“AJINING DIRI ONO ING LATHI” DAN ETIKA TUTUR KATA DALAM KITAB AMSAL
Sebuah Studi Komparatif, Dialogis dan Inkulturatif
Keywords:
Javanese proverb, speech ethics, Book of Proverbs, wisdom, inculturation, communication ethicsAbstract
Speech plays a central role in shaping character and sustaining social relationships within various wisdom traditions. In Javanese culture, the proverb “Ajining diri ono ing lathi” (“one’s dignity lies in one’s speech”) emphasizes that personal honor is determined by the ability to control and refine one’s words. Likewise, the Book of Proverbs (Prov 10:11; 15:2,4,7; 16:27–28) presents the tongue as an indicator of wisdom and of one’s relationship with God, grounded in the concept of the fear of the Lord. This study aims to examine comparatively and dialogically the ethical meaning of the Javanese proverb and the biblical teaching on speech in Proverbs, and to formulate its theological and pastoral implications for the Indonesian context. Employing a qualitative-descriptive method through literary analysis, this research integrates anthropological insights into Javanese ethics with exegetical-theological analysis of the wisdom text. The findings reveal a structural convergence in viewing speech as a pro-creative force that can either build or destroy communal life. However, their normative foundations differ: Javanese ethics emphasizes social harmony, while Proverbs grounds speech ethics in theological orientation toward God. An inculturative dialogue between these traditions enriches contextual theology and provides an ethical framework for character formation, evangelizing communication, and moral responsibility in contemporary public and digital spaces.References
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