Khmer Dictionary: a
Proverb Translation (ដោយ គុជ ច័ន្ទលី)
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Proverb Translation (by Khmer Institute)
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ឃើញដំរីជុះ កុំជុះតាមដំរី ។ [21]
Seeing the elephant defecate, do not strive to defecate like the elephant.
Interpretation: Do not strive to do something beyond your capability. -
ឃើញពីនាយកុំអាលទាយអាក្រក់ល្អ លុះឃើញជាក់ជាខ្មៅសទើបថាបាន បើបណ្ដោយតាមគំនិតដែលគិតស្មាន នឹងរំខានព្រោះការខុសកំហុសខ្លួន ។ [22]
Seeing something from afar, do not yet conjecture that it is good or bad, until you see for certain that it is black or white can you make a judgment; if you accept and act according to unsupported speculations, you will experience unhappiness due to your mistakes.
Interpretation: Do not prejudge or act based on unconfirmed rumors or conjectures; it will only cause you grief. -
ឃើញសំបកថាខ្លឹមរុក្ខា យល់ពួកបច្ចាថាជាមិត្រ ពាលជនច្រឡំថាបណ្ឌិត ច្រឡំលាមកពិតថាបុប្ផា ។ [23]
Seeing the bark, you think it is the heartwood of the tree; you understand the enemy as being your friend; the ignorant you mistake for sages; you mistake feces for flowers.
admonishment for gross misconstruction/misinterpretation of a situation -
ឃ្មុំកន្លង់វៀរបង់ឈើគ្មានផ្កា សត្វម្រឹគាវៀរបង់ព្រៃភ្លើងឆេះ សត្វបក្សីវៀរឈើគ្មានផ្លែបេះ ចោរតែងវេះវៀរចាកចោរ៍បុព្វេ ។ [24]
Bumble bees give up on stems without flowers; wild animals give up on forests that are on fire; birds give up on trees without edible fruit; thieves who elude capture give up and throw away their past.
Dual Interpretation: The adage is comparing a thief's past to stems without flowers or trees without fruit, i.e., useless, valueless; but also, to continue to elude capture, thieves must literally "throw away" or hide their past from other people. -
ឃ្លានកុំអាលស៊ី ងងុយកុំអាលដេក ។ [25]
Hungry, do not yet eat; sleepy, do not yet sleep.
Phrase from a Cambodian folklore warning the protagonist to control his desires for fear that his food has been poisoned or that he should be killed in his sleep. Used to warn others to be cautious and stay alert. -
ឃ្លានក្រៃណាឆ្ងាញ់ ស្រឡាញ់ក្រៃណាល្អ ។ ឬ (ពិសាក្រៃណានឹងឃ្លាន អាក្រក់ប៉ុន្មានក្រៃណានឹងចិត្ត) ។ [26]
When extremely hungry, anything is tasty; when extremely in love, anything is good. or (the amount eaten depends upon the person's hunger, the amount of wickedness depends upon the person's nature). -
ឃ្លេមិនខ្លាច ទៅខ្លាចខ្លា ។ [27]
You do not fear the thorny plant, yet you fear the tiger.
Phrase from a Khmer story about a crippled man and a blind man. As they walk through the forest, rather than fearing the thorny plants in his path, the blind man fears running into a tiger. This prompts the crippled man who is riding on his shoulders to scold him for his paranoia. Possible Interpretation: Worry about the immediate dangers rather than one that is still in the abstract. -
ឃ្លោកលិច អម្បែងអណ្ដែត ។ [28]
The gourd sinks, broken pieces float.
Gourds usually float and broken pieces (of plates or bowls) usually sink, but there are times when the opposite is true. This adage is used to refer to situations where the unusual occurs. For instance, unusual changes in social structure or personal status, such as peasants ascending to power and aristocrats toiling in poverty. It is also a reminder that there is always a chance that the unlikely will happen. -
ឃ្វាលក្របីជិះក្របី ឃ្វាលគោជិះគោ ។ [29]
Tending the water buffalo, ride the water buffalo; tending the cow, ride the cow.
Interpretation: Make use of objects at your disposal to make your job easier. Why walk when you can ride the animals you are tending? -
ឃ្វាលចិត្តលំបាកពេកពិខ ដូចឃ្វាលពពក ។ [30]
Tending feelings is truly too difficult, like tending the clouds.