A Circassian proverb is a псалъэжь, literally an “old word”. Here are 21 real Circassian proverbs in Kabardian, the eastern dialect, with what each one means. Several are about нэмыс, respect and decency, and напэ, “face”, honor and conscience, words you meet again in Habze, the Circassian code of conduct.
20 of them are printed in the Kabardino-Cherkess–Russian Dictionary (Nalchik, 2008), and their meanings follow the dictionary’s own translations. Most also appear in the list of Kabardian proverbs on the Kabardian Wikipedia, which is where the proverb about guests comes from. Proverbs live in speech, so you will hear small differences in wording from one family or village to the next.
Honor and respect
Honor, decency and respect for others come first:
Псэр ящэри, напэ къащэху.
They sell the soul to buy honor.
напэ is literally “face”; the dictionary also gives “conscience”.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 364 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
Нэмыс здэщымыIэм насыпи щыIэкъым.
Where there is no modesty, there is no happiness either.
нэмыс: decency, respect.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 336 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
НэгъуэщIхэр бгъэлъапIэмэ, уи щхьэри лъэпIэнщ.
Honor others, and you will be honored yourself.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 305 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
Words and speech
Words count in Circassian culture, and so does knowing when to keep quiet:
Гупсыси псалъэ, зыплъыхьи тIыс.
Think, then speak; look around, then sit down.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 62 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
Уи къамэ тIэу къыумых, уи псалъэ тIэу жумыIэ.
Don’t draw your dagger twice; don’t say your word twice.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 451 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
Пэжым нэр ирещI.
The truth stings the eyes.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 348 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
Friends and family
On the people you choose and the people you are born with:
Къуэш егъу нэхърэ ныбжьэгъуфI.
A good friend is better than an envious brother.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 284 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
Ныбжьэгъур гъуджэщ.
A friend is a mirror.
The dictionary compares it with “tell me who your friend is, and I’ll tell you who you are”.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 340
Guests and hosts
Hospitality runs through Circassian culture, and proverbs too:
Адыгэ и хьэщIэр быдапIэ исщ.
A Circassian’s guest sits as if in a fortress.
The meaning is the Circas.ru collection’s translation of the same proverb in Adyghe.
Kabardian Wikipedia list · Circas.ru collection
УзыгъэтIыс уиубыжыркъым.
Whoever seats you at the table will not speak ill of you.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 448 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
Courage and patience
Bravery, and the patience that goes with it:
ЛIыгъэр ажалым щыщтэркъым.
Courage is not afraid of death.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 312 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
Е улIын, е улIэн.
Either be a man or die.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 96 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
ШыIэ зиIэм насып иIэщ.
Whoever has patience has happiness.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 580
Work and life
Practical wisdom for everyday life:
Iуэху мыублэ блэ хэсщ.
A snake sits in a task not yet begun.
The dictionary’s equivalent is the Russian “лиха беда начало”: the hardest part is starting.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 330 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
Гугъуехь зымылъэгъуам тыншыгъуэ ищIэркъым.
One who has not known hardship does not know comfort.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 297 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
КъэкIуэгъуафIэ кIуэжыгъуафIэщ.
What comes easily goes easily.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 228 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
Уи тепIэн еплъи, уи лъэ укъуэдий.
Look at your blanket, then stretch out your legs.
The dictionary’s equivalent: cut your coat according to your cloth.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 452
Мыдэф и Iуданэ кIыхьщ.
She who cannot sew has a long thread.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 650 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
Pictures from nature
Snakes, ants and rivers carry some of the sharpest lessons:
Псыр гъужми, псы жапIэр къонэ.
Even if the river dries up, its bed remains.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 366
Блэ зэуар аркъэным щощтэ.
One bitten by a snake is afraid of a lasso.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 107 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
ХъумпIэцIэджым и кIуэдыжыгъуэм дамэ къытокIэ.
When the ant’s end is near, it grows wings.
Kabardian–Russian dictionary, p. 213 · Kabardian Wikipedia list
The same proverb in two dialects
Circassian has two literary languages, Kabardian in the east and Adyghe in the west, and many proverbs live in both. Here are three, with the Adyghe versions and their translations from the Circas.ru collection:
The words change, but the picture stays: the dagger and the word, the snake in the unstarted task, the soul given for honor. To see how the two dialects differ in everyday words, read Kabardian vs Adyghe.
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Circassian proverbs: frequently asked questions
What is a proverb called in Circassian?
In Kabardian a proverb is a псалъэжь, which the Kabardino-Cherkess–Russian dictionary explains as literally “old word”.
What is a famous Circassian proverb about guests?
Адыгэ и хьэщIэр быдапIэ исщ: a Circassian’s guest sits as if in a fortress.
What is a Circassian proverb about words?
Уи къамэ тIэу къыумых, уи псалъэ тIэу жумыIэ: don’t draw your dagger twice; don’t say your word twice. Adyghe has the same proverb.
What is a Circassian proverb about friendship?
Къуэш егъу нэхърэ ныбжьэгъуфI: a good friend is better than an envious brother. Another one is Ныбжьэгъур гъуджэщ: a friend is a mirror.
Are these proverbs Kabardian or Adyghe?
The proverbs on this page are given in Kabardian, the eastern dialect, almost all from the Kabardino-Cherkess–Russian dictionary. Three of them are also shown in Adyghe, from the Circas.ru collection.
Sources
- M.L. Apazhev, Dzh.N. Kokov, Kabardino-cherkessko-russky slovar (Kabardino-Cherkess–Russian Dictionary, about 27,000 words), ed. B.Ch. Bizhoev, Nalchik: Elbrus, 2008. The proverbs and their Russian translations on pp. 62, 96, 107, 213, 228, 284, 297, 305, 312, 330, 336, 340, 348, 364, 366, 448, 451, 452, 580 and 650; псалъэжь p. 363, напэ p. 333.
- Kabardian Wikipedia, “Адыгэ Псалъэжьхэр”, the list of Kabardian proverbs, after Şamil Emre Aydın, Çerkes Atasözleri, 2023 (ISBN 9786056569128).
- “Adygskie poslovitsy i pogovorki” (Adyghe proverbs and sayings, with Russian translations), © Circas.ru, published by the International Circassian Association, intercircass.org, 2012.
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