“Do not steal, do not lie, do not be lazy.”
Ama sua, ama llulla, ama qhella.
Source: Inca moral code (Andean/Quechua oral tradition), widely documented; recorded by chroniclers such as Guaman Poma de Ayala and Garcilaso de la Vega
Traditional Peru Wisdom
Sabiduría tradicional del Perú
Folk & Oral Tradition
Who is Traditional Peru Wisdom?
Traditional Peru Wisdom gathers the proverbs and sayings (refranes and dichos) passed down orally among the peoples of Peru across many generations. This body of wisdom has no single named author; it is the shared inheritance of Andean, coastal and Amazonian communities, blending pre-Columbian Quechua and Aymara thought with the Spanish-language proverb tradition brought during the colonial era. At its ethical heart stands the ancient Inca moral code — ama sua, ama llulla, ama qhella (do not steal, do not lie, do not be lazy) — still invoked today as a foundation of Andean values. Many sayings draw on farming, rivers, animals, the sun, reciprocity (ayni) and communal solidarity, teaching diligence, honesty, vigilance, patience and mutual aid. Because these proverbs live in everyday speech rather than a fixed printed source, small variations exist between regions, languages and retellings. This platform records the widely recognised forms and, in keeping with its accuracy rule, presents them as traditional rather than attributing them to any one person.
Sources: Inca moral code (Andean/Quechua oral tradition), recorded by chroniclers such as Guaman Poma de Ayala and Garcilaso de la Vega · Traditional Peruvian oral tradition (refranes y dichos), public-domain folk wisdom
Quotes by Traditional Peru Wisdom
“Today for you, tomorrow for me.”
Hoy por ti, mañana por mí.
Source: Common Spanish-language proverb widely used in Peru; public-domain oral tradition
“He who is born a flowerpot never gets past the hallway.”
El que nace para maceta, no pasa del corredor.
Source: Traditional Latin American / Peruvian proverb, public-domain oral tradition
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“The shrimp that falls asleep is carried off by the current.”
Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.
Source: Traditional Latin American / Peruvian proverb, public-domain oral tradition
“The sun shines for everyone.”
El sol sale para todos.
Source: Traditional Spanish-language proverb used in Peru; public-domain oral tradition
“Little by little one walks far.”
Poco a poco se anda lejos.
Source: Traditional Spanish-language proverb used in Peru; public-domain oral tradition