Turkish proverbs

Proverbs from all Turkish speaking parts of the world.

A

• Acele işe şeytan karışır.
  • Translation: The Devil interferes with hurried work.
  • Meaning: If you hurry your work it will turn out wrong.
  • English equivalent: Haste makes waste.
  • Gölpınarlı (1977). Tasavvuf'tan deyimler ve atasözleri. İnkılâp ve Aka Kitabevleri. p. 9. 

• Al elmaya taş atan çok olur.
  • Translation: There are many who throw stones at a red apple.
  • English equivalent: If you have no enemies it is a sign that fortune has forgotten you; People only throw stones at trees with fruit on them.
  • Yurtbaşı (1993). Dictionary of Turkish Proverbs. Turkish Daily News. p. 78. ISBN 9759570300. 

• Altın kılıç her kapıyı açar.
  • Translation: Golden saber opens every door.
  • Meaning: Nobody is indifferent to money.
  • English equivalent: Money talks.
  • Yengec Ile Kizi. Tudem Publishing. p. 49. ISBN 9758275747. 

• Ateş olmayan yerden duman çıkmaz.
  • Translation: No smoke will come out from a place where there is no fire.
  • English equivalent: Where there is smoke, there is fire.
  • Meaning: Everything happens for a reason.
  • Second meaning: A rumour contains some truth.
  • Aydın, Nurhan (2007). Finansal Yönetim. Anadolu Universitesi. p. 192. ISBN 9750601971. 

B

• Babası oğluna bir bağ bağışlamış, oğul babaya bir salkım üzüm vermemiş.
  • Translation: The father donated a vineyard to his son, the son didn't give a bunch of grapes to the father.
  • Meaning: Used when a person does something ungrateful and selfish to another person who made good deeds for him.
  • English equivalent: Ingratitude is the world's reward.
  • Sakaoğlu, Saim (2003). 101 Türk efsanesi. Akçağ. p. 200. ISBN 975338467X. 

• Baban nasila oğlu da öyledir.
  • Translation: Such father, such son.
  • English equivalent: Like father, like son.
  • Meaning: Sons may look and behave like their fathers. This is due to inheritance and the example observed closely and daily.
  • Source for meaning and proverb: Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 170. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 

• Bir vurmakla ağaç devrilmez.
  • Idiomatic translation: A tree wont fall with a single blow.
  • Meaning: A difficult task, e. g. removing a person/group from a strong position, or changing established ideas cannot be done quickly. It can be achieved gradually, by small steps, a little at a time.
  • Source for proverbs and meaning: Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 252. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 

C

• Çıkmayan candan umit kesilmez.
  • Translation: Hope won't be cut from the soul that has not expired.
  • English equivalent: As long as there is life, there is hope.
  • Yetiş, Kâzım (1993). Türkçenin nakısları: atasözleri, deyimler, tekerlemeler, bilmeceler (Edition 31 of Kubbealtı neşriyâtı ed.). Kubbealtı Neşriyâtı. p. 241. 

D

• Dost kara günde belli olur.
  • Translation: A friend is known on black (i. e bad days).
  • Idiomatic translation: A friend is known in adversity, like gold is known in fire.
  • Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 159. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 

E

• Elma kendi ağacından īrak düşmez.
  • Translation: The fruit of a tree falls to its root.
  • Idiomatic translation: The apple does not fall far from the tree.
  • Meaning: Children observe daily and — in their behaviour — often follow the example of their parents.
  • Source for proverbs and meaning: Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 259. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 

G

• Gözden uzak olan gönülden de uzak olur.
  • Translation: Who is far from the eye will also be far from the heart.
  • English equivalent: Out of sight, out of mind.
  • Arslanoğlu, Kaan (2007). Öteki Kayıp Volym 510 of İthaki Yayınları. Ithaki Publishing. p. 84. ISBN 9752733220. 

• Gülü seven, dikenine katlanır.
  • Translation: Who loves roses, would bare its thorns.
  • English equivalent: Love me, love my dog.
  • Meaning: One who loves something, would not mind what comes with it.
  • Steuerwald, Karl (1974). Deutsch-türkisches Wörterbuch: Almanca-Türkc̦e sözlük (2 ed.). Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 1. ISBN 3447015845. 

• Güneşte yanmayan gölgenin kıymetini bilmez.
  • Translation: Who has never been burned in the sun won't know the value of shadow.
  • Meaning: One will not appreciate something, if they haven't ever been in need of it.
  • Millı̂ Folklor Araştırma Dairesi, Turkey. II. Milletlerarası Türk Folklor Kongresi bildirileri: cilt. Halk edebiyatı. p. 204. 

H

• Havlayan köpek ısırmaz.
  • Translation: A barking dog doesn't bite.
  • English equivalent: Barking dogs seldom bite.
  • Meaning: Someone who lets out his fury by shouting will not do any physical harm. Display of aggression is usually bluff.
  • Steuerwald, Karl (1974). Almanca-Türkçe sözlük. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 303. ISBN 3447015845. 

• Herkes kendi yıldızının demircisi.
  • Translation: Every man is the smith of his own fortune.
  • English equivalent: Every man is the smith of his own fortune.
  • Meaning: In shaping one's own fortune one should not rely on the help of others, as they are also concerned mainly about their own matters.
  • Source for meaning and proverbs: Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 388. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 

I

• Isıracak köpek dişini göstermez.
  • Translation: A dog that intends to bite does not bare its teeth.
  • English equivalent: Barking dogs seldom bite.
  • Meaning: Malicious actions are done surreptitiously.
  • Kemal, Orhan (1976). Hanımın çiftliği: roman. Tekin Yayınevi. p. 307. 

• İt ürür, kervan yürür.
  • Translation: The dogs bark but caravan still moves on.
  • English equivalent: The dogs bark, but the caravan passes on.
  • Meaning: Great achievements can't be prevented by insignificant people.
  • Lalesi, Kar. epubli. p. 162. 

• İyi bașlamak yari btirmektir.
  • Idiomatic translation: Well begun, is half done.
  • Meaning: Starting properly ensures the speedy completion of a process. A – beginning is often blocked by one or more obstacles (potential barriers) the removal of which may ensure the smooth course of the process.
  • Source for meaning and proverbs: Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 228. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 

N

• Ne ekersen onu biçersin.
  • Translation: You will reap whatever you sow.
  • English equivalent: What you reap, is what you sow.
  • Slaughter, Karin (2006). Büyü Gibi Volume 435 of İthaki yayınları: Edebiyat ; 351. Ithaki Publishing. p. 245. ISBN 9752732313. 

S

• Sabır acıdır, meyvesi tatlıdır.
  • Translation: Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.
  • English equivalent: Bitter pills may have blessed effects.
  • Çobanoğlu, Özkul. Türk dünyası ortak atasözleri sözlüğü. Atatürk Kültür Merkezi Başkanlığı. p. 412. 

Z

• Zorla güzellik olmaz.
  • Translation: Forced beauty won't do.
  • Meaning: You cannot force someone to get along with you.
  • English equivalent: It takes two to tango.
  • Emre Özer, Mehmet. Beyaz Üstüne Eflatun v. 7.12. p. 340.