A nations proverbs gives you a little glimpse into their culture. The following are a few Pashtun/Afghan proverbs (matalona) and their English translations.
Har chata khpal watan kashmir de
(for everyone his country is like Kashmir)
Everyone sees his country or area the most beautiful in the world.
Koag bar tar manzela na rasagei
(A tilted load won’t reach its destination)
Honesty is the best policy.
Khar cha har chaire hum lar she, bia hum hagha khar we
(The donkey will remain donkey, no matter where ever it goes)
Nature cannot be changed
Da khali daig ghag lor de
(The emty vessel noise is more)
An empty vessel makes much noise.
Khori saag aw paskay da Pulao achawi
(He eats very simple food, but boasts as he is eating very rich food)
Da cha? pakhpala, Gila ma kawa da bala
(This is by whom? by myself, So do not blame any one else)
These are self-inflicted wounds, not by others.
Chindakha pa loota wakhata, wayal che Kashmir may walaido
(a frog climbed a stone, and said that I saw Kashmir)
It is said about some body who is claiming to have done something
which he does not have the power to do)
Sta da khaira may tobah da, kho da spie de rana kurray ka.
(don’t give me your alms, just save me from your dogs)
Do not do any thing good to me, but it will be a great favor to me if
you do not do any harm to me.
Da maar bachai maar wee.
(The snake’s baby is also a snake)
nature can’t be changed
ka yaw war may khatabasay ta da khudai wowahi, aw ka dwa war may
khatabasay ma de khudai wowahi.
(If you fool me once a curse on you, if you fool me twice a curse on
me.) One must learn from his past experiences.
Hindu stharay Khudai naraz
(The Hindu is tired, God is still angry)
Hindu is tired (despite praying so much) but God is still angry
with him. No matter how much he prays he prays to the wrong God..hence
nothing he does will ever be accepted
moral..it means with some people no matter how much you do they will
never be happy
Che ade, haghase ye lmasAy.
How the grand mother is, same is her grand daughter.
Chi na kar, pa hagha the sa kar
When it is not any of your business, then stay away
landai la halal na da khanak pa sar garzawe.
The animal is not even slaughtered, you come with your plate on your
head
(to collect meat).
Mola bal ta masali kavi pa khapla pri hamli kawi
(moulvi preaches to others, but sins himself)
Chi da kAmakal La dAng oue UkhYar La iSHara
(For foolish a kick, and for wise, only pointing out)
dA kamakal malgari nA kho ukHyar duShman khA dae!
(from foolish friend, a wise enemy is better)
Wrori ba kawu hesab tar menza
(The brotherhood at one side, and the business matters at the other)
We will behave like brothers, but we shall know what is yours and
what is mine.
Khar che makkay ta lar she, no haji ne shi
(If a donkey goes to Mecca, that doesnt make him a pilgrim of Hajj.)
Surrounding yourself with something you like wont turn you into it.
much pa topa ma wala
(Don’t hit mosquito with tank)
Don’t waste your engergy and resources on minor things
Wror a gorra khorr a ghwara
(It means from the brother u can predict the beauty of the girl)
toorr da torray dae, spin da injuno dae
(Means that a man of dark complexion is for wars and the one with
white complextion is only for girls)
khwar shi pa pakhto hom na pohigi.. da di matlab dey chi topak khpal aw pradey na pijani
(It means a gun cant differentiate between relative and non-relative)
I hope you noticed the charming Pashtun sense of humour 🙂 To read more Pashtun proverbs please visit: http://www.pukhto.net/Proverbs_main.php and http://www.khyber.org/pashtolanguage/pashtoproverbs.shtml
Pashtun Culture 