Nepal Proverbs (50)

बदनाम भन्दा वध भलो।

“A bad name is worse than death.”

A ruined reputation causes deeper harm than death itself; honor is worth more than mere survival.

नाच्न जान्दैन आँगन टेढो।

“One who cannot dance blames the courtyard for being crooked.”

A poor workman blames his tools; people who fail often blame their surroundings instead of their own lack of skill.

नहुनु मामा भन्दा कानो मामा निको।

“A one-eyed uncle is better than no uncle at all.”

Something imperfect is still better than having nothing at all.

कानो गोरुलाई औंसी न पुर्ने।

“For a blind ox, the new moon and the full moon are the same.”

Things that matter greatly to others make no difference to one who cannot perceive or understand them.

अगुल्टाले हानेको कुकुर बिजुली चम्कँदा तर्सिन्छ।

“A dog once struck with a firebrand is frightened even by a flash of lightning.”

A painful past experience leaves lasting caution, so that even a harmless reminder of it provokes fear.

हात्तीको मुखमा जिरा।

“A cumin seed in an elephant's mouth.”

Used for an amount so small that it makes no real difference against a much greater need — a mere drop in the ocean.

हाँसको बथानमा बकुल्लो।

“A stork among a flock of geese.”

Describes someone who stands out awkwardly, out of place among a group they do not truly belong with.

मुखमा रामराम, बगलीमा छुरा।

“Ram-Ram on the lips, a dagger tucked under the arm.”

Sweet greetings and pious words can conceal a cruel or dangerous intent, like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

टाढाको देउता भन्दा नजिकको भूत काम लाग्छ।

“A nearby ghost is more useful than a distant god.”

A reachable, ordinary helper close at hand is worth more in practice than an unreachable, ideal source of help far away.

धोबीको कुकुर न घरको न घाटको।

“The washerman's dog belongs neither to the house nor to the riverbank.”

Describes someone who drifts between two places or two groups and truly belongs to neither.

एउटा कुहिएको आलुले पुरै गोदाम बिगार्छ।

“One rotten potato spoils the entire storehouse.”

A single bad influence, left unchecked, can corrupt an entire group over time.

सुनारको १०० चोट, लोहारको एकै चोट।

“A hundred taps of the goldsmith equal a single blow of the blacksmith.”

The right strength applied by the right expert accomplishes in one stroke what many weaker, mismatched efforts cannot.

प्रतिक्षाको घडी लामो हुन्छ।

“A watched clock runs long.”

Time feels endless when spent anxiously waiting for something to happen.

टल्किदैमा सुन हुदैन।

“Not everything that shines is gold.”

Outward appearance can be deceiving; something attractive on the surface may not be genuinely valuable.

सबैले बलेको आगो ताप्छन्।

“Everyone warms themselves at a fire that is already burning.”

People readily gather around whoever is already successful or powerful, rather than helping to build success from nothing.

यथा राजा तथा प्रजा।

“As the king, so are the subjects.”

A leader's character and conduct shape the character and conduct of the people they lead.

रोपे फल्छ।

“As you plant, so it will bear fruit.”

Your actions determine the results you will eventually receive; you reap what you sow.

भुक्ने कुकुरले टोक्दैन।

“A barking dog does not bite.”

Someone who makes the loudest threats or the most noise is often the least genuinely dangerous.

फूलमा काँडा पनि हुन्छ।

“Even a flower has thorns.”

Something beautiful or appealing can still carry a hidden danger or difficulty.

निल्नु न ओकल्नु।

“Neither able to swallow it nor to spit it out.”

Describes being trapped between two equally difficult choices, with no comfortable way forward.

चोर चोरसँग, साधु साधुसँग।

“Thieves gather with thieves, saints gather with saints.”

People of similar character and habits naturally seek out each other's company.

झिङ्गाको सरापले डिङ्गा मर्दैन।

“A boat does not sink from a fly's curse.”

Something strong and well-founded is not harmed by the spite or complaints of someone weak and insignificant.

गधा धोएर गाई हुदैन।

“Washing a donkey does not turn it into a cow.”

A superficial change of appearance cannot alter a person's or a thing's true underlying nature.

घाँटी हेरेर हाड निल्नु।

“Swallow only a bone the size your throat allows.”

Take on only as much as you can genuinely handle; act within your own means and capacity.

फलामले फलाम काट्छ।

“Iron cuts iron.”

