beyondbordersphotography

I have traveled through the Kurdish regions with a list of Kurdish proverbs in my pocket for years now, keeping my eyes open for photo opportunities that would accompany them.   I have finally assembled a collection, some of which are included in this gallery.  I hope that the proverbs and images provide you with a better understanding of the Kurds.  They certainly have done so for me.

The majority of the proverbs are either from UCLA's Cognative Cultural Studies' website, http://cogweb.ucla.edu/, contributed by Dr. Bahri Ozturk, and from the website www.proverbatim.com.  Others were gathered from extensive readings on the Kurds and collected during the travels themselves.

As always, for a marvelous multi-dimensional insight into the Kurdish people I highly recommend you visit www.akakurdistan.com.

 

 ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞  kurdish proverbs  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

A good companion shortens the longest road. 

 Whoever is fond of cream should take the cow around with him.

Not every cloud brings rain. ● Your son can be a prince, your daughter will be a mother.

A lion is a lion, whether a male or female. ●  A thousand friends are too few; one enemy is one too many.

For every wise man there is one wiser still. ●  One can never repay one's debt to one's mother.

The distance of a thousand miles begins with one step. ●  Once a friend, always a friend.

Eat & drink with your friends but do not trade with them.  ● A fool dreams of wealth, a wise man of happiness.

With fortune on your side you can sow salt and harvest grass. ●  Open your eyes not your mouth.

A visitor comes with ten blessings, eats one, and leaves nine. ●  Kind words will unlock an iron door.

If your are an anvil, be patient; if you are a hammer, be strong.

 No matter where you go your destiny follows you. ●  A hungry stomach has no ears.

God finds a low branch for the bird that cannot fly.

 A wise man remembers his friends at all times; a fool only when he has need of them.

Every bad has its worse. ●  A kind word warms a man through three winters.

An illness comes by the pound and goes away by the ounce. ●  A woman is a fortress, a man her prisoner.

A neighbor's hen looks as big as a goose, and his wife as young as a girl.

It is more difficult to contend with one's self than the world. ●  Kurds have no friends but the mountains.

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