Manchu Proverbs 211–240
Manchu proverbs are the distilled wisdom of a people whose language once commanded an empire. This eighth 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 211 through 240, continuing our journey through the moral imagination of Manchu culture.
[211] Manchu script ᡝᠮᡨᡝᠯᡳ ᠰᡳᡵᡤᡝ ᡨᠣᠩᡤᠣ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ, ᡝᠮᡨᡝᠯᡳ ᡶᠠᠯᠠᠩᡤᡡ ᡤᡠᠸᡝᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ.
Romanization emteli sirge tonggo ojorakv, emteli falanggv guwerengge mangga.
English A single thread cannot make a line; one hand alone cannot clap.
[212] Manchu script ᡩᠣᡵᠣ ᠪᡝ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠴᡳ ᠠᡳᠰᡳᠯᠠᡵᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠠᠮᠪᡠᠯᠠ, ᡩᠣᡵᠣ ᠪᡝ ᡠᡶᠠᡵᠠᠴᡳ ᠠᡳᠰᡳᠯᠠᡵᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᡴᠣᠮᠰᠣ.
Romanization doro be bahaci aisilarangge ambula, doro be ufaraci aisilarangge komso.
English Those who follow the Way receive much help; those who lose it receive little help.
[213] Manchu script ᡝᡥᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡝᡥᡝ ᡴᠠᡵᡠᠯᠠᠨ ᠪᡳ, ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᡩᡝ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᡴᠠᡵᡠᠯᠠᠨ ᠪᡳ. ᠠᡳᡴᠠ ᡴᠠᡵᡠᠯᠠᡥᠠᡴᡡᠩᡤᡝ ᠣᠴᡳ, ᡝᡵᡳᠨ ᡳᠰᡳᠨᠠᡵᠠ ᡠᠨᡩᡝ ᡩᡝᡵᡝ.
Romanization ehe de ehe karulan bi, sain de sain karulan bi. aika karulahakvngge oci, erin isinara unde dere.
English Evil has its recompense and good has its reward; if it has not come yet, the time has not arrived.
[214] Manchu script ᡧᠠᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡩᠣᠨᠵᡳᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠶᠠᠰᠠ ᡳ ᠰᠠᠪᡠᡥᠠ ᡩᡝ ᡳᠰᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ, ᠶᠠᠰᠠ ᡳ ᠰᠠᠪᡠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠨᡳᡴᡝᠨᡝᡥᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡳᠰᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization xan de donjihangge yasa i sabuha de isirakv, yasa i sabuhangge nikenehe de isirakv.
English Hearing is not as good as seeing; seeing is not as good as experiencing personally.
[215] Manchu script ᠵᡠᠸᡝ ᡨᠠᠰᡥᠠ ᡨᡝᠮᡧᡝᠨᡩᡠᡵᡝ ᠣᡥᠣᡩᡝ, ᡝᠮᡴᡝᠨ ᡨᡝᡴᡨᡝᡶᡳ ᡴᠣᡵᠣ ᠪᠠᡥᠠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization juwe tasha temxendure ohode, emken toktofi koro bahambi.
English When two tigers fight, one is bound to be injured.
[216] Manchu script ᠪᡠᡩᠠ ᠵᡳᠮᡝ ᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᠪᡝ ᠵᡠᠸᠠᠮᠪᡳ, ᡝᡨᡠᡴᡠ ᠵᡳᠮᡝ ᡤᠠᠯᠠ ᠪᡝ ᠰᠠᠨᡳᠶᠠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization buda jime angga be juwambi, etuku jime gala be saniyambi.
English Open the mouth when food arrives and stretch out the hand when clothes arrive: living in complete dependence.
[217] Manchu script ᡶᠠᡴᠰᡳᠰᠠ ᠴᡝᠨᡳ ᠸᡝᡳᠯᡝᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠣᠪᡠᡴᡳ ᠰᡝᠮᠪᡳᡥᡝᡩᡝ, ᡠᡵᡠᠨᠠᡴᡡ ᠨᡝᠨᡝᠮᡝ ᠴᡝᠨᡳ ᠠᡤᡡᡵᠠ ᠪᡝ ᡩᠠᠴᡠᠨ ᠣᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization faksisa ceni weilen be sain obuki sembihede, urunakv neneme ceni agvra be dacun obumbi.
English If a craftsman wants to do good work, he must first sharpen his tools.
[218] Manchu script ᠠᠯᡳᠨ ᡩᡝ ᠨᡳᡴᡝᠴᡳ ᠠᠯᡳᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠵᡝᠮᠪᡳ, ᠮᡠᡴᡝ ᡩᡝ ᠨᡳᡴᡝᠴᡳ ᠮᡠᡴᡝ ᠪᡝ ᠵᡝᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization alin de nikeci alin be jembi, muke de nikeci muke be jembi.
English Live off the mountain when near a mountain, and live off the water when near water.
[219] Manchu script ᡤᡠᡵᡠᠨ ᠪᠣᠣ ᡳ ᠮᡠᡴᡩᡝᡵᡝ ᡤᡠᡴᡠᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᡤᡝᡵᡝᠨ ᡳᡵᡤᡝᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡥᠣᠯᠪᠣᠪᡠᡥᡝᠪᡳ.
Romanization gurun boo i mukdere gukurengge geren irgen de holbobuhebi.
English The rise and fall of the nation is the responsibility of every ordinary person.
[220] Manchu script ᠶᡠᠶᡠᠴᡳ ᠵᡝᠮᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᠪᡝ ᠰᠣᠨᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ, ᡝᡨᡠᡴᡠ ᠪᡝ ᠰᠣᠨᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ, ᠪᡝᡴᡨᡝ ᠪᠠᡴᡨᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠵᡠᡤᡡᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠰᠣᠨᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ, ᠮᠣᡥᠣᠴᡳ ᠰᠠᡵᡤᠠᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠰᠣᠨᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization yuyuci jemengge be sonjorakv, beyeci etuku be sonjorakv, bekte bakta de jugvn be sonjorakv, mohoci sargan be sonjorakv.
English The hungry do not choose food, the cold do not choose clothes, the panicked do not choose roads, and the poor do not choose spouses.
[221] Manchu script ᠪᡝᠶᡝ ᠴᡳᡥᠠᡴᡡᠩᡤᡝ ᠪᡝ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡩᡝ ᡠᠮᡝ ᡳᠰᡳᠪᡠᡵᡝ.
Romanization beye cihakvngge be niyalma de ume isibure.
English Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.
[222] Manchu script ᠪᠣᠣᡳ ᠪᠣᠴᡳᡥᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡨᡠᠯᡝᡵᡤᡳ ᡩᡝ ᡠᠯᠠᠴᡳ ᠣᠵᠣᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization booi bocihe be tulergi de ulaci ojorakv.
English Do not publicize family disgrace.
[223] Manchu script ᠮᡝᡳᡵᡝᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡩᠠᠮᠵᠠᠯᠠᠮᡝ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ, ᡤᠠᠯᠠ ᡩᡝ ᡨᡠᡴᡳᠶᡝᠮᡝ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization meiren de damjalame muterakv, gala de tukiyeme muterakv.
English Unable to carry with the shoulder or lift with the hand.
[224] Manchu script ᡴᠠᠮᠴᡳᠮᡝ ᡩᠣᠨᠵᡳᠴᡳ ᡤᡝᠩᡤᡳᠶᡝᠨ, ᡥᠠᡵᡧᠠᠮᡝ ᠠᡴᡩᠠᠴᡳ ᡶᠠᡵᡥᡡᠨ.
Romanization kamcime donjici genggiyen, harxame akdaci farhvn.
English Listening to all sides brings clarity; believing only one side brings darkness.
[225] Manchu script ᠮᡠᡴᡝᡳ ᡩᠠᠯᡳᠨ ᡳ ᡨᠠᡴᡨᡠ ᡩᡝ ᠪᡳᠶᠠᡳ ᡝᠯᡩᡝᠨ ᠨᡝᠨᡝᠮᡝ ᡶᠣᠰᠣᠨᠵᡳᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization mukei dalin i taktu de biyai elden neneme fosonjimbi.
English The pavilion nearest the water gets the moonlight first.
