Fuck Yeah Malay

lit. Fortune like the wheel of a wagon/cart

the life (and fortunes) of a human has ups and downs

lit. In debt of every single strand of hair/fur

to have too many debts

lit. Like a Dutchman oversleeping

to behave as a white man/colonial (suggesting that a white man, historically colonial masters of the Malays, are lazy)

lit. A crow with the voice of a magpie

Someone who looks hideous but is actually soft-spoken, polite and has a sweet voice or temperament.

Related to “Don’t judge a book by its cover” and “Still waters run deep”.

lit. leashed chicken/cock/rooster. Think of fighting cocks.

The star player in a game.

lit. A tiger’s earnings/game/meal (see rezeki)

a huge feast; a large quantity of food of many varieties

lit. The era shifts, the seasons change

everything, such as laws and attitudes, must change with the times/must be appropriate with the period

lit. The mosquito dies/is killed, but one still feels itchy

to still hold a grudge against a bad person or a guilty party even though they have already been punished

Note: Malaysian mosquitoes are the bane of the universe. They all deserve death.

lit. Coming up, you only wash your feet

doing only the bare essentials; doing only what is needed

In traditional Malay houses, homes are made of wood and raised on stilts (underneath the house, small animals such as chickens are reared). The only way to enter the home is by walking up some steps. As such, to maintain the cleanliness of the home, all residents and guests leave their shoes at the entrance.

This proverb implies that a guest enters by only washing their feet instead of cleaning their entire body (by showering or wearing presentable clothes), thereby doing only what is essential to be received as a guest.

lit. A sultan in the eye (what you see), a king at heart

doing whatever you want; doing as you please