MyWorks: Book Review: Persian Idioms and Adages

Book Name: Farsi Zarb-ul-amsaal aur Khawatain

Compiler: Muzzamil Ahmed

Publisher: Ferozsons

Pages: 240

Price: 100 rupees

Idioms and adages summarize the collective human conciousness of a culture, nation, cult or a race. Idioms hide behind themselves a history of events. Sometimes they signify accidents. Sometimes, regional adages hold a treasure chest of wisdom in a precise sentence.

In earlier times idioms lived on through oral transmission from one generation to another. Even stories used to be transmitted through this medium. Two pertinent examples are The Adventures of Ameer Hamza and The 1001 Arabian Nights. Both of these books were regional oral traditions, but over generations they have become bed-time stories for children and past-time stories for teenagers and adults.

Even Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him) compiled a book called the 'Book of Wisdom' which is now a part of the Bible. The book contain a large collections of Adages for the human race.

Thinking on this thought, Muzzamil Ahmed has done an excellent job in compiling approx. 1,500 Persian idioms with urdu translations in a book form. The purpose of this book, as Muzzamil states, is to allow the common reader to understand Persian idioms which have become common in our daily life.

I found that most of the idioms were masculine in nature. This signifies the fact that most of these sayings developed in a patriarchal society. Women had a very small role to play in this society. The word Mard (Man) is frequent in many proverbs.

Secondly, religion had a very important role in traditional societies. Words such as Yazdaa (God), Allah (God), Daroog (vice), NAik (virtue), Yousuf (Prophet John (peace be upon him)), Mosa (Prophet Moses (peace be upon him)), et cetera are scattered all over the book.

Here are some idioms from the book: