Pashto Proverbs
پشتو متلونه

S. S. Thorburn

From "Bannu: Our Afghan Frontier"

Topic: Death
مرګ

Almost every thought here below expressed is familiar to us; for peoples who believe in a God and a future state of reward and punishment have necessarily a similarity of ideas on death. Christian and Musalman, both feel that it is unpleasant to leave this beautiful world, and the ties that bind them to it, but they know that the severance must come, and reconcile themselves to the inevitable by the reflection that an all-wise God pre-ordains for every man his span of life. While the former often lives and dies unhappily, racked with doubts and fears as to the state of his soul, the latter passes his life with mind at ease, never letting such thoughts disturb him, and meets his end with cool indifference. The reason is to be found in the different religious beliefs of the two, which for the former is, in many material points, perplexing, incomprehensible, and inexplicable; but for the latter, simple, intelligible, and precise. Thus it is that on his death bed a believer in Islam has a lively assurance of salvation; but an ordinary Christian can have none such, unless possessed of a vast amount of faith, which perhaps too often arises from unwarranted self-satisfaction.

• Though a grave be a jail, it is unavoidable for the corpse
  که ګبر زندان دې، د مړي ناکامه ده
  This is from the Persian
• Death is certain, but a grave and a shroud are doubtful
  مرګ حق دې، خو ګبر و کفن په شک دې
  This is from Persian also
• Who dies, has lost
  چې مړ شو، هغه پڼ شو
  So our "Death's day is doom's day"
• When there is death, there is no happiness
  چې مرګې شته، نو ښادي نيشته
• Until a man is under the sod, he won't become concealed
  پټ به پاته نه شي، چې تر خاؤرو لاندې نه شي
• Everyone thinks his own grave is too narrow
  خپل ګبر هر چا ته تنګ ښکارېږي
  Refers to a man never being contented
• Death is not for the young, nor for the old (but for all)
  مرګ نه په واړه دې، او نه په زاړهSo our "Death devours lambs as well as sheep"
• Until the one dies, the other won't be satisfied
  چې يو مړ نه شي، بل موړ نه شي
• But for death on everyone would be his own roof
  که نه وي بير مئي په هر چا به ابادي وي خپلي بسييئي
• The dead wish the judgement day to be even sooner
  مړي په وړاندې قيامت باندې رضا وي
  That is, when a man must go through a certain ordeal, he desires it as soon as possible, as anything is better than a lot of suspense.
• Asses can't be tethered to heaven
  په جنت کښۍ خر تړلي نه شي
  Although there will be room to spare in heaven, it is for men only, not for asses.
• I shall then call my mother good when she has had a happy death-bed
  ادې به وروستو ايمانداره بولم که ئي ځنقدن په خير تير کړه
  During his last moments, the angels are supposed to show the dying man his "A'mal Na'ma" or "character book" after which he either dies peacefully or in terror. The meaning is, that until a man is put to test his character cannot be gauged.
• Even death is a covering for many
  مرګ هم د ډيرو پرده ده
• Paradise is a good place, but the getting there is by lacerating the heart
  جنت ښه ځائ دې، خو ورتلږ د زړه چاؤدل دي
  That is, there is no pleasure without a corresponding amount of pain, "No cross, No Crown"
• Death on a full belly is better than a life of hunger
  په ډک نس مرګ ښه دي، له هغه ژونده چه په لوږه سر وي
• My father died and his fever ended
  بابا مړ شو، تبه ئي پرې ورک شوه
  So our "Death settles all debts"
• Don't die till death comes to you
  په خوا له اجله مه مره
  So our "Never say Die"
• When he dies then only is a man lost (or beyond hope)
  ورک خو هغه شي چې مړ شي
  Corresponding to our "While there is life, there is hope"
• The earth says, "If you are not a criminal don't fear me"
  مزکه وائي که په تا کښۍ ګناه نه وي له ما مه ويريږه
  That is, a good man should not fear death, for it "hath nothing terrible in it but what life hath made it so"
• Priority is good in all things but death
  زاړي هر څه ښه دي، بې له مرګه
• When the world is passing from me, O God! give me not wealth
  چې ځما تر سر شي تيره، خدايه مه کړې دنيا ډيره
  Meaning, give it to me now when I can enjoy it, not when I am dying., or it could also mean that at the time of death, It is not wealth that I need, but your forgiveness.
• Mayest thou (God) not leave my children to any one, nor any one's children to me
  مه مې چا ته پاتې کړې، مه د چا را پاتې کړه
  That is, may I not die until my children are grown up and able to take care of themselves
• Should you live one hundred years, at last you must die, my love
  که دې عمر شي زر کاله، آخر به مرې ځما لالا
• May God not even give a man a narrow grave
  تنګ دې خدائ قبر هم د چا مه کړه
  Whether a man's grave be narrow or wide matters little; still, may God give a man a wide one, that is, plenty of everything both in life and hereafter.
• If you do not die of poverty, at last you will die of old age
  که له خوارئي نه مرې، آخر به د بډاتوب نه مړ شې
• The fly said, "Had I died on the maiden's face, it would not have been death"
  مچ ويل که د پيغلې په مخ مرم، مړ به نه يم
  That is, a honourable end deprives death of its sting. The origin of the saying is said to be this:  a fly alighted on a girl's face, and the girl flipped it off with her hand, and slightly hurt it, whereon another fly condoled with his wounded brother, but was met by the above gallant little reply.
• A sleeper is a brother of the dead
  خوبېدلي د مړه ورور دي
  Shelley writes of "Death and his brother sleep". To many a Bannuchi, this saying has proved literally true, for stabbing during sleep is the commonest form of assassination practiced in Bannu.