Manchu Proverbs 91–120
Manchu proverbs are the distilled wisdom of a people whose language once commanded an empire. This fourth collection presents proverbs 91 through 120, 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
[91] Manchu script ᠠᡤᠠ ᡩᡝ ᡠᠰᠠᡥᡳᡥᡝ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠰᡳᠯᡝᠩᡤᡳ ᡩᡝ ᡤᡝᠯᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization aga de usahihe niyalma silenggi de gelerakv.
English One who has been drenched by rain does not fear dew.
[92] Manchu script ᡝᠮᡠ ᠮᡠᡴᡧᠠᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡴᠣᡵᠣ ᠠᡴᡡ, ᡝᠮᡠ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡩᡝ ᡴᠣᡵᠣ.
Romanization emu mukxan de koro akv, emu mangga de koro.
English A beating may not hurt a person, but worry can.
[93] Manchu script ᡝᡵᡳᡥᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡳᠨᡠ ᡝᡵᡩᡝᠮᡠ ᠪᡳ, ᠸᠠᡴᡧᠠᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡳᠨᡠ ᠸᠠᠯᡳ ᠪᡳ.
Romanization erihe de inu erdemu bi, wakxan de inu wali bi.
English Even a plain bead has its worth, and even a toad has its tricks.
[94] Manchu script ᡳᡥᠠᠨ ᡥᠣᠨᡳᠨ ᡤᡡᠪᠠᡩᠠᠴᡳ, ᡤᡡᠰᡠ ᡶᡠᡨᠠᡳ ᡩᠣᠯᠣ.
Romanization ihan honin gvbadaci, gvsu futai dolo.
English No matter how cattle and sheep struggle, they cannot jump beyond the rope.
[95] Manchu script ᠣᡳᠪᠣᠴᡳ, ᠣᠮᠣᠰᡳ ᡩᡝ ᠪᠠᠰᡠᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ, ᠰᠠᡴᡩᠠᠴᡳ, ᠰᠠᡵᡤᠠᠨᠵᡠᠰᡝ ᡩᡝ ᠪᠠᠰᡠᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization oiboci, omosi de basubumbi, sakdaci, sarganjuse de basubumbi.
English When the elderly behave improperly they may be mocked by younger generations; it can also refer to old people not being supported by descendants.
[96] Manchu script ᠨᠣᠮᡥᠣᠨ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠠᡥᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠸᠠᠵᡳᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization nomhon niyalma aha de wajimbi.
English An honest person may be bullied even by servants.
[97] Manchu script ᡥᠠᡥᠠ ᡥᠣᠵᠣ ᡥᠠᠯᠪᠠ ᠣᠨᠴᠣ.
Romanization haha hojo halba onco.
English A fortunate person has the appearance of good fortune.
[98] Manchu script ᠪᠠᡨᡠᡵᡠ ᠪᡝ ᠠᠮᠴᠠᠴᡳ ᠣᠮᠪᡳ, ᠪᠠᠶᠠᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠠᠮᠴᠠᠴᡳ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization baturu be amcaci ombi, bayan be amcaci ojorakv.
English Courage can be learned; wealth cannot simply be learned.
[99] Manchu script ᡤᠠᠰᡥᠠᡳ ᠰᠠᡳᡴᠠᠨ ᡶᡠᠩᡤᠠᠯᠠ ᡩᡝ, ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡳ ᠰᠠᡳᡴᠠᠨ ᡴᡳᠴᡝᠪᡝ ᡩᡝ.
Romanization gashai saikan funggala de, niyalma i saikan kicebe de.
English A bird is beautiful for its feathers; a person is admirable for diligence.
[100] Manchu script ᡳᠨᡩᠠᡥᡡᠨ ᡠᠵᡳᠴᡳ ᠨᡳᠮᠠᠩᡤᡳ ᠯᠠᡨᡠᠮᠪᡳ, ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡠᠵᡳᠴᡳ ᠰᡝᠩᡤᡳ ᠯᠠᡨᡠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization indahvn ujici nimanggi latumbi, niyalma ujici senggi latumbi.
