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Proverbs about patience
Persian has thousands of proverbs, zarb-ol-masal, and many of the best-loved are about patience. This lesson gives you six you will hear often, with their literal meaning and when to use them.
In this lesson
Persian has thousands of proverbs, zarb-ol-masal, and many of the best-loved are about patience. This lesson gives you six you will hear often, with their literal meaning and when to use them.
Key words and phrases
| Persian | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| صبر تلخ است ولیکن بر شیرین دارد | sabr talkh ast valikan bar-e shirin dārad | patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet |
| گر صبر کنی ز غوره حلوا سازی | gar sabr koni ze ghure halvā sāzi | with patience you can make halva from unripe grapes |
| آهسته برو، پیوسته برو | āheste boro, peyvaste boro | go slowly, go steadily (slow and steady wins the race) |
| جوینده یابنده است | juyande yābande ast | the seeker is the finder (seek and you shall find) |
| کار نیکو کردن از پر کردن است | kār-e niku kardan az por kardan ast | doing good work comes from doing it a lot (practice makes perfect) |
| قطره قطره جمع گردد، وانگهی دریا شود | ghatre ghatre jam’ gardad, vāngahi daryā shavad | drop by drop, it becomes a sea |
| صبر | sabr | patience |
| غوره | ghure | unripe grape |
| حلوا | halvā | halva (a sweet) |
How proverbs work
Many proverbs come from classical poetry and keep its grammar: gar for agar (if), ze for az (from), gardad and shavad for modern mishe. In conversation, people often say only the first half and leave the listener to finish it.
Dialogue: Learning the setār
A frustrated music student talks to her teacher.
| Student | سه ماهه تمرین می‌کنم، هنوز خوب نمی‌زنم. | Se māh-e tamrin mikonam, hanuz khub nemizanam. I’ve been practising for three months and I still don’t play well. |
| Teacher | گر صبر کنی… | Gar sabr koni… If you are patient… |
| Student | …ز غوره حلوا سازی! می‌دونم، ولی سخته. | …ze ghure halvā sāzi! Midunam, vali sakht-e. …you can make halva from unripe grapes! I know, but it’s hard. |
| Teacher | آهسته برو، پیوسته برو. هر روز نیم ساعت کافیه. | Āheste boro, peyvaste boro. Har ruz nim sā’at kāfi-ye. Slow and steady. Half an hour a day is enough. |
| Student | باشه. کار نیکو کردن از پر کردن است! | Bāshe. Kār-e niku kardan az por kardan ast! OK. Practice makes perfect! |
Culture note. Gar sabr koni ze ghure halvā sāzi is often extended: …ze barg-e tut atlas, “…and satin from mulberry leaves”, referring to silkworms. Patience turns humble things into treasures.
Practice
- Complete: gar sabr koni…
Show answer
…ze ghure halvā sāzi.
- What is the English equivalent of āheste boro, peyvaste boro?
Show answer
Slow and steady wins the race.
- What does juyande yābande ast mean?
Show answer
The seeker is the finder: seek and you shall find.
- What is ghure?
Show answer
An unripe grape.
- Which proverb would you use to encourage someone saving money?
Show answer
Ghatre ghatre jam’ gardad, vāngahi daryā shavad.
Next. Next, proverbs about money.