Manchu Proverbs 121–150
Manchu proverbs are the distilled wisdom of a people whose language once commanded an empire. This fifth collection presenEach 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. ts proverbs 121 through 150, continuing our journey through the moral imagination of Manchu culture.
[121] Manchu script ᠸᠠᡵᠠ ᡳᡥᠠᠨ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᠰᡝᠩᡤᡳ ᡤᠠᡳᠮᠪᡳ, ᠸᠠᡵᠠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᡤᠠᡳᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization wara ihan deri senggi gaimbi, wara niyalma deri gisun gaimbi.
English Take blood from the ox to be killed and words from the person about to die: a dying person’s words may be sincere.
[122] Manchu script ᡥᠣᡥᠣᡵᡳ ᡧᠠᠨ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᠨᡝᠨᡩᡝᡥᡝᠪᡳ.
Romanization hohori xan deri nendehebi.
English Earwax grows from the ear itself: a gloss for overstepping one’s proper role.
[123] Manchu script ᡝᠩᡤᡝᠮᡠ ᡩᡝ ᠮᠣᡵᡳᠨ ᠪᡳ, ᠵᡳᠪᠴᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠰᠠᡳᠰᠠ ᠪᡳ.
Romanization enggemu de morin bi, jibca de saisa bi.
English Under the saddle there may be a fine horse; inside the robe there may be a worthy person.
[124] Manchu script ᡝᠮᡠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠠᡵᠠᡥᠠ ᡴᡠᡵᠪᡠ ᠪᡝ ᡨᡠᠮᡝᠨ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡩᡠᠯᡝᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization emu niyalma araha kurbu be tumen niyalma dulembi.
English A bridge built by one person is crossed by ten thousand.
[125] Manchu script ᡩᡠᠯᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠰᡝᡥᡝ ᡴᡠᡵᠪᡠ ᠪᡝ ᡳᠨᡠ ᡳᠯᠠᠨ ᠮᡠᡩᠠᠨ ᡩᡠᠯᡝᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization dulerakv sehe kurbu be inu ilan mudan dulembi.
English Even a bridge one says one will never cross may be crossed three times: life brings unexpected turns.
[126] Manchu script ᠪᡝᠶᡝ ᡥᡝᡶᡝᠯᡳ ᠨᡳᠮᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠣᠴᡳ ᡩᡠᠩᡤᠠ ᠵᡝᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᡩᡝ ᠠᡳ ᡤᡝᠯᡝᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization beye hefeli nimerakv oci dungga jetere de ai gelembi.
English If your own stomach does not hurt, why fear eating melon? One who has done no wrong need not fear accusation.
[127] Manchu script ᠮᡠᠵᡳᠶᠠᠨ ᠯᠠᠪᡩᡠ ᠣᠴᡳ ᠪᠣᠣ ᠸᠠᡳᡴᡡ.
Romanization mujiyan labdu oci boo waikv.
English Too many carpenters make the house crooked.
[128] Manchu script ᡠᠩᡤᠠᠨ ᡳ ᠮᡠᠵᡳᠯᡝᠨ ᠵᡠᠰᡝᡳ ᠪᠠᡵᡠ, ᠵᡠᠰᡝᡳ ᠮᡠᠵᡳᠯᡝᠨ ᠪᡳᡤᠠᠨ ᡳ ᠪᠠᡵᡠ.
Romanization unggan i mujilen jusei baru, jusei mujilen bigan i baru.
English Parents’ hearts turn toward their children; children’s hearts turn toward the outside world.
[129] Manchu script ᠠᠰᡠ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᠠᠯᡩᠠᠪᡠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᡤᡝᠮᡠ ᠠᠮᠪᠠ ᠨᡳᠮᠠᡥᠠ.
Romanization asu deri aldabuhangge gemu amba nimaha.
English The fish that escape the net are always the biggest: people often overlook what they think they know best.
[130] Manchu script ᡩᡝᠪᡝᡵᡝᠨ ᠴᡝᠴᡳᡴᡝ ᡩᡝᠶᡝᡵᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡨᠠᡴᠠᠮᠪᡳ, ᡨᡠᡥᡝᡵᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡨᠠᡴᠠᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization deberen cecike deyere be takambi, tuhere be takarakv.
English A young bird knows how to fly but not how to land.
[131] Manchu script ᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᠮᡳᡥᠠᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡩᡠᡥᠠ ᠯᠠᠪᡩᡠ, ᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ ᡤᡠᡵᡠᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠯᠠᠪᡩᡠ.
Romanization ajige mihan de duha labdu, ajige gurun de gisun labdu.
English A little pig has many intestines; a petty person has many words.
