Santali/Santali Proverbs & Wisdom

Santali Proverbs and Wisdom This section presents traditional Santali proverbs in Ol Chiki script, with transliteration, English translation, and cultural context. 1. ᱛᱟᱠᱟᱢ ᱠᱷᱟᱱ ᱜᱮ ᱵᱟᱦᱩ, ᱰᱟᱠᱟ ᱠᱷᱟᱱ ᱜᱮ ᱠᱟᱦᱩ Transliteration: Takam khan ge bahu, daka khan ge kahu Translation: "If you have money, people will respect you—like a crow perches where it finds meat." Source: Santali Proverb Cultural Note: Social respect is often tied to wealth. 2. ᱠᱩᱠᱢᱩ ᱨᱮᱱᱟᱦ ᱥᱚᱨᱮᱨ ᱥᱚᱱᱮᱨ ᱥᱚᱝᱥᱟᱨ ᱦᱚ ᱦᱤᱥᱤᱰ ᱦᱚᱭ ᱛᱮᱜᱮ ᱚᱛᱟᱝ ᱮᱱᱟ Transliteration: Kukmu renah sorer soner songsar ho hisid hoy tege oatang ena… Translation: "The sorrow of one’s mother is deeper than the richness of her son’s home; love without trust is like a dry lamp." Source: Pankaj Marndi (sad poet) Note: Evokes maternal sorrow and emotional authenticity. 3. ᱢᱚᱪᱟ ᱠᱟᱛᱷᱟ ᱜᱮ ᱥᱮᱵᱮᱞᱟ, ᱜᱩᱲ ᱪᱤᱱᱤ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱟᱝ Transliteration: Mocha kathha ge sebela, gud chini do bang Translation: "If you want to impress someone, do it with your words—for gifts fade, but words last." Source: Santali Proverb Cultural Note: Highlights the enduring value of respectful speech. 4. ᱥᱟᱦᱟᱣ ᱠᱷᱟᱱ ᱮᱢ ᱞᱟᱦᱟᱣ ᱟ Transliteration: Sahaw khan em lahao aa Translation: "If you have patience, you will receive your reward—everything takes time." Source: Santali Proverb 5. ᱫᱷᱩᱨᱟ.ᱣ ᱞᱮᱱ ᱠᱷᱟᱱ ᱮᱢ ᱯᱩᱨᱟ.ᱣᱼᱟ Transliteration: Dhoraw len khanem purawa Translation: "The best way to complete a task is simple—just start it." Source: Santali Proverb 6. ᱦᱚᱲ ᱵᱷᱚᱨᱥᱟ ᱛᱩᱢᱵᱟ. ᱨᱟᱥᱟ Transliteration: Hor bhorsa tumba. Rasa Translation: "Never depend on anyone—it only gives false hope; do it yourself in time." Source: Santali Proverb 7. ᱵᱟᱝ ᱵᱩᱡᱷᱟᱣ ᱦᱚᱲ ᱛᱤᱱᱟ.ᱜ ᱮᱢ ᱵᱩᱡᱷᱟᱣ ᱮᱭᱟ, ᱫᱷᱤᱨᱤ ᱛᱮᱠᱮ ᱛᱮ ᱵᱟᱝ ᱞᱮ ᱟ Transliteration: Bang bujhaw hor tinag em bujhaw eya, dhiri teke te bang le a Translation: "Never argue with a fool—it’s like expecting a rock to be cooked by boiling." Source: Santali Proverb 8. ᱫᱩᱠᱷ ᱜᱮ ᱥᱟ.ᱨᱤ ᱯᱮᱲᱟ ᱫᱚ Transliteration: Dukh ge sari peda do Translation: "Without experiencing sorrow, you can never know joy." Source: Santali Proverb 9. ᱫᱩᱞᱠᱟᱣ ᱞᱮᱱᱟ ᱫᱷᱟᱨᱛᱤ, ᱜᱩᱦᱩᱰ ᱛᱟᱢᱟᱠ ᱥᱟᱰᱮ ᱛᱮ... Transliteration:Dulkao lena dharti, guhud tamak sade te… Source: Aans Aman Tudu (cultural poet) 10. ᱚᱠᱟᱨᱮᱢ ᱢᱮᱱᱟᱢᱟ ᱚᱠᱟᱨᱤᱱᱡᱽ ᱯᱟᱱᱴᱮ ᱢᱮᱭᱟ... Transliteration: Okarem menama okarinj pante meya…" Source: Santali Proverb 11. "ᱦᱟᱱᱮ ᱱᱮᱞᱳ ᱠᱟᱱ, ᱠᱟᱨ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱮᱝᱠ" Translation: "Hako nelok khan, dak do banuak.." Transliteration: If you see the fish, there is no water. Don't count your chickens before they hatch; don't assume success until it's achieved; things aren't always as they seem. 12. "ᱫᱟᱨᱮ ᱫᱚ ᱯᱮᱨᱮᱡᱽ ᱢᱮᱸᱠᱟ, ᱟᱫ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱟᱦᱟᱞ ᱢᱮᱸᱠᱟ " Dare do perej menak, adi do bahal menak. Literal Translation: "The tree is full, the fruit is ripe." Meaning: Be patient, good things take time to mature; wait for the right moment. 