Մի՛ հաշվեք շնորհալի ձիու ատամները

Transliteration: Mi՛ hashvek’ shnorhali dziu atamnery

Translation: Don’t count the teeth of a horse that is gifted

Explanation: Do not judge gifts you recieve by it’s price, quality, brand, etc. Just appreciate that someone was nice.

Background Information: Common Armenian proverb used across the diaspora.

Context: The informant told me about this proverb during a video call in which I asked her to tell me about an Armenian proverb that she knows about.

Thoughts: I think this proverb is trying to say that you should not judge people or objects based on how nice you think they are. You should just appreciate without expecting greatness. I think this can show that Armenians think that materialism is not important and should not be used to judge the worth of a person.

Երբ աղվեսը չի կարողանում հասնել խաղողի, աղվեսը ասում է, որ դեռ հասունացած չէ

Transliteration: Yerb aghvesy ch’i karoghanum hasnel khaghoghi, aghvesy asum e, vor derr hasunats’ats ch’e

Translation: When the fox cannot reach the grape, the fox says that the grape is not ripe yet.

Explanation: When some people cannot reach their goals, they would always make excuses to justify why they haven’t.

Background Information: Popular Armenian proverb usually used by Armenians in Armenia.

Context: The informant told me about this proverb during a video call in which I asked her to tell me about an Armenian proverb that she knows about.

Thoughts: I think this proverb shows that Armenians value hard workers and do not believe in making excuses as to why you have not succeeded in your dreams and goals. I believe that a fox was used in this proverb because of the fox being a symbol of trickery and slyness. I think the fox is used to show that by making excuses you are trying to get away with not having to work hard and being able to actualize your aspirations.