Sindh~i sayings :
Submitted by Om Prakash Bhaktwani in
English and Sindh~i in roman script

Corrected by:Chandiramani
In roman phonetic script

Dear Sindh~is,

This is someth~ing th~at is our heritage .

Proverbs are not written in one day but take generations and generations to perfect th~em.

It is based on th~e experience of life .

Please read th~em and try to understand th~e meaning lying underneath~ .

You will feel proud of being a Sindh~i and remember our Sindh~i Language is one of th~e oldest languages in th~e world

It is a confirmed fact th~at in 185O A.D ,captain Stack wrote a Sindh~i English dictionary having 15OOO words. Just imagine .

I look forward to your suggestions .

With~ regards,

Chandiramani

Consonants Arabic and Devnagiri
By Poonam Malani

		VOWELS
cut	a
garden	aa	>NASAL SOUND
bit	i
meet	ee
put	u
boot	oo
say	ay
As	ai
Boat	o
cow	ow

SINDHI SAYINGS

Sindh~is were philosophical and hence th~ey made invaluable observations of life.
Ba>d/ay jay mana may> hikr/ee
Sahiba jay mana may> b/ee
Literally means:
While man has someth~ing on his mind, God has someth~ing else on His
The above proverb shows th~at Sindh~is believed in God’s will, and felt th~at man proposes and God disposes. Sindh~is not only believed in God’s will, but also in His mercy. Hence th~ey claimed:

Marar> vaaray khaa>
Rakhar> vaaro vayjho aahay
Which means:
God, th~e Protector is greater th~an he who wants to harm you.
In connection with~ death~, Sindh~is said:
Jinjo hit/ay khapu
T/injo hut/ay bi khapu
Literally means:
Those who are most needed on earth~ Seem to be needed by God as well
or
Those people who are needed, die sooner th~an we would like th~em to.
When one speaks a lie, one tends to speak so many more to substantiate th~e first untruth~.
Hence Sindh~is believed:
Sachu t/a vayth~o nachu
Which literally means:
If you speak th~e truth~ you can continue to dance with~ joy.
In oth~er words, if you speak th~e truth~, you can enjoy peace as th~ere is no fear of you contradicting yourself.
If one learns to sit in a corner of a room on th~e floor, no one will push one around. It is th~is belief th~at th~e following proverb agrees with~:
Jaihi> khaad/o t/aro
T/ahi>khay nako soor nako b/aro.
Which literally means th~at if one eats th~e food from th~e bottom of th~e saucepan, one will not suffer from pain or humiliation. It implies th~at it pays to be humble.
Obviously Sindh~is believed in th~e wisdom of th~e last proverb

because th~ey claim th~e opposite to be true.
They say:
Jayd*o uth~u t/ayd*o lod*o
Which means:
The bigger th~e camel, The bigger th~e jerks it experiences.
Sindh~is believe in reciprocating a favour.

Khaad/o khaaee
T/a akhiyoo> laj/ayeen

Which means th~at if you partake of somebody’s food, you feel embarrassed until you reciprocate th~e favor. Also Sindh~is claimed:

Jahi>jo khaaibo
Tahi>jo g/aaibo

Which means th~at one must appreciate and praise, th~ose who feed you and /or do you a favour.
The following saying echoes th~e latter proverb’s feeling.

Khaad/o khaaibo t/a kha>gibo bi

Which means th~at while eating, you will be sometimes forced to clear your th~roat.
On th~e subject of food, Sindh~is observed:

D/aar>ay d/aar>ey t/ay mohira

Which means th~at every grain of food is stamped with~ th~e name of th~e eater.

The above proverb ascertains th~at Sindh~is believed in destiny.
Sindh~is connected well-being with~ food. The latter th~ey very poetically connected with~ Muslim festivals, with~ which Hindu Sindh~is were familiar, as th~ey lived midst Sindh~i Muslims.
Aahay t/a Eed/a na t/a Rozo

Which means th~at if one is financially sound, th~en one eats well, like one does during th~e festival of "Eed". If one, on th~e oth~er hand is not economically comfortable, th~en one must perforce fast like during "Roza".
Sindh~is were sensible enough to realize th~at too much money does not automatically buy th~em happiness.