[226] Manchu script ᡠᠶᡠᠨ ᡩᠠᠪᡴᡡᡵᡳ ᡴᠠᡵᠠᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠨᠠ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᠰᠠᡥᠠᠮᡝ ᡩᡝᡵᡳᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ, ᠮᡳᠩᡤᠠᠨ ᠪᠠ ᡳ ᡩᠠᠯᠠᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠶᠠᠪᡠᡵᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡳᠯᡳᡥᠠ ᠪᠠ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᡩᡝᡵᡳᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization uyun dabkvri karan be na deri sahame deribumbi, minggan ba i jugvn be yabure de iliha ba deri deribumbi.
English A nine-story tower rises from accumulated earth; a journey of a thousand miles begins beneath one’s feet.
[227] Manchu script ᠨᡠᡵᡝ ᡩᡝ ᠮᡠᠵᡳᠯᡝᠨ ᠠᠴᠠᡥᠠ ᡤᡠᠴᡠ ᠪᡝ ᡠᠴᠠᡵᠠᠴᡳ ᠮᡳᠩᡤᠠᠨ ᡥᡡᠨᡨᠠᡥᠠᠨ ᡴᠣᠮᠰᠣ, ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡤᡡᠨᡳᠨ ᠠᠴᠠᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᠣᠴᡳ ᡥᠣᠨᡨᠣᡥᠣ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ ᡳᠨᡠ ᠯᠠᠪᡩᡠ.
Romanization nure de mujilen acaha gucu be ucaraci minggan hvntahan komso, gisun de gvnin acarakv oci hontoho gisun seme inu labdu.
English With a kindred spirit, a thousand cups are too few; without a meeting of minds, half a sentence is too much.
[228] Manchu script ᠠᠮᠪᠠᠰᠠ ᠰᠠᡳᠰᠠ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡳ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ, ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡳ ᡝᡥᡝ ᠪᡝ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᠪᡠᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization ambasa saisa niyalma i sain be mutebumbi, niyalma i ehe be muteburakv.
English A gentleman helps bring about others’ good and does not help bring about their evil.
[229] Manchu script ᠵᡳᡥᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠸᠠᡴᠠ, ᠰᠠᡳᠨ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠣᠴᡳ ᠵᡳᡩᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization jihengge sain niyalma waka, sain niyalma oci jiderakv.
English Those who come are not friendly; if they were friendly, they would not come.
[230] Manchu script ᡩᠣᡵᠣ ᡳ ᠵᠠᡴᠠ ᡴᠣᠮᠰᠣ ᠪᡳᠴᡳᠪᡝ, ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠᡳ ᡤᡡᠨᡳᠨ ᡠᠵᡝᠨ.
Romanization doro i jaka komso bicibe, niyalmai gvnin ujen.
English The gift may be light, but the sentiment is weighty.
[231] Manchu script ᠵᡠᠸᡝ ᡧᠠᠨ ᡩᡝ ᡶᠠ ᡳ ᡨᡠᠯᡝᡵᡤᡳ ᠪᠠᡳᡨᠠ ᠪᡝ ᡩᠣᠨᠵᡳᡵᠠᡴᡡ, ᡝᠮᡠ ᠮᡠᠵᡳᠯᡝᠨ ᡳ ᠰᡳᡨᡥᡡᠮᡝ ᡝᠨᡩᡠᡵᡳᠩᡤᡝ ᠮᡝᠷᡤᡝᠰᡝ ᡳ ᠪᡳᡨᡥᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡥᡡᠯᠠᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization juwe xan de fa i tulergi baita be donjirakv, emu mujilen i sithvme enduringge mergese i bithe be hvlambi.
English Hear nothing outside the window and devote oneself entirely to the books of sages.
[232] Manchu script ᡝᠶᡝᡵᡝ ᠮᡠᡴᡝ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᡵᠠᡴᡡ, ᡩᡠᡴᠠ ᡳ ᡥᠣᡵᡤᡳᡴᡡ ᡝᡶᡠᠵᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization eyere muke niyarakv, duka i horgikv efujerakv.
English Flowing water does not rot, and a moving door hinge does not become worm-eaten.
[233] Manchu script ᡝᡳᡥᡝᠨ ᡳ ᡶᡝᠮᡝᠨ ᠮᠣᡵᡳᠨ ᡳ ᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠠᠴᠠᠨᠠᡵᠠᡴᡡ ᡤᡝᠰᡝ.
