Irina Rempt wrote:
>On Fri, 3 Aug 2001, Roger Mills wrote:
>
>> Language: Yamdena, Tanimbar Is., Eastern Indonesia
>> "mburi": iets van iemand afnemen om sich schadeloos ...>>
>> To me, this sounds like robbing Peter to collect what Paul owes you, then
>> telling Peter that Paul is the thief. But I could be wrong. Perhaps our
>> Dutch colleagues will enlighten me.
>
>You've got it spot on. Literally: "to take something from someone to
>reimburse oneself for what someone else doesn't want to pay, and
>refer the person stolen from to the person who owes".
>
>I don't think you tell Peter that Paul is the thief, but you tell
>Peter to go to Paul to collect because Paul still owes the money,
>only to Peter and not to you.
Many thanks! That could become a vicious circle.