Indonesian proverbs

• "Ada asap ada api."
  • Where there is smoke, there is fire
  • Meaning: There's a cause of everything.
• "Ada gula ada semut."
  • Where there is sugar, there are ants
  • Meaning: There's a cause of everything.
• "Ada udang dibalik batu."
  • There is a shrimp behind the stone
  • Meaning: There are hidden purposes behind an act
• "Air beriak tanda tak dalam."
  • Water with ripple is shallow
  • Meaning: People with much ado usually don't know much/shallow
• "Air cucuran jatuhnya ke pelimbahan juga."
  • Water drips from the roof will eventually go to the reservoir
  • Meaning similar to "Like father like son" or "An apple never falls far from the tree"
• "Air dicincang tak putus."
  • Water minced will not get separated.
  • Meaning: Like the seaweed that clings to each other after each passing boat separates them, so too a family will come together with the passing of each crisis.
  • See also: "Biduk lalu kiambang bertaut."
• "Air susu dibalas dengan air tuba."
  • Milk is repaid with poison
  • Meaning: A good deed that is repaid by a bad deed
• "Air tenang menghanyutkan."
  • Still water runs deep.
  • Meaning: Never take for granted a quiet person, for he may have qualities that belie his quiet nature.
• "Air tenang jangan disangka tiada buaya"
  • Never think that still water doesn't have crocodiles.
  • Meaning: Never take for granted a quiet person, for he may have qualities that belie his quiet nature.
• "Anak dipangku dilepaskan, beruk di rimba disusukan."
  • A child in the lap is let go, a monkey from the forest is nursed instead.
  • Meaning: Changing priorities.
• "Anjing menggongong, kafilah berlalu."
  • The dogs are barking, the traders pass away
  • Meaning: Useless protest, critic, or sarcasm.
• "Asam di gunung, garam di laut bertemu dalam satu belanga."
  • Tamarind in the mountain, salt in the sea meet in a cauldron.
  • Tamarind and salt are two of the most important and frequently used spices in Indonesia.
  • Meaning: Even things that are far apart can meet as one. Usually used to settle differences two rivalries or to state a relationship from two very different entity. Or, for the context of match-making, even two people of different origin / far places can meet and eventually get married.

B

• "Bagai air di daun talas."
  • As if water on talas leaf.
  • Daun Talas has a thin wax layer and therefore is waterproof.
  • Meaning: Two things that never get along.
• Bagai aur dengan tebing
  • Like the bamboo and the river bank
  • Meaning: Each is dependent on the other for their mutual survival.
  • See also: "Bagai kuku dengan isi".
• "Bagai kerakap di atas batu, hidup segan mati tak mau."
  • As if kerakap leaf on a rock, unwilling to live, unwilling to die.
  • Kerakap is a wide leaf of sirih tree and is extraordinarily resilient and long lasting. However, as with other leafs, once it's plucked off from the tree, it's bound to die.
  • Meaning: Fighting a losing battle.
• "Bagai kuku dengan isi."
  • Like the fingernail and the flesh beneath.
  • Meaning: Each is dependent on the other for their mutual survival.
  • See also: "Bagai aur dengan tebing".
• "Bagai makan buah simalakama."
  • As if eating Simalakama fruit.
  • The story says that if one is presented with the fruit of Simalakama: If he eats it, his father would die, otherwise his mother would die instead.
  • Meaning: In a no-win situation where all the possible solutions present has terrible consequence(s).
• "Bagai mendapat durian runtuh."
  • As if receiving falling Durian fruits.
  • Meaning: When a Durian tree is already ripe and sweet, many of the Durians will fall to the ground. This proverb refers to someone who has suddenly gained much wealth.
• "Bagai menatang minyak yang penuh."
  • Like carrying a cupful of oil.
  • Meaning: A person who is extremely cautious in doing something. Often used to describe one's love for a child.
• "Bagai pungguk merindukan bulan."
  • Like a dwarf wishing for the moon.
  • Meaning: A person who wish for something impossible.
• "Bagai telur diujung tanduk."
  • As an egg on the tip of a horn.
  • Meaning: In a very critical situation as the egg will soon tip-over and fall.
• "Bagaikan air dengan minyak."
  • Like water and oil.
  • Meaning: Does not mix well together.
• "Berakit-rakit ke hulu, berenang-renang ke tepian. Bersakit-sakit dahulu, bersenang-senang kemudian."
  • Rafting up the stream, swimming to its edge. Getting pains first, having fun next."
  • Often, both couplet are cited. Sometimes just the first couplet. Rafting up the stream signifies arduous effort, swimming (downhill) is the fun and easy part.
  • Meaning: No pain no gain.
• "Berat sama dipikul, ringan sama dijinjing."
  • Heavy we shoulder together, light we hand-carry together.
  • Meaning: Collaboration, sharing of burden irrespective of the weight.
• "Bermain air basah, bermain api terbakar."
  • Playing with water, wet. Playing with fire, burned.
  • Meaning: Every action has its consequences.
• "Bersakit-sakit dahulu bersenang-senang kemudian."
  • The second couplet of "Berakit-rakit ke hulu, berenang-renang ke tepian."
  • Meaning: No pain no gain.
• "Bersatu kita teguh, bercerai kita runtuh."
  • United we stand, divided we fall
• "Besar pasak dari pada tiang."
  • The peg is greater than the stake
  • In camping, pegs for the camp should be smaller than the stakes. It would be a waste if we make the pegs greater than the stakes.
  • Meaning: Expense is bigger than income.
• "Biduk lalu kiambang bertaut."
  • Hull gets past seaweed gets together again.
  • Meaning: Like the seaweed that clings to each other after each passing boat separates them, so too a family will come together with the passing of each crisis.
  • See also: "Air dicincang tak putus"
• "Buruk muka cermin dibelah."
  • Ugly face, the mirror is split.
  • Meaning: Blaming the wrong reason/cause or creating a scapegoat.

