International Journal Of Literature And Languages
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VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue05 2025
PAGE NO.
183-188
10.37547/ijll/Volume05Issue05-43
The Use of Proverbs in The Work of Modern Uzbek
Poets and Their Role in Poetic Art
Zumrad Masharipova
Independent researcher of Urgench State University, Uzbekistan
Received:
31 March 2025;
Accepted:
29 April 2025;
Published:
31 May 2025
Abstract:
This article analyzes the use of proverbs in modern Uzbek literature, in particular, in the work of poets,
their artistic and aesthetic load, changes in content and form, and their place in the poetic text. The life
experience, exemplary thoughts, and national wisdom embodied in the articles are sometimes used creatively by
the poets, sometimes exactly, and sometimes in a revised form. Also, the poetic interpretation of proverbs in
accordance with modern social conditions is analyzed.
Keywords:
Proverb, folklore, modern Uzbek poetry, poetesses' work, artistry, antithesis, revised folklore, folk oral
art, poetic expression, figurative device.
Introduction:
In the poems of the poetesses, even
more attention is paid to folklorisms, in particular, to
the use of proverbs. One of the main reasons for this is
that proverbs emdiv intonations such as emphasis,
exposition, advice, call, order. In proverbs, however,
brevity, quick-wittedness, and imagery are strong, and
they approach phraseologisms. [12] The factors
observed in these genres serve as a support for the
creators in figuratively reflecting the colorful emotional
tones in the events of the work. Poetesses use them
exactly when appropriate, and in most cases, with
variations.
People's Poet of Uzbekistan Kh.Khudoyberdiyeva in her
poem "These Flowers Like Girls" completely changes
the proverb "A dog barks, a caravan moves":
Itlar huraversin deb,
Aytasan ranging siniq.
Senga yetib bormaydi,
Bu itlarning tovushi.
Tag‘in yetib bormaydi,
Yellardagi xo‘rsiniq.
Hurkib turgan gullarning,
Qizday isib sovushi. [6]
The art of personification is used in lines such as the
breaking of the flower's color, its fright, its warming up
and cooling down like a girl. The lifeless flowers were
imbued with the behavior of a girl. In this regard, the
proverb "A dog barks, a caravan moves" can be applied
not only to people, but also to inanimate objects, as
evidenced by the above verses of Kh.Khudoyberdiyeva.
Poems created using the proverb "A dog barks, a
caravan moves" constitute the majority. O.Hojieva,
whose artistic creativity bears the breath of folk oral
art, uses this proverb, preserving the meaning of the
proverb, as follows.
Safro kuydi ko‘ksimda,
Zardobli gumon o‘tdi.
Itlar izg‘ib izimdan,
Ig‘volar yomon o‘tdi.
O. Khojieva quotes this proverb in another poem
entitled "Approval":
Yaxshi o‘tar, yomonlar o‘tar,
Itlar hurar, karvonlar o‘tar.[4]
In the poem, the art of (tazod) is used through the
antonyms good-bad. Through poetry, the poetess
wants to say that neither sultan nor chilton, neither
good nor bad is eternal, and time passes like a dog's
barking.
The proverb "A dog barks, a caravan moves" is used in
H. Ahmedova's poem as follows:
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Va muzlar dunyoning so‘nggi vahshati,
Hayqirib o‘lganday qadim devona.
Itning hurishiday o‘tadi kunlar
Qolgani afsona, afsona [2]
…
In this poem by H. Ahmedova, there is genuine
folklorism. The folklore material embedded in the
essence of the work of art can be taken in its original
form or in a processed form. Based on this, the study of
folklorisms by dividing them into reworked folklorisms
and original folklorisms has been observed in the
research of our scientists. Revised folklorisms are often
created by changing the form of folklore material and
preserving its meaning.
In the poem "The Mountain Doesn't Meet the
Mountain," Z. Muminova uses a folk proverb, changing
the meaning of the proverb and partially quoting the
proverb as follows:
Qancha itlar hurdi menga,
Dildog‘ bo‘ldim, dildog‘ bo‘ldim.
Qon yig‘ladim o‘z
-
o‘zimga,
Sabog‘ bo‘ldim, sabog‘ bo‘ldim.[8]
The poetess says that "my heart was stained, I shed
tears, and in the end, I became a lesson for myself."
