I have found a few proverbs in verse, of which these are examples:—
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Isda acong yaga saprap
Galataliptip calapad
Caya naquiqui pagpusag
Ang cala goyo y apahap.
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Weak men, by the helping aid
Of the mighty, strong are made.
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Aba ayá casampaga
Nang ponay na olila
Un umumbo y pagscap na
Valan magsopcop na ma.
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It is a very careless hen,
Who will not stretch her pinions when
The young brood for protection fly
From storms and rains and threatening sky.
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Ycao ang caou co
Pacacaou so tomanda y
Maguinguin bata pa
Ang catacayac
Sucat macapagcati nang dagat.
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In going and coming on life’s long stage,
You may say as a certain truth,
That men may travel from youth to age,
But never from age to youth.
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| Coya ipinacataastaas. | Many few make a many. |
| Nang domagongdong ang
cagpac. | The higher the flight the greater the
fall. Tolluntur in altum ut lapsu graviore
ruant.—Claud. |
Note.—The chapter I had written on the language of the Philippines was, with many others of my MSS., submerged in the Red Sea by the Alma wreck, and much of their contents is utterly illegible; nor have I been able, from any materials accessible to me in this country, to present anything like a satisfactory sketch. Under the circumstances, my short-comings will, I doubt not, be forgiven.
[1] Personal pronouns are aco, I; anim, we. The Tagál has no possessive pronouns; but employs instead the genitive of the personal. [↑]
[2] Um, to be; ungma, thou art. [↑]
[3] Ca, or ycao, personal pronoun, thou, always follows the verb; mo is the genitive. [↑]
[4] Samba, adore; sambahin, the future tense. [↑]
[5] Arao, sun, or day. [↑]
[6] Tolot, to allow to escape. [↑]