Manchu Proverbs 31–60
Manchu proverbs are the distilled wisdom of a people whose language once commanded an empire. This second collection presents proverbs 31 through 60, continuing our journey through the moral imagination of Manchu culture. 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. They reflect a worldview shaped by Confucian ethics, shamanic traditions, and the practical wisdom of steppe and forest. For language learners, proverbs are invaluable. Their brevity makes them memorable; their rhythm aids pronunciation; their vocabulary covers the core of everyday Manchu. Reading them aloud connects you to centuries of speakers who used these same words to teach children, advise friends, and mark the turning points of life. We present each proverb in its original script without artificial line breaks, so the Manchu text flows as a single line, just as it would in a manuscript. Study them slowly, speak them often, and let their wisdom settle into your understanding of the Manchu language and its people
[31] ᡳᠴᡝ ᠪᠣᠣ ᠪᡝ ᠠᡵᠠᡵᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠵᠠ, ᡶᡝ ᠪᠣᠣ ᠪᡝ ᡩᠠᠰᡨᠠᡵᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ.
ice boo be arara de ja, fe boo be dastarangge mangga.
A new house is easy to build; an old house is hard to repair.
[32] ᡩᠣᡵᠣᠯᠣᠨ ᠪᡳᠴᡳ ᡝᠯᡥᡝ ᠣᠮᠪᡳ, ᡩᠣᡵᠣᠯᠣᠨ ᠠᡴᡡ ᠣᠴᡳ ᡨᡠᡴᠰᡳᠴᠠᡴᡝ ᠣᠮᠪᡳ.
dorolon bici elhe ombi, dorolon akv oci tuksicake ombi.
Courtesy brings ease and safety; discourtesy invites danger.
[33] ᡨᠠᠩᡤᡡ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠪᡝ ᠸᠠᡵᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠵᠠ, ᡝᠮᡠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠪᡝ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠮᡝ ᡩᠠᡥᠠᠪᡠᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ.
tanggv niyalma be wara de ja, emu niyalma be gisureme dahaburengge mangga.
It is easier to kill a hundred people than to persuade one person.
[34] ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠠᠴᠠᠨᠠᡵᠠ ᡝᡨᡠᡴᡠ ᠪᡝ ᠰᠣᠨᠵᠣᠮᡝ ᡝᡨᡠᠮᠪᡳ, ᡤᠠᠰᡥᠠ ᡩᡝᠨ ᡥᠠᡳᠯᠠᠨ ᡩᡝ ᠰᠣᠨᠵᠣᠮᡝ ᡶᡝᠶᡝᠯᡝᠮᠪᡳ.
niyalma acanara etuku be sonjome etumbi, gasha den hailan de sonjome feyelembi.
People choose suitable clothes; birds choose tall trees for their nests.
[35] ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠸᠠᠴᡳᡥᡳᠶᠠᠮᡝ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠴᡳ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
gisun be wacihiyame gisureci ojorakv.
Do not say everything that can be said.
[36] ᡝᡵᡩᡝᠮᡠ ᠪᡳᠰᡳᡵᡝ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠪᡝ ᡩᠠᡥᠠᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ, ᡝᡵᠪᡝᠮᡠ ᠠᡴᡡ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡩᡝ ᡤᡳᠶᠠᠪᠠᠯᠠᠮᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ.
erdemu bisire niyalma niyalma be dahabumbi, erbemu akv niyalma niyalma de giyabalambumbi.
A virtuous person can win others over; a person without virtue is controlled by others.
[37] ᡩᠣᡵᠣ ᡝᡵᡩᡝᠮᡠ ᠪᡝ ᡶᠠᡴᠠᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ, ᠪᡝᠶᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡳᠯᡳᠪᡠᠮᡝ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
doro erdemu be fakarakv niyalma, beye be ilibume muterakv.
One who does not understand propriety cannot properly govern oneself.
[38] ᡠᠮᡝ ᡝᡵᡩᡝ ᠶᠠᠮᠵᡳ ᠵᠣᠪᠣᡥᠣ ᠰᡠᡳᠯᠠᡥᠠ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᠪᠣᡩᠣᡵᠣ, ᠪᠠᡳᡨᠠ ᡳᠴᡳᡥᡳᠶᠠᡵᠠ ᡩᡝ ᡠᡵᡠᠨᠠᡴᡡ ᠮᡠᠵᡳᠯᡝᠨ ᠪᡝ ᡤᡳᡵᡴᡡᠴᡳ ᠠᠴᠠᠮᠪᡳ.
ume erde yamji joboho suilaha seme bodoro, baita icihiyara de urunakv mujilen be girkvci acambi.
Do not dwell on daily toil; when handling affairs, keep your mind focused.