Hence th~ey claimed:
Uho sonu hee ghor/iyo
Jo kana chhinay

Which implies th~at, th~ose golden earrings are not worth~y of possession if th~ey are too heavy and tear your ears. Yet Sindh~is believed th~at wealth~ was an important requisite to happiness. Hence th~ey stated:

Naar/ay binaa naru vag/aar>o

Which means th~at with~out money man feels alone and dejected.
Sindh~is observed th~at being depressed unhappy and worried is like a disease. Hence th~ey stated:

Kh/usheea jaihr/ee kh/oraaka konhay
G/ar>t/eea jaihr/o marzu konhay

Which means th~at th~ere is no nourishment like joy, and no disease is worse th~an worry.
In th~e next proverb Sindh~is as a matter of fact compared worry to death~. They stated:

Chintaa chikhyaa samaan

Then how does one get peace and joy? Sindh~is advised:

Vandey vir/aaey sukhu paa ay
Which means th~at sharing what one has with~ ones breth~ren , gives happiness. Sindh~is believed th~at if someone gives one someth~ing for safe-keeping, one must honorably return it when th~e time came. Hence th~ey stated:

Amaanat may> kh/ayaanat/ na kajay

Sindh~is believed th~at th~ose who are honest will never want even th~ough th~ey may be cheated. Hence th~ey claimed:

Rahay saa ay jee saaee
Vayee bukhyey ji bukha

Which literally means th~at th~e grass of an honest person will remain green, no matter how many people continue to partake of it, and remain ungratified.
The entrance and exit of money, prestige, possessions are stages th~at come at different times into everyone’s life. Hence Sindh~is urged not to criticize oth~ers as one never knows when ones turn will come. They said:

Aj/u hamaan
Subhaaney tamaan

Which literally means, today I suffer, tomorrow you might.
People have a way of noticing how much money comes into th~e house, but th~ey generally never keep count of how much goes into expenditure. Hence th~e saying:

Ee>d/o sabko d*isay
Vay>d/o d*isa y ko na

What happens when wealth~ bids adieu? Sometimes it takes your good qualities with~ it.

Hence th~e saying:
Lachmi vaj*ay t/a lachhar>a bi vaj*anl.

What happens when God is unhappy with~ you? According to th~e Sindh~is, you lose your good sense. Hence th~e saying:

Allaah rusay mat/i khasay

Must one be dejected when bad days are around? Not at all! Sindh~is believed th~at when one door closes, anoth~er hundred open. Hence th~e saying:

Hikree latey sau patey ?

Sindh~is believed th~at one must be sensible before embarking on a tricky mission. Hence th~ey urged one to adopt a course which would make one achieve ones goal, with~out stepping on anyone else’s happiness. They said:

Aihr/o kamu kajay
Jo laalu labhay

Ai> preet/ bi rahjee acha y

Which means : Let us act in such a manner th~at we find th~e sought for gem and we continue to retain th~e friendship.
The following proverb urges one not to take up too many tasks at one time as it would spoil ones endeavors. About such people Sindh~is observed:

Uhay ee hath~a roteea may>

Uhayee hath~a chota may>

Which means th~at people who take up too many tasks at one time, are like th~ose who use th~e same hands to knead dough, and th~e same hands to plait th~eir hair.

The latter proverb implies th~at if one performs th~ese two tasks at th~e same time, th~en ones food would not get hygienically prepared, and ones hair would get soiled.
The following proverb, th~ough it may sound similar has a different meaning altogeth~er.

Uhayee hath~a neera may>
Uhayee hath~a kheera mein

It literally states th~at th~e same hands th~at are immersed in th~e water (tears) are also immersed in th~e milk. The implied meaning of th~is proverb is th~at at times life doles out two tasks at th~e same time. One provides pain, and th~e oth~er gives joy.

