Shifting His Crooked Walking Stick, The Wise Sage Prepares Himself To Advice The Ancients With His Implicated Knowledge.

screwed up the tittle abit. hm, anyway, been searching around for cool sayings and proverbs from different cultures and languages. hm, hope you guys find this enlightening and kinda uplifting. you can use it againts your friends too, to amaze them with your knowledge.

Malay Proverbs

Beri betis, hendak paha
Literal translation: When a calf is given, a thigh is requested.
Meaning: A greedy person will always ask for more.

Di mana ada kemahuan, di situ ada jalan
Meaning: Where there's a will, there's a way.

Harimau mati meninggalkan belang, manusia mati meninggalkan nama
Literal translation: Tigers die leaving their stripes (of their fur), but humans die leaving their names (reputation).
Meaning: A person dies but his deeds live on.

angan bersultan di mata, bersyaitan di hati
Literal translation: Don't show sultan in the eyes but have satan at heart.
Meaning: Don't be two-faced.

Jangan disangka air yang tenang tiada buaya.
Literal translation: Do not think that placid water is without crocodiles.
Meaning: A serene façade can hide many secrets. Compare to still waters run deep.

Ke mana tumpahnya kuah jika tidak ke nasi
Literal translation: To where does the gravy fall if not onto the rice.
Meaning: Chip off the old block.

Makan boleh sebarang makan, cakap jangan sebarang cakap.
Literal translation: Eat just about anything, don't talk just about anything.
Meaning: Watch your mouth/words.

Sediakan payung sebelum hujan.
Literal Translation: Prepare the umbrella before it rains. The Malay variant to scout's motto Be Prepared.

Sekali air bah, sekali pasir berubah
Literal translation: When a flood hits, the surroundings change with it.
Meaning: After a change, everything is never the same again.


Setinggi-tinggi tupai melompat, akhirnya jatuh ke tanah juga.
Literal translation: No matter how high the squirrel jumps, it will eventually fall onto the ground.
Menaing: Smart people do make mistakes at times.

Yang bulat tak datang bergolek, yang pipih tak datang melayang
Literal translation: Round object will not roll over, flat object will not fly over.
Meaning: You have to make an effort to achieve something.

Chinese Proverbs

rao bao zi da gou
Literal translation: to hit a dog with a meat bun
Meaning: Using the wrong method to approach a problem

shì shàng wú nán shì zhǐ pà yǒu xīn rén
Literal translation: On this world there exists no such impossible tasks, they fear only those with perseverance.
Meaning: No task in this world is impossible so long as there are willing hearts. (where there's a will, there's a way)

yě yào mǎ ér hǎo, yě yào mǎ ér bù chī cǎo
Literal translation: Wants the horse to be good and at the same time want the horse not to eat hay
Meaning: someone has an unrealistic expectation

yù bù zhuó bù chéng qì
Literal translation: a jade that is not chiseled will not be a gem
Meaning: a person needs training and disciplined to have character.

wǒ tīng jiàn wǒ wàng jì. wǒ kàn jiàn wǒ jì zhù. wǒ zuò wǒ liǎo jiě
Literal translation: i hear and i forget, i see and i remember, i do and i understand
Meaning: you can only understand something by trying it yourself

hǔ fù wú quǎn zǐ
Literal translation: A tiger father has no canine sons.
Meaning: The son of a great man is of no less valor than his father

bā xiān guò hǎi gè xiǎn shén tōng
Literal translation: like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each one displaying his/her special feats
Meaning: everyone has his/her own special powers

yí jiàng gōng chéng wàn gǔ kū
Literal translation:Tens of thousands of bones will become ashes when one general achieves his fame.
Meaning: A great person needs others to sacrifice themselves to build his success

huà shě tiān zú
Literal translation: Adding legs when painting a snake
Meaning: Don't overdo something

zì xiāng maó dùn
Literal translation: piercing one's sheild with own spear
Meaning: Self-contradiction

wàn niàn jù huī
Literal translation: thousand of thoughts have turned into ashes
Meaning: all is lost; a hopeless situation

Culda