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

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  • 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