader Shah. Wisdom handed down from generation to generation was the one thing that remained constant. Here are 12 Persian proverbs that are wise, and they will inspire, educate, and assist us in moving ahead in the midst of life’s chaos.
What Are the Persian Proverbs about Wisdom?
Persian proverbs are aesthetically pleasing, insightful, and profound in their meaning. Using a saying, you may educate people in an elegant and concise manner. If you want to say anything to better influence others, you may use a Persian proverb. A proverb refers to an educational anecdote or a point-by-point speech, which can be used instead of more explanation. We provided some of the best Persian Proverbs with meanings in the following.
Adab AZ KE Amokhti? AZ Bi Adaban
Persian Transcript: ادب از که آموختی؟ از بی ادبان!
English Translation: How did you learn to be polite? I learned it from impolite people!
In situations when we see people doing hideous things and recognize that they are awful and repulsive, we might use this proverb to express our desire not to participate in the particular behavior.
Shotor Dar Khab Binad Panbeh Dane
Persian Transcript:شتر در خواب بیند پنبه دانه
English Translation: The cat dreams of mice
Iranians use this Persian proverb to describe dreamers who constantly have hundreds of dreams in their lovely naps and spend most of their time dreaming, and if they open their eyes, they have none of those dreams. You can use this proverb when you want to make it crystal clear to the audience that he will never be able to attain his goals unless he sleeps.
Zire Kase Nim Kaseyi Hast
Persian Transcript:زیر کاسه نیم کاسه ای است
English Translation: Something is fishy.
You can use this Persian proverb when someone seems to do secretly, indicating that things are not as straightforward as they appear and that people may always do deceit and trick you.
What Are the Persian Proverbs about Life?
You can always find great Persian proverbs, sayings, or poems about life; we provided some in the following.
Namak Khordi, Namakdan Mashkan
Persian Transcript: نمک خوردی، نمک دان مشکن
English Translation: Don’t break the person who feeds you.
- You can use this when others don’t recognize or appreciate your efforts and are ungrateful for your assistance.
- Or when you want to condemn the betrayal of people, who you did well to them.
- The proverb tries to tell you if someone is kind to you, don’t ignore it.
- Don’t forget the kindness of those who have done you a favor.
Bad Avardeh Ra Bad Mibarad
Persian Transcript:باد آورده را باد می برد
English Translation: Easy comes, easy goes!
This proverb means if a person gathers wealth without pain will lose it soon.
Harke Bamash Bish, Barfash Bishtar
Persian Transcript:هرکه بامش بیش، برفش بیشتر
English Translation: whoever has a bigger house will get more snow on it. (With great power comes great responsibility).
The meanings of this proverb are:
- Those in higher ranks have additional difficulties and challenges.
- Having an excessive amount of wealth doesn’t provide comfort.
- The more money and fortune one has, the greater the number of issues and problems one has.
- The person who has the most money is the one who is mainly stuck in problems.
What Are the Persian Proverbs about Friendship?
Iranians place high credit on friendships, and you can find many sayings that emphasize having good friends. Here are some Persian Proverbs about friendships. So, keep reading!
To Aval Bego BA Kian Dosti, Pas Angah Begoyam KE to Kisti
Persian Transcript: تو اول بگو کیستی، پس آنگه بگویم که کیستی!
English Translation: First, tell me about your companions, then I can tell you who you are.
That is, if you want to know about a person’s personality, you should pay attention to who he hangs out with. If he was friends with people who did terrible things, he might be influenced by their actions and choose the wrong path in life; however, if he had been friends with pure and honest people, he might have been affected by their generosity. As a result, one fast and simple way to get to know people (before becoming friends with them) is to pay attention to their closest friends. When a person gets acquainted with another, he unintentionally adopts the beliefs and behaviors of his companion.
Doshmane Dana Beh AZ Nadane Dost
Persian Transcript: دشمن دانا به از نادان دوست
English Translation: A wise enemy is much better than a dumb friend.
This proverb wants to tell you that a wise enemy will make you grow, but a stupid friend will harm you.
BA Dostan Morovat, BA Doshmanan Modara
Persian Transcript: با دوستان مروت، با دشمنان مدارا
English Translation: Be kind to friends, be indifferent to enemies.
So, if you want to live a peaceful and comfortable life, you must adhere to the following rules: treat your friends honestly and respectfully, without breaking their hearts; tolerate your enemies, and be patient with your opponents. You lose your serenity if you try to respond to their harassment at any time.
An Ra KE Hajat Be Ayan Ast, Che Hajat Be Bayan Ast
Persian Transcript: آن را که حاجب به عیان است، چه حاجب به بیان است
English Translation: Let facts speak for themselves!
- It implies that what is apparent and evident doesn’t necessitate further explanation.
- People’s exteriors mirror their inner selves.
- People’s social performance and conduct reveal their personalities, and others identify them based on how they behave without defining themselves.
When someone is deceptive or dishonest, no matter how beautifully he defines himself in front of others, others will use this proverb to characterize him. To put it another way, it’s not required to disclose the truth about his sins, nor is it necessary to lie to portray him as a decent person because everything about his look and performance is crystal evident to everyone who sees him.
What Are the Persian Proverbs About Death?
Islam has put significant emphasis on the issue of death, and because most Iranians are Muslims, there are lots of Persian proverbs about death; we will mention two of them in the following.
Shotori Ast KE Dar Khane Hame Mikhabad
Persian Transcript: شتری است که در خانه همه می خوابد
English Translation: Refers to a camel that sleeps in everybody’s home.
This proverb means that death happens for all. This proverb is used in situations when we wish to remind someone that bad conditions are not permanent, or life doesn’t last forever and that death will inevitably come to all human beings at some point. When grieving family members of a deceased individual, the phrase “a camel sleeps in everyone’s home” may provide solace.
Jan Be Ezrael Nemidahad
Persian Transcript:جان به عزرائیل نمی دهد
English Translation: He won’t let Azrael, the death angel, take his soul
- It implies that he’s so stingy and tight with money that if Azrael comes to him one day and wants to take his life, he will not let it!
- Strict and stingy people are afraid that someone will take away everything they have. For example, they don’t give money to anyone because they believe that they have worked so hard to obtain it, and if they give money to the poor, their money will be finished.
- Their lives are another thing these people believe to be theirs forever! That is why they never think about death and believe that death happens to other people, not them.
Conclusion
If you look at Iranian literature, you will find out that they love wisdom and politeness, and they always tried to guide others by different poems, stories, sayings, and proverbs. In this article, we provided the 12 best Persian proverbs for you with English translation and meaning to make you more familiar with Iranian culture.
read more:
8 Expressions of Death Condolences in Farsi