Proverbs

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).