Through the poem, he indicates adherence to the
meaning of the proverb and no longer paying attention
to the barking of "dogs."
In G. Askarova's poem titled "The Disease of Jealousy,"
he also modifies the proverb "A dog barks - a caravan
moves":
G‘iybatchilar
gap
qildilar,
Pok
nomimni
chap
qildilar.
Miyig‘ida
kulib
sekin
Kim u menga hurgan, dedim.[1]
The poetess calmly smiles at the reproaches and
reproaches of provocateurs. Like a caravan passing by
without paying attention to dogs barking, he continues
on his way without paying attention to gossiping
people. He skillfully reveals the meaning of the proverb.
At this point, it should be noted that the requirements
of poetry were violated in the third and fourth lines.
The first and second lines rhyme in the style of a-a, and
in the third and fourth lines, the rhyme requirement is
completely violated.
Proverbs express an instructive thought. However, not
every instructive thought is a proverb. There are certain
conditions for the transformation of an instructive
thought into a proverb. One of such conditions is that
the instructive thought that becomes a proverb must
be tested in the life experience of the people over many
years. And a thought tested by life experience can
convince a person. The instructive thought expressed
in the proverb is reflected not only in individual people,
but also in the fact that it acquires a universal
character. Exemplary, tested universal thought is
determined by having a concise, perfect, and artistic
form.
Qorni
ochga
non
bo‘lsa
bas,
Ko‘zi ochga dunyo yetmas.[7]
When proverbs appear one after another, they can
seem contradictory, as if one contradicts the other. In
fact, we should not forget that they express different
meanings depending on the situation of use. The above
folk proverb and the following
Let's pay attention to the poem by H. Ahmedova:
Shundan
topdim
hayot
falsafasini,
Boylikda
yuvilmas
na
dard,
na
alam.
Ochlikda
o‘lganni
ko‘rmadim,
ammo
O‘lsa ochko‘zlikdan o‘ladi
odam.[2]
The content of the cited folk proverb and the poem by
H. Ahmedova do not contradict each other. Or, in terms
of content, one is not a distorted version of the other.
They are independent proverbs with their own
meaning and independent poems expressing the
content of proverbs. The poetess uses this proverb in
another poem:
Yo‘qchilik hayvonni ayladi odam,
Bu ne sinoatki, emasdir ayon?
Vo ajab, bir-
birin go‘shtin talashar,
To‘qchilik odamni aylabdi hayvon.[3]
It is known that humanity struggles for survival. Some
live contentedly and patiently with what they have,
while others live with the desire to have more than they
have accumulated.
The proverb warns us to reflect and be grateful by
observing the lifestyles of two different categories of
people. He emphasizes that wealth can simply
disappear in an instant, that if needed, it cannot be a
cure for pain, that no one can carry more wealth than
necessary, that one should live with contentment and
work, peace of mind, and beautiful behavior. The
phrase "кўзи оч" in the proverb means "greedy" in the
above poem. In the next poem, the art of (tazod) arises
through the words "yo'qchilik," "to'qchilik." The poet
skillfully incorporated the meaning of the folk proverb
into both poems.
In the proverb, the people, describing their difficult
social situation, poverty, destitution, and the resulting
hunger, destitution, and various misfortunes, using the
method of comparison, show that there is a world of
difference between the lives of the rich and the poor,
that both time and happiness smile upon the rich, that
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their lover always wins, that joy upon joy comes, and
that misfortunes and calamities rain down on the heads
of the poor, and sorrows and grief come one after
another. In poems using the content of proverbs, the
problems of the time are addressed. In the following
verses of G. Askarova, we also see the lines expressing
the meaning of the folk proverb "If there is, they cannot
see, if there is no, they cannot give":
Yo‘qchilikda
itga
yo‘
ldosh
ayladilar,
To‘qligimda xonga qardosh sayladilar.[2]
Both in the folk proverb, and in H. Ahmedova's lines "A
person dies of greed," and in this poem by G. Askarova,
"The nature of people is very interesting. They won't
help you in difficult times, in poverty, they'll try to avoid
you - if you exist, they won't see you, they'll gossip
about you behind your back, spread gossip. How can
this be, is this even fair?!" In the poem, the art of tazod
is used through the lines "in poverty - in satiety."
