A Collection of Meaningful Sundanese Proverbs

Collection of Sundanese Proverbs – Indonesia is a country that has a diversity of ethnicities and cultures. The richness of culture in Indonesia produces various proverbs in their respective regional languages, including Sundanese proverbs. There are lots of proverbs that come from the Sundanese.

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Here are some examples of proverbs in Sundanese that are useful in navigating life.

What Does the Proverb Mean?

As quoted from the Big Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI) page, proverbs are groups of words or sentences that have a fixed structure. Meanwhile, Puput Alviani argues in his work entitled Proficiency in Proverbs, New Poetry, and Pantun (2017:7), proverbs are a form of figurative language or language that does not express direct meaning, but uses comparisons. The comparison is usually in the form of a sentence or it can also be in the form of short sentences containing expressions, parables, comparisons, advice, life principles, or rules of life behavior.

According to Satjadibrata (1945) in Rosidi (2005:5) paribasa (paripaos) are words that are arranged into speech expressions that have the meaning of life experience or become advice. Furthermore, Gandasudirdja (1977: 80) explains that paribasa is an expression that has a fixed structure and implies life experience or becomes advice, the composition of which has been determined by the ancestors. If the order is changed, of course the meaning will change.

In terms of linguistics, Prawirasumantri (1973: 39) explains that paribasa in linguistics is a comparison that has become a symbol of action in forming a single expression (words with clear patterns, clear sounds, and of course how to express them). Likewise, according to Sudrayat (2003: 99), paribasa is an expression in the form of a sentence (clause) where the words are certain, and the meaning is clear, usually containing the meaning of comparisons or silokas of human life actions.

According to Tamsyah (1994: 9-10), there are several main characteristics that can separate paribasa and other sentences, including
:

Paribasa is in nature to compare, liken;
Paribasa is an expression that has no real meaning;
Paribasa is a form of sentence (clause) that is very close to the heart that expresses it;
Paribasa cannot be changed, reduced, exaggerated, or refined, because it is already a standard .

The following are proverbs in Sundanese that are useful in navigating life as quoted from the book Collection of Indonesian Proverbs from Aceh to Papua by Iman Budhi Santosa (2009).

Collection of Sundanese Proverbs

The Sundanese people, like other ethnic groups in Indonesia, have a number of moral value systems and noble views contained in the form of Sundanese culture. Ekadjati (1995: 62) says that the moral values of Sundanese culture are Sundanese ethnic identity that originates from Sundanese cultural values, beliefs and heritage which are used as references in behavior.

Language in the inheritance of cultural values has a very important role, because language is one of the main tools used to pass on cultural values in a community group. Sundanese is used by the Sundanese people in West Java as a means of communication both orally and in writing. One of the standard and frozen elements of language, both in terms of structure and meaning (purpose), one of which is proverbs.

Proverbs are universally owned by languages in the world with standard and standard forms, which are often called idioms. Proverbs as traditional expressions are made as advice, advice conveyed implicitly by taking into account the high aesthetics of language (Widyastuti, 2012:133 in Abbas,
2014:16). These elements are passed down from generation to generation with the same structure and meaning. This is based on that proverbs have fixed rules, with the intention that the cultural values of these proverbs are maintained (Djajasudarma, 1997:1).

