LANGUAGE. CULTURE. COUNTRY.
Life-Lessons: Important Learnings From Bengali Proverbs
and their meanings to enlighten your life.
As most people know, proverbs are often metaphorical and they are part of local folklores for every language. Because it contains the diversified aspects of society (and sometimes the historical mentions), proverbs are part of the gems for any culture.
The main reason to write this piece is twofold.
The first one is to let the readers know what these proverbs mean to shape our real-life understanding.
The secondary objective is to share the cultural aspect to the readers.
The following are selected 12 (twelve) Bengali proverbs to share with you all, which can enlighten you about the life lessons in metaphoric forms. Like other languages, there are thousands of proverbs in the Bengali language and I would be happy to share more if readers are interested. So, please read and enjoy.
Bengali Proverb: পাঁচ আঙুল সমান হয় না।
Translation: Five fingers of a hand are never similar. Actual meaning: You can never expect all members of a group to think alike. People have different qualities and capabilities, which are not the same exactly. My interpretation: Diversity matters. And everyone can contribute in different ways, with different capacities.
Bengali Proverb: এক হাতে তালি বাজে না।
Translation: You can’t clap with one hand. Actual meaning: There are always two sides to the story. My interpretation: We often judge by hearing any incident from one’s perspective, but there are always different perspectives to look into complete the story. The history of the winner and defeated can be different.
Bengali Proverb: উলুবনে মুক্তা ছড়ানো।
Translation: Scattering pearls in the forest of the reeds. Actual meaning: Giving something valuable to those who will not appreciate or understand it. My interpretation: Sometimes in life, you will come across places where you can contribute something valuable to a person, but that person might not understand it or your perspective of doing that. So, understand whether that can help the person or whether it is worthy of your time to contribute.
Bengali Proverb: অধিক সন্ন্যাসীতে গাজন নষ্ট।
Translation: Too many ascetics will ruin the festival. Actual meaning: Too many people handling or covering a situation is not a good idea. My interpretation: I would say, that’s why project planning comes through. If there is more than adequate people to handle an activity/work, the quality might not be adequate at all.
Bengali Proverb: কানা গরুর ভিন্ন পথ।
Translation: One-eyed cow has a different path. Actual meaning: Someone without a vision is bound to get lost. My interpretation: Get a vision into your work/future/activity, then it can be achieved. Without a clear direction, you are bound to be lost.
Bengali Proverb: লোভে পাপ, পাপে মৃত্যু।
Translation: In greed, there is sin and in sin, there is death. Actual meaning: Greed is the gateway to your downfall. My interpretation: Ambition is a different thing, but if you are greedy, it might dilute your vision and might direct you to act differently to cause your downfall.
Bengali Proverb: রাজায় রাজায় যুদ্ধ হয়, উলুখাগড়ার প্রাণ যায়।
Translation: King’s wage wars with each other, but the reeds die. Actual meaning: When those in power wage wars, the common folks usually suffer the most. My interpretation: We can think about any wars, where the general public has suffered the most. Can you relate anything from today’s world perspective?
Bengali Proverb: যেমন কর্ম, তেমন ফল।
Translation: As the act, so is the result. Actual meaning: You sow as you reap. My interpretation: Your work and effort will determine your success or failure.
Bengali Proverb: নাচতে না জানলে উঠোন বাঁকা।
Translation: If you don’t know how to dance, the yard is always crooked. Actual meaning: An inefficient person always complains about circumstances. My interpretation: Efficiency drives the result. An efficient person puts effort to perform the best or acknowledges lacking in skill, if not performed well.
Bengali Proverb: মেঘ দেখে করিসনে ভয়,আড়ালে তার সূর্য হাসে।
Translation: After clouds come fair weather. Actual meaning: After misery comes happiness. My interpretation: Nothing lasts forever, which means the misery & dreadful time also ends and happiness comes after. Patience my friends. We shall overcome the pandemic and will flourish in the days after that.
Bengali Proverb: সবুরে মেওয়া ফলে।
Translation: Patience is bitter but its fruit is sweet. Actual meaning: All things come to the person, who waits. My interpretation: Successful people are patient. To attain success, you have to drive your mission and you have to patiently wait for your success. Most of the things do not come overnight.
Bengali Proverb: যতক্ষন শ্বাস, ততক্ষণ আঁশ।
Translation: While there is breath, there is hope. Actual meaning: While there is breath, there is life and when there is life, there is hope. My interpretation: We have to strive until the end. You should not break down mentally or physically, as you are a living being. We have started to fight even before we have born and should fight till the end. At the end of the tunnel, there is always hope.
Summary of interpreted lessons:
1. Diversity matters. And everyone can contribute in different ways, with different capacities.
2. We often judge by hearing any incident from one’s perspective, but there are always different perspectives to look into complete the story. The history of the winner and defeated can be different.
3. Sometimes in life, you will come across places where you can contribute something valuable to a person, but that person might not understand it or your perspective of doing that. So, understand whether that can help the person or whether it is worthy of your time to contribute.
4. If there is more than adequate people to handle an activity/work, the quality might not be adequate at all.
5. Get a vision into your work/future/activity, then it can be achieved. Without a clear direction, you are bound to be lost.
6. If you are greedy, it might dilute your vision and might direct you to act differently to cause your downfall.
7. We can think about any wars, where the general public has suffered the most. Can you relate anything from today’s world perspective?
8. Your work and effort will determine your success or failure.
9. Efficiency drives the result. An efficient person puts effort to perform the best or acknowledges lacking in skill, if not performed well.
10. Nothing lasts forever, which means the misery & dreadful time also ends and happiness comes after.
11. Successful people are patient. To attain success, you have to drive your mission and you have to patiently wait for your success. Most of the things do not come overnight.
12. We have to fight until the end. You should not break down mentally or physically, as you are a living being. We have started to fight even before we have born and should fight till the end. At the end of the tunnel, there is always hope.
Suntonu Bhadra is a 2020 joined writer in Medium, who loves to learn from surroundings and world wide web. He is a Business Consultant in the profession, a mentor of Sales productivity & a traveler by heart. In his newfound love- ‘Medium’, he is expressing his thoughts and is looking forward to engaging.
