Traditional Cyprus Wisdom

Αδκειασερός παπάς, θάβκει τζαι τους ζωντανούς.

“An idle priest buries even the living.”

A person with too much idle time meddles in matters that do not concern him, sometimes doing real harm.

Από 'ν αντρέπεται, ο κόσμος έν' δικός του.

“He who feels no shame owns the whole world.”

A person without shame can take whatever he wants from others without consequence.

Δώσ'του πελλού λουκάνικον, να σου πει 'έν' ζαβόν'.

“Give the fool a sausage, and he will tell you it is bent.”

A foolish person misjudges even a good thing, finding fault where there is none.

Κάμε το καλόν, τζαι ρίψε το στον γυαλόν.

“Do a good deed and cast it into the sea.”

Do good for others without expecting anything back in return.

Κάμνεις τον ψύλλον κάμηλον.

“He made a camel out of a flea.”

Exaggerating a small, trivial matter into something enormous.

Σσύλλον πλύννεις, σσύλλον λούσεις.

“Bathe a dog, wash a dog, it still smells like a dog.”

A person's true nature cannot be changed by cleaning up the outside alone.

Το γέλιον της Παρασκευής, το κλάμαν του Σαββάτου.

“Friday's laughter is Saturday's tears.”

Joy can turn to sorrow overnight, so do not grow overconfident in good times.

Του πελλού η απάντηση, εν η σιωπή.

“The fool's best answer is silence.”

It is wiser to stay silent than to argue with a foolish person.

Με τον συγγενήν σου φάε πιε, τζαι αλισβερίσσιν μεν κάμεις.

“Eat and drink with your relative, but do no business with him.”

Keep family relationships separate from money matters to avoid conflict.

Παπάς που λουτουρκά δκυό εκκλησιές.

“One priest cannot serve two churches.”

A single person cannot properly handle two responsibilities at the same time.

Βουνόν με βουνόν εν σμίει.

“One mountain does not meet another.”

Unlike mountains, people's paths cross again, so treat others well because you may meet them again.

Το λαμπρόν, τζει που πέφτει κρούζει.

“Fire burns wherever it falls.”

Consequences strike wherever the cause lands, regardless of who happens to be nearby.

Η πολλή η καλοσύνη εν γαϊδουροσίνη.

“Too much kindness becomes foolishness.”

Excessive generosity can be mistaken for weakness and taken advantage of.

Η γλώσσα κόκκαλα δεν έσιει τζαι κόκκαλα τσακκίζει.

“The tongue has no bones, yet it breaks bones.”

Words, though intangible, can cause real and lasting harm.

Η καθαριότητα έν' μισή αρκοντιά.

“Cleanliness is half of nobility.”

Keeping oneself and one's surroundings clean reflects good character.

Ο κάττος τζι αν εγέρασεν, τα νύσια που 'σιεν έσιει.

“Even if the cat grows old, it keeps the claws it always had.”

A person's fundamental nature does not change with age.

Μια παθκιά του γέρου, αξίζει σσίλιες του παιδκιού.

“One experience of an old man is worth a thousand of a youth's.”

The wisdom gained through age and experience outweighs youthful energy alone.

Ξένος πόνος, ούλλον γέλιον.

“Another's pain is nothing but laughter.”

It is easy to make light of troubles that are not your own.

Ρίφκε αβκά πας τον τοίχον.

“He is throwing eggs against a wall.”

Describes an effort that is completely wasted and achieves nothing.

Σταφύλιν φάε, τζαι αμπέλιν μεν ρωτάς.

“Eat the grape and do not ask about the vineyard.”

Accept a gift gladly without prying into where it came from.

Τα πολλά λόγια εν φτώσεια.

“Too many words are poverty.”

Excessive talk without action reveals a lack of real substance.

Τράβα με, τζ' ας κλαίω.

“Pull me along, and let me cry.”

Said of someone who complains yet still wants to be carried along — reluctant acceptance of help.

Ζήσε Μάη μου να φας τριφύλλιν.

“Live on, and one day you shall eat clover.”

A promise that keeps being pushed further into the future and may never actually be kept.

Μάρτης γδάρτης, τζαι κακός παλλουκοκάφτης.

“March flays, and burns even the firewood stakes.”

March is known as an unpredictable, harsh month of shifting weather.

Ύστερα φέρνει ο φούρνος την πυράν.

“Afterward, the oven brings the fire.”

Help or a solution that arrives too late, after it was truly needed.

Άθρωπος αθρώπου μοιάζει.

“Man resembles man.”

All people share the same basic nature, faults included.

“When you see food, eat; when you see work, flee.”

A wry jab at laziness — chasing comfort while avoiding duty.

“Do not fear for the tree that leans, for it will not break.”

A thing or person flexible enough to bend often survives what a rigid one could not.

“Honor is priceless, and joy belongs to him who keeps it.”

A person's good name and integrity are worth more than any wealth.

“We have no bread to eat, yet we go looking for a radish.”

A caution against chasing small luxuries while basic needs remain unmet.

“Blood does not turn to water.”

Family bonds endure and matter even through distance or conflict.

“The liar and the thief rejoice only in their first year.”

Dishonesty may pay off briefly, but it eventually catches up with a person.

“Better five in the hand than ten still waited for.”

A certain, smaller gain is worth more than a larger one that is only promised.

“Rain is innocent.”

Natural events should not be blamed the way human wrongs are.

“The mirror shows you exactly what you show it.”

The world reflects back the attitude and effort a person brings to it.

“Where you hear of many figs, still take a small basket.”

Stay modest and skeptical when promises or rumors sound too generous.

“Shoes from home are better, even if they are worn out.”

What is familiar and one's own is preferable to something finer but foreign.

“The fly fell into the milk.”

Even a small, careless contact can spoil something that was otherwise good.

“Sense comes with age.”

Wisdom is gained gradually, through the accumulated experience of years.

“He who drinks wine on debt gets drunk twice.”

Indulging with borrowed money compounds the true cost of the pleasure.

“We will not live as long as the mountains.”

A reminder of human mortality and the shortness of a lifetime.

“Having come to the dance, you will dance.”

Once committed to something, see it through rather than standing aside.

“I would rather lose my eye than my good name.”

Reputation and integrity matter more than any personal loss.

“A fish rots from the head down.”

Corruption or failure within a group usually begins with its leadership.

“Lay the anger of the night to rest until the morning.”

Wait before acting on anger — a clearer mind judges better after rest.

“One hand washes the other, and together the two wash the face.”

Cooperation and mutual help benefit everyone involved.

“Take a big bite, but keep your words small.”

Back up ambition with action rather than boasting about it.

“A fine day can be told from its morning.”

Early signs often reveal how something will ultimately turn out.