Nowé wè diè ngà vï wawèkêê nii.

“Do not reject the words of the elders.”

The counsel of elders carries hard-won experience and should never be dismissed by the young.

Hya thebanem!

“The future is before you — do not turn back.”

Face forward and keep moving toward what is ahead rather than dwelling on what is behind.

Dröne i elu ne qagejë hna hule hnei uke theleci a thatre kö la hna trotro.

“The bourao leaf is carried off by the current, not knowing where it goes.”

A person without direction or purpose drifts through life at the mercy of circumstance, just like a leaf swept along by water.

Bane seretha ne icuhma. Ore la erede ne icuhma ko co ridi da ni bonelu.

“The best defense against an enemy is to attack first.”

Waiting passively for trouble to arrive is weaker than meeting a threat with decisive action.

Bane rue ore alayene ni bo. Ore co wapono ko co cilebut ore thu hnahna.

“Rid yourself of shame and timidity, and accomplish your will.”

Excessive shyness or self-doubt holds people back; real progress requires the courage to act.

Caa ke tang otr, caa ke tang wahep ke oloû hminya obanyen böhngöc.

“With no bag of lobsters and no bag of urchins either, he ends up with his finger bitten by a moray eel.”

Chasing too many opportunities at once, without settling on one, often leaves a person with nothing but harm to show for it.