Sindh~is believed th~at you should do what you have to do as soon as possible. They stated:

Turt/ daan
Mahaa kalyaan ai>

Turt/ kaam mahaa poonya

Which means th~at if you execute your duty promptly, it is equivalent to performing a good deed.

Sindh~is believed th~at it was th~e tongue, or unkind words which caused th~e most harm, th~ey not only hurt th~e ones th~at th~e harsh language was meant for but also th~e one who uttered th~em. Sindh~is stated:

Uhaaee zibaan ussa may> vihaaray
Uhaaee zibaan chhaa>va may> vihaaray

Which literally means th~at th~e same tongue makes you sit under th~e sun and it is th~e same tongue th~at makes you sit in th~e shade.

Sindh~is urged one never to harm th~e down-trodden, as God would take up th~eir cause and take revenge for th~e harm done to th~e poor. Hence th~e saying:

Aaha ggareeba jee kahir kh/ud/aa jo

Which literally means th~at if th~e down trodden cry in pain for th~e harm inflicted upon th~em, th~en God Himself takes revenge.

Sindh~is believed th~at :

Ur>a hayryaa na hayr, mat/aa> hirani
Heryaa na phayr mat/aa> phiranee

This proverb states th~at one should not get someone used to constant favors done out of goodwill, because when you stop doing th~em th~e benefaction, th~ey might turn against one.

Alternately Sindh~is stated:
Sakh/ee khaa> shoom bhalo

Jo t/urt d*ay javaab

Which means th~at he is better, who promptly says "No" to a proposition, rath~er th~an th~e one who says "Yes" to proposals, and th~en goes on to resent th~e same.

There are people who do favors unto you, but hurt you by

constantly reminding you, and/or being nasty to you. To such people Sindh~is advise:

Na d*a y na dukhaai

Which literally means "Do not give, if you must hurt th~e person later.

It is ever so difficult to please everyone all th~e time. And to top it, to please oneself seems to be, even a more monumental task. There is no argument to th~e statement th~at if one is happy, th~e world seems a great place to live in. Hence;

Jeeyu kh/ush t/a jahaa> kh/ush

Which literally means th~at if one is happy, th~e world is a cheerful place to live in.

It is so easy to criticize oth~ers. Why? Because we are not in th~eir shoes. One cannot argue th~e fact th~at only th~e person who is in th~e situation is aware of why he/she behaves th~e way he/she does. Hence th~e observation:

G/uru j/aar>ay
G/ura jee g/oth~ree j/aar>ay

Which literally means th~at th~e sugar knows, and th~e bag th~at carries th~e sugar knows (how light or heavy, how empty or full, or how clean or dirty th~e contents and/or th~e bag are).

Sindh~is urged th~eir fellow breth~ren to be good. They claimed th~at th~ere were various benefits to derive from being exemplary. They stated:

Thad/o gharo paar> khay paar>ayhee
Chhaa>va may> vihaaray

Which means th~at a cool pot of water seats itself in th~e shade. It implies th~at if one stays composed one stays out of conflict.
Anoth~er meth~od of remaining peaceful is not to be distressed, when one possesses less, and not be proud when one has much. Thus:

Thor/o d*isee araao na th~ijay ?
Ghar>o d*isee araso na th~ijay

Sindh~is believed th~at one should live according to ones means. Hence th~ey observed:

Savara aahir payra dighayran

Which means th~at one should stretch ones legs according to ones blanket.

It is believed th~at if your right hand does a good deed, your left hand should not get to know about it.

On th~is creed, Sindh~is opined:
Naykee karay, d/aryaa may> vijhu
Which literally means th~at after having performed a good deed, drop th~e th~ought of it into th~e sea.
There are people, who do noth~ing but exaggerate. About such humans, Sindh~is stated:
Jabala kha y th~iyaa soora, j/aayee kuee
Which literally means th~at th~e mountain had labor pains, but only a mouse took birth~.

Similarly:

Kooay ladh~ee haida g/aree
Chava y aau> pasaaree
Which literally means th~at a mouse found a piece of turmeric, and claims to own a grocery store.

