Proverbs are more than mere words—they are windows into the soul of a culture. Across the centuries, societies have used these concise, poetic sayings to convey wisdom, humour, and moral lessons. Turkish proverbs, known as “ata sözü” (“words of our ancestors”), are deeply embedded in the fabric of Turkey’s traditions, much like their counterparts in Macedonia, Bulgaria, and the broader Slavic world. This collection explores the rich tapestry of these cultures through their timeless sayings.
Proverbs reflect universal truths while offering unique perspectives shaped by history and geography. From the wisdom of Turkish heritage to the shared Slavic insights, these sayings not only entertain but also guide and inspire. Below, you will find a curated collection of proverbs grouped by culture and theme.
Turkish Proverbs
Proverbs About Time
- Turkish:Zaman her şeyin ilacıdır.
- Short Translation: Time is the medicine of everything.
- Equivalent in English: Time is the best healer.
- Meaning/History: Suggests that time helps overcome difficulties and reduces pain.
- Turkish:Bugünün işini yarına bırakma.
- Short Translation: Don’t leave today’s work for tomorrow.
- Equivalent in English: Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
- Meaning/History: Advocates for avoiding procrastination.
- Turkish:Erken kalkan yol alır.
- Short Translation: The one who gets up early proceeds.
- Equivalent in English: The early bird catches the worm.
- Meaning/History: Highlights the value of starting tasks early to gain an advantage.
- Turkish:Vakit nakittir.
- Short Translation: Time is cash.
- Equivalent in English: Time is money.
- Meaning/History: Emphasizes that time is a valuable resource, not to be wasted.
- Turkish:Sona kalan dona kalır.
- Short Translation: The one who stays the last is left for the frost.
- Equivalent in English: The devil takes the hindmost.
- Meaning/History: Warns against lagging behind.
- Turkish:Sakla samanı, gelir zamı.
- Short Translation: Save the hay; its time will come.
- Equivalent in English: Keep a thing seven years and you’ll find a use for it.
- Meaning/History: Encourages holding onto something, as it may become useful later.
Proverbs About Hope
- Turkish:Çıkmadık candan umut kesilmez.
- Short Translation: If the person hasn’t died, there is still hope.
- Equivalent in English: While there’s life, there’s hope.
- Meaning/History: Encourages optimism even in dire situations.
- Turkish:Gün doğmadan neler doğar.
- Short Translation: Before the sun rises, a lot of things rise.
- Equivalent in English: Tomorrow is another day.
- Meaning/History: Reminds us that each day brings new possibilities.
Proverbs About Friendship and Relationships
- Turkish:Bana arkadaşını söyle sana kim olduğunu söyleyeyim.
- Short Translation: Tell me who your friend is, I will tell you who you are.
- Equivalent in English: Birds of a feather flock together.
- Meaning/History: Reflects the belief that a person’s character can be understood through their friends.
- Turkish:Dost kara günün dostudur.
- Short Translation: A friend is a friend on a dark day.
- Equivalent in English: A friend in need is a friend indeed.
- Meaning/History: True friends are those who stand by you during hard times.
- Turkish:Tatlı dil yılanı deliğinden çıkarır.
- Short Translation: Sweet words can coax a snake out of its hole.
- Equivalent in English: You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
- Meaning/History: Highlights the power of kind words.
- Turkish:Körler sağırlar birbirini ağırlar.
- Short Translation: The blind feast with the deaf.
- Equivalent in English: Birds of a feather flock together.
- Meaning/History: Used for people with shared flaws or interests.
- Turkish:Bir elin nesi var, iki elin sesi var.
- Short Translation: What’s the use of one hand? Two hands make noise.
- Equivalent in English: One hand washes the other, and together they wash the face.
- Meaning/History: Emphasizes the importance of cooperation.
Proverbs About Money
- Turkish:Para parayı çeker.
- Short Translation: Money draws money.
- Equivalent in English: Them as has, gets.
- Meaning/History: Suggests that wealth attracts more wealth.
- Turkish:Parayı veren düdüğü çalar.
- Short Translation: The one who gives the money blows the whistle.
- Equivalent in English: He who pays the piper calls the tune.
- Meaning/History: Indicates that financial power gives control.
- Turkish:Ekmek aslanın ağzında.
- Short Translation: Bread is in the lion’s mouth.
- Equivalent in English: Money doesn’t grow on trees.
- Meaning/History: Reflects the difficulty of earning a living.
- Turkish:Ayağını yorganına göre uzat.
- Short Translation: Stretch your foot no further than your blanket.
- Equivalent in English: Cut your coat according to your cloth.
- Meaning/History: Advises living within one’s means.
Proverbs About Wisdom
- Turkish:Akıl akıldan üstün.
- Short Translation: One mind is better than another.
- Equivalent in English: Two heads are better than one.
- Meaning/History: Stresses the value of collaboration.
- Turkish:Akıl yaşta değil başta.
- Short Translation: Wisdom isn’t in age, but in the head.
- Equivalent in English: Wisdom doesn’t come with age.
- Meaning/History: Emphasizes intelligence over age.
- Turkish:Cahile söz anlatmak, deveye hendek atlatmaktan güçtür.
- Short Translation: It is harder to explain something to an ignorant person than to make a camel jump a ditch.
- Equivalent in English: Like getting blood from a turnip.
- Meaning/History: Underlines the frustration of dealing with ignorance.
