Great Throughts Treasury

"If a father has freckles, the son has them too."

"If I am to be slapped, let it be by a hand that wears a ring."

"If it rains stones in our country and rains gold in other people's countries, it is better to live in our country."

"If the fishing rod is finger-length, do not fish in the open seas."

"If it is heavy, we carry it together on our shoulders; if it is light, we carry it together in our hands."

"If you are going to do something, you might as well go all the way."

"If there is no rattan, roots will do."

"If you are reluctant to ask the way, you will be lost."

"If there is no reason, why would the tempua bird nest on the low branches? There can't be smoke without fire."

"If you are too shy to ask, you might lose your way."

"If you dip your arm into the pickle pot let it be up to the elbow."

"If you fear being hated then it is best no to be in power"

"If you have, give; if you lack, seek."

"If you know how to cut, then you must also know how to sew."

"If you chop water, it won't separate."

"If you lost at the end of the route, go back to the beginning of the route."

"If you speak in the daytime, look around; if you speak at night, listen carefully."

"If you plant grass, you won't get rice."

"if you stand facing the sun you may end up following an uncleared path."

"If you?re going in for kicking, you had better wear boots."

"If you?re going to punch a man in the ribs, make it hurt."

"If your fishing line is only a hand span long, don't try to measure how deep the sea is."

"If you're afraid of the waves, don't build your house on the beach."

"If you're dipping your hand in the pickle jar, you might as well put your whole arm in."

"If you've gained possession of the prized ivory, the humble horn is no longer worthy. The opportunist in us will discard what we have when a better alternative comes along."

"Incremental efforts do make a difference as the benefits accumulate. A little effort in time makes a hill, and a thread woven eventually becomes cloth."

"If you're going to stick your hand into a pot of rotten fish, you may as well stick your whole arm in."

"It is better to measure your shirt on your own body."

"It doesn't matter if you have no money, as long as you have style."

"It is still daylight even if one cock doesn't crow."

"It is the fate of the coconut husk to float, for the tone to sink."

"It is in sugar that you see a dead ant."

"It is inevitable for people who are close to each other to quarrel sometimes."

"Just as the padi plant bends lower as it ripens, so too do those who are more knowledgeable display greater humility."

"Just like a crab, teaching its young how to walk straight."

"Just like a dog and a cat."

"It may rain gold in a foreign land and stones in your country, but your own country is always better. Loyalty and patriotism should lie in your own country."

"Keeping a secret that is already known to others."

"Kick away the ladder and one's feet are left dangling."

"Let it break in the stomach, don?t let it break at the mouth."

"Let it be slow as long as it's safe; a mountain won't run if you chase it."

"Like a candle, burning itself to light the people."

"Let the bones white, don?t let the eyes white."

"Like a monkey who eats belacan (a Malay traditional foodstuff; chilli paste which is pungent and spicy ala chili con carne)."

"Like an enemy hiding under your blanket."

"Let your child die, but never your customs."

"Like pulling a strand of hair out of flour,ensure that the hair does not break and the flour won?t scatter. A difficult problem may need painstaking effort to resolve."

"Like a dog gave birth to six litters."

"Like father like son."

"Like the bamboo and the river bank, and like the fingernail and the flesh beneath, each is dependent on the other for their mutual survival."