Romanization eihen i femen morin i angga de acanarakv gese.
English Like a donkey’s lips not matching a horse’s mouth: completely irrelevant or mismatched.
[234] Manchu script ᡳᠯᡝᡨᡠ ᠮᡳᠶᠣᠣᠴᠠᠨ ᡩᡝᡵᡳ ᠵᠠᡳᠯᠠᡵᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᠵᠠ, ᠪᡠᡨᡠ ᠰᡳᡵᡩᠠᠨ ᠪᡝ ᠰᡝᡵᡝᠮᡧᡝᡵᡝᠩᡤᡝ ᡨᡝᠨ ᡳ ᠮᠠᠩᡤᠠ.
Romanization iletu miyoocan deri jailarangge ja, butu sirdan be seremxerengge ten i mangga.
English An open spear is easy to dodge; a hidden arrow is hard to guard against.
[235] Manchu script ᠮᡠᡩᠠᠨ ᡳᠯᡥᠠ ᡠᡩᡠ ᠰᠠᡳᡴᠠᠨ ᠪᡳᠴᡳᠪᡝ, ᡴᡝᠮᡠᠨᡳ ᠨᡳᠣᠸᠠᠩᡤᡳᠶᠠᠨ ᠠᠪᡩᠠᡥᠠ ᡩᡝ ᡨᡠᡴᡳᠶᡝᠪᡠᡥᡝᠪᡳ.
Romanization mudan ilha udu saikan bicibe, kemuni niowanggiyan abdaha de tukiyebuhebi.
English However beautiful the peony, it still depends on green leaves for support.
[236] Manchu script ᠯᡳᡶᠠᡥᠠᠨ ᡳ ᡦᡠᠰᠠ ᠤᠯᠠ ᠪᡝ ᡩᡠᠯᡝᡵᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡳᠨᡳ ᠪᡝᠶᡝ ᠪᡝ ᡴᠠᡵᠮᠠᠮᡝ ᠮᡠᡨᡝᡵᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization lifahan i pusa ula be dulere de ini beye be karmame muterakv.
English A clay bodhisattva crossing a river can hardly save itself.
[237] Manchu script ᠮᡳᠩᡤᠠᠨ ᠪᠠ ᡳ ᡩᠠᠯᠠᠨ ᠶᡝᡵᡥᡠᠸᡝ ᡳ ᡶᡝᠶᡝ ᡩᡝ ᡝᡶᡠᠵᡝᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization minggan ba i dalan yerhuwe i feye de efujembi.
English A thousand-mile dike can collapse because of an ant hole.
[238] Manchu script ᡳᠪᡝᡴᡳ ᠰᡝᠴᡳ ᠵᡠᡤᡡᠨ ᠠᡴᡡ, ᡧᠣᠶᠣᡴᡳ ᠰᡝᠴᡳ ᡩᡠᡴᠠ ᠠᡴᡡ.
Romanization ibeki seci jugvn akv, xoyoki seci duka akv.
English No road forward and no gate for retreat.
[239] Manchu script ᠨᡝᠨᡝᡥᡝ ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᡥᠠᡳᠯᠠᠨ ᡤᡠᡵᡳᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ, ᠠᠮᠠᡤᠠ ᡠᡵᠰᡝ ᠰᡝᡵᡤᡠᠸᡝᡧᡝᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization nenehe niyalma hailan guribumbi, amaga urse serguwexembi.
English Earlier generations plant the trees; later generations enjoy the shade.
[240] Manchu script ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ ᠮᠣᡥᠣᠴᡳ ᠮᡠᠵᡳᠯᡝᠨ ᡶᠣᡥᠣᠯᠣᠨ ᠣᠮᠪᡳ, ᠮᠣᡵᡳᠨ ᠮᠠᠴᡠᠴᡳ ᡶᡠᠨᡳᠶᡝᡥᡝ ᡤᠣᠯᠮᡳᠨ ᠣᠮᠪᡳ.
Romanization niyalma mohoci mujilen foholon ombi, morin macuci funiyehe golmin ombi.
English Poverty shortens ambition; a thin horse grows long hair.