Manchu Proverbs 151–180
Manchu proverbs are the distilled wisdom of a people whose language once commanded an empire. This sixth collection presents 30 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 151 through 180, continuing our journey through the moral imagination of Manchu culture.
[151] 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.
[152] Manchu script ᡩᡝᡵᡤᡠᠸᡝ ᡩᡝ ᠵᡳᠯᡳ ᡩᠠᡶᡳ ᡤᡝᠯᡳ ᡶᠣᡥᠣ 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.
[153] Manchu script ᡥᠠᡳᡵᠠᠮᡝ ᠵᡝᠴᡳ ᠵᡝᡴᡠᡳ ᡩᠠ, ᡥᠠᡳᡵᠠᠮᡝ ᡝᡨᡠᠴᡳ ᡝᡨᡠᡴᡠᡳ ᡩᠠ.
Romanization hairame jeci jekui da, hairame etuci etukui da.
English Diligence and thrift are the foundation of life.
[154] Manchu script ᠮᡠᡴᡝ ᡧᡝᡵᡳ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᡨᡠᠴᡳᠮᠪᡳ, ᡝᡩᡠᠨ ᠰᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᡩᠣᠰᡳᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization muke xeri deri tucimbi, edun sangga deri dosimbi.
English Water comes from a spring and wind enters through an opening: everything has a source.
[155] Manchu script ᡴᡝᠰᡳ ᠠᡴᡡ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡴᡝᡴᡠᡥᡝ ᡶᡝᠶᡝ.
Romanization kesi akv niyalma kekuhe feye.
English A metaphor for enemies being bound to meet on a narrow road.
[156] Manchu script ᠪᡝᡳᡴᡠᠸᡝᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡝᠯᠵᡝᠴᡳ ᡩᡝᡵᡝ ᡤᠠᡳᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ, ᠪᡝᡳᠯᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡝᠯᠵᡝᠴᡳ ᡠᡵᠠ ᡤᠠᡳᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization beikuwen de eljeci dere gaibumbi, beile de eljeci ura gaibumbi.
English A metaphor for the weak being unable to overpower the strong.
[157] Manchu script ᠪᡝᠶᡝᡳ ᡠᠨᠴᡝᡥᡝᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠪᡝᠶᡝ ᡤᡝᡩᡠᡵᡝ.
Romanization beyei uncehen be beye gedure.
English A metaphor for lifting a stone only to drop it on one’s own foot.
[158] 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: adapt to local customs.
[159] Manchu script ᠶᠠᡩᠠᡵᠠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠶᠠᡩᠠᡵᠠ ᠠᠪᡴᠠ.
Romanization yadara niyalma yadara abka.
English A metaphor for one difficulty being added to another.
[160] Manchu script ᡤᡝᠴᡝᠴᡳ ᡤᡝᡵᡝᠨ ᡳ ᠵᡝᠷᡤᡳ, ᠶᠣᠶᠣᠴᡳ ᡳᡵᡤᡝᠨ ᡳ ᠵᡝᠷᡤᡳ.
Romanization gececi geren i jergi, yoyoci irgen i jergi.
English A metaphor for something being everyone’s concern.
[161] Manchu script ᠵᡝᡴᡠ ᡩᡝ ᠠᡴᡩᠠᠴᡳ ᠶᠣᠶᠣᠮᠪᡳ, ᡝᡨᡠᡴᡠ ᡩᡝ ᠠᡴᡩᠠᠴᡳ ᠪᡝᠶᡝᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization jeku de akdaci yoyombi, etuku de akdaci beyembi.
English A metaphor for unreliable support: mountains may fall and rivers may dry up.
[162] Manchu script ᠵᡠᡤᡡᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠴᡳ, ᠣᡵᡥᠣ ᡳ ᡩᠣᠯᠣ ᡩᠣᠨᠵᡳᡵᡝ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠪᡳ.
Romanization jugvn de gisureci, orho i dolo donjire niyalma bi.
English A metaphor meaning that walls have ears.
[163] Manchu script ᡥᠠᡥᠠ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡩᡝ ᡥᠠᡩᡠᡶᡠᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡥᠠᡩᠠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization haha mangga de hadufun de hadambi.