In general, skilled poets do not allow randomness in
making changes to the proverbs used, but creatively
approach the change, effectively using it to enhance
the artistic and aesthetic spirit of the work, polishing
the traditional expression and strengthening the
meaning.
In poetry, the creation of social system phenomena
through examples of oral folk art, including proverbs,
requires special skill from the creator. In her poem
"Sitorai Mohi Xosa," O. Hojiyeva uses the folk proverb
"He does not humiliate the Sultan's bone":
Sulton-ku, suyagin asli xor etmas,
Mohi Xosam, senga ming bahor yetmas.[4]
The proverb "The Sultan does not humiliate his bones"
is also used in the epic "Alpamysh." Due to the conflict
between the brothers Boybori and Boysari, the younger
brother leaves his homeland. He suffers so much in
foreign lands. Due to the consequences of the rupture
between relatives, not only the family, but also the
entire nation suffers from oppression and poverty. The
idea put forward in the epic "Alpamysh," in O. Hojieva's
poem, written under the influence of a folk proverb,
also depicts the suffering of an entire family in a place
where there is no harmony.
In Z.Muminova's poem "In a child's teardrop," a folk
proverb is also used. The poetess creates folklore under
the influence of proverbs and the events of the epic
"Alpamysh." Through the poem, he puts forward the
idea that "it is impossible to achieve heights with anger,
and a lonely person can do nothing." Through the
depiction of Boysari wandering away from his
homeland, he skillfully incorporates into his work that
even infants shed tears:
“Sulton suyagin xo‘rlamas”,
Sharimsor ulton
ni ko‘rdim.[8]
Although during their lifetime they fought over the
throne, property, land, inheritance, dug pitfalls for each
other, and even didn't hesitate to execute each other,
after death they buried their bodies in special
mausoleums where their ancestors were buried with
honor and ceremony, without humiliation. Using the
proverb "The Sultan does not humiliate his bones" as
an example of these situations, G. Askarova
metaphorically describes the current state of the ruling
class representatives in her poem "My Father's Debt,"
citing the proverb "The Sultan does not humiliate his
bones," explaining her painful lamentations:
Sultonlari
suyagini
xorlatmadi,
Zari borlar o‘zini hech xo‘rlatmadi.[1]
Just as rice is not without puddles, even today, in the
form of a bitter sarcasm against people who support
each other, do not humiliate their relatives, abuse their
position, place close relatives in high positions
(regardless of whether they deserve it or not), and, on
the contrary, do not allow competent, business-
minded, capable employees who can make positive
changes in their work (for their alienation) to come
near them, the lyrical hero scatters his sorrowful truths
on paper. In the poem, the proverb is used in a way that
fully meets the requirements of original folklorism.
Revised folklorisms are also widely used in modern
Uzbek poetry. Revised folklorisms are formed by
changing the form of folklore materials and preserving
their meaning. Let's follow the continuation of
G.Askarova's above verses:
Suvlar
kelib-kelib
yana
soyga
oqdi,
Zamonlari borib-borib boyga boqdi.[1]
In this poem, the poetess, having changed the folk
proverb "The rich look after the rich, the water flows
into the stream," but preserving its meaning, depicts
how representatives of the oppressing class oppress
and exploit the working people, torture them, create
better living conditions for themselves, and support
each other on the path to accumulating more wealth.
There are several variants of this proverb expressing
this meaning: "Water flows to the stream, money to the
rich," "Boy is rich, God is rich," "The rich strive for the
rich, the poor share with the poor," "The rich man
opens the rich man's door and the rich man closes it."
Even in an outdated system, it's a great act of courage
for a woman to pour all her grief into poetry, even if she
grieves for the injustice of certain individuals.
O. Khojieva, in her poem "What she said to her son-in-
law, the Uzbek Gafurjon, at the wedding of Gulposhsha,
the daughter of this shepherd," quotes the folk proverb
"What falls on the head, the eye sees":
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Boshga tushganini mana ko‘z ko‘rdi,
Taqdirin shu yu
rtga qo‘sh
-
egiz ko‘rdi.[4]
According to religious narratives, everyone's fate is
written on their forehead. Every person lives according
to that writing. The poetess's lyrical hero also sees what
is written on his forehead, what has befallen him, and
the same meaning is expressed in the folk proverb.