[132] Manchu script ᡩᡝᡵᡤᡠᠸᡝ ᡩᡝ ᠵᡳᠯᡳ ᡩᠠᡶᡳ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᠯᠣᡥᠣ ᡳ ᠰᠠᠴᡳᠮᡝ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization derguwe de jili dafi geli loho i sacime muterakv.
English Would you use a knife against a fly because you are angry? Do not lose your temper over petty people.
[133] 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.
[134] 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.
[135] 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.
[136] 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.
[137] 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.
[138] 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.
[139] 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.
[140] 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.
[141] Manchu script ᠸᠠᡵᠠ ᡳᡥᠠᠨ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᠰᡝᠩᡤᡳ ᡤᠠᡳᠮᠪᡳ, ᠸᠠᡵᠠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᡤᠠᡳᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization wara ihan deri senggi gaimbi, wara niyalma deri gisun gaimbi.
English Take blood from the ox to be killed and words from the person about to die: a dying person’s words may be sincere.
[142] Manchu script ᡥᠣᡥᠣᡵᡳ ᡧᠠᠨ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᠨᡝᠨᡩᡝᡥᡝᠪᡳ.
Romanization hohori xan deri nendehebi.
English Earwax grows from the ear itself: a gloss for overstepping one’s proper role.
[143] Manchu script ᡝᠩᡤᡝᠮᡠ ᡩᡝ ᠮᠣᡵᡳᠨ ᠪᡳ, ᠵᡳᠪᠴᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠰᠠᡳᠰᠠ ᠪᡳ.
Romanization enggemu de morin bi, jibca de saisa bi.
English Under the saddle there may be a fine horse; inside the robe there may be a worthy person.
[144] Manchu script ᡝᠮᡠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠠᡵᠠᡥᠠ ᡴᡠᡵᠪᡠ ᠪᡝ ᡨᡠᠮᡝᠨ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡩᡠᠯᡝᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization emu niyalma araha kurbu be tumen niyalma dulembi.
English A bridge built by one person is crossed by ten thousand.
[145] Manchu script ᡩᡠᠯᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠰᡝᡥᡝ ᡴᡠᡵᠪᡠ ᠪᡝ ᡳᠨᡠ ᡳᠯᠠᠨ ᠮᡠᡩᠠᠨ ᡩᡠᠯᡝᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization dulerakv sehe kurbu be inu ilan mudan dulembi.
English Even a bridge one says one will never cross may be crossed three times: life brings unexpected turns.
[146] Manchu script ᠪᡝᠶᡝ ᡥᡝᡶᡝᠯᡳ ᠨᡳᠮᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠣᠴᡳ ᡩᡠᠩᡤᠠ ᠵᡝᡨᡝᡵᡝ ᡩᡝ ᠠᡳ ᡤᡝᠯᡝᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization beye hefeli nimerakv oci dungga jetere de ai gelembi.
English If your own stomach does not hurt, why fear eating melon? One who has done no wrong need not fear accusation.
[147] Manchu script ᠮᡠᠵᡳᠶᠠᠨ ᠯᠠᠪᡩᡠ ᠣᠴᡳ ᠪᠣᠣ ᠸᠠᡳᡴᡡ.
Romanization mujiyan labdu oci boo waikv.
English Too many carpenters make the house crooked.
[148] Manchu script ᡠᠩᡤᠠᠨ ᡳ ᠮᡠᠵᡳᠯᡝᠨ ᠵᡠᠰᡝᡳ ᠪᠠᡵᡠ, ᠵᡠᠰᡝᡳ ᠮᡠᠵᡳᠯᡝᠨ ᠪᡳᡤᠠᠨ ᡳ ᠪᠠᡵᡠ.
Romanization unggan i mujilen jusei baru, jusei mujilen bigan i baru.
English Parents’ hearts turn toward their children; children’s hearts turn toward the outside world.
[149] Manchu script ᠠᠰᡠ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᠠᠯᡩᠠᠪᡠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᡤᡝᠮᡠ ᠠᠮᠪᠠ ᠨᡳᠮᠠᡥᠠ.
Romanization asu deri aldabuhangge gemu amba nimaha.
English The fish that escape the net are always the biggest: people often overlook what they think they know best.
[150] Manchu script ᡩᡝᠪᡝᡵᡝᠨ ᠴᡝᠴᡳᡴᡝ ᡩᡝᠶᡝᡵᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡨᠠᡴᠠᠮᠪᡳ, ᡨᡠᡥᡝᡵᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡨᠠᡴᠠᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization deberen cecike deyere be takambi, tuhere be takarakv.
English A young bird knows how to fly but not how to land.