D

• "Dimana ada kemauan, di situ ada jalan."
  • Where there is a will, there is a way
• "Dimana bumi dipijak, disitu langit dijunjung."
  • Wherever we stand, we have to hold the sky
  • Meaning: Wherever we live, we must observe the local custom.
• "Dimana tak da lang, aku lah lang, kata belalang."
  • Where there are no eagles, I am the one, said the grasshopper.
  • Here's a rhyming play in the proverb. The first and second "lang" are Eagle = Elang, which rhymes with Grasshopper = Belalang.
  • Meaning: Where's no top dogs, underdogs will be seen as one.
• "Duduk sama rendah, tegak sama tinggi."
  • Sitting the same low, standing the same height
  • Meaning: Equality, emancipation.
• "Dunia tak selebar daun kelor."
  • The world isn't as wide as kelor leaves.
  • Meaning: The opposite of It's A Small World.
  • Usually to comfort a broken heart, suggesting "Hey, there are still plenty of girls/guys out there."

G

• "Gajah bertarung lawan gajah, pelanduk mati di tengah-tengah."
  • Elephants wage war against elephants, deers die in the midst
  • Meaning: When prominent persons fights, commoners would suffer.
• "Gajah di pelupuk mata tak tampak, semut diseberang lautan tampak."
  • An elephant on the eyelid can't be seen, but an ant on the other side of the sea can.
  • Meaning: An egoistic person can't realize his/her own mistakes, but can always find mistakes of others
• "Gajah mati meninggalkan gadingnya, macan mati meninggalkan belangnya, manusia mati meninggalkan namanya."
  • An elephant dies leaves its tusk, a tiger dies leaves its stripes, a person dies leaves his/her name.
  • Meaning: Someone will be remembered by his/her accolades.

H

• "Habis manis sepah dibuang."
  • Literally: Habis = Finished, Manis = Sweet, Sepah = Tasteless, Dibuang = Thrown away.
  • Illustrated when someone is enjoying sugar canes: After the sweet part is finished and becomes tasteless, the cane is thrown away.
  • Meaning: We only call our friends if we need help, and we don't help our friends in need (egoistic act)

I

• "Ingin hati memeluk gunung, apa daya tangan tak sampai."
  • Translation: The will of the heart is to hug the mountain, but the arm is not long enough.
  • Meaning: This proverb is often used to illustrate a person who does not have enough resources to do/accomplish his goal/wish.

J

• "Jadilah kumbang, hidup sekali di taman bunga, jangan jadi lalat, hidup sekali di bukit sampah."
  • Be a bee, lived once in a flowery garden, not a fly, lived once in heaps of garbage.
  • Meaning: Live a good and useful life.
• "Jadilah orang pandai bagai padi yang merunduk."
  • Be a smart man, like drooping paddy.
  • Paddy droops more as it matures since its kernel is getting heavier.
  • Meaning: Be a smart man and be humble.