Z. Muminova also quotes the proverb "What falls on
the head, the eye sees":
Boshga tushganini ko‘z
-
la ko‘rdilar,
Turnalar qaytguncha omon bo‘laylik.[10]
It's a fact that as the days get warmer, cranes arrive,
and as soon as they cool down, they return to warmer
regions. But through the poem, the poetess wants to
express not the arrival and departure of birds, but a
completely different content. Time doesn't always
stand still. What trials did the people endure before
achieving national traditions, their own language, and
freedom?! The poetess says that "they saw the events
that happened in the meantime." Through cranes and
doves, it depicts the restoration of peace in the
country, the fulfillment of our people's centuries-old
dreams and aspirations, and the pure names of our
great ancestors mixed with clay. At the end of the
poem, we perceive that our people dream of seeing an
even brighter future, through the lines "Let's survive
until the cranes return." Z. Muminova is a skilled poet,
and in the following poem, we observe that the
requirements of poetry are violated. The words
qumrilar and ko'rddilar in the first and third lines
cannot rhyme. The root of the word qumri is "sand,"
the root of the word ko'rdi appears to be "blind," the
poetic requirement is violated. Due to the complete
absence of rhyme in the third and fourth lines, although
the poem is connected in terms of content, it is not
connected in terms of tone.
Z. Isroilova, in her poem "Oldingdan oqqan suv," quotes
the folk proverb "Oldingdan oqqan suvning qadri yo'q"
in the first line of the poem:
Oldda oqqan suvning qadri yo‘q, derlar,
Go‘rlikda noshukur hukmi deb yurdim.
Mana, qancha suvlar oqib o‘tdilar,
Birovni suvga zor, birni sher ko‘rd
im.[11]
Sometimes such things happen in life: when a person
has a need, they don't ask their loved ones, but turn to
completely unfamiliar, distant people. This is due to his
distrust of his loved ones or his lack of appreciation for
them. H. Khudoyberdi also uses the aforementioned
folk proverb in his poem "Oldimdan oqqan suv" (The
water that flowed before me), citing its original
meaning:
Oldimdan oqqan suv, beqadr suvim
Umrida bir yayrab yozilmaganim.[6]
This poem by the poetess is dedicated to her mother.
Sometimes there are events in life where a person
realizes that they need something or someone more
after losing that precious blessing. The word "water" in
the poem expresses a figurative meaning (metaphor).
The poetess describes her mother through the image of
water. "There is a path from heart to heart," "Heart is
the mirror of heart," "Heart takes the poison of heart,"
"Heart is a messenger to heart," "Heart gives news to
heart," "Heart drinks water from heart." Through these
proverbs, the human heart is such that it understands
and knows the hearts of others. It is said that finding a
way to captivate another's heart is enough.
H. Khudoyberdiyeva uses the folk proverb "A bowed
head is not cut by a sword" in the following poem:
Mudom egik boshimizni qilichlar kesdi,
Endi elga egilmas bosh bergin, Xudoyim.[6]
The folk proverb "A bowed head is not cut by a sword,"
which means that if a person is humble without pride
and arrogance, and keeps his heart open to any angry
person, he will survive various difficult situations, is
expressed in a completely opposite sense in the
poetess's poem. It is not difficult to notice that the
poem depicts the events of the social system. It's
natural for someone to bow their head when they
appeal to someone to resolve existing problems but
their request is rejected. In such cases, the fate of
freedom-loving people who are subjected to reproach
and blame is depicted. When crying was of no use, he
prayed to God, "My eyes are desert, give me a single
tear, my God." Through the lines "Now give your head
to the people without bowing, my God" - it becomes
clear that he dreams of raising human dignity.
One of the peculiarities of G. Askarova's poems is that
the title serves as the opening in the composition of the
poem. The poetess creates folklorism by using a special
type of folklore genre to enhance the charm and impact
of the poem:
“Kekkayganga kekkaygin”,
Boshing ko‘kka yetguncha.[9]
In the poem, the poetess conveys the meaning of
arrogance, quoting the proverb "Kekkayganga kekkay,
chekchayganga chekchay" in the form of "Kekkayganga
kekkayib yasha," which is also expressed in the form of
"Kekkayganga kekkayib yasha." The folk proverb "One
death for one head" is also called "One beautiful death.
One day you will die," which illuminates the meaning of
the proverb:
Bir go‘zal o‘l. Bir bor o‘larsan.
