Georgian Proverbs

Sayings of Georgian origin

• Whatever the wind brings he takes away with him.
• He who is in a hurry always arrives late.
• The rich eat when they want, the poor when they can.
• You can conquer the whole world with words, but not with drawn swords.
• You can buy ’em but they don’t stay bought.
• You can better drink from a small well with soft water than from the salty sea.
• You cackle in our place but you lay your eggs at someone else’s place.
• Whoever I love is the most beautiful.
• When you put your nose into the water your cheeks get wet as well.
• When three people say you are drunk, go to sleep.
• When they came to milk the cow she said “I am an ox”, and when they came to harness her she said “I am a cow”.
• Thousands of men were murdered because of their beautiful wives.
• The wolf told the dog: It does not matter that I run and you follow me, what matters is that when I turn around you will be next to me.
• The tall one wouldn’t bend; the short one wouldn’t stretch and the kiss was lost.
• The smile of a rose uplifts the nightingale.
• The rooster said, “I shall cry but whether the sun rises God knows.”
• The right balance depends on the weigher.
• The mother said “I will die”, the wife said “I will marry”, and in the meantime the house is full of dirt.
• The lucky fellow loses his wife, the unlucky fellow loses his horse.
• The fox which was caught in a snare called: If I shall not get the whole chicken, I will not be satisfied with the drumstick.
• The eyeless ant asked God: Give me eye-lashes.
• The dog was asked: Why do you bark? – To scare the wolves. – Why do you wag your tail? -What do you think, am I not afraid of wolves?
• The cat would eat fish, but would not wet her feet.
• The cat which did not reach the sausage said: Anyhow it is Friday.
• The buzzing of the flies does not turn them into bees.
• Only the dumb can silence the chatterer.
• One dirty pig pollutes others.
• One blind man followed the other and they both fell into the ditch.
• Mewing cats catch no mice.
• Men prefer the wife of another but love their own sons more.
• In a place without dogs they teach the cats to bark.
• If you give a man nuts then give him something to crack them with.
• If you forgive the fox for stealing your chickens, he will take your sheep.
• If women were really good, God would be married.
• If the moon helps me I will scoff at the stars.
• I have a lot to say,” said the fish, “but my mouth is full of water.
• God laughs at man’s proposal.
• God is the comfort of the poor.
• Give a blind man eyes and he will ask for eyebrows.
• Do not blame the sun for the darkness of the night.
• Catch the bird before you build a cage.
• Blood vessels are not cleaned with blood.
• Beware of the front of a bull, the back of a horse and both sides of a blind man.
• Better your own copper than another man’s gold.
• A Tatar says to a Tatar: Call me Aga and I will call you Aga, and we shall both be Agas.
• A mother will understand what her dumb son says.
• A golden plate is worth nothing to me when my blood is spilled on it.
• A communal field is ruined by the bears.

Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. (Source)

Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River with a population of approximately 1.5 million people.

Georgian is the literary language for all regional subgroups of Georgians, including those who speak other Kartvelian languages: Svans, Mingrelians and the Laz.

“Tavisupleba” is the title of the national anthem of Georgia.

Lyrics

Our icon is the homeland
Trust in God is our creed,
Enlightened land of plains and mounts,
Blessed by God and holy heaven.
The freedom we have learnt to follow
Makes our future spirits stronger,
Morning star will rise above us
And lightens up the land between the two seas.
Glory to long-cherished freedom,
Glory to liberty!

Georgian Proverbs and Their Meanings

Georgian proverbs come from an ancient mountain nation at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, and they carry the country’s reputation for eloquence, hospitality and a sharp, warm-hearted realism about people. Many are built on vivid images of animals and village life. Here is what some of the best of them mean.

• “You can conquer the whole world with words, but not with drawn swords.” — Persuasion and eloquence achieve what force never can; a nation famous for its toasts and poetry naturally prized the tongue over the blade.
• “He who is in a hurry always arrives late.” — Haste breeds the mistakes and mishaps that cost you far more time than patience would have — the same wisdom as “more haste, less speed.”
• “The rich eat when they want, the poor when they can.” — A plain statement of inequality: the comfortable follow their appetites, while the poor are ruled by necessity.
• “When three people say you are drunk, go to sleep.” — When many people independently tell you the same thing, there is probably truth in it; heed the consensus even when you cannot see it yourself.
• “The buzzing of the flies does not turn them into bees.” — Noise and self-importance do not make a thing valuable; empty talk is not the same as useful work.
• “If you forgive the fox for stealing your chickens, he will take your sheep.” — Tolerating a small wrong only invites a larger one; a predator pardoned once will grow bolder.
• “One blind man followed the other and they both fell into the ditch.” — Following ignorant leadership leads everyone to ruin — the older image behind “the blind leading the blind.”
• “Mewing cats catch no mice.” — Those who make the most noise achieve the least; results come from doing, not from complaining.
• “Catch the bird before you build a cage.” — Do not make elaborate preparations for something you have not yet secured; first the deed, then the arrangements.
• “Give a blind man eyes and he will ask for eyebrows.” — Some people are never satisfied; grant one wish and they immediately demand another.
• “Do not blame the sun for the darkness of the night.” — Do not fault the good or the innocent for troubles they had no part in causing.
• “Better your own copper than another man’s gold.” — What is modestly yours is worth more than richer things that belong to someone else; independence outshines borrowed splendour.
• “You can better drink from a small well with soft water than from the salty sea.” — A modest source that truly serves you beats a vast one that cannot; quality over mere quantity.

Frequently Asked Questions About Georgian Proverbs

What are Georgian proverbs?

They are the folk sayings of Georgia, an ancient country in the Caucasus between the Black Sea and the mountains. Shaped by village life, the Orthodox faith, and a position on the old routes between Europe and Asia, they are often vivid, animal-rich and quietly witty.

What is a famous Georgian proverb?

“You can conquer the whole world with words, but not with drawn swords” is among the best loved — a saying that reflects the great value Georgians place on eloquence, hospitality and the spoken word.

What do Georgian proverbs value most?

They prize hospitality, eloquence, patience and humility, together with a clear-eyed, often humorous realism about human weakness and the way the world really works.

What language are Georgian proverbs written in?

They are in Georgian, a Kartvelian language that is one of the world’s oldest living tongues and has its own distinctive alphabet, unrelated to Latin, Cyrillic or Arabic script.

Explore more in our full library of proverbs and their meanings, or browse related collections of Russian and Armenian proverbs.