Quote of the Day: Khmer Proverbs and Adages IV

 

Such depth to your words, but your ideas proved shallow.

Ride the water buffalo to cross the muddy field.

Fear not the future, weep not for the past.

Seeing an elephant defecate, do not defecate like the elephant.

Blandness with a handful, saltiness with just a pinch.

Wash your hair with clear water; wash your feet with murky water.

There are men in the land; there are women all over the kingdom.

Water flows through the runoff, rabbit escapes through the gap.

When the cat’s away, the mouse becomes king.

Blame for errors always falls on those who acted; those who did nothing, what do they have to be wrong about?

Drip by drip filled the bamboo tube.

When the water rises, fish eats ant; when the water recedes, ant eats fish.

Cast your fishing rod over the mountain.

Bow to the Buddha, pray to the Gods.

In love, do not visit too often; in yearning, do visit once in a while.

When you caught the fish, you complained that it was too small; when the fish got away, you complained that you lost such a big one.

A pure girl is as bland as a river water, someone else’s wife is as fragrant as a roasted coconut.

Here are Part I, Part II and Part III.

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  1. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Oh, but these are good and so aligned with human nature.

    LC: When you caught the fish, you complained that it was too small; when the fish got away, you complained that you lost such a big one.

    🎣🐟🐠🦈


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    • #1
  2. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    I love how concise these are.

    • #2
  3. Mark Camp Member
    Mark Camp
    @MarkCamp

    Percival (View Comment):

    I love how concise these are.

    • #3
  4. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    LC: Drip by drip filled the bamboo tube.

    Something about this one speaks to me. Maybe a call to patience? Thanks, @lidenscheng.

    • #4
  5. Zafar Member
    Zafar
    @Zafar

    Oh roasted coconut, how I love thee.

    • #5
  6. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    I especially like the two about fish.

    • #6
  7. J. D. Fitzpatrick Member
    J. D. Fitzpatrick
    @JDFitzpatrick

    What does “Cast your fishing rod over the mountain” mean? 

    • #7
  8. LC Member
    LC
    @LidensCheng

    J. D. Fitzpatrick (View Comment):

    What does “Cast your fishing rod over the mountain” mean?

    Dream big! 

    • #8
  9. Charlotte Member
    Charlotte
    @Charlotte

    LC

    Such depth to your words, but your ideas proved shallow.

    How did the ancient Khmer know Barack Obama??

    • #9
  10. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Charlotte (View Comment):

    LC:

    Such depth to your words, but your ideas proved shallow.

    How did the ancient Khmer know Barack Obama??

    His type has existed as long as mankind has.

    • #10
  11. Mark Camp Member
    Mark Camp
    @MarkCamp

    Arahant (View Comment):
    His type has existed as long as mankind has.

    In some ways we think very much alike.

    • #11
  12. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Charlotte (View Comment):
    depth

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Charlotte (View Comment):

    LC:

    Such depth to your words, but your ideas proved shallow.

    How did the ancient Khmer know Barack Obama??

    His type has existed as long as mankind has.

    How about the type whose words are as shallow as his ideas?  Joe Biden is the modern archtype, and he has some competition for that honor in his election opponent.  

    • #12
  13. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    The Reticulator (View Comment):
    and he has some competition for that honor in his election opponent.

    Not really. Trump’s rhetoric often seems simple, but it is conveying profound truths about to run a country, as opposed to how to run one into the ground.

    • #13
  14. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Do you know Joe Biden’s plan for handling unemployment?

    More jobs.

    Gee, thanks for that insight, Joe.

    • #14
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