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Bir buyuk o‘l. Beasos o‘lma.
“Kekkayganga kekkayib yasha”,
Beg‘urur
-
u beqasos o‘lma.[1]
The lyrical hero, in the first two lines of the proverb
"One death for one head," asserts that a person comes
to life once and dies once, that no one is eternal in this
life, that life is a trust given to a person, that in a short
life one should leave a good name, that one should not
live cowardly and die courageously. In the following
verses, he says, "Don't behave helplessly in front of
someone who shows arrogance, treats you with
disdain, and disregards you, don't demean your pride,
and live proudly for those who are arrogant." In G.
Askarova's work, there are many poetic works written
under the influence of folklore, fairy tales, legends, and
narratives, using folklore images and motifs. The
poetess, skillfully using folk proverbs and creating
folklorisms, is worthy of recognition for obtaining
unique, unexpected conclusions through the wise
expression of the people. This uniqueness has become
one of the facets of the poetess's style. In the next
poem "Dunyo bu," the original folklorism arose
because the folk proverb "Otang - bozor, onang-bozor"
was used:
Otang
bozor
dunyo
bu,
Onang
bozor
dunyo
bu.
Tilayverib
qo‘ymadik
Bizdan
bezor
dunyo
bu,
Otang
bozor
dunyo
bu,
Onang bozor dunyo bu.[1]
The proverb "Your father is the market, your mother is
the market" is addressed to a person who is struggling
to find something from neighbors, acquaintances, or
close ones, and is lamenting about it. "Go to the market
and you'll find it." What doesn't exist in the market
means that it doesn't exist. In this poem, G.Askarova
once again demonstrates her skill, precisely citing the
content of the folk proverb.
In the history of human society, there have been many
injustices and unfairness (it is enough to recall the
proverbs "Truth is in the sky, the ladder is in the wallet,"
"If you speak the truth, they will beat you, they will love
flattery," "An era when lies turn out to be true, an era
when flowers turn out to be true"), but in life
experience, people who are fully convinced that truth
will remain truth, that truth will triumph over injustice,
and that those who do wrong will one day suffer the
consequences of their actions, support the truth,
condemn injustice, and call people to follow the path of
truth. "Truth is always victorious," "True words
prevail," "Truth splits a hair forty times," "Truth neither
burns in fire nor drowns in water," "Truth cannot be
wrong," "There is no progress in wrongdoing," "Truth
rises to truth, it squeezes from the throat of
wrongdoing," "Truth is done by the people," "Truth will
one day shine like the sun," "Truth bends, bends, but
does not break."[9] In the above folk proverbs,
ultimately, truth prevails. Justice will prevail.
H.Ahmedova analyzes and concludes the proverb
"Truth bends, bends, but does not break" in a
completely different way, citing it at the beginning of
the poem:
Haqiqat
bukilar
lekin
sinmaydi,
Bilmadim,
qaysi
bir
zamon
naqli
bu.
Balki
nohaqlikdan
kuygan
faqirning
Yupanch tokchasida qolgan aqli bu…
[3]
Eski
maqol
kezar
tosh
ko‘chalarni,
Qonini
silkitib
yuraklarini.
Har
tong
supuradi
rahmdil
shamol
Haqiqatning singan suyaklarini...[5]
As we have witnessed, H. Ahmedova, expressing a
completely opposite attitude to the folk proverb, says:
"Truth bends, bends, breaks." By giving the proverb a
completely opposite meaning, he condemns the scenes
of the social system and existing injustices. In the
second stanza of the poem, non-compliance with the
requirements of the poem is also observed.
G. Askarova uses this folk proverb in her poem
"Munojot" as follows.
Haq bor! Bir kun haq boshlarni adl etgay,
Ozodlik bor! Har hukmni odil etgay.[1]
Each line is assigned a separate comment. The
injustices and unfairness that befell U. Nasir hindered
the establishment of justice during his lifetime due to
the social system. Although U. Nasir's fate ended
tragically, his creative legacy and bright memory
captivate the psyche of the lyrical hero. G.Askarova
proves the folk proverb "Truth bends, bends, but does
not break" in the poem "Munojat" of social content
using the example of the fate of U.Nasir, citing the
content of the proverb. In proverbs that have changed
in form, the content is also expressed to a certain
extent differently. In this matter, the artist's skill also
plays a key role.
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