English A metaphor for daring to move forward even when one knows there are difficulties.
[164] Manchu script ᠪᠠᡳ ᠮᡠᡴᡝ ᠠᠩᡤᠠᠯᠠ ᠪᡠᡩᠠ ᠮᡠᡴᡝ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ.
Romanization bai muke anggala buda muke sain.
English A metaphor meaning that having something is better than having nothing.
[165] Manchu script ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠪᡝ ᠴᡳᡵᠠ ᡳ ᡨᡠᠸᠠᠴᡳ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ, ᠮᡝᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᠮᡠᡴᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡥᡳᠶᠠᠰᡝ ᡳ ᠮᡳᠶᠠᠯᡳᠴᡳ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization niyalma be cira i tuwaci ojorakv, mederi muke be hiyase i miyalici ojorakv.
English You cannot judge a person by appearance, nor measure the sea with a bushel.
[166] Manchu script ᠶᠠᠰᠠᡳ ᠰᠠᠪᡠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠪᡝ ᠶᠠᡵᡤᡳᠶᠠᠨ ᠰᡝᠮᠪᡳ, ᡧᠠᠨ ᡳ ᡩᠣᠨᠵᡳᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡨᠠᡧᠠᠨ ᠰᡝᠮᠪᡳ ᡴᠠᡳ.
Romanization yasai sabuhangge be yargiyan sembi, xan i donjihangge be taxan sembi kai.
English Seeing is believing; hearing can be misleading.
[167] Manchu script ᡨᡠᡵᡳ ᠪᡝ ᡨᠠᡵᡳᠴᡳ ᡨᡠᡵᡳ ᠪᡝ ᠪᠠᡵᡤᡳᠶᠠᠮᠪᡳ, ᡥᡝᠩᡴᡝᠪᡝ ᡨᠠᡵᡳᠴᡳ ᡥᡝᠩᡴᡝ ᠪᡝ ᠪᠠᡵᡤᡳᠶᠠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization turi be tarici turi be bargiyambi, hengkebe tarici hengke be bargiyambi.
English Sow beans and reap beans; sow melons and reap melons.
[168] Manchu script ᡝᠮᡠ ᠵᡠᡵᡥᡠᠨ ᡝᠯᡩᡝᠨ ᠰᡳᠯᠮᡝᠨ ᡝᠮᡠ ᠵᡠᡵᡥᡠᠨ ᠠᡳᠰᡳᠨ, ᠵᡠᡵᡥᡠᠨ ᠠᡳᠰᡳᠨ ᡳ ᠵᡠᠯᡥᡠᠨ ᡝᠯᡩᡝᠨ ᠰᡳᠯᠮᡝᠨ ᠪᡝ ᡠᡩᠠᡵᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ.
Romanization emu jurhun elden silmen emu jurhun aisin, jurhun aisin i julhun elden silmen be udara de mangga.
English An inch of time is an inch of gold, but an inch of gold cannot buy an inch of time.
[169] Manchu script ᡨᠠᠩᡤᡡ ᠮᡠᡩᠠᠨ ᡩᠣᠨᠵᡳᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᡝᠮᡠ ᠮᡠᡩᠠᠨ ᠰᠠᠪᡠᡵᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡳᠰᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization tanggv mudan donjihangge emu mudan sabure de isirakv.
English Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times.
[170] Manchu script ᡳᠯᠠᠨ ᠸᠠᡥᡡᠨ ᠰᡠᡴᡡ ᡳ ᡶᠠᡴᠰᡳ ᠵᡠ ᡤ'ᡝ ᠯᡳᠶᠠᠩᡩᡝ ᡨᡝᡥᡝᡵᡝᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization ilan wahvn sukv i faksi ju g'e liyangde teherembi.
English Three ordinary cobblers can equal one Zhuge Liang: collective wisdom can surpass individual brilliance.
[171] Manchu script ᡨᡝᠨᡳ ᠪᠠᠨᠵᡳᡥᠠ ᡨᡠᡴᡧᠠᠨ ᡨᠠᠰᡥᠠ ᡩᡝ ᡤᡝᠯᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization teni banjiha tukxan tasha de gelerakv.