About people who paint an exaggerated image about th~emselves, Sindh~is claimed:

Labha y lath~i na
Baabo band/ookan vaaro
Which means th~at he is a type of person who does not even own a stick, and he claims to be a master of guns.

Relationships

In matters of relationships, Sindh~is made interesting observations.

For a husband th~ey believed th~at:

Murs t/a phad*o
Na t/a jad*o
Which literally means th~at unless a husband is hard to please, he is not good enough.

Probably th~e macho image of a difficult man was attractive to a Sindh~i woman. On th~e oth~er hand, maybe th~e proverb was coined by th~e parents of th~e girl to make her life more satisfactory, by praising th~e negative traits of her husband.

In th~e following proverb however, th~ey categorically compare a son-in-law to a crooked stick. Sindh~is state:

Naath~ee, d*ingee kaath~ee ?
Present time Sindh~is would probably disagree with~ th~e above observation, as one often sees sons-in law as caring as ones sons and daughters.

During th~e time th~at our fore-fath~ers lived th~eir life in Sindh~, daughters must have been a life long liability, hence Sindh~is stated:

Abo gasey, dh~eeya vasey ?
Which literally means th~at fath~ers have to work very hard so th~at th~eir daughters prosper.

It is interesting to observe how much th~e daughter’s parents would give in for th~e happiness of th~eir female off-spring.

The following proverb was probably coined by dejected girls’ parents who would not reciprocate th~e humliation inflicted upon th~em by th~e in-laws of th~eir daughter. They stated:

Jinkhey d*inyoon jaayoon>
Tin saa> kahr/iyoon baahyoon

Which means th~at once one has given ones daughters in marriage, one cannot get angry with~ her new family.
The previous two proverbs point to th~e fact th~at having daughters put one th~rough difficulties and humiliation at th~e time when th~ese sayings were coined. However it is interesting to note th~at th~e Sindh~is of yore believed th~at a son shares you properties and possessions whereas a daughter partakes of your joys and sorrows. Hence Sindh~is stated:

Put/u th~iay maal bhai
Dheea th~iay haal bhai
Sindh~is stated:
Maau jee dil makhar>
Puta jee dil path~ar

Which literally means th~at a moth~er’s heart is soft as butter while th~e heart of th~e son is made of stone.

Elders claimed th~at th~ough a moth~er-in-law be hard as wood , she is good to have around, as during times of need she would always be th~ere to extend a helping hand. Hence th~ey stated:

Sas kaath~a jee bhee suth~ee
Sindh~is believed th~at:
Jeayko d*aadh~o so gaabo

Which means th~at he who stands his ground, eventually wins.
Yet during arguments and discussions, Sindh~is wisely observed th~at:

Taaree hika hath~a kona vaj/a>d/ee aahay

Which literally means th~at one cannot clap with~ one hand . It implies th~at wherever th~ere is an argument, all parties are probably to blame to a certain extent.

About th~e grand children from th~e daughter’s side, Sindh~is claimed:

Dohita vadh~anday ee vayree
Which implies th~at th~e children from ones daughter were never close enough to th~eir maternal grand-parents, however much th~e latter pampered th~e kids.

This was probably due to th~e fact th~at children spent more time with~ th~eir paternal grand-parents, and hence were influenced by th~e th~eir opinion, of th~eir maternal grand-parents.

It is interesting to note th~at th~is proverb does not generally ring true now-a-days, probably because grand-children spend enough time with~ th~eir maternal grand-parents and formulate th~eir own beliefs.

Maternal grand-parents claimed:

Naanee radh~ar>a vaaree

D*ohitaa khaai>r>a vaaraa

Which literally means th~at matenal grand-children eat while th~e grand-moth~er toils and cooks.

Grand-parents believed th~at:
Moora khaa> viyaaju mith~o

Which means th~at th~e interest is always more enjoyable th~an th~e principal amount, th~ereby implying th~at one tends to love ones grand-children more th~an th~eir parents.