A hard problem can only be overcome by an equally strong force, or a difficult person matched by an equally determined one.

अरिङ्गालको गोलामा हात नहाल्नु।

“Do not put your hand into a wasp's nest.”

Avoid provoking a danger that, once disturbed, can easily turn back and harm you.

अनाथको सहारा दैव।

“For the orphan, providence alone is the support.”

One who has no one else to depend on must place their trust in fate or a higher power.

टुहुराका दिन फर्कन्छन्।

“Even the orphan's hard days eventually turn.”

Difficult times do not last forever; fortune eventually changes for the better.

कुमालेले आफ्नै भाँडाको प्रशंसा गर्छ।

“The potter praises his own pots.”

People naturally speak well of their own work, skill, or possessions.

चोरले सबैलाई चोर देख्छ।

“A thief sees everyone else as a thief.”

A guilty person tends to suspect the same guilt in everyone around them.

उपदेश दिनुभन्दा काम गर्नु भलो।

“Doing a deed is better than giving advice about it.”

Real action carries far more weight and value than words of instruction or lecture.

हात्ती आयो हात्ती आयो फुस्स।

“The elephant is coming, the elephant is coming — and then, nothing.”

Describes a great buildup of excitement or fear that ends in complete anticlimax.

आफू भलो त जगतै भलो।

“If one's own heart is good, the whole world seems good.”

A person's own character colors how they perceive everyone and everything around them.

घोडा चढ्ने लड्छ।

“It is the one who rides the horse who falls from it.”

Only those who take real risks ever face real setbacks; standing aside avoids failure but also avoids achievement.

जसले मह काढ्छ, उसले मह चाट्छ।

“Whoever draws out the honey is the one who tastes it.”

The person who does the hard work is the one who rightfully earns the reward.

ठूलाको ठूलै बात।

“The words of the great carry great weight.”

Those in high standing bear greater responsibility for what they say, since their words influence more people.

आकाशको फल आँखा तरी मर्।

“The fruit of the sky can only be tasted by the eyes.”

Some things remain forever out of reach, so that all one can do is long for them from a distance.

पानीमा बसेर माछासँग वैमनश्य गर्नुहुँदैन।

“Sitting in the water, one must not quarrel with the fish.”

Do not pick a fight with the very thing or the very people you depend on for your own survival.

पोहोर मरी सासू, अहिले आयो आँसु।

“The mother-in-law died last year, and the tears come only now.”

Grieving or regretting something long after the moment has passed accomplishes nothing; it is no use crying over what is already gone.

एक पन्थ दो काज।

“One path, two tasks.”

Accomplishing two goals through a single effort — killing two birds with one stone.

जस्तो बाबु, उस्तै छोरा।

“As the father, so the son.”

Children tend to inherit and reflect the character of their parents.

एक थुकी सुकी, सय थुकी नदी।

“One spit dries up alone, but a hundred spits together make a river.”

Many small individual contributions, joined together, add up to something powerful.

देख्नाको डाल, ढिंडाको काल।

“Great to look at, but death to the cooking pot.”

Something that looks impressive or abundant on the outside can prove disappointing or costly once put to real use.

नजाने गाउँको बाटो नसोध्नु।

“Do not ask the way to a village you will never visit.”

Do not waste effort or attention inquiring about something you have no genuine intention of using.

हावा नचली पात हल्लिदैन।

“A leaf does not stir without wind.”

Nothing happens without a real cause behind it; where there is an effect, there was first a reason.

सेवा बिना मेवा मिल्दैन।

“Without service, there is no reward.”

No reward comes without effort first; there is no gain without real work.

अकवरी सुनलाई कसी लाउनु पर्दैन।

“Pure gold needs no testing stone.”

True quality proves itself and needs no outside verification to be recognized.

लक्ष्मी चंचल हुन्छिन्।

“The goddess of wealth is restless.”

Fortune and riches are fickle by nature, and can depart as quickly and unpredictably as they arrived.

घुसघुसे मान्छे खतरा हुन्छ।

“A quietly whispering person is dangerous.”

Someone who stays guarded and says little is often the one whose true intentions deserve the most caution.

आफ्नो आङ्गको भैँसी नदेख्ने, अर्काको आङ्गको जुम्रा देख्ने।

“One who cannot see the buffalo on their own body notices the louse on another's.”

People are quick to criticize small faults in others while remaining blind to their own far greater flaws.