Klingon proverbs

This is a compilation of known proverbs from the fictional Klingon race in the Star Trek television shows and films. Some of these proverbs are not original to Star Trek, but are likely cited as "Klingon" for entertainment value and/or to draw parallels between Human and Klingon culture.

Quotes

Revenge is a dish best served cold.
- Khan Noonien Singh, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, who refers to this as a "Klingon proverb".
- Klingon (CSUR):      
- tlhIngan Hol: bortaS bIr jablu'DI' reH QaQqu' nay'
- Literal translation: When cold revenge is served, the dish is always very good
- Earliest known print reference: Mathilde (1841) by Eugène Sue
  - Original French (1782) : Et puis la vengeance se mange très-bien froide, comme on dit vulgairement... books.google
Four thousand throats may be cut in one night by a running man.
- Klingon (CSUR):         
- tlhIngan Hol: qaStaHvIS wa' ram loSSaD Hugh SIjlaH qetbogh loD
- Literal translation: One man can cut four thousand throats in a single night, if he is continually running.
- Klingon soldier, Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Day of the Dove"
- Klingon language source: The Klingon Dictionary, Marc Okrand

Only a fool fights in a burning house.

Only a fool fights in a burning house.
- Klingon (CSUR):     
- tlhIngan Hol: meQtaHbogh qachDaq Suv qoH neH
- Literal translation: Only a fool fights in a house that continues to burn.
- Kang, Star Trek: The Original Series, "Day of the Dove"
- Klingon language source: The Klingon Way, Marc Okrand

A fool and his head are soon parted.
- Klingon (CSUR):     
- tlhIngan Hol: tugh qoH nachDaj je chevlu'ta'
- Literal translation: Soon a fool and his head will be separated.
- The Final Reflection, John M. Ford
- Klingon language source: qurgh lungqIj

The wind does not respect a fool.
- Klingon (CSUR):   
- tlhIngan Hol: qoH vuvbe' SuS
- Kahless, Star Trek: The Next Generation, "Rightful Heir"
- Klingon language source: The Klingon Way, Marc Okrand

Destroying an Empire to win a war is no victory. And ending a battle to save an Empire is no defeat.
- Klingon (CSUR):            
- tlhIngan Hol: noH QapmeH wo' Qaw'lu'chugh yay chavbe'lu', 'ej wo' choqmeH may' DoHlu'chugh lujbe'lu'
- Literal translation: Victory is not achieved if an Empire is destroyed in order to win a war, and it is not failure if a battle is backed away from in order to preserve an Empire
- Kahless (quoted), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, "Way of the Warrior"
- Klingon language source: The Klingon Way, Marc Okrand

A leader is judged not by the length of his reign but by the decisions he makes.
- Kahless (quoted), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, " Tacking into the Wind"

Great men do not seek power; it is thrust upon them.
- Kahless (quoted), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, " Tacking into the Wind"

If you cannot control yourself, you cannot command others
- Klingon (CSUR):   
- tlhIngan Hol: bISeH'eghlaH'be'chugh latlh Dara'laH'be'
- Literal translation: If you cannot control yourself, you cannot command others.
- Klingon Honor Guard manual, page 16
- Klingon language source: Unknown

Death is an experience best shared.
- Klingon (CSUR):     
- tlhIngan Hol: Heghlu'DI' mobbe'lu'chugh QaQpu' Hegh wanI'
- Literal translation: When someone dies not alone the death event is good.
- Klingon Honor Guard manual, page 29
- Klingon language source: The Klingon Way, Marc Okrand

Pity the warrior who slays all his foes.
- Klingon (CSUR):     
- tlhIngan Hol: Hoch jaghpu'Daj HoHbogh SuvwI' yIvup
- Literal translation: Pity the warrior that kills all his enemies!
- Klingon Honor Guard manual, page 39

A sharp knife is nothing without a sharp eye.
- Klingon (CSUR):     
- tlhIngan Hol: leghlaHchu'be'chugh mIn lo'laHbe' taj jej
- Literal translation: A sharp knife is useless if the eye is unable to clearly see.
- Klingon Honor Guard manual, page 47
- Klingon language source: The Klingon Way, Marc Okrand

Brute strength is not the most important asset in a fight.
- Klingon (CSUR):    
- tlhIngan Hol: Suvlu'taHvIS yapbe' HoS neH
- Literal translation: While fighting, only power is not enough.
- Klingon Honor Guard manual, page 55
- Klingon language source: The Klingon Way, Marc Okrand

Yet if my line should die,
It dies with its teeth in the enemy's throat,
It dies with its name on the enemy's tongue.
For just as mere life is not victory,
Mere death is not defeat;
And in the next world I shall kill the foe a thousand times,
Laughing,
Undefeated.
- A Klingon ritualistic song
- The Hand of Kahless: The Final Reflection and Kahless By John M. Ford, Michael Jan Friedman

Perhaps today is a good day to die.
- Klingon (CSUR):   
- tlhIngan Hol: Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam
- Literal translation: This day is good in order to die.
- Worf, Star Trek: The Next Generation; oft-repeated
- Gowron to Captain Sisko, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, season 4, episode 1, The Way of the Warrior; translated by Worf.

If winning is not important, why keep score?
- Klingon (CSUR):    
- tlhIngan Hol: potlhbe’chugh yay qatlh pe’’eghlu’. (The Klingon way, p.135)
- Worf, Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1, episode 15 11001001

Own the day.
- Klingon
- tlhIngan Hol: jaj vIghaj
- Ensign Lyndsay Ballard's favourite Klingon battle cry.
- Star Trek Voyager: Season 6, episode 18, Ashes To Ashes

Negotiation may cost far less than war, or infinitely more: for war cannot cost more than one's life.
- The Final Reflection, John M. Ford

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, prepare to die.

References

Klingon ConScript Unicode Registry (CSUR)
pIqaD Support
Code2000 Unicode font
Klingon (pIqaD) Unicode font, Internet Archive copy of 24.07.2011, archived from [[1]
Klingon text converter (transliteration)

External links

Wikipedia

Wikipedia has an article about:

Klingon language

Wiktionary

Look up Appendix:Klingon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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Creator	Gene Roddenberry (1921–1991)
Television series	Star Trek (1966–1969) · The Animated Series (1973–1974) · The Next Generation (1987–1994) · Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) · Voyager (1995–2001) · Enterprise (2001–2005) · Discovery (2017–2024) · Picard (2020–2023) · Lower Decks (2020–) · Prodigy (2021–2024) · Strange New Worlds (2022–)
Feature films	*The Original Series*	The Motion Picture (1979) · The Wrath of Khan (1982) · The Search for Spock (1984) · The Voyage Home (1986) · The Final Frontier (1989) · The Undiscovered Country (1991)
	*The Next Generation*	Generations (1994) · First Contact (1996) · Insurrection (1998) · Nemesis (2002)
	Reboot series	Star Trek (2009) · Into Darkness (2013) · Beyond (2016)
Video games	Borg (1996) · Klingon Academy (2000)
Proverbs	Klingon · Vulcan
Other	Star Trek franchise · Last words in Star Trek media · Jean-Luc Picard· Phase II