- Turkish:Bir musibet bin nasihatten iyidir.
- Short Translation: One bad experience is worth a thousand warnings.
- Equivalent in English: Experience is the best teacher.
- Meaning/History: Stresses the value of learning through mistakes.
Miscellaneous Proverbs
- Turkish:Zararın neresinden dönülse kârdır.
- Short Translation: Wherever you stop the loss, it’s a profit.
- Equivalent in English: Better late than never.
- Meaning/History: Encourages taking corrective actions as soon as possible.
- Turkish:Lafla peynir gemisi yürr\u00fmez.
- Short Translation: A cheese ship doesn’t move with words.
- Equivalent in English: Actions speak louder than words.
- Meaning/History: Stresses the importance of action over talk.
- Turkish:Altın pas tutmaz.
- Short Translation: Gold doesn’t rust.
- Equivalent in English: True value remains untarnished.
- Meaning/History: Praises inherent worth and resilience.
- Turkish:Bir musibet bin nasihatten iyidir.
- Short Translation: One bad experience is worth a thousand warnings.
- Equivalent in English: Experience is the best teacher.
- Meaning/History: Stresses the value of learning through mistakesDistance lends enchantment to the view.
- Meaning/History: Implies that things often seem better when viewed from a distance.
- Turkish:Tatlı dil yılanı deliğinden çıkarır.
- Short Translation: Sweet talk can bring a snake out of its hole.
- Equivalent in English: Honey catches more flies than vinegar.
- Meaning/History: Highlights the importance of tactful and gentle speech.
- Turkish:Eşeğe altın semer vursan da eşek yine eşektir.
- Short Translation: Even if you put a golden saddle on a donkey, it’s still a donkey.
- Equivalent in English: A fool with a tool is still a fool.
- Meaning/History: Reflects the belief that external appearances don’t change true nature.
Macedonian, Bulgarian, and Slavic Proverbs
Macedonian Sayings
- Macedonian:Зборот е како ветер, дејството како камен.
- Short Translation: Words are like wind; actions are like stone.
- Equivalent in English: Actions speak louder than words.
- Meaning: Highlights the importance of deeds over empty promises.
- Macedonian:Кој рано рани, две среќи граби.
- Short Translation: He who wakes early seizes two fortunes.
- Equivalent in English: The early bird catches the worm.
- Meaning: Advocates for starting the day early to achieve more.
- Macedonian:Не го фаќај ѓаволот за опашката.
- Short Translation: Don’t grab the devil by the tail.
- Equivalent in English: Don’t stir up trouble.
- Meaning: Warns against provoking unnecessary conflicts.
- Macedonian:На добар човек, добар збор му е доволен.
- Short Translation: A kind word is enough for a good person.
- Equivalent in English: A word to the wise is enough.
- Meaning: Suggests that a wise person understands and values simple advice.
Bulgarian Sayings
- Bulgarian:Покажи ми приятелите си, за да ти кажа какъв си.
- Short Translation: Show me your friends, and I’ll tell you who you are.
- Equivalent in English: Birds of a feather flock together.
- Meaning: A person’s character can be judged by their companions.
- Bulgarian:Утрото е по-мъдро от вечерта.
- Short Translation: The morning is wiser than the evening.
- Equivalent in English: Sleep on it.
- Meaning: Encourages waiting until the morning to make better decisions.
- Bulgarian:Да ти е мила гората, пази си корените.
- Short Translation: If you love the forest, protect its roots.
- Equivalent in English: Take care of your foundations.
- Meaning: Reflects the value of nurturing one’s origins or roots.
- Bulgarian:Желязото се кове, докато е горещо.
- Short Translation: Strike the iron while it’s hot.
- Equivalent in English: Make hay while the sun shines.
- Meaning: Encourages seizing opportunities when they arise.
General Slavic Sayings
- Slavic:Вода камень точит. (Russian)
- Short Translation: Water wears away stone.
- Equivalent in English: Slow and steady wins the race.
- Meaning: Demonstrates the power of persistence.
- Slavic:Гладна кокошка просо сънува. (Bulgarian)
- Short Translation: A hungry hen dreams of millet.
- Equivalent in English: A starving man dreams of bread.
- Meaning: People desire what they lack most.
- Slavic:Кротка вода брегове руши. (Serbian)
- Short Translation: Calm water destroys the shore.
- Equivalent in English: Still waters run deep.
- Meaning: Warns against underestimating quiet or subtle people.
- Slavic:Дружба дружбой, а табачок врозь. (Russian)
- Short Translation: Friendship is friendship, but tobacco is separate.
- Equivalent in English: Good fences make good neighbors.
- Meaning: Even close relationships need boundaries.
- Slavic:Сит на гладен не верује. (Serbian)
- Short Translation: The full do not trust the hungry.
- Equivalent in English: The well-fed don’t understand the starving.
- Meaning: Highlights the difficulty of empathizing with others’ struggles without personal experience.
Conclusion
Proverbs connect us to the wisdom of the past, transcending boundaries and cultures. From Turkish “ata sözü” to Slavic expressions, these sayings offer timeless guidance on life, relationships, and morality. Exploring these proverbs not only enriches our understanding of diverse cultures but also reveals the shared human values that unite us. Whether you’re seeking inspiration, humour, or insight, these proverbs are a treasure trove of knowledge passed down through generations.