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Kurdish Proverbs

The wit and wisdom of Kurdish sayings — each proverb with its translation and meaning.

Kûçik bi quşandinê nabe tajî
A dog does not become a greyhound by being groomed.
Kûçik ji kê bitirse bi wî alî direye
A dog barks in the direction it fears.
Kumê rasta tim qetîyayîye
The honest man's cap is always torn.
Kurme dare ne ji dare be dar kurme nabe
If the worm that eats the tree were not from the tree itself, the tree would not rot.
Kurmê şiri, heta piri.
The worm in the mother's milk stays until death.
Lê kalîyê lê korîyê, mirin çêtire ji feqîrîyê
Ah, old age; ah, blindness—death is better than poverty.
Li bejnê neri bi zêra kirî, laçek rakir kertkê gurî
He bought it for gold because of its appearance; when he lifted the cover, he found it bald.
Li dînê netirse, li dînikê bitirse
Fear not the madman, but the fool.
Li kerê mirî digere ku nala jêke
He looks for a dead donkey just to pull off its horseshoe.
Mal li ser malê nabe
One house cannot be built on top of another.