Objects like the life of the rumble (wealth and life are gifts from God and must be surrendered if they are taken at any time).
Mun kiruh ti girang komo ka huluna (if the leader is not good, the people he leads will go far from being good again).
Kudu measure kana honestly, consider kana crew (don’t overdo it, because this kind of attitude will invite criticism from many people).
Gunung agung beunang is measured, sea jero beunang is praised, but haté jelema nejan déét teu kakobét (knowing the contents of a person’s heart that is hidden within a person is very difficult, because what is seen in their behavior and what they feel can be different).
Ka hareup ngala sejeujeuh, ka handyman ngala step by step (to be careful in living life to avoid unwanted problems).
Nu geulis so werijit nu lenjang so baruan (beauty can be dangerous and cause havoc).
Leave hayam dudutaneun (don’t leave work unfinished).
Ulah agul I’m an old umbrella, everything is nu dipiboga levels entrusted by Tinu Maha Kawasa (don’t be arrogant with what you have because everything that belongs to us is only entrusted by God Almighty).
Kudu seubeuh méméh dahar, kudu nepi méméh indit (must look ahead/think before doing an action, think about the impact or risk before acting).
Hirupmah tong asa aing uyah kidul sabab in the world of dunyamah euweuh elmu panutup (life should not feel the greatest, because in this world there is no ultimate knowledge).
Kudu ngaragap hate batur ari nyarita teh ulah ngeunah éhé teu ngeunah eon (must understand other people’s feelings, don’t speak casually).
Ngeduk cikur kedah mitutur, nyokél jahé kedah micarék (honest, not taking other people’s rights, not corruption, and harming others, this will be a provision for living a good and happy life).
Wealth banda measure entrusted, kade poho thanksgiving kanu Maha Kawasa (properties are only entrusted, don’t forget to give thanks to God Almighty).
Tong ngalalaworakeun kanu becomes old-fashioned, because ovary stump rahayu father tangkal darajat (don’t neglect your parents, because mothers are the source of prosperity and fathers are the source of a child’s dignity).
But if you have good luck, you have to be able to set it aside so that tomorrow the day after tomorrow you won’t be in trouble.
Tata titi duduga peryoga (maintaining ethics and manners).
Moal aya haseup mun euweuh seuneu, matak ogé ulah nyieun shoots tigirang bisi nimbulkeun bancang pakewuh (there will be no effect if there is no cause, so don’t make trouble, you are afraid it will cause trouble).
So jelema mah must be honest jeung hampang birit méh loba nu mikaresep (so one has to be honest and diligent so that many people will love you).
Sing boga pamadegan breathes, do if awi sumaér in the sand (must have a stand, don’t be wishy-washy).
However, promises are kudu sacangreud pageuh sagolek pangkek (promises must be kept so that they cannot be kept at all).

Do not indulge in lust sabab lust nu matak kaduhung crew nu akan katempuhan (don’t show anger, because anger will cause regret and loss in the future).
Munding was checked by Tambangna, Jelema was checked by Caritannana. Kudu tijin kana jangji lunca linc luncat luncat mulang udar tina tali gadang (if you speak you have to be honest and if you make a promise you have to be able to keep it and not betray).
So pamingpin sing fair, tong cuut kanu hideung ponténg kanu konéng (being a leader must be fair, don’t take sides with certain classes or groups).
Sing daék peurih da hirupmah moal beunghar ku panyukup batur (you have to be willing to fight alone even though it’s difficult because life won’t be rich with gifts from other people).
Kudu got along jeung dulur hadé jeung baraya (must get along well with siblings).
Sing soméah is fried bagug and basa mah teu meuli (you have to be friendly because you don’t have to pay to speak politely).
Jelemamah kumaha deeds sabab melak bonténg will be bonténg melak cabé will be cabé (humans will harvest from what they do, if they do good they will reap good, if they do bad they will reap bad).
Kabagjaan my sanes tea is a treasure, kabagjaan ayana tea dina hate nu teu weleh say thank you (happiness is not a matter of having many possessions, happiness is in a heart that always gives thanks).
Other poor people sabot teu complaining about wealth, nanging sabot us atos kaleungitan mikacinta tina family (a poor person is not when we have no wealth, but when we have lost the love of our family).
Nepika ngajadikeun’s actions, cinta matak poho kana sagalana, komo nepika poho ka nu maha kawasa, my asa kubina-bina (don’t let love make you forget everything, let alone forget God Almighty).
Hirupmah tong asa aing uyah kidul sabab in the world of dunyamah euweuh elmu panutup (life should not feel the greatest, because in this world there is no ultimate knowledge).
Kudu silih asih silih asah jeung silih asuh (love each other, teach each other and look after each other).
Ulah agul I’m an old umbrella, everything is nu dipiboga levels entrusted by Tinu Maha Kawasa (don’t be arrogant with what you have because everything that belongs to us is only entrusted by God Almighty).
Cai karacak ninggang batu gradually becomes dekok (a little water drop that hits the rock, over time it will leave a mark on the rock).
Kudu seubeuh méméh dahar, kudu nepi méméh indit (must look ahead (think) before doing an action, think about the impact or risk before acting).
Sacangreud pageuh sagolek pangkek (commitment, keeping promises and being consistent).
In dunya mah darma wawayangan baé, anging Allah nu ngusik malikeun (humans do not have the power and effort, all by the will of Allah SWT).
Ngeduk cikur kedah mitutur, nyokél jahé kedah micarék (honest, not taking other people’s rights, not corrupting or harming others, may this be a provision for living a good and happy life).
Kudu nyanghulu ka Hukum, nunjang ka nagara, mupakat ka balaréa (must refer to the law, uphold the state, and reach an agreement for the common good) .
I have to eat my own things because adéan ku kuda beureum (must have their own things, don’t be proud of other people’s things).
Kudu can mihapékeun manéh or sing can mipahékeun himself (must be able to take care of himself in association or must be good at adapting to the environment).
Bring! please pretend to miss me horns, you don’t need it (bring certain items, don’t feel complicated later you will need them).
Kudu nulung kanu need nalang kanu hard (must like to help people in need).
You’re stingy, kudu daék méré mawéh ka sasama (don’t be stingy, you have to be generous, and help others).