13. "ᱵᱩᱫᱷᱤ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱚᱴᱚᱨ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱠᱩᱞ ᱫᱚ ᱦᱤᱡᱩᱠ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ " Burhiye do botor kana, kul do hijuk kana. Literal Translation: "The old woman is afraid, the tiger is coming." Meaning: Fear often attracts what you fear; don't let fear paralyze you. 14. "ᱦᱚᱨ ᱫᱚ ᱦᱚᱨ ᱠᱟᱱ, ᱰᱟᱠ ᱫᱚ ᱰᱟᱠ ᱠᱟᱱ " Hor do hor kan, dak do dak kan. Literal Translation: "Man is man, water is water." Meaning: Everyone has their own nature; accept people for who they are; a person's true character will eventually show. 15."ᱵᱟᱦᱟ ᱵᱟᱦᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱡᱟᱱᱟᱢ, ᱯᱩᱴᱤ ᱯᱩᱴᱤ ᱫᱚ ᱢᱚᱨᱚᱱ" Baha baha do janam, puti puti do moron. Literal Translation: "Flower by flower is birth, worm by worm is death." Meaning: Life and death are natural cycles; everything has a beginning and an end. 16."ᱥᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱪᱟᱱᱰᱚᱨ ᱫᱚ, ᱱᱤᱱᱰᱟ ᱱᱮᱞ ᱫᱚ" Sin chandor do, ninda nel do Literal Translation: "Day is for seeing, night is for watching." Meaning: Work hard during the day, rest and reflect at night; there's a time for everything. 17."ᱠᱚᱭᱚ ᱨᱮᱠᱳ ᱵᱚᱝᱜᱟ, ᱯᱮᱨᱮᱡᱽ ᱨᱮᱠᱳ ᱨᱚᱨ" Koyo' reko bonga, perej reko ror Literal Translation: "They worship when they are hungry, they talk when they are full." Meaning: People remember their needs when they are in want, but can be boastful or less grateful when they have plenty. 18."ᱥᱮᱛᱟᱦ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱩᱫᱷᱤ ᱭᱟ, ᱥᱟᱱᱡ ᱫᱚ ᱜᱤᱫᱨᱟ " Setah do budhi ya, sanjh do gidra. Literal Translation: "Morning is an old woman, evening is a child." Meaning: The beginning of a task or life can be slow and deliberate (like an old woman), but the end can be quick and unpredictable (like a child). Or, the wisdom of age in the morning, the innocence of youth in the evening. 19."ᱜᱟᱴᱮ ᱫᱚ ᱜᱟᱪᱮ ᱠᱟᱱ, ᱵᱚᱝᱜᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱚᱝᱜᱟ ᱠᱟᱱ " Gaate do gaate kan, bonga do bonga kan. Literal Translation: "Friend is friend, spirit is spirit." Meaning: Understand the difference between worldly relationships and spiritual matters; keep things in their proper context. 20."ᱰᱟᱠ ᱫᱚ ᱰᱟᱠ ᱫᱚ ᱫᱩᱞᱰᱟᱦ, ᱡᱚᱢ ᱫᱚ ᱡᱚᱢ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱟᱦᱟ" Dak do dak do duldah, jom do jom do baha Literal Translation: "Water is water, flowing; food is food, blossoming." Meaning: Water flows continuously, symbolizing persistence; food grows and gives life, symbolizing sustenance and growth. It speaks to the continuous nature of life's essentials. 21. "ᱦᱟᱱᱰᱤ ᱫᱳ ᱟᱫᱤ ᱟᱰᱤ, ᱦᱟᱠᱩ ᱫᱳ ᱪᱤᱠᱤ ᱪᱤᱠᱤ" Handi do adi adi, haku do chiki chiki Literal Translation: "Alcohol is much, fish is little." Meaning: Don't spend too much on pleasures (like beer) while neglecting necessities or moderation; prioritize what's important. 22."ᱵᱚᱝᱜᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱚᱝᱜᱟ ᱨᱚᱨ, ᱦᱚᱨ ᱫᱚ ᱦᱚᱨ ᱨᱚᱨ." Bonga do bonga ror, hor do hor ror Literal Translation: "The spirit speaks like a spirit, man speaks like a man." Meaning: Everyone speaks according to their nature or station; understand the source of a statement. 23."ᱦᱟᱠᱳ ᱱᱮᱞᱚᱠ ᱫᱚ, ᱵᱩᱨᱩ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱩᱢᱵᱩ" Hako nelok do, buru do bumbu Literal Translation: "If fish are seen, the hill is seen." Meaning: Some things are obvious or cannot be hidden; if there's smoke, there's fire. 24."ᱥᱮᱛᱟᱦ ᱫᱚ ᱨᱚᱨ, ᱱᱤᱱᱰᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱟᱛᱷᱟ" Setah do ror, ninda do katha. Literal Translation: "Morning is for talking, night is for stories/proverbs." Meaning: There's a time for practical discussion and a time for deeper reflection or sharing wisdom. 25."ᱫᱟᱨᱮ ᱫᱚ ᱯᱮᱨᱮᱡᱽ ᱢᱮᱸᱠᱟ, ᱟᱫ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱟᱦᱟᱞ ᱢᱮᱸᱠᱟD" are do perej menak, adi do bahal menak. Literal Translation': "The tree is full, the fruit is ripe." Meaning: Be patient, good things take time to mature; wait for the right moment. 26."ᱚᱠᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱤᱱᱰᱤ, ᱚᱠᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱩᱨᱩ." Oka do bindi, oka do buru Literal Translation: "One is a drop, one is a mountain." Meaning: There's a vast difference between small things and large things; don't underestimate either. 27."ᱡᱟᱱᱟᱢ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱟᱦᱟᱱᱤ, ᱢᱚᱨᱚᱱ ᱫᱚ ᱜᱚᱡᱽ" Janam do kahani, moron do goj Literal Translation: "Birth is a story, death is an end." Meaning: Life is a journey with a narrative, while death is its conclusion. Emphasizes the transient nature of life. 28."ᱨᱤᱞᱟᱢᱟᱞᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱜᱟᱴᱮ, ᱠᱩᱨᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱡᱩᱨᱤ." Rilamala do gaate, kura do juri Literal Translation: "The friend is like a shadow, the companion is like a pair." Meaning: A true friend stays with you like your shadow, while a good companion is like a perfectly matched pair – implying strong, supportive relationships. 29."ᱵᱩᱫᱷᱤ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱟᱴᱷᱟ, ᱜᱤᱫᱨᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱱᱮᱞ." Budhi do katha, gidra do nel Literal Translation: "The old woman is words, the child is sight." Meaning: Old age brings wisdom and stories (words), while youth is characterized by observation and learning through experience (sight). 30."ᱰᱟᱠ ᱫᱚ ᱪᱤᱠᱤ, ᱦᱚᱨ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱟᱛᱷᱟ" Dak do chiki, hor do katha Literal Translation: "Water is sound (splashing), man is speech." Meaning: Just as water makes its own sound, a person's words reveal their character or intentions.