Me ra leuta mada na malamala mai na matadra.
“Please first remove the beam that is in your own eye.”
A rebuke against hypocrisy — criticizing small faults in others while ignoring greater faults in oneself.
— Traditional Fiji Wisdom, Fiji
Source: Traditional Fiji proverb (iTaukei), public-domain oral tradition
More Proverbs from Fiji
The coconut falls close to its own roots.
Children tend to grow up resembling the home and upbringing that shaped them.
Traditional Fiji Wisdom
Read more →
You will reap the flowers of the bua you planted.
Everyone must live with the consequences of their own actions.
Traditional Fiji Wisdom
Read more →
First go past the forest before you start whistling.
Finish the task at hand before celebrating or boasting of success.
Traditional Fiji Wisdom
Read more →
As the waves rise higher, the swimmer tries to rise higher still.
A warning against arrogance in the young who ignore the advice of their elders and overreach their own limits.
Traditional Fiji Wisdom
Read more →
The parrot will not fly off and leave its tail behind in the nest.
A leader should never set out without the essential support and counsel needed to succeed.
Traditional Fiji Wisdom
Read more →
At the edge of the rock, the shellfish are gathered and protected.
Young women are watched over and protected by their families.
Traditional Fiji Wisdom
Read more →