English Raise a dog and it clings to snow; raise a person and it clings to blood. The gloss says a good dog may be better than a bad person.
[101] Manchu script ᠪᡝᠯᡝ ᡤᡝᠰᡝ ᡝᡵᡩᡝᠮᡠ ᠪᡝᠶᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡨᡠᠰᠠ.
Romanization bele gese erdemu beye de tusa.
English Even a skill as small as a grain of rice can be useful to oneself.
[102] Manchu script ᡤᠠᠪᡨᠠᡥᠠ ᠶᠣᡵᠣ ᡤᠠᠰᡥᠠ ᡩᠠᡵᠠ ᡩᡝ, ᡤᡠᠩᡤᡠᠯᡝᡥᡝ ᠶᠣᡵᠣ ᡤᡠᡵᡤᡠ ᡩᠠᡵᠠ ᡩᡝ.
Romanization gabtaha yoro gasha dara de, gunggulehe yoro gurgu dara de.
English What the father does, the father bears; what the son does, the son bears.
[103] Manchu script ᠠᠯᡩᠠᠰᡳ ᡤᠣᡥᠣ, ᠠᠰᠠᡵᠠᠴᡳ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ.
Romanization aldasi goho, asaraci mangga.
English What has been altered or decorated is not easy to conceal.
[104] Manchu script ᡤᡡᡵᠠᠨ ᡳ ᠸᡝᡳᡥᡝ, ᡤᡡᡵᠠᠨ ᠪᡝ ᡥᠠᡩᠠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization gvran i weihe, gvran be hadambi.
English Nailing a male roe deer with its own tooth: one suffers the consequences of one’s own actions.
[105] Manchu script ᠠᠨᠠᠪᡠᡥᠠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠠᠯᡳᠨ ᠪᡝ ᡨᡠᠸᠠᡴᡳᠶᠠᠮᠪᡳ, ᠪᠣᡧᠣᠪᡠᡥᠠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ, ᠪᠣᠣ ᠪᡝ ᡨᡠᠸᠠᡴᡳᠶᠠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization anabuha niyalma alin be tuwakiyambi, boxobuha niyalma, boo be tuwakiyambi.
English Let the defeated guard the mountain and the desperate guard the home: make use even of those who have failed.
[106] Manchu script ᠪᠣᠣ ᠸᠠᠵᡳᡶᡳ, ᠰᡠᡥᡝ ᠪᡝ ᠮᠠᠨᠠᡩᠠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization boo wajifi, suhe be manadambi.
English After the house is finished, the axe is thrown away.
[107] Manchu script ᠰᡠᡥᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡝᡶᡠᠯᡝᡶᡳ ᠰᡠᡳᡶᡠᠨ ᠠᡵᠠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization suhe be efulefi suifun arambi.
English Breaking up an axe to make an awl.
[108] Manchu script ᡩᠣᡵᠣᡩᡝ ᠪᡠᠴᡝᡥᡝ, ᡤᡝᠪᡠᡩᡝ ᠶᠠᡩᠠᡥᠠ.
Romanization dorode bucehe, gebude yadaha.
English Lose proper ritual and one also loses honor.
[109] Manchu script ᡩᠣᡴᠣ ᠪᠠᡩᡝ ᠶᠠᠰᠠ ᠨᡳᠴᡠ, ᡩᠣᡥᠣᠯᠣᠨ ᠪᠠᡩᡝ ᠪᡝᡨᡥᡝ ᡨᡠᡴᡳᠶᡝ.
Romanization doko bade yasa nicu, doholon bade bethe tukiye.
English Close your eyes in low places and lift your feet in high places.
[110] Manchu script ᡩᠣᡴᠣ ᠵᡠᡤᡡᠨ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᠶᠠᠪᡠᡥᠠᡳ ᡩᠣᡴᠣ ᠶᠠᠯᡳ ᠸᠠᠵᡳᡥᠠ.
