Thanks to Shambhu Oja for providing the original list of these proverbs (and for being a great teacher and person overall!) 🙏
Please submit pull requests for any additions or edits you might have!
| Nepali 🇳🇵 | Literal Translation |
English Equivalent 🇬🇧 |
|---|---|---|
| हात्तीको मुखमा जीरा। | A cumin seed in the mouth of an elephant. | A drop in the bucket. |
| जाहाँ ईन्चा त्याहाँ उपाय। | Where there is a will there is a way. | |
| घाँती हेरी हाड निल्नुस। | Look at the throat, swallow the bone. | Don’t bite off more than you can chew. |
| सास छउन्जेल आस। | As long as there is breath, there is hope | |
| हीड्दैछ पाइला मेद्दैचा। | Walking without leaving a footprint. | In one ear, out the other. |
| मौका आउछ पर्खदैन बगेको खोला फर्कदैन। | Opportunity flows down the river and doesn’t return. | Opportunity only knocks once. |
| जसको शक्ती उसको भक्ति। | Who has power has devotion. | Might is right. |
| नाच्न नजान्ने आँगन टेडो। | Bad dancer — crooked floor. | A bad carpenter blames his tool. |
| आफ्नो जिउको भैसी नदेख्ने अर्काको जीउको जुम्रा पनि देख्ने। | Not seeing the bison of own body while seeing the louse of another’s body. | Pot calls kettle black. |
| हतपतको काम लतपत। | Work of haste — waste. | Haste makes waste. |
| माग्नेलाई तातो भात। | Hot rice to a beggar. | |
| औंला दिदा डुडुलो लिने। | Give a finger, take an arm. | |
| एक पन्थ दो काज। | One path two jobs. | Two birds one stone. |
| मुखे देखि दौब पनि डराउछ। | Even the god is scared of the fool. |