[39] ᡨᡠᠰᠠ ᠠᡴᡡ ᠪᠠᡳᡨᠠ ᠪᡝ ᡠᠮᡝ ᠶᠠᠪᡠᡵᡝ, ᡩᡝᠨ ᡶᡠ ᡳ ᡶᡝᠵᡳᠯᡝ ᠠᠮᡝ ᡳᠯᡳᡵᡝ.
tusa akv baita be ume yabure, den fu i fejile ume ilire.
Do not do useless things, and do not linger beneath a dangerous high wall.
[40] ᡠᠮᡝ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠᡳ ᠪᠠᡵᡠ ᠵᠠᠮᠠᡵᠠᠮᡝ ᡨᡝᠮᡧᡝᡵᡝ, ᡤᡳᠶᠠᠨ ᠪᡳᠴᡳ ᡨᡝᡴ ᡨᠠᡴ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᠵᠠᠮᠠᡵᠠᡵᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠠᡴᡡ.
ume niyalmai baru jamarame temxere, giyan bici tek tak seme jamarara de akv.
Do not compete noisily with others; being right does not depend on speaking loudly.
[41] ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡝᡥᡝ ᠪᡝ ᠠᠯᡤᡳᠪᡠᠴᡳ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ, ᠪᡝᠶᡝᡳ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᠨ ᠪᡝ ᡨᠠᡴᡳᠶᡝᠴᡳ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
niyalma ehe be algibuci ojorakv, beyei muten be takiyeci ojorakv.
Do not publicize another person's faults, and do not boast of your own abilities.
[42] ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠪᡝ ᠸᠠᡴᠠᡧᠠᡵᠠ ᠮᡠᠵᡳᠯᡝᠨ ᠪᡝ ᡝᠶᡝ ᠪᡝ ᠸᠠᡴᠠᡧᠠ, ᠪᡝᠶᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡤᡳᠯᠵᠠᡵᠠ ᡤᡡᠨᡳᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠪᡝ ᡤᡳᠯᠵᠠ.
niyalma be wakaxara mujilen be beye be wakaxa, beye be giljara gvnin be niyalma be gilja.
Use the heart that criticizes others to criticize yourself; use the heart that forgives yourself to forgive others.
[43] ᠠᠩᡤᠠᡳ ᡳᠴᡳ ᠪᠠᡳᠯᠠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠴᡳ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ, ᡥᠣᠯᠣ ᠪᡝ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠮᡝ ᡠᠨᡝᠩᡤᡳ ᠠᡴᡡ ᠣᠴᡳ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
anggai ici baila gisureci ojorakv, holo be gisureme unenggi akv oci ojorakv.
Do not speak carelessly, and do not lie without sincerity.
[44] ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠶᠣᠣᠨᡳ ᠮᡠᡴᡩᡝᠮᠪᡳ, ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠪᡝ ᡠᡶᠠᡵᠠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠶᠣᠣᠨᡳ ᡤᡠᡴᡠᠮᠪᡳ.
sain be bahangge yooni mukdembi, sain be ufarahangge yooni gukumbi.
Those who gain goodness prosper; those who lose it perish.
[45] ᠶᠠᠶᠠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡝᠨᡩᡝ ᠪᡠᡴᡠ ᠠᡴᡡᠩᡤᡝ ᠠᡴᡡ, ᡝᠨᡩᡝᠪᡠᡴᡠ ᠪᡝ ᡥᠠᠯᠠᠮᡝ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᠴᡳ ᡝᠨᡩᡝᠪᡠ ᠠᡴᡡ ᠠᡴᡡ ᡴᠠᡳ.
yaya niyalma ende buku akvngge akv, endebuku be halame muteci endebu akv akv kai.
Everyone makes mistakes; if a mistake can be corrected, it need not remain a fault.
[46] ᡝᡥᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡳᠰᠠᠪᡠᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᡠᠯᠠᠨ ᡶᡝᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᡤᡝᠰᡝ, ᡤᠣᡳᡩᠠᡥᠠ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᡳ ᡠᡵᡠᠨᠠᡴᡡ ᡨᡠᡥᡝᠮᠪᡳ.
ehe be isaburengge ulan fetere gese, goidaha manggi urunakv tuhembi.
Accumulating evil is like digging a grave; in time one will surely fall into it.
[47] ᡝᡵᡩᡝᠮᡠ ᠪᡝ ᠠᠮᡤᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠸᡝᡵᡳᠴᡳ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᠮᠪᡳ, ᠵᠣᠪᠣᠯᠣᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠠᠮᡤᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠸᡝᡵᡳᠴᡳ ᡤᡠᡴᡠᠮᠪᡳ.
erdemu be amga de werici mukdembi, jobolon be amga de werici gukumbi.
Leave virtue to later generations and they will flourish; leave troubles and they will decline.
[48] ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠪᡝ ᡳᠠᠰᠠᠪᡠᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᠠᡵᠠᡵᠠ ᡤᡝᠰᡝ, ᡤᠣᡳᡩᠠᡥᠠ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᡳ ᡠᡵᡠᠨᠠᡴᡡ ᡩᡝᠨ ᠣᠮᠪᡳ
sain be iasaburengge arara gese, goidaha manggi urunakv den ombi
Accumulating goodness is like building a mountain; with time it will surely grow high.