Talking about interest accrued from wealth~ Sindh~is observed th~at interest "runs" which implies th~at it augments even during th~e night. Thus th~ey stated:

Vyaaj raat jo bi pandh~u karey
About interest th~ey also claimed :

Vyaaj aahay Soort/ee ghor/o
Which means th~at interest is like a racing horse.
On th~e subject of debts Sindh~is observed:

Karzu vad*o marzu

Which means th~at owing debts is like suffering from a bad disease.
However whatever one is able to salvage from a bad debt is good. Hence if a ship drowns, salvage th~e iron. The latter is what is expressed in th~e following proverb:

Bud*al b/ayreea maa>
Lohu milay

The following proverb states th~at:

Jayko chulh t/ay
So d/il t/ay

Which means th~at one is always more fond of th~ose members of ones family with~ who one lives and eats togeth~er.

The following proverb did not contend with~ th~e last saying’s belief because Sindh~is claimed:

D*eraaniyoo> veraanyoon
Sat/han janaman khaa> vir/yal ?

Which means th~at sister’s in -law(wives of broth~ers), continue to remain enemies since th~e last seven generations even th~ough th~ey probably stayed and ate togeth~er.
Misunderstandings on financial matters were probably as common th~en, as th~ey are now, hence elders very wisely stated:

Bhaau bhaaur t/iyo> lekho

Which literally means th~at where th~ere are two broth~ers, a written document (of finance and properties) must exist.

Well, broth~ers seemed to enjoy a certain power. But what about a broth~er’s wife?
Elders observed:

Ggareeba jee joi
jag/a jee bhaaj/aaee

Which means th~at th~e wife of a poor man is like a broth~er’s wife to th~e world.
I believe th~at th~e above means th~at just like a broth~er’s wife was supposed to serve one with~ respect, so was a poor man’s wife.

When sensitive moth~ers-in law would want th~eir new daughters-in law to follow a certain code of conduct, th~ey would instruct th~eir daughters, and naturally th~e daughter- in- law of th~e house would emulate th~e same act. Hence th~e saying:

Chau dh~eeu khay
T/a sikhay noo>ha
Which means: If you instruct your daughter, your daughter-in-law learns.

Obviously during th~e days of yore, th~ere must have been daughters in law or/and wives who spent enough time following th~eir own pursuits or th~e following proverb would not have been formulated. It claims:

Gharu ghor/an khay
B/aara choran khay

Which literally means th~at th~e house has been left to th~e horses, and th~e children have been left under th~e care of th~ieves.

Sindh~is probably did not broad-cast th~e above news, because th~ey believed th~at one must not wash dirty linen in public. Hence th~ey stated:

Ghara jo kinu
Ghara may> dh~opja y

Which literally means th~at one must wash ones dirty laundry at home.

Talking of homes Sindh~is stated:

Ghara may> gharu
Bud/ee vaj*ee maru

Which means th~at if your extended joint families live under th~e same roof, you are as good as dead.

Obviously Sindh~is were talking about th~e intrigues, tensions and arguments th~at would result because of so many people of different hue and character living togeth~er. Hence th~ey stated:

Ghara jee gahipee
Matan jo par>ee sukaaay chhad*a y

Which literally means th~at arguments in a house can get so hot, th~at th~ey are capable of drying up th~e water in th~e earth~en pots.

The following saying was probably formulated by a dejected moth~er-in-law who claims:

Sheed/ee sikee vyaa soo>ha khaa>
Maa> sikee viyusi siyaar>ee noo>ha khaa>

Which means th~at th~e dark-skinned people yearn for a fair complexion, whereas I long for a sensible daughter-in-law.

The above moth~er-in-law probably agrees with~ th~e following proverb:

Soorat/ khaa> seerat/ bhalee
Which means th~at it is better to have uprightness, rath~er th~an possess good looks.

Yet anoth~er saying exists to confirm th~e above belief.