The Value of Wisdom in Sundanese Proverbs

1. Confident

Confidence is one aspect of personality that is very important in human life. Confidence is having confidence in one’s own abilities and judgment in doing a task and choosing an effective approach. Confident people are confident in their own abilities, and have realistic expectations, even when their expectations don’t materialize, they stay positive and can accept it.

The importance of this self-confidence has been emphasized for a long time by the ancestors of the Sundanese people through the proverb below:

My adéan is a beureum horse.

The word adéan is related to the horse, which means to ride a horse and to make the horse act. The meaning of this proverb is arrogant with items (clothing) borrowed or belonging to other people (borrowed). There is really no connection between proverbs and their meaning, because most likely this proverb comes from Sisindiran (a form of Sundanese poetry, a type of talibun):

My adéan, my horse, beureum hadé, my banda deungeun.

An arrogant attitude by using borrowed goods (belonging to other people) is an example of being insecure about something he owns. This attitude is an attitude that is not good and is not guided by, but in fact this proverb gives a view of the wisdom values of the Sundanese people regarding self-confidence. The proverb above is solely expressed so that this attitude is avoided and does not do the things contained in the proverb above.

2. Hard Work

Hard work is an act of doing something persistently and earnestly to achieve optimal results. In other words, hard work is doing something with high awareness and ability, so as to achieve the expected results. This attitude of hard work is emphasized in the life of the Sundanese people. Data that supports this include:

They don’t want to be crazy, but they don’t have to be greedy, but they don’t have to do bad things.

The poetic element and the strength of the sound of the proverb above lies in the words reason – akeul, ngarah – ngarih , and ngoprék – nyapék , namely purwakanti sora . Thus, this proverb is easy to remember. The denotative meaning of the proverb above is if you don’t use your mind you won’t flip through the rice, if you don’t look you won’t stir the boiled rice, if you don’t do the work you won’t chew.

Using reason, seeking, and doing work is a reflection of one’s efforts to earn sustenance. The sustenance shown in this proverb is sustenance in the form of food. This is reflected in the food processing activities in proverbs.

Furthermore, at the end of the proverb, the word nyapék is displayed which means chewing and can connote the activity of eating. Therefore, this proverb reveals that if someone does not want to try, he will not be able to eat (meet his needs). This proverb expresses good cultural values because it indirectly encourages someone to work hard to fulfill all their needs.

3. Leadership

Leadership is a person’s ability to influence the behavior, thoughts and attitudes of groups of people, either directly or indirectly without coercion from their leaders. However, because they want to do it voluntarily. Attitudes reflecting the value of leadership have been emphasized in the life of the Sundanese people.

In addition, leadership attitudes can also be found in Sundanese proverbs. Data that supports this, among others:

Leuleus jeujeur clay rope.

Jeujeur is a fishing rod or handle. A good fishing tackle is a handle that is flexible, not easily broken, and can lift heavy loads of fish. Rope is a long threaded item that is usually used for tying.

If you pay attention to the nature of the fishing rod which is flexible and strong, as well as the rope that binds it, this can be interpreted if this proverb is mentioned to someone who has great consideration, is patient, is not easily angry. This trait belongs to the characteristics that must be possessed by leaders who are “flexible” or able to follow the direction and intent of the members they lead, then “bind” the members to stay together.

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Well, that’s a collection of Sundanese proverbs that are useful in navigating life. Hopefully useful for all of you.