POPULAR PROVERBS.
The following collection of proverbs will be found curious and
characteristic. They will serve to throw light upon the genius of
the people, and are appropriate specimens of the Tagal idiom:--
Ang mañga casalanan ang nacasisira sa calolova.--Sins are the diseases
of the soul.
Valan di dungmating na dalita t' saguit cay Job ay dili y saman
nagogolorhianan ang coniyang loob.--Job had many troubles, but they
did not affect the inner man.
Catotohin mo ang catatoro co.--Make thyself a friend of my friend.
Avatin mo angcoob mo sa quinauiuilihan niyang masama.--Separate thy
will (purpose) from him whose love has a bad object.
Houag mong pitahin ang vala.--Desire not what is not (not attainable).
At cun ano caya ang pinagpipilitanan.--They dispute about what their
dispute shall be (are determined to quarrel).
Masamang cahuy ang dinamomoñga.--Bad tree produces no fruit.
Maminsanminsan ay susulat ca at maminsanminsa y babata ca nang
sulat.--Write now and then, read now and then.
Nang anoman at maca tomama sa olo ninyo.--Don't fling up a stone,
it may fall on your own head.
Paombaychan ca at napapagal ca.--Sing a lullaby at your wedding.
Houag mo acong pangalatacan at dili aco hayop.--Don't drive me,
for I am not a beast.
Ay at linologmocan mo iyang duma?--Why seat yourself in that dirty
place?
Houag mo acong galavirin niyan osap na iyan.--Don't involve me in
that quarrel.
Hindi matimoan, ang balat nang Buaya, nang anomang tilos.--A knife
will not enter a crocodile's back.
Tiguis cang nag papacalouay.--What thou doest do quietly.
Tiñgalen mo ang balatic.--Lift up your eyes, and you will see the
stars. (Balatic, the Astilejos of the Spaniards--Castor and Pollux.)
Magguimbal ca manguiguimbal.--The drummer should beat the drum.
Houag ninyong yñgayan ang natotolog.--Wake not what is sleeping.
Hindi nag aaya ang mañga ducha.--The poor have no nurse.
Mababao na loob.--He carries his heart in his hand.
Lumaclac ca un valan ynuman.--He would suck a horse-brush rather than
not drink.
Nag babacobaco ca pala.--Listen! thou doest what thou knowest not.
Calouhalhatiang mañga gavang magagaling.--Good deeds are heavenly
doings.
Nag cacaligalig tovina ang pañgiboghoin.--Disquiet is the constant
companion of jealousy.
Papaslañgin mo iyang matologuin.--To make a sentinel of a sluggard
(dormilon, Spanish).
Ang mahabang dila tapit gupitan.--A long tongue ought to be clipped.
Ang mañga cayamanan ay pain din nang demonio sa tavo.--Riches are
the baits of the devil for man.
Ang mañga paguyac nang mañga ducha ay macadarating sa lañgit.--The
cries of the wretched will reach Heaven.
Na aalinagnagan ang langsañgan nang ilao sa bahay.--A candle in a
house will illumine a street.
Maguipag ani ca doon sa nag aani.--Reap thy rice with the reapers.
Si Adan ang nagtongtong mula sa atin.--There is no higher ancestry
than Adam.
Caylan ca maoocan nang cahunghañgan mo?--When will you cast your
fool's skin? (When will you be wise?)
Sucat parasuhan ang mañga magnanacao.--For thieves punishment and
penitence.
Papagdalitin mo iyang marunung.--Let him make a song or sing one
(to a pretender).
Caylan magcaca hapahap ang inyong ylog?--When will your river produce
a conger eel? (to a boaster.)
Ang caiclian nang bait mo ay gaano!--How short must be the shortness
of thy understanding.
Mabuti ang simbahan cung tabiñgan.--Beautiful is the church, but it
must have its curtains (mysteries).
Nang magcatulay tulay na ang balita sa maraving tavo ay siyang
ypinagcabalirbor.--Truth having passed through many (lips), becomes
so entangled and altered, that it no longer resembles truth.
Maylomalong tamis sapolot at lacas sahalimao?--What is sweeter than
honey, or stronger than a lion?
Ungmasoc lamang aco saujo.--Tell a lie to find a truth.
Houag mong ypanotnor sa maruming camay.--Trust not the disentanglement
of the threads to a man with dirty hands.
Papasaylañginmo iyang nagbabanalbanalan.--If he be so virtuous,
let him go to the wilderness (become a hermit).
Ayat sa lalandos cang naparito.--You come to the work and bring
no tools.
Houag mong guisiñgin ang natotolog.--Wake not the sleeping.
Mapagsacasacang tavo sicuan.--Trust not the deceiver who says,
"I'll do it by and by."
Houag mong ayoquin ang bavas nang catouirang justicia.--Bend not the
straight rod of justice.
Ivinavasuas ang aguipo, nang dimipaling ang apuy.--He fans the ashes
to keep up the fire.
Angpagal at ava nang Dios ang yquinayayaman co.--Labour and God's
mercy bring riches.
Pinapananaligquita sa Dios ay nagbibiñgibiñgihanca.--I tell thee to
trust in God, and thou makest thyself deaf.
