The best-known Indonesian proverbs and what they mean
The top 3 according to 32 votes from people: Calm water sweeps you away. · However well a squirrel jumps, in the end it falls. · Cheat once in an exam and people distrust you for life.. (Updated Apr 19, 2023.)
"Calm water sweeps you away", "One drop of indigo spoils a whole pot of milk" and "However well a squirrel jumps, in the end it falls": the proverbs Indonesians use most, with their meaning and closest English equivalent, from Wikiquote's collection and proverb dictionaries.
Automatically translated (original in Bahasa Indonesia). See the original
Top 20
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1
Calm water sweeps you away.
"Air tenang menghanyutkan." Meaning: Still waters run deep.
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2
However well a squirrel jumps, in the end it falls.
"Sepandai-pandai tupai melompat, akhirnya jatuh juga." Meaning: The pitcher goes so often to the well that it breaks at last.
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3
Cheat once in an exam and people distrust you for life.
"Sekali lancung ke ujian, seumur hidup orang tak percaya." Meaning: Trust, once lost, is hard to regain.
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4
Give them your liver and they ask for your heart.
"Kasih hati, minta jantung." Meaning: Give him an inch and he'll take a mile.
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5
Suffer first, enjoy later.
"Bersakit-sakit dahulu, bersenang-senang kemudian." Meaning: No pain, no gain.
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6
Different fields, different grasshoppers; different pools, different fish.
"Lain ladang lain belalang, lain lubuk lain ikannya." Meaning: Every place has its own customs.
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7
Having fallen, the ladder falls on you too.
"Sudah jatuh, tertimpa tangga pula." Meaning: Misfortunes never come singly.
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8
What breaks grows back, what is lost is replaced.
"Patah tumbuh hilang berganti." Meaning: Nothing is irreplaceable; the struggle goes on.
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9
Once the sweetness is gone, the pulp is thrown away.
"Habis manis sepah dibuang." Meaning: Used and then discarded, like a fair-weather friend.
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10
The elephant before your eyes goes unseen, the germ across the sea is plain to see.
"Gajah di pelupuk mata tak tampak, kuman di seberang lautan tampak." Meaning: You see the speck in your brother's eye but not the plank in your own.
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11
Diligence is the root of cleverness.
"Rajin pangkal pandai." Meaning: Diligence is the mother of good luck.
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12
Play with water and you get wet; play with fire and you get burned.
"Bermain air basah, bermain api hangus." Meaning: If you play with fire you get burned.
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13
Where there is smoke, there is fire.
"Ada asap, ada api." Meaning: There is no smoke without fire.
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14
One drop of indigo spoils a whole pot of milk.
"Karena nila setitik, rusak susu sebelanga." Meaning: One rotten apple spoils the barrel.
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15
Hard things become possible through habit.
"Alah bisa karena biasa." Meaning: Practice makes perfect.
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16
Don't assume calm water has no crocodiles.
"Air tenang jangan disangka tiada buaya." Meaning: Look before you leap.
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17
Where there is a will, there is a way.
"Di mana ada kemauan, di situ ada jalan." Meaning: Where there's a will, there's a way.
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18
Who sows the wind will reap the storm.
"Siapa menabur angin, akan menuai badai." Meaning: Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.
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19
One stroke of the paddle, two or three islands passed.
"Sekali merengkuh dayung, dua tiga pulau terlampaui." Meaning: To kill two birds with one stone.
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20
Think first, for regret afterwards is useless.
"Pikir dahulu pendapatan, sesal kemudian tiada berguna." Meaning: Look before you leap.
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