Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Indonesian term or phrase:
Ikannya terdapat tapi airnya tidak keruh.
English translation:
Catch the fish, yet keep the water clear.
Added to glossary by
Catherine Muir
Jun 12, 2008 09:50
15 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Indonesian term
Ikannya terdapat tapi airnya tidak keruh.
Indonesian to English
Social Sciences
Military / Defense
idiom
In a plenary session of the DPR in May 2006, DPR Chairman Agung Laksono, speaking of Densus 88/Polri success in capturing terrorists, said "Ikannya terdapat, tapi airnya tidak keruh." Would a native Indonesian speaker please translate this idiom for me?
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +2 | Catch the fish, yet keep the water clear. |
ErichEko ⟹⭐
|
| 4 | to get the fish without polluting the water |
Regi2006
|
| 3 | got the big fish without causing trouble |
Hadiyono Jaqin
|
Proposed translations
+2
16 mins
ErichEko ⟹⭐
Indonesia
Indonesia
Native in Indonesian
Indonesia
Legal, Marketing, Biz, Software, Games
Native in: Indonesian (Variant: Standard-Indonesia) 
Works in: English to Indonesian, Indonesian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
24
Selected
Catch the fish, yet keep the water clear.
This refers to the way we catch fish using just hands in rivers. It is hard to do that without muddling the water and, in so doing, making it hazy.
So, if we can catch fish without muddling the water, we did a real great job.
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Note added at 20 mins (2008-06-12 10:10:25 GMT)
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In your context, the special force nabbed the terrorists without doing one or all of these: (a) killing innocents people (b) stirring strong reaction from groups supporting the terrorists (= certain elements among radical muslims).
So, if we can catch fish without muddling the water, we did a real great job.
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Note added at 20 mins (2008-06-12 10:10:25 GMT)
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In your context, the special force nabbed the terrorists without doing one or all of these: (a) killing innocents people (b) stirring strong reaction from groups supporting the terrorists (= certain elements among radical muslims).
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Many thanks! I will use "We caught the fish without muddying the water.""
21 mins
Hadiyono Jaqin
Thailand
Thailand
Native in Indonesian
Works in field
Thailand
Simultaneous Interpreter and Translator
Native in: Indonesian (Variant: Standard-Indonesia)
Works in: English to Indonesian, Indonesian to English
got the big fish without causing trouble
Mungkin merupakan perbandingan dari menangkap ikan di air keruh. Untuk menangkap ikan airnya harus dikeruhkan dulu supaya ikannya tidak bisa lari. Nah, ini beda. Densus 88 mampu menangkap teroris tanpa mengakibatkan kegaduhan/kekacauan/masalah dalam masyarakat. (low profile)
27 mins
to get the fish without polluting the water
Fish, here, refers to the terrorists being targeted by the Polri, but "Ikannya terdapat" does sound odd, even in spoken Indonesian.
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