Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/184

 176

1. Anhîn kuhrî khaskhas dâ chogâ.

Poppy-seeds to a blind fowl, i. e., pearls before swine: poppy-seeds are very expensive.

2. Chortî kuttî jalebîân dî rakhwâlî.

Set a thievish dog to watch sweetmeats, i. e., leaning on a broken reed. It is useless to trust a dishonest man.

3. Nakk dî nath khasm dî hath.

The nose-ring in the husband's hand. The husband is so bad that he even takes away his wife's personal ornaments for his own use. No reliance on the wicked.

4. Kamîne dî yârî sadâ khuârî.

The friendship of the base is always bitterness.

5. Kamîne dî dostî jihe bâlû dî bhît.

The base man's friendship is like a wall of sand.

6. Ganjî ghutâr te tîsî âhalnâ.

The bald-headed starling put her nest on the tree- top, i. e., shutting the stable-door after the horse is stolen. The mainâ or Indian starling is supposed to have become bald-headed by the rubbing of the tree-branches as she sits on her nest.

7. Nach na jâne merâ angan bingâ.

I can't dance for my room is crooked, i.e., a bad workman quarrels with his tools.

8. Ape bâbu mangte te bâhar karhe darvesh.

The beggar stands at the beggar's door, i. e., carrying coals to Newcastle.

9. Mangtiân te mangnâ êh lântiân dâ kamm.

Only the mean will beg from a beggar, i. e., a tree is known by its fruit. Magistratus indicat virum.

10. Mâs mâs sarî gîâ te haddiân haddiân rahî gaîân.

The flesh has gone bad and the bones have remained, i. e., all one's eggs in thesamethe same [sic] basket. To lose what one has in striving for more: foolish speculation.

11. Hoche tâîn thûthâ labbhâ pâni pî pî âphar gîâ.

Give a cup to the low and he swells himself with water, i.e., a beggar on horseback. Puffed up with pride.