St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-02-14
For the Caledonian.
Some Turkish Proverbs.

He is a genuine oriental SaUdnt, who
would starve to death if he could not
,sk for bread and butter in half dozen
different languages at least. 1t matters
little with an oriental how much OF
science, or philosophy, or literature
man may know if he is able to tell 1t
in but single tongue, he is not re-
garded as learned.
Now Khodia Tirakian is true book
worm. He burrows in linguistic lore
and is able to speak or read III some
thing like il dozen different languages.
His latest accomplishment is English.
In answer to Il request that | once
made him, to write off Tor me some
Turkish proverbs, he carefully collected
over a hundred, written out i'll Turkish |
with his own English translation ap-
pended, and demanded of me to fulfil
my part of the contract i'll getting them
published in some American news
paper. | must confess to an unpardOn-
able delay in doing SO, but if Il copy
| of the present issue of the CdledOnidn
should find its way across to his little
sanctum overlooking the Bosphorus,
the learned Effendi will be deeply
gratified with the ASSURANCE that his
name will now be immortal.
These proverbs SO far as | know have
never appeared i'll English print, ami
may be of some interest as containing
traces of oriental habits, superstitions,
fancies, and turns of thought, which
are often embalmed in proverb like IL
bee i'll amber | must here state how
ever, that | have been obliged to re-
translate the worthy Khodja's English,
except in some cases where words seem
TO have been used, us Tallyrand,
think expresses it, "to conceal the
thought" These | am forced to omit.
In some cases, too, where ii more
, polished diction involves loss of vigor,
| give the exact translation Of my
; friend, craving the indulgence of super
sensitive critics. For instance, who can
mistake the meaning of
t The man whom God don't slain, the
others can't slain him" We get here
. the Moslem idea of fate, kismet.
t The meaning of the following is moi
, quite so clear: 1.-The tree, when is wet
is possible to decline it, translate il
us follows: "A wet tree can be bent
The following all reveal their orienta
n origin:
''For him that falls from IL horse ther,
is a remedy-bul The tomb stands open
for him who falls from II camel"
.'The speed of the horse shows Tia,
It ability of the rider"
/ alt is better to die with Il full stomach
than with an empty"
'.The rich man is safe:" fact even
more true in the East than in mOIt
p civilized countries, where gold invaIi
e ably buys favors, power, influence, ant
- tliwarts justice of her dues. Even "Th'
mountains fear the rich
'The face of money is warm
It "White money is foI the black day.
p EThe little is the servant of th,
much"
"Cook or steward, it is the same t,
{ the butcher,'-gives Il hint of system
attic frauds in the kitchen.
'You can make Il spoon out of bread
II but have care to whom you give it,
1 would be meaningless in this countr,
d of knives and forks, but is perfect,
II understood by those who have Otter
''taken Il sop and dipped it," and theI
). eaten the food thus conveyed to th,
,5 mouth, spoon and all.
II "The old broom is thrown into tn,
\. street," reveals the well known fac
+. that Eastern streets are the great re
/ ceptacles for rubbish, in addition to th,
c deeper meaning which is plain.
/. 'You can't have donkey withou
a. a. noise"
N ''Like a donkey's tail,-neither shor
k nor long"
5, 'If you cut your donkey's tail, som
Is Is say it is too short, others, it is to
5 long" all spring from people famii;,
s. with the long-eared burden-bea
$, "Kissing the hand does not wear tn
=. mouth" shows the common orient;
salutatiOn of an inferior, and hints tina
it may serve a good purpose in til
~ ~ end.
"DOn't hire house, but hire neigh
ne bor."
"God will help him who marries
&c. &c. wife, and builds house,"
III Several contain hints as to religion
IS, observances and beliefs:
rs "He begs i'll st. Sophia to give ava
K K in Mosque Achmet."
rs ''The full moon brings feasts.n
IS eff God shuts one door he opens
rs thousand"
5 "God bestows his tavors without ask
or ing who was your father?"
ill "GOd bestows gifts on worthy hearts
pit "Conscience is half of faith"
an "God has no partner"
,n ,ia The worthy Effendi has somewhi
in peculiar rendering of this proverb, viz
co "Anybody can't have mediation in til
- works of God" 1t indicates the Mus
sulman's rejection of the idea of til
:. Trinity. He regards Christ with revel
! ence, as the last and greatest of til
- prophets before Mahomet, but denie
his divinity.