the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on

proverb

History (or progress) moves ahead, no matter the criticism it may attract.

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Meanings

proverb

alternative the dogs bark, but the caravan moves on

  1. History (or progress) moves ahead, no matter the criticism it may attract.

Origin

The saying, found in many Eurasian languages, probably originated in Turkish (it ürür, kervan yürür), where it rhymes.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic الْقَافِلَةُ تَسِيرُ وَالْكِلَابُ تَنْبَحُ
  • الْقَافِلَةُ تَسِيرُ وَالْكِلَابُ تَنْبَحُ (al-qāfilatu tasīru wālkilābu tanbaḥu)life goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Bulgarian ку́четата ла́ят, керва́нът си върви́
  • ку́четата ла́ят, керва́нът си върви́ (kúčetata lájat, kervánăt si vărví)life goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Chinese Mandarin 我行我素，豈管他哉 /我行我素, 岂管他哉
  • 我行我素，豈管他哉 /我行我素life goes on even if some will try to stop progress
  • 岂管他哉 (wǒ xíng wǒ sù, qǐ guǎn tā zāi)life goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Czech psi štěkají, ale karavana jde dál, psi štěkají, ale karavana jede dál
  • psi štěkají, ale karavana jde dállife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
  • psi štěkají, ale karavana jede dállife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Finnish koirat haukkuvat ja karavaani kulkee
  • koirat haukkuvat ja karavaani kulkeelife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
French les chiens aboient, la caravane passe, le chien aboie, la caravane passe
  • les chiens aboient, la caravane passelife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
  • le chien aboie, la caravane passelife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
German die Hunde bellen, aber die Karawane zieht weiter
  • die Hunde bellen, aber die Karawane zieht weiterlife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Greek τα σκυλιά αλυχτούν μα το καραβάνι προχωρά
  • τα σκυλιά αλυχτούν μα το καραβάνι προχωρά (ta skyliá alychtoún ma to karaváni prochorá)life goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Hebrew הכלבים נובחים,אבל השיירה עוברת
  • הכלבים נובחים,אבל השיירה עוברת (haklavím novkhím, avál hashayará ovéret)life goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Hungarian a kutya ugat, a karaván halad
  • a kutya ugat, a karaván haladlife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Indonesian anjing menggongong, kafilah berlalu
  • anjing menggongong, kafilah berlalulife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Korean 개가 짖어도 기차는 달린다
  • 개가 짖어도 기차는 달린다 (gaega jijeodo gichaneun dallinda)life goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Polish psy szczekają, karawana idzie dalej, psy szczekają, karawana jedzie dalej
  • psy szczekają, karawana idzie dalejlife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
  • psy szczekają, karawana jedzie dalejlife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Portuguese os cães ladram, mas a caravana passa
  • os cães ladram, mas a caravana passalife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Romanian câinii latră, ursul merge, câinii latră, carvana trece
  • câinii latră, ursul mergelife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
  • câinii latră, carvana trecelife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Russian соба́ка ла́ет, а карава́н идёт, соба́ка ла́ет, а ба́ры е́дут
  • соба́ка ла́ет, а карава́н идёт (sobáka lájet, a karaván idjót)life goes on even if some will try to stop progress
  • соба́ка ла́ет, а ба́ры е́дут (sobáka lájet, a báry jédut)life goes on even if some will try to stop progress
  • соба́ка ла́ет, ве́тер но́сит (sobáka lájet, véter nósit)life goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Slovak psy štekajú, ale karavána ide ďalej
  • psy štekajú, ale karavána ide ďalejlife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Spanish los perros ladran, pero la caravana pasa
  • los perros ladran, pero la caravana pasalife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Turkish it ürür, kervan yürür
  • it ürür, kervan yürürlife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Vietnamese chó cứ sủa còn đoàn người cứ đi
  • chó cứ sủa còn đoàn người cứ đilife goes on even if some will try to stop progress
Cite this entry
APA

the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20dogs%20bark%2C%20but%20the%20caravan%20goes%20on

MLA

“the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20dogs%20bark%2C%20but%20the%20caravan%20goes%20on. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20dogs%20bark%2C%20but%20the%20caravan%20goes%20on.

Source: the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.