Traditional Brunei Wisdom

Bagai aur dengan tebing.

“Like the bamboo and its riverbank.”

Two parties support and depend on each other, thriving only through mutual cooperation.

Bagai katak di bawah tempurung.

“Like a frog under a coconut shell.”

Describes someone with a narrow view of the world who mistakes their small experience for the whole of it.

Air tenang jangan disangka tiada buaya.

“Do not assume calm water holds no crocodile.”

A quiet, gentle manner can conceal danger, depth, or hidden intentions.

Hendak seribu daya, tak hendak seribu dalih.

“Wanting finds a thousand ways; unwilling finds a thousand excuses.”

A determined person finds many paths forward, while a reluctant one finds many reasons to avoid trying.

Bagai pinang dibelah dua.

“Like an areca nut split in two.”

Describes two people or things that closely resemble each other, such as twins or a well-matched couple.

Ke bukit sama didaki, ke lurah sama dituruni.

“Climb the hill together, descend the valley together.”

True companions share both the hardships and the ease of life side by side.

Melentur buluh biarlah dari rebungnya.

“Bend the bamboo while it is still a shoot.”

Character and habits are best shaped while a person is still young.

Ada gula, ada semut.

“Where there is sugar, there are ants.”

People are naturally drawn to wherever there is benefit, wealth, or advantage to be gained.

Tak kenal maka tak cinta.

“Not knowing is not loving.”

Understanding and closeness grow only through familiarity; you cannot value what you do not know.

Genggam bara api, biar sampai jadi arang.

“If you grasp a burning ember, hold it until it becomes charcoal.”

Once a difficult task is undertaken, see it through to the end rather than abandoning it halfway.

Malu bertanya sesat jalan.

“Too shy to ask, and you will lose your way.”

It is better to ask when uncertain than to let pride lead you astray.

Bagai telur di hujung tanduk.

“Like an egg balanced on the tip of a horn.”

Describes a precarious, highly dangerous situation that could collapse at any moment.

Air dicincang tidak akan putus.

“Water that is chopped will never be severed.”

Family bonds, however strained by conflict, ultimately cannot be broken.

Alah bisa, tegal biasa.

“What seems impossible becomes easy through habit.”

Repeated practice turns even the most difficult skill into second nature.

Guru kencing berdiri, murid kencing berlari.

“If the teacher urinates standing, the student will urinate running.”

The young exaggerate the bad examples set by their elders, so leaders must be mindful of the example they set.

Bagai isi dengan kuku.

“Like flesh and the nail.”

Describes an extremely close and inseparable relationship, such as between close kin or lifelong friends.

Harapkan pagar, pagar makan padi.

“Trust the fence, yet the fence eats the rice.”

Betrayal is hardest to bear when it comes from the very person entrusted to protect you.

Ikut hati mati, ikut rasa binasa.

“Follow the heart and you may perish; follow mere feeling and you may be ruined.”

Decisions made purely on emotion, without reason, often lead to ruin.

Bagai kacang lupakan kulit.

“Like a bean that forgets its own shell.”

Describes someone who forgets their humble origins or is ungrateful to those who once protected them.

Bulat air kerana pembetung, bulat manusia kerana muafakat.

“Water becomes round because of the channel; people become united through consensus.”

Genuine unity among people is built through consultation and mutual agreement, not force.

Sesal dahulu pendapatan, sesal kemudian tak berguna.

“Regret that comes before brings profit; regret that comes after is of no use.”

Careful thought before acting prevents loss; regret after the fact changes nothing.

Sepandai-pandai membungkus, yang busuk berbau juga.

“However well you wrap it, what is rotten will still smell.”

Wrongdoing or a hidden flaw cannot be concealed forever; the truth eventually surfaces.

Bagai enau dalam belukar, melepaskan pucuk masing-masing.

“Like sugar palms in the thicket, each sending up its own shoot.”

Describes people who each pursue their own separate interest rather than working toward a shared goal.

Tepuk sebelah tangan tidak berbunyi.

“One hand clapping alone makes no sound.”

A quarrel or a relationship cannot exist through one side alone; both parties share responsibility.

Bagai anai-anai makan kayu.

“Like termites eating away at the wood.”

Describes a hidden threat that quietly destroys from within until the damage is suddenly revealed.