Manchu Proverbs 271–286
Manchu proverbs are the distilled wisdom of a people whose language once commanded an empire. This tenth collection presents 16 proverbs. Each saying pairs the elegant vertical Manchu script with romanization and English translation, allowing learners to encounter the language as it was written and spoken. These proverbs address the conduct of daily life: how to choose friends, how to speak with care, how to face adversity, and how to cultivate virtue. It presents proverbs 271 through 286, continuing our journey through the moral imagination of Manchu culture.
[271] Manchu script ᡤᡠ ᠪᡝ ᡶᠣᠯᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠣᠴᡳ ᡨᡝᡨᡠᠨ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ, ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠣᠴᡳ ᠮᡠᡨᡠᠨ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization gu be folorakv oci tetun ojorakv, niyalma tacirakv oci mutun ojorakv.
English Jade is not a vessel until carved; a person does not become accomplished without learning.
[272] Manchu script ᠪᠠᡵᡩᠠᠩᡤᡳ ᡩᠠᡳᡶᡠ ᡩᡝ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠣᡴᡨᠣ ᠠᡴᡡ,ᠪᠠᡵᡩᠠᠩᡤᡳ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization bardanggi daifu de sain okto akv,bardanggi niyalma de sain gisun akv.
English A boastful doctor has no good medicine; a boastful person has no good words.
[273] Manchu script ᡴᡳᠴᡝᠪᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡤᡠᠩᡤᡝ ᠪᡳ, ᡥᡝᠣᠯᡝᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡨᡠᠰᠠ ᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization kicebe de gungge bi, heolen de tusa akv.
English Diligence brings achievement; idleness brings no benefit.
[274] Manchu script ᠠᠮᠠᡵᡤᡳᠩᡤᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡤᡠᡵᡳᠪᡠᡶᡳ, ᠵᡠᠯᡝᡵᡤᡳᠩᡤᡝ ᠪᡝ ᠵᡠᡴᡳᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization amargingge be guribufi, julergingge be jukimbi.
English Rob Peter to pay Paul; shift from one side to patch the other.
[275] Manchu script ᠨᡳᠣᡥᡝ ᠪᡝ ᠶᠠᡵᡥᡡᡩᠠᠮᡝ ᠪᠣᠣᡩᡝ ᡩᠣᠰᡳᠮᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization niohe be yarhvdame boode dosimbumbi.
English Invite a wolf into the house.
[276] Manchu script ᠪᡝᠶᡝᡳ ᡝᠨᠴᡝᡥᡝᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡝᡵᡨᡠᡶᡳ ᠵᡝᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization beyei encehen de ertufi jembi.
English Live by one’s own labor.
[277] Manchu script ᠮᡠᡴᡝ ᡤᠣᠴᡳᡶᡳ ᠸᡝᡥᡝ ᡨᡠᠴᡳᡥᡝᠪᡳ.
Romanization muke gocifi wehe tucihebi.
English When the water recedes, the stones appear: the truth comes to light.
[278] Manchu script ᡝᡨᡠᡴᡠ ᠪᡝ ᡶᠠᡳᡨᠠᠴᡳ ᠪᡝᠶᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡨᡠᠸᠠ.
Romanization etuku be faitaci beye be tuwa.
English Cut the cloth to fit the body: act according to actual conditions.
[279] Manchu script ᠮᠣᠣ ᠪᡝ ᠰᠠᠪᡠᡶᡳ ᠪᡠᠵᠠᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠰᠠᠪᡠᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization moo be sabufi bujan be saburakv.
English See the trees but not the forest.
[280] Manchu script ᠪᠣᠯᠣᡵᡳ ᠠᡤᠠ ᠪᠣᡵᠣ ᠪᡝ ᡠᠰᡳᡥᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization bolori aga boro be usihirakv.
English Autumn rain cannot soak a calf: a tiny effort may make no real difference.
[281] Manchu script ᡴᠠᠩᠨᠠᠴᡳ ᡝᡳᡥᡝᠨ ᠵᠠ, ᠪᡝᠩᠨᡝᠴᡳ ᡳᡥᠠᠨ ᠵᠠ.
Romanization kangnaci eihen ja, bengneci ihan ja.
English It is easy to make a donkey leap and easy to slow an ox; the gloss refers to how subordinates may be easy to push around.
[282] Manchu script ᠰᡳᠨᡩᡝ ᠠᡳ ᠠᠩᡤᠠ, ᡤᠠᡥᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠠᡳ ᠰᠠᠩᡤᠠ.
Romanization sinde ai angga, gaha de ai sangga.
English Whatever mouth you have, the bird has its beak: a rebuke for blaming others for saying what should not have been said.
[283] Manchu script ᡥᡳᠨ ᠰᡝᡵᡝ ᠣᠴᡳ, ᡥᠠᡩᠠ ᡩᡝ ᡥᠠᡶᡠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization hin sere oci, hada de hafumbi.
English With true determination, even a high mountain can be crossed: nothing is impossible to the determined.
[284] Manchu script ᠠᠪᡴᠠ ᡠᠪᡳᠶᠠᠴᡳ ᠨᡠᡥᠠᠯᡳᠶᠠᠨ ᡩᡝ, ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡠᠪᡳᠶᠠᠴᡳ ᠮᡠᡥᡠ ᡝ.
Romanization abka ubiyaci nuhaliyan de, niyalma ubiyaci muhu de.
English If Heaven dislikes someone, they are put low; if people dislike someone, they are put high: the gloss says destiny cannot be defied.
[285] Manchu script ᠪᡝᠯᡥᡝ ᡤᡝᠰᡝ ᡝᡵᡩᡝᠮᡠ ᠪᡝᠶᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡨᡠᠰᠠ.
Romanization belhe gese erdemu beye de tusa.
English A skill prepared in advance is useful to oneself: preparedness prevents trouble.
[286] Manchu script ᡴᠠᡥᠠ ᡳ ᠰᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡩᡝ ᡤᠠᠯᠠ ᠰᡳᠰᡳᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization kaha i sangga de gala sisimbi.
English Even a blocked hole may still admit a hand: even very difficult situations may have a solution.