Often times, when you translate an English literature, you will stumble upon some proverbs in the language and do not want to translate it per words. Instead, you want to find equal proverbs which have the similar meaning in your target language (in this post, it will be Indonesian). Here are some examples of those proverbs:
- To have an axe to grind = Ada udang di balik batu
- One scabbed sheep is enough to spoil a flock = Sebab nila setitik rusak susu sebelanga
- To cherish a viper in one’s bosom = Air susu dibalas air tuba
- To fish in troubled waters = Memancing di air keruh
- Cut your coat according to your cloth = Bayang-bayang hendaklah sepanjang badan
- To carry coals to New-castle = Membuang garam ke laut
- The pot calls the cattle black = Udang hendak mengatai ikan
- He is a dog in the manger = Badak-badak, minta aku daging; Bangau2, minta aku leher
- A thorn in one’s flesh = Seperti duri dalam daging
- Home, sweet home = Hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri awak, elok juga di negeri awak
- Huge winds blow on high hills = Besar kapal besar gelombangnya, besar kayu besar dahannya
- Barking dogs seldom bite = Anjing menggonggong tidak akan menggigit
- No rose without thorn = Tiada gading yang tak retak
- Like father, like child = Air cucuran atap jatuhnya ke pelimpahan juga
- Misfortunes never come singly = Antan patah, lesung hilang
- Out of the frying-pan into the fire = Lepas dari mulut harimau jatuh ke mulut buaya
- To behold the mote in the eye of one’s neighbour, but not the beam in one’s own = Gajah di kelopak mata tak tampak, kuman di seberang lautan tampak
- Once a use and ever a custom = Kebiasaan menjadi tabiat
- Strike the iron while it is hot = Menjemur di waktu hari panas.
- Such things bring grist to his mill = Pucuk dicinta ulam tiba
- Such as the tree, such is the fruit = Bagaimana biduk, bagaimana pengayuh
- The apple falls near the tree = Air cucuran atap jatuhnya ke pelimpahan juga
- Harm set, haram get= Siapa menggali lubang, ia juga terperosok ke dalamnya
- After rain comes sunshine = Sesudah hujan datang terang
- His bread is buttered on both sides = Seperti parang bermata dua
- There is no smoke without a fire = Kalau tak ada api takkan ada asap
- The right man in the right place = Asal ayam pulang ke lesung, asal itik pulang ke pelimpahan
- The tongue wounds more than a lance = Berkata peliharakan lidah
- To show the white feather = Malu berani, mati takut
- When at Rome, do as Rome does = Di mana tanah dipijak, disitu langit dijunjung
- In the land of the blind, the one-eyed is king = Dimana tiada elang, kata belalang, akulah elang
- To kill two birds with one stone = Sekali merangkuh dayung, dua, tiga pulau terlampaui
- To pour water into a broken basin = Bagai menghasta kain sarung
- Too much of a good thing is good for nothing = Seperti kersik di pulau
- To save money for a rainy day = Sebelum hujan sediakan payung
- Where there is a will there is a way = Dimana ada kemauan disitu ada jalan
- You must not countyour chickens before they are hatched = Belum beranak sudah ditimang
- Repentance always comes too late = Sesal dahulu pendapatan, sesal kemudian tiada berguna
- So many countries, so many customs = Lain ladang lain belalang, lain lubuk lain ikannya
- Spare the rod and spoil the child = Kasih akan anak dipertangis, kasih akan istri dipertinggalkan
- Falling crumb one must be content with crust = Tidak ada rotan, akar pun jadi
- Bean-pods are noisiest when dry = Tong kosong nyaring bunyinya
- The die is cast = Nasi sudah menjadi bubur
- Many a little makes a mickle = Sehari selembar benang, lama2 menjadi sehelai kain
- To put the cart before the horse = Dahulu bajak dari jawi
- With one’s back to the wall = Seperti ikan dalam belat
- Once bitten twice shy = Sekali jalan terkena, dua kali jalan tahu
- Let sleeping dogs lie = Jangan dibangunkan kucing tidur
- No pains, no gains = pahit dahulu manis kemudian
- A penny saved is a penny gained = Hemat pangkal kaya
- If the blind lead the blind, both fall into the ditch = Seperti kapak menyelam beliung
- Between the devil and the deep sea = Bagai memakan si mala kama, jika dimakan ibu mati, tidak dimakan ayah mati.
- Don’t cut your nose off to spite your face = Menepuk air di dulang, terpercik muka sendiri
- As the twig is bent, the tree is inclined = Kecil termanja-manja, besar terbawa-bawa
- A dwarf is on a giant’s shoulder can see of the two = Berdiri sama tinggi, duduk sama rendah
- A golden key opens every door = Ada uang abang sayang, tidak ada uang abang melayang
- Little helps =Sedikit demi sedikit lama-lama jadi bukit
- Live and learn = Jauh berjalan banyak dilihat
- A well-regulated family often gets the accident = Sepandai-pandai tupai melompat, suatu saat akan jatuh juga
