wisdom OKINAWAN PROVERBS Excerpted from The Okinawan Mind in Proverbs Zenko Shimabukuro |
Ataishi turu atairu. – We get along well with those we can get along with well.
Achinee ya tankaa mankaa. – Business is a two-way street. Aramun jooguu ya duu ganjuu. – One who eats plain food is healthy. Ichariba choodee. – Once we meet and talk, we are brothers and sisters. Uya yushi kwa yushi. – Parents and children teach one another. Kaagee kaa ru ya ru. – Beauty is skin deep. Kamuru ussaa mii nayun. – The more you eat, the more you gain. Kuu sa kana sa. – Small things are lovable. Kuchi ganga naa ya yakutatan. – A smooth talker is a good-for-nothing person. Kutubaa. Jin chikee. – Spend words as efficiently as money. Kutuba noo ushikumaran. – A word can’t be recalled once spoken. Shikinoo chui shiihii shiru kurasuru. – Let’s live helping each other in this world. Shinjichi nu ada nayumi. – Kindness will never be wasted in any way. Jin too waraaran kwa tu ru waraariiru. – We can laugh happily with our children, but not with money. Chu uyamee ru duu uyamee. – If you respect others, they will respect you. Choo kukuru ru dee ichi. – The heart is the most essential human quality. Tusui ya tatashina mun. Warabee shikashina mun. – The old should be treated with due respect. Children should be treated with gentleness. Tusui ya takara. – The old people are treasures to us. Miitundaa duu tichi. – Man and wife are one flesh. Nuchi nu sadamee wakaran. – Only God knows one’s term of life. Machushi garu ufu iyoo tuyuru. – One who waits patiently will catch a big fish. Miinai chichi nai. – We learn by watching and listening. Mii ya tin niru aru. – Our fates are as registered by heaven. Munoo yuu iyuru mun. – Speak well of others. Yaasa ru maasaru. – Food is delicious when one is hungry. Duu nu duu ya duu shiru shiyuru. – You know your body best. Choo kani ru deeichi. – Common sense is essential. Yii kutoo isugi. – Do good things quickly. Chira kaagi yaka chimu gukuru. – Kind hearts are better than fair faces. Yuu ya shititin mii ya shitinna. – Even if you hide yourself from the world, don’t lose sight of your real nature. Nmarijima nu kutuba wasshii nee kuni n wasshiin. – Forgetting your native tongue means forgetting your native country. Ashibi nu chura saa ninju nu sunawai. – The more the merrier. Acha nu neen chi ami. – Tomorrow is a new day. Yikiga nu kutubaa shuumun gaai. – A man’s word is his honor. Mookiraa kwee michi shiri. – Once you have made a fortune, know how to spend it. |
Note on Pronounciation
There are five vowels:
a – as in "father"
i – as in "each"
u – as in "blue"
e – as in "pet"
o – as in "so"
The double vowels are prounced with the longer vowel sound. For example: dee is prounced more like "day" as opposed to "dee" (long "e" sound).