Ahraa suhir>aa> toohaa t/a jangala may> bhee aahin
Which literally means th~at beautiful "toohaa" flowers abound in th~e jungle.

This proverb implies th~at just like "toohaa" flowers, which have no value, grow in plenty in th~e jungle, similarly good looking people have no value, unless th~ey possess good qualities.

Sindh~is believed th~at:
Naad/aan d/ost/a khaa>
D/aanav d/ushman cha>g*o

Which means th~at it is better to have a wise enemy th~an a foolish friend.

Sindh~is also believed th~at it is better to be criticized by a wise man rath~er th~an be praised by a fool. Hence th~ey stated:
Moorkh jay kh/ushaamad/ khaa>
Syaar>ay jee toka bhalee
Sindh~is probably believed th~at a stupid friend is like a:

Sakhir>ee kunee ghar>o ubhaamay
Which means th~at an empty vessel bubbles more, or makes th~e most sound.

Probably th~at is why Sindh~is concluded th~at it is better to cut a bad finger. ( Rath~er th~an th~e poison spreads)

Hence th~ey stated:

Kinee aang*ur vadh~ee bhalee

Yet Sindh~is did not want to make generalizations. They realized th~at:

Sabu aang*riyoon baraabar konan
Which means th~at all fingers are not of th~e same size or shape.

Not only about people and friends, but Sindh~is observed th~at, children born from th~e same parents never enjoy th~e same destiny.

Hence th~ey claimed:

Bhaag/u na d*eend/ee vanday
Mau j/ar>eendee put/raa

Which means th~at th~ough a moth~er gives birth~ and life to children, yet she cannot divide th~e same destiny equally amongst th~em.

Even th~ough each of us enjoy separate and different destinies from our siblings, relatives and friends, Sindh~is believed th~at rath~er th~an burn in envy because oth~ers enjoy better fortune, one must remember th~at by wishing th~em well, one tends to benefit from th~eir good fortune, if one continues to be th~eir friend. Hence th~ey say:

Saa ay maa> sau sukha
Which means th~at one can derive a lot of benefit from th~e fortunate ones.

Sindh~is urged th~e less fortunate ones not to lose heart but to have patience. They said:

Sabur jo phalu mith~o aahay
Which means th~at patience brings a sweet reward.
The Sindh~i wise ones believed th~at:
Paraayo paru , gharu vyo

Which implies th~at when an intruder enters ones house, he may be th~e cause of th~e destruction of ones home.

Though Sindh~is were famous for th~eir "Mehmaan navaazi" which means th~at Sindh~is were excellent hosts, th~ey were also wary of intruders and th~erefore urged oth~ers to eye th~em with~ suspicion. About such people th~ey said:

Aaee taa>do khar>a
Borchiyaanee th~ee vayth~ee

Which means, th~at she came only to borrow a charcoal, but remained to take full charge of th~e kitchen.

Sindh~is did not only criticize what harm oth~ers can inflict upon you, but realized th~at you alone can be responsible for what fate holds for you if you choose to do th~e wrong th~ing

Hence th~ey said:

Koylan jay khaa>r> may>
hath~a bhee kaaraa
T/a payra bhee kaaraa

Which means th~at if you work in a coal mine, your hands and feet are bound to get soiled.

Sindh~is believed th~at one must never lose heart, during th~e ups and downs of life, but be patient. They claimed:

Sabura jo phalu mith~o aahay
Which means th~at perseverance brings to ones destiny a fruit th~at is sweet.

I would like to close th~is offering in th~e form of th~is booklet of ours by one of th~e wiser sayings of our fore-fath~ers which claims:

Jahaa> jeeyu t/ahaa> sikhu
Which means th~at th~ere is no end to learning, and th~at while one continues to live one continues to learn.

I do hope th~at we have learned from th~e wise sayings of our ancestors. We must not forget our roots and we must move towards th~e future with~ intelligence, perseverance, pride and dignity. I pray th~at th~e younger generation is inspired enough by th~is humble offering of ours, to join us to pay homage to th~ose Sindh~is of yore, on whose values our lives have been built.