[49] ᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᡳᠰᠠᡥᠠᡳ ᠠᠮᠪᠠ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠣᠮᠪᡳ, ᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᡝᡥᡝ ᡳᠰᠠᡥᠠᡳ ᡩᡠᠪᡝᠨᡩᡝ ᡠᡵᡠᠨᠠᡴᡡ ᠠᠮᠪᠠ ᡝᡥᡝ ᠣᠮᠪᡳ.
ajige sain isahai amba sain ombi, ajige ehe isahai dubende urunakv amba ehe ombi.
Small good deeds accumulate into great goodness; small evils accumulate into great evil.
[50] ᡝᡥᡝ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠨᡝᠨᡝᠮᡝ ᠰᡳᠨᡩᡝ ᡥᠣᠯᠣ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ.
ehe niyalma neneme sinde holo tacibumbi.
A bad person first teaches you to lie.
[51] ᡥᡡᠯᡥᠠ ᠪᡝ ᡩᠠᡥᠠᠴᡳ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠵᡠᡤᡡᠨ ᠠᡴᡡ.
hvlha be dahaci sain jugvn akv.
Following a thief leads to no good road.
[52] ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᡝᡵᡩᡝᠮᡠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠪᡝ ᡩᠠᡥᠠᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ.
sain erdemu niyalma be dahabumbi.
Good virtue can win people over.
[53] ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠣᡴᡳ ᠰᡝᠴᡳ, ᡠᡵᡠᠨᠠᡴᡡ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᡤᡠᠴᡠ ᠪᡝ ᡤᡠᠴᡠᠯᡝ.
sain niyalma oki seci, urunakv sain gucu be gucule.
If you want to become a good person, make good friends.
[54] ᠪᡝᠶᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡝᠨᡩᡝᠪᡠᡴᡠ ᠪᡳᠴᡳ, ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠴᡳ ᡠᡨᡥᠠᡳ ᡩᠣᠨᠵᡳ.
beye de endebuku bici, niyalma gisureci uthai donji.
When you have faults, listen when others point them out.
[55] ᡤᡠᠴᡠᠯᡝᠴᡳ ᡠᡵᡠᠨᠠᡴᡡ ᡤᡠᠴᡠ ᠪᡝ ᠰᠣᠨᠵᠣ, ᡨᡝᠴᡳ ᡠᡵᡠᠨᠠᡴᡡ ᠠᡩᠠᡴᡳ ᠪᡝ ᠰᠣᠨᠵᠣ.
guculeci urunakv gucu be sonjo, teci urunakv adaki be sonjo.
Choose your friends carefully, and choose your neighbors carefully.
[56] ᡠᠮᡝ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠠᡵᡳᠮᡝ ᠶᠠᠪᡠᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠣ, ᡠᠮᡝ ᡝᡥᡝ ᠪᡝ ᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᠶᠠᠪᡠᠴᡳ ᠣᠮᠪᡳ ᠰᡝᡵᡝ.
ume sain be ajige seme yaburakv ojoro, ume ehe be ajige seme yabuci ombi sere.
Do not fail to do good because it is small, and do not do evil because it is small.
[57] ᡩᠣᠣᠰᡳᡩᠠᠮᡝ ᠪᠠᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠣᠴᡳ, ᡥᡡᡨᡠᡵᡳ ᠵᡠᠰᡝ ᠣᠮᠣᠰᡳ ᡩᡝ ᡳᠰᡳᠨᠠᠮᠪᡳ.
doosidame bairakv oci, hvturi juse omosi de isinambi.
Do not be greedy or grasping; blessings will reach your descendants.
[58] ᠪᠠᡥᠠᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠣᠴᡳ ᠣᡴᡳᠨᡳ, ᡳᠨᡠ ᠪᠠᠯᠠᡳ ᠪᠠᡳᠴᡳ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
baharakv oci okini, inu balai baici ojorakv.
Better to go without than to seek blindly.
[59] ᠶᠠᡩᠠᡥᡡᠨ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᡠᠮᡝ ᡥᠠᠯᡩᠠᠪᡧᠠᡵᠠ, ᠪᠠᠶᠠᠨ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᡠᠮᡝ ᠴᠣᡴᡨᠣᠯᠣᡵᠣ.
yadahvn seme ume haldabxara, bayan seme ume coktoloro.
Be poor without flattery and rich without arrogance.
[60] ᠪᠠᡳᡨᠠ ᠪᡝ ᡴᡳᠴᡝᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ, ᠪᠠᡳᡨᠠ ᠪᡝ ᡧᠠᠩᡤᠠᠪᡠᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᡶᠠᡳᠴᡳᠨ.
baita be kicerengge niyalma, baita be xanggaburengge faicin.
Planning depends on people; success depends on diligence.