K

• "Kacang lupa kulitnya."
  • Translation: A nut forgets its shell
  • This proverb is often used to illustrate a person who forgets where he/she come from (e.g. hometown, family, heritage, etc.)
• "Kalah jadi abu, menang jadi arang."
  • Translation: Loser becomes ashes, winner becomes (burnt) coal.
  • This proverb is often used to illustrate a lose/lose situation, where both winner and loser gain nothing from the conflict.
• "Kalau tak ingin terlimbur pasang, jangan berumah di tepi laut."
  • If you don't want to get flooded, don't build a house next to the sea.
• "Kalo di hutan tak ada singa, beruk rabun bisa menjadi raja."
  • If there were no lion in the jungle, a blind monkey can be king.
• "Karena mulut badan binasa."
  • Because of the mouth the body is destroyed.
• "Kasih anak sepanjang galah, kasih ibu sepanjang jalan."
  • The love from a child is as long as a stick, the love from a mother is as long as a road
  • Meaning: A mother's love is neverending
• "Ke gunung sama mendaki, ke lurah sama menurun."
  • Together we climb the mountain, together we climb down the hill
  • Meaning: Together in good and bad times
• "Keluar mulut harimau, masuk mulut buaya."
  • Out from the tiger's mouth, into the crocodile's mouth.
  • Meaning: To describe a person who has just gotten out from a precarious situation just to get into another precarious situation.
• "Kemarau setahun dihapuskan hujan sehari."
  • A year of dry season (summer) is erased by a day of rain
  • Meaning: A long dispute has been forgoten by love
• "Kepala boleh panas, tetapi hati harus tetap dingin."
  • Head can be heated but heart must stay cool.
  • Meaning: No matter how stressed or angry we are, we have to solve a problem with rationale.
  • Meaning: A dispute can only be resolved by discussing the problem openly and coolly.
• "Kepala sama hitam, isi hati siapa tahu."
  • The hair is all colored the same (black in this case), but no one will know the inside of one's heart
  • Meaning: A different way of thingking in every person

L

• "Lain ladang lain belalang, lain lubuk lain ikannya."
  • Different fields have different insect, different ponds have different fish.
  • Meaning: Different people have different personality.
  • Meaning: Different background means different thinking.
  • Meaning: Different culture means different custom.
• "Lancar kaji karena diulang, lancar jalan karena ditempuh."
  • We spell fluently because we keep repeating it. We know the route because we pass it often.
  • Meaning: Be dilligent in learning.
• "Lebih baik satu burung ditangan dari pada sepuluh burung dipohon."
  • Better one bird in the hand than 10 birds on the tree.
  • Meaning: Better something than nothing.
• "Lempar batu sembunyi tangan."
  • Trow a stone but hide the hand.
  • Meaning: Someone who doesn't want to be responsible for his/her doing.
• "Luka di kaki, sakit seluruh badan."
  • A pain in the feet, the whole body feels it.
  • Meaning: To describe a unity of a society.

M

• "Malu bertanya, sesat di jalan."
  • Embarased to ask will result in getting lost.
  • Meaning: Asking question is the only way t learn
• "Mati satu tumbuh seribu."
  • One dead replaced by one thousand.
  • Used to describe the undying spirit of a movement (for instance during the struggle for independence)
• "Memancing di air keruh."
  • Fishing in a murky water.
  • Meaning: Taking advantage of a murky/confusing situation.
• "Memang lidah tidak bertulang."
  • The tongue indeed has no bone.
  • Meaning: To describe, with disgust, a person who has no principle, who kept changing what he/she says, who is a big time liar.
• "Menang jadi arang, kalah jadi abu."
  • Meaning: To describe a no win situation
  • Same as: Bagai makan buah simalakama.
  • See: Kalah jadi abu, menang jadi arang
• "Mengharap burung terbang tinggi, punai di tangan dilepaskan."
  • Meaning: Expecting something bigger, and we let go what we already have.
  • Example: A gamble who gamble away his paycheck expecting to win big but ends up with nothing.
• "Mengharapkan hujan turun, air di tempayan ditumpahkan."
  • Eager for the rain to fall, water already stored is thrown away.
  • Same as: Mengharap burung terbang tinggi, punai di tangan dilepaskan
• "Menuhuk kawan seiring menggunting dalam lipatan."
  • To punch a comrade, to cut inside a fold.
  • Meaning: To describe a traitor (or traitorous acts)

N

• "Nasi telah menjadi bubur."
  • The rice has become poridge
  • Meaning: Describe, usually with regret, something that has already happenned and is irreversible.

