My Quotable Quotes

...the Samoan translations, mostly!  As far as I'm concerned, a more meritable and memorable quote in Samoan is one that rhymes. Wordplay of course is perhaps still one of the most effective constructions. Here are my Samoan translations of some common English quotes.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder
O le to'esea e tupu ai le loto faavalea
A misia, ua mo'omia

Actions speak louder than words
O aga ma taga e leotele atu nai lo upu ma faamatalaga
E leotele faatinoga ma amioga nai lo luaifofoga
E le o le fofoga ae o amioga ma faatinoga

Doubt and defeat are cousins
E tausoga masalosalo ma to'ilalo

It's better to lose with grace than to win with disgrace
E sili le faia'ina tausaafia nai le manumalo inosia

Where there is doubt, faith is not
O le mea e iai le faalotolotolua, e le o iai le faatuatua

On Debt (Both these are mine)
It's better to sleep without a sheet than on a red balance sheet
E sili le moe leai se ie ‘afu nai lo le moe ma le tele o aitalafu
E sili le moe le 'afu nai lo le moe ma le anoa'i o aitalafu

You can choose the alternatives but not the consequences
E mafai ona e filifili tu'utu'uga, ae le mafai ona e filifili taunu'uga

If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail
A e to'ilalo i au sauniuniga, ia e sauniuni mo lou to'ilalo.

Beggars don't choose/Beggars are not choosers
E le ‘ai filifili le fia ‘ai
E le ‘ai filifili se tagata ‘aisi