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A proverb is one of the forms of oral cultural expression that contains moral values, ethics, and a community’s worldview. Besides functioning as a means of communication, proverbs also serve as tools for social education that reflect local understandings of well-being and harmonious living. In today’s social reality, the phenomenon of people being less wise in their speech is still commonly found. This study aims to compare two proverbs from different cultural backgrounds: the Javanese proverb “Sopo nandur bakal ngunduh” (“Whoever plants shall harvest”) and the Lamaholot proverb “Kata Ikan Ikan Matakena, Kata Ganto Ganto Ujong Bale.” Although geographically and culturally distinct, both proverbs share similar principles emphasizing the importance of acting and speaking wisely. The Javanese proverb highlights the principle of cause and effect as well as work ethics as the foundation of well-being, while the Lamaholot proverb underscores the importance of maintaining proper speech to preserve peace. Both advocate universal values such as responsibility, integrity, politeness, and wisdom. These values remain highly relevant in building a just, harmonious, and civilized society amid today’s cultural diversity. This study focuses on the values contained within the proverbs and their relevance to modern social life, using a literature review method.

Javanese Proverbs, Lamaholot Proverbs, Moral Values, Social Ethics, Wisdom