P

• "Panas mentari di kepala orang banyak, panas hati dirasa sendiri."
  • The heat of the sun is felt by everybody, the heat in the heart can only be felt by oneself.
  • Meaning: There is no point of nurturing a contempt/hate/anger inside us. Just let it go!
• "Patah tumbuh hilang berganti."
  • Whatever broken will grow back, whatever lost will be replaced.
  • Meaning: There will be a replacement for everything.
  • Usually is used to describe the undying spirit of a movement (for instance, during the struggle for independence.)
  • Similar to: Mati satu tumbuh seribu.
• "Pikir dahulu pendapatan, sesal kemudian tidak berguna."
  • Thinking first is an asset, regret later is useless.
  • Meaning: Think everything carefully before committing yourself because there is no point for regretting it later.
• "Pikir itu pelita hati."
  • Thought is the light of the heart
  • Meaning: Think!
• "Pucuk dicinta ulam tiba."
  • Meaning: To get something one silently expects/wishes for.

R

• "Rajin pangkal pandai."
  • Meaning: diligence is the beginning of brilliance

S

• "Sambil menyelam minum air."
  • Drink water while diving
  • Meaning: Do two things at one go
• "Sejelek-jelek pemimpin pasti punya anak buah, sebaik-baik pemimpin pasti punya musuh."
  • No matter how ugly a leader is he/she will have followers, no matter how good a leader is he/she will have enemies.
  • Meaning: There is always someone who loves you, and someone who hates you.
• "Sekali lancung ke ujian, seumur hidup orang tak percaya."
  • Once a person cheats in an exam, forever people will distrust him.
  • Meaning: Once you lost the trust of someone, it is almost impossible to gain it back.
• "Sekali merengkuh dayung, dua tiga pulau terlampaui."
  • One stroke at the paddle, two and three islands have passed.
  • Meaning: Do multiple tasks at one go.
• "Sekali bah, sekali pantai berubah"
  • Once there is a flood, the beach will change
  • Meaning: A change of event such as the death of a leader, will lead to other changes.
  • Same as: Sambil menyelam minum air.
• "Sepandai pandai tupai meloncat, jatuh juga."
  • No matter how smart a squirrel can jump, it will fall eventually
  • Meaning: No matter how smart a person is, eventually he/she will make a mistake
• "Seperti katak dalam tempurung."
  • Like a frog trapped under a coconut shell
  • Meaning: No experience, narrow minded (but acts as if he knows everything)
• "Seperti katak hendak jadi lembu."
  • The story says of a frog that wants to be as big as a cow by inflating itself. In the end, its body bursts open and the frog dies.
  • Meaning: Someone who expect to become someone that beyond him.
  • Meaning: Someone who wish/expect something impossible.
  • Similar with: Bagai punguk merindukan bulan
• "Seperti pinang dibelah dua."
  • Meaning: Like a twin, very similar (in appearance)
• "Setajam-tajam pisau, masih lebih tajam lidah."
  • No matter how sharp a knife gets, a tounge is even sharper.
  • Meaning: Be careful of what you say as it can hurt more (feelings) than a knife
• "Setinggi-tingginya bangau terbang, akhirnya ke pelimbahan juga."
• "Sudah jatuh, tertimpa tangga pula."
  • Meaning: All the bad things seems to happen at the same time.
  • Meaning: To describe a very unlucky person who has been having an unlucky streak.
• "Surga di telapak kaki Ibu."
  • Heaven is on the bottom of Mother's foot
  • Meaning: A person who loves/cares about their Mother is doing the best deed.
  • This is also a reference to the saying of Prophet Mohammad of the same meaning, explaining the position of Mother in Islamic belief.

T

• "Tak ada gading yang tak retak."
  • There are no ivory that is not cracked.
  • Meaning: Nothing is perfect in this world.
• "Tak ada rotan, akar pun jadi."
  • No rattans, roots will do.
  • Meaning: If you are desperate, you must not be choosy.
• "Tak bisa menari dikatakan lantai yang berjungkit."
  • Cannot dance but blame the floor as uneven.
  • Meaning: Blaming the wrong reason. Looking for a scapegoat.
  • Same as: Buruk rupa cermin dibelah.
• "Tong kosong nyaring bunyinya."
  • An empty drum gives good sound.
  • Meaning: A person who talks a lot usually is empty inside (of knowledge).
• "Tua-tua keladi, makin tua makin menjadi."
  • Older, worser
  • Meaning: Older but instead of getting wiser, one gets naughtier.
• "Tuhan bisa karena biasa."
  • God can do [the job he's doing] because he is used to do that].
  • Meaning: If we do alot of practice we can do a good job