The 70 best Inca Proverbs (and their meaning)

The ancient Inca civilization, also known as Quechua in its native language, It is considered one of the greatest cultures of the ancient world, until its disappearance almost completely after the Spanish conquests. However, its history, architecture, painting, stories and above all its proverbs, have been present on earth so that its culture is remembered forever and we can learn from them.

• We recommend you read: "The 18 best Peruvian legends (and their meaning)"

Most important proverbs of the Inca culture

As a tribute to his life, we have compiled the best phrases and proverbs of the Quechua civilization.

1. It is necessary to look for God in the hearts and not in the temples.

God's will is within each person.

2. Life is a gift, it is circulating around us waiting for us to discover it.

Life is the most precious thing we have, so we have to take care of it.

3. Who is not living happily is a corpse.

How does being sad benefit us?

4. The Indian who does not know how to govern his house and family, less will he know how to govern the republic; This such should not be preferred to others.

The way you behave with your family is how you behave with others.

5. He who is envious of the good draws evil from them, as he does the spider in drawing poison from flowers.

Envious people poison themselves.

6. All I need is for the sun to come out every day, for it to rain from time to time and for the plants to keep blooming, then I and the birds will keep singing

An important lesson in appreciating nature.

7. Envy is a woodworm that gnaws and consumes the entrails of the envious.

Envy turns people into monsters.

8. It's funny: sometimes you worry a lot about something that in the end turns out to be nothing.

Sometimes what worries us exists only in our mind.

9. You will be prepared when you stop thinking that you are ready.

The way to know that we are capable of doing something is by trying.

10. It is better that others, because you are good, have envied you, than that you do others because you are bad.

A little tangled but with a great message: always look for a way to be good.

11. He who kills another without authority or just cause is condemned himself to death.

Crimes cannot go unpunished.

12. And when you learn to love, everything will be possible.

To live love we must not close our hearts.

13. Judges who secretly receive gifts from businessmen and plaintiffs must be considered thieves and punished with death, as such.

Corruption should not be allowed under any circumstances.

14. If forgetting the result you enjoy your actions, you will never feel defeated.

This saying contrasts with the phrase "the journey is important, not the destination."

15. Be careful, fear disguises itself to deceive you.

Fear is the main reason for our limitations.

16. Impatience is a sign of vile and low spirits, badly taught and worse used.

Nothing is achieved effectively by impatient search.

17. The important thing: do not steal, do not lie, do not be idle.

Important mandates to live.

18. Life is a garden inviting you to flourish.

Do not miss the opportunities that are presented to you.

19. Know how to eat, know how to eat.

Talking about the importance of having a healthy and balanced diet.

20. Are you crawling? don't, we are designed to fly.

We are destined to grow, not to stagnate.

21. You will be wise when you can enjoy everything that happens to you, absolutely everything.

We learn from both good and bad experiences.

22. Drunkenness, anger and madness run equally; rather, the first two are voluntary and changeable and the third is perpetual.

The negative things that go hand in hand and affect us.

23. He who is envious and envied has doubled torment.

Envy is not healthy in any way.

24. We seek to regenerate the planet, generating man.

Man's advances can be beneficial to the planet.

25. Who lives only the present is purified, sweet the moment comes in eternity

It is no use worrying about what has not yet happened.

26. There is no point in performing the rain dance, when we do not appreciate the value of water.

Don't do something you don't believe in.

27. That he does not want to lose his blindfold for fear of the light, he deserves the dark.

You have to face the problems and accept the falls to reach the top.

28. When the heart is open, everything is extraordinary.

We can learn more if we are willing to do so.

29. And when you live the moment you will see not only the visible.

By paying attention to what matters, we know what we are truly capable of.

30. The wind whispers to the hearts of the humble.

No matter how high you go, never let go of humility.

31. In no way should thieves be allowed; who, being able to earn property with honest work and possess it with good right, want more to have stolen or robbed it; For this reason it is very right that a thief should be hanged.

Thieves are considered a disgrace to the Inca culture.

32. The doctor or herbalist who ignores the virtues of herbs, or who, knowing those of some, does not try to know those of all, knows little or nothing.

There was a firm belief in the healing power of herbs.

33. Take off pants in the corner.

This saying refers to a form of punishment, sending the accused away from the group.