Romanization doko jugvn deri yabuhai doko yali wajiha.
English Taking a narrow shortcut can wear out one’s legs.
[111] Manchu script ᡩᠣᠪᡳ ᡳ ᠰᠣᠩᡴᠣ ᡩᠣᡵᡤᠣᠨ ᠪᡠᠴᡝᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization dobi i songko dorgon bucembi.
English A badger that imitates a fox has only a road to death.
[112] Manchu script ᠶᡝᡵᡨᡝᡥᡝ ᡳᠪᠠᡤᠠᠨ ᡳᠨᡝᠩᡤᡳ ᡧᡠᠨ ᡩᡝ ᠮᠠᡴᠰᡳᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization yertehe ibagan inenggi xun de maksimbi.
English A shamed and angry demon dances in daylight: anger born of humiliation can drive people to act against common sense.
[113] Manchu script ᠠᡳᠰᡳᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠠᡳᠰᡳᠨ ᡥᡡᡩᠠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization aisin be aisin hvdambi.
English Gold is exchanged for gold: what one gains corresponds to what one puts in.
[114] Manchu script ᠵᡠᡤᡡᠨ ᡳ ᡩᠠᠯᠪᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠪᠣᠣ ᠠᡵᠠᠴᡳ ᡳᠯᠠᠨ ᠠᠨᡳᠶᠠ ᠸᠠᠵᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization jugvn i dalba de boo araci ilan aniya wajirakv.
English A house built by the roadside may remain unfinished for three years.
[115] Manchu script ᡴᠠᡵᡠ ᡩᡝ ᡴᠠᡵᡠ, ᡶᡠᡵᡠ ᡩᡝ ᡶᡠᡵᡠ.
Romanization karu de karu, furu de furu.
English Good is repaid with good, and evil with evil.
[116] Manchu script ᡩᠠᠪᠠᡤᠠᠨ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᡩᠠᠪᠠᠨᠠᠮᠪᡳ, ᠯᡳᡶᠠᡥᠠᠨ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᠯᡳᡶᠠᠨᠠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization dabagan deri dabanambi, lifahan deri lifanambi.
English Crossing a ridge and sinking into mud: one is shaped by the company and environment one keeps.
[117] Manchu script ᠮᡠᡴᡝ ᡨᡠᠸᠠ ᠪᠠᠶᠠᠨ ᠶᠠᡩᠠᡥᡡᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡳᠯᡤᠠᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization muke tuwa bayan yadahvn de ilgarakv.
English Water and fire distinguish neither rich nor poor: natural disasters are merciless and money cannot necessarily resist them.
[118] Manchu script ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡨᠠᡧᠠᡵᠠᡵᠠᡴᡡᠴᡳ ᡝᠨᡩᡠᡵᡳ ᠣᠮᠪᡳ, ᠮᠣᡵᡳᠨ ᠪᡠᠯᡩᡠᡵᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡᠴᡳ ᠮᡠᡩᡠᡵᡳ ᠣᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization niyalma taxararakvci enduri ombi, morin buldurirakvci muduri ombi.
English If a horse never stumbles it would become a dragon; if a person never errs, he would become a god.
[119] Manchu script ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠮᠣᡵᡳᠨ ᠵᡠᡤᡡᠨ ᠰᠣᠨᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ, ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᡥᠠᡥᠠ ᠸᡝᡳᠯᡝᠨ ᠰᠣᠨᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization sain morin jugvn sonjorakv, sain haha weilen sonjorakv.
English A good horse does not choose the road; a good man does not pick and choose his work.
[120] Manchu script ᠯᡝᡶᡠ ᡨᠠᡵᡥᡡᠨ ᠪᡝ ᡝᠯᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ, ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠪᡝ ᡝᠯᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization lefu tarhvn be elerakv, niyalma sain be elerakv.
English A bear never thinks itself too fat, and the human heart never thinks goodness enough: even a good person should keep improving.