English A newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger.
[172] Manchu script ᠮᡠᡴᡝ ᠵᡳᠴᡳ ᠪᠣᡳᡥᠣᠨ ᡳ ᠸᠠᠮᠪᡳ, ᠵᡳᠶᠠᠩᡤᡳᠶᡡᠨ ᠵᡳᠴᡳ ᠴᠣᠣᡥᠠ ᡳ ᠣᡴᡩᠣᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization muke jici boihon i kambi, jiyanggiyvn jici cooha i okdombi.
English When water comes, block it with earth; when soldiers come, meet them with troops.
[173] Manchu script ᡨᠠᠰᡥᠠ ᡳ ᡶᡝᠶᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡩᠣᠴᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡᠴᡳ, ᡨᠠᠰᡥᠠ ᡳ ᡩᡝᠪᡝᡵᡝᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠠᡩᠠᡵᠠᠮᡝ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization tasha i feye de docirakvci, tasha i deberen be adarame bahambi.
English If you do not enter the tiger’s den, how can you get the tiger cub?
[174] Manchu script ᡝᠨᡩᡝᠪᡠᡴᡠ ᡳᠴᡳ ᡠᠮᡝ ᡤᡳᡩᠠᡵᠠ, ᡳᠴᡳ ᡠᡵᡠᠨᠠᡴᡡ ᡥᠠᠯᠠ.
Romanization endebuku bici ume gidara, bici urunakv hala.
English Do not hide a fault; when there is one, correct it.
[175] Manchu script ᡩᡝᡵᡳᡤᡳ ᡩᡝ ᡩᡠᡳᠪᡠᠯᡝᠴᡳ ᡳᠰᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠪᡳᠴᡳᠪᡝ, ᡶᡝᠵᡝᡵᡤᡳ ᡩᡝ ᡩᡠᡳᠪᡠᠯᡝᠴᡳ ᡶᡠᠨᠴᡝᡨᡝᠯᡝ ᠪᡳ.
Romanization derigi de duibuleci isirakv bicibe, fejergi de duibuleci funcetele bi.
English Not enough compared with those above, but more than enough compared with those below.
[176] Manchu script ᡠᠯᠠᠨᡩᡠᡥᠠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠠᡴᡩᠠᠴᡳ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization ulanduha gisun be akdaci ojorakv.
English Rumors are not to be trusted.
[177] Manchu script ᠨᡠᡵᡝ ᡳᠴᡳ ᠣᠮᡳᠴᠠᠮᠪᡳ, ᠪᡠᡩᠠ ᡳᠴᡳ ᠵᡝᠨᡠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization nure bici omicambi, buda bici jenumbi.
English Share wine when there is wine, and share food when there is food.
[178] Manchu script ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᡳ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᡴᡳᠨᡳ, ᡳᠨᡝᠩᡤᡳᡩᠠᡵᡳ ᠸᡝᠰᡳᡥᡠᠨ ᡳᠪᡝᠨᡝᡴᡳᠨᡳ.
Romanization sain i tacikini, inenggidari wesihun ibenekini.
English Study well and make progress every day.
[179] Manchu script ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠪᡝ ᠰᠠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᡤᡝᡨᡠᡴᡝᠨ, ᠪᡝᠶᡝᠪᡝ ᠰᠠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᡥᡡᠯᡥᡳ.
Romanization niyalma be sahangge getuken, beyebe sahangge hvlhi.
English The onlooker sees clearly; the person involved is often confused.
[180] Manchu script ᡥᠣᠨᠣ ᠮᡳᠴᡠᠮᡝ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠨᠠᡥᠠᡴᡡ ᡡᡩᡝ, ᡠᡨᡥᠠᡳ ᡶᡝᠯᡳᠶᡝᡵᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡨᠠᠴᡳᠴᡳ ᠣᠮᠪᡳᠣ ?
Romanization hono micume bahanahakv bade, uthai feliyere be tacici ombio ?
English Can one learn to walk before one has learned to crawl?