34. And you will feel that everything is one, that everything is alive, that you are part of a wonderful cosmic dance.

We are all part of this world and, therefore, the world is part of us.

35. Life is eternal, when it is lived fully.

The only way to enjoy life is to do it without regret.

36. Know how to love and be loved.

To receive love it is important to love ourselves.

37. When the subjects obey what they can, without any contradiction, kings and governors must use liberality and madness on them; but, in another way, of rigor and justice, but always with prudence.

If a people is loyal to its rulers, the least they can do is respond to them fairly.

38. Sharing selflessly is how we will sow our path with flowers.

Sharing is one of the purest acts of humanity, as we open our hearts with another person.

39. As long as you don't lose the will to live, the most important thing stayed with you.

When we want to live, we can achieve many things. It doesn't matter how difficult they look.

40. Good is coriander but not so much.

We should never exaggerate or take something to the extreme, as we can get a negative result.

41. Know how to give and know how to receive.

To receive it is important to give. Remember that to expect something, you must act towards it.

42. Adulterers who disfigure the fame and quality of others and take away the peace and quiet of others must be declared thieves, and therefore sentenced to death, without any remission.

For the Incas, adulterers were the greatest sinners.

43. Yes we have come to fly, what are you waiting for? A precious opportunity.

If you can make what you dream come true, what are you waiting for?

44. Whoever is envious of another hurts himself.

Rather than harming others, those who are really affected are those who envy, since they never manage to be happy.

45. You believe the last suck on the mango.

Maybe it's the old version of 'you think you're the last coca-cola in the desert'?

46. Ama map. (Be honest, faithful)

Honesty and fidelity are values ​​cherished since ancient times.

47. The feet are to support you on the ground, this is enough, do not look for other supports.

Use your own tools instead of looking for support in inappropriate places.

48. Stay permanently absorbed instantly.

Focus on the here and now.

49. He who tries to count the stars, not yet knowing how to count the many and knots of the beads, is worthy of laughter.

Every objective that we set ourselves is full of problems that we must overcome.

50. Whoever takes a lot of space, the less he tightens up.

It is useless to learn everything if you do not master anything.

51. Love sipiq. (Respect life)

Life was considered a great treasure, as it was a gift given by the gods.

52. Everything appears spontaneously when you are ready.

When you feel ready, opportunities are easier to see.

53. And if you consume a lot, as much as you will be consumed.

A very wise phrase about how excesses end up damaging us.

54. Intuition is the protective spirit.

Sometimes it doesn't hurt to listen to our instincts, as they have a reason to speak.

55. The noble and courageous man is known for the patience he shows in adversity.

Your worth is measured by how you deal with problems.

56. What the ugly woman has, the pretty one wants.

An old saying that even if you dress up, if you are a despicable person, you will never be beautiful.

57. Impatience is a toxin that ends up infecting the soul.

By doing things impatiently, we can end up being affected rather than benefited.

58. From the depths of my intuition I tell you... It is time to live.

We can see again how the Incas had a special love for life.

59. My greatest wealth is that I do not aspire to any wealth, except to have a heart full of love.

Wealth can lead to ambition and pride. However, by aspiring to be good people, we can have something more perpetual than wealth.

60. Happiness is healthy.

A proverb that we all must put into practice.

61. And the excess of materialism produces the obesity of stupidity. I only ask you to be in love with life.

Materialism and consumerism lead us to be empty people.

62. Why not transform obstacles into impulses to move forward?

Why do not do it?

63. Praying with words is lying to God, especially when our actions are not filled with love.

It is useless to proclaim faith if we act wickedly.

64. How is it possible to forget that life is a precious gift?

Many may forget the importance of living.

65. Only the wise man recognizes his mistakes, only the wise man understands that learning is a journey that never ends.

He lives to be a sage.

66. Who loses the tranquility, is that he did not have inner peace. The authentic is not lost.

You lose what you don't have.

67. When we discover the eloquence of silence, questions vanish like soap bubbles.

There are times when the best response is to remain silent.

68. And the Amauta said: The greatest crime of man is unhappiness.

Unhappiness leads us to all dark places.

69. And when fear arises, dare to jump!

The only way to overcome fear is to face it.

70. And if you think hard, your incessant thoughts will form chains in your heart.

Recurring thoughts can become our worst enemies.