Tionay mandin sa loob nang tavong mabait ang camuruhan.--An insult
is a thorn that pierces the heart of an honourable man.
Sungmusubo ang polot.--Sweets have their froth (the saccharine matter
of the sugar-cane).
Yaong nanacap pacsvarin mo sa palo.--For bravados, blows.
Ypinagbabalo balo mo saamin ang pagaayunar mo.--Thou wilt deceive by
feigning fasting (religious hypocrisy).
Ang amo ay among dati paramtan man nang mabuti.--The monkey, however
richly dressed, is but a monkey.
Aunque la mona se viste de seda, en mona se queda. (Spanish
proverb.)--Though clad in silk, the monkey is a monkey still.
Houang cang mag hamalhamalan.--Do not seem to sniffle (through the
nose) in the presence of a sniffler (i.e., do not expose the defects
of another).
Magyñgat cayo sapusang lambong.--Beware of a wild cat.
Ang magandanglalaqui huboma y mariguit--Even though naked, gentility
will show itself.
Ang tapat na capitan may pinagcacapitanan.--Let governors govern.
Valangpalay ang amalong mo.--There is no rice in thy granary (to an
empty-headed person).
Ymolos ang camay ay guinagat nang alopihan.--He struck a blow with
his hand, and got bitten by a centipede.
Dino dolobasa ang dimaalan--Making ignorance your interpreter.
Nagcapalu na mandin ang canilan pagtatacapan.--Answer with nonsense
the nonsense of others.
Anong ypinagpaparañgalanmo?--Why so jactant?--(a phrase to check
boasting).
Maalam cang magsima sa taga?--Can he make the barb to the hook? (Is
he clever?)
Mabuit ay nagpapatang patañgan finguin.--Being clever, he feigns
stupidity.
Dibabao ang lañgit sa macasalanan.--Heaven is far off from sinners.
Gagadolong lisa iyan.--Serious as the bite of a louse's egg (nit).
Hindi macacagat ang valang ñgipin.--He who has no teeth cannot bite.
Malubha angpagpap aratimo samasaman gara.--Much obstinacy in an
evil deed.
Iyang caratinanmo angy capapacasamamo.--Thy obstinacy will be thy
perdition.
Pinag cayasalanan mo ang pañginoong Dios.--A sin against a neighbour
is an offence against God.
Pinagbibiyayan an ninyo ang demonio.--To pay tribute to the devil.
Tingmitintinna ang darong magalao.--Turn lewdness to chastity.
Valan di dalita itong buhay natin.--Life is labour.
Mapaparari ang tova sa lañgit magparaling man san.--The joy of heaven
will last and be perpetuated for ever and ever, and without end.
Cayañga t may tapal may sugat din.--Where the wound is, the plaister
should be.
Houag cang omotang nang salapi.--Ask not for the money you lend.
Lubiranmo am navala ang pasilmo.--To play with the string when the
top is lost. (A phrase used when a patron refuses a favour.)
Valan cabolohan ang logor dito sa lupa.--The pleasures of earth are
not worth a hair.
Maytanim no sa mabato.--Sow not among stones.
Hungmo holangcapala aymarami panggava.--You are trifling while so
much work is to be done.
Caya aco guinguinguiyacos dito.--I scratch myself because nobody will
scratch me.
Napaguidaraan aco mya.--If I quarrel with myself, it shall be when
I am alone.
Ano t guinagasaan mo aco?--If you scold me, why with so much noise?
Ang palagay na loob malivag magolorhanang.--Excesses are rare when
the heart is at rest.
Caya co somosoyo siya y aco y tauong aba.--He must obey who is weak
and poor.
Ang pagsisi anghuli ay valang guinapapacanan di baguin ang nañgag
cacasaguit sa infierno.--Repentance is of little value when the
penitent is in the hands of the devil (hell, or the executioner). [29]
Momoal moal mañgusap.--He who speaks with a full mouth will not
be understood.
Hindi sosoco dito ang dimababa.--A short man will not knock his head
against the roof.
Paspasin mo ang buñga at hunag mong pasapan ang cahuy.--In beating
down the fruit, beat not down the tree.
Ang pagcatototo nang loob ang yguinagagaling nang lahat.--Unity of
purpose brings certainty of success.
Nañgiñgisbigsiya nanggalit.--Petrified with rage (addressed to a person
"borracho de colera," as the Spaniards say).
Aglahi si cabiri baquit mayag ang diti.--Saying No! with the lips,
and Yes! with the heart.
Houag mong angcahan ang di mo masasacopan.--Do not adventure much
until you are certain of the issue.
Some Spanish proverbs have made their way into Tagal.
Baquit siya y namong cahi ay siyang nabalantogui. Fué por lana y
bolvió trasquilado.--He went for wool, and returned shorn.
I have selected most of these proverbs, aphorisms and moral and
religious maxims from Fr. de los Santos' folio volume, and they would
have some interest if they represented the thoughts and feelings of a
civilized nation. That interest will hardly be less when the social
code of semi-barbarians is studied in these short sentences. The
influence and teachings of the priests will be found in many; others
will be deemed characteristic of local usages, and some will find
a recommendation in their grotesqueness and originality. I have
thought these examples of the language might not be without their
value to philologists.