Sindhis were sensible enough to realize that too much money
does not automatically buy them happiness. Hence they claimed:
Uho sone hi ghoryo, Jo kana chhiney
Which implies that, those golden earrings are not worthy of
possession if they are too heavy and tear your ears. Yet Sindhis believed that
wealth was an important requisite to happiness. Hence they stated:
Naarey binaa nar
vegaano
Which means that without money man feels alone and
dejected.
Sindhis observed that being depressed unhappy and worried is like a
disease. Hence they stated:
Khushee jairee
khuraak koney, gantee jairo marz
koney
Which means that there is no nourishment like joy, and no
disease is worse than worry.
In the next proverb Sindhis as a matter of fact compared
worry to death. They stated:
Chintaa chikhyaa
samaan
Then how does one get peace and joy? Sindhis advised:
Vandey viraayey
sukh paaye
Which means that sharing what one has with ones brethren ,
gives happiness. Sindhis believed that if someone gives one something for
safe-keeping, one must honorably return it when the time came. Hence they
stated:
Amaanat mein
khyaanat na kajey
Sindhis believed that those who are honest will never want even though
they may be cheated. Hence they claimed:
Baanee saayee jee
saayee, Gaayee bukhyey jo
bukhyo
Which literally means that the grass of an honest person
will remain green, no matter how many people continue to partake of it, and
remain ungratified.
The entrance and exit of money, prestige, possessions are stages that
come at different times into everyone’s life. Hence Sindhis urged not to
criticize others as one never knows when ones turn will come. They said:
Aj hamaan, Subhaaney tamaan
Which literally means, today I suffer, tomorrow you might
be the sufferer.
People have a way of noticing how
much money comes into the house, but they generally never keep count of how much
goes into expenditure. Hence the saying:
Eendo
sabko disey, vendo
disey kon
What happens when wealth bids
adieu? Sometimes it takes your good qualities with it. Hence the saying:
Lachmi vaney ta
lachhan bi vanan
.What happens what God is unhappy with you? According to the Sindhis, you
lose you good sense. Hence the saying:
Allah rusey mat
khasey
Must one be dejected when bad days are around? Not at all! Sindhis
believed that when one door closes, another hundred open. Hence the saying:
Hikree latey sau
patey
Sindhis believed that one must be
sensible before embarking on a tricky mission. Hence they urged one to adopt a
course which would make one achieve ones goal, without stepping on anyone
else’s happiness. They said:
Ehro
kam kajey, Jo
laal labhey, Ain
preet bhee rehjee achey
Which means: Let us act in such a
manner that we find the sought for gem and we continue to retain the friendship.
The following proverb urges one not to take up too many tasks at one time
as it would spoil ones endeavors. About such people Sindhis observed:
Uhey
hath roti mein, Uhey
hath choti mein
Which means that people who take
up too many tasks at one time, are like those who use the same hands to knead
dough, and the same hands to plait their hair.
The latter proverb implies that if
one performs these two tasks at the same time, then ones food would not get
hygienically prepared, and ones hair would get soiled.
The following proverb, though it
may sound similar has a different meaning altogether.
Uheyee
hatha neer mein, Uheyee
hatha kheer mein
It literally states that the same
hands that are immersed in the water (tears) are also immersed in the milk. The
implied meaning of this proverb is that at times life doles out two tasks at the
same time. One provides pain, and the other gives joy.
Sindhis believed that you should
do what you have to do as soon as possible. They stated:
Turt
daan, Maha
kalyaan
and
Turt
kam maha punya
Which means that if you execute
your duty promptly, it is equivalent to performing a good deed.
Sindhis believed that it was the
tongue, or unkind words which caused the most harm, they not only hurt the ones that the harsh language was meant
for but also the one who uttered
them. Sindhis stated:
Uhaayee
zibaan ussa mein vyaarey, Uhaayee
zibaan chhaaon mein vyaarey
Which literally means that the
same tongue makes you sit under the sun and it is the same tongue that makes you
sit in the shade.
Sindhis urged one never to harm
the down-trodden, as God would take up their cause and take revenge for the harm
done to the poor. Hence the saying:
Aah
gareebaa kair khudaayee
Which literally means that if the
down trodden cry in pain for the harm inflicted upon them, then God Himself
takes revenge.
Sindhis believed that :
Un-herya
na her, mataan hirani, Heryaan
na pher mataan phiranee
This proverb states that one
should not get someone used to constant favors done out of goodwill, because
when you stop doing them the benefaction, they might turn against one.
Alternately Sindhis stated:
Sakhi
khaan shoom bhalo, Jo
turt dyey javaab
Which means that he is better, who
promptly says “No” to a proposition, rather than the one who says “Yes”
to proposals, and then goes on to resent the same.
There are people who do favors
unto you, but hurt you by constantly reminding you, and/or being nasty to you.
To such people Sindhis advise:
Na
dijey na dukhoyjey
Which literally means “Do not
give, if you must hurt the person later."
It is ever so difficult to please
everyone all the time. And to top it, to please oneself seems to be, even a more
monumental task. There is no argument to the statement that if one is happy, the
world seems a great place to live in. Hence;
Jeeyu
khush ta jahaan khush
Which literally means that if one
is happy, the world is a cheerful place to live in.