I received the following Facebook comment from one of my professors this morning. It's in hiragana in a thoughtful nod to the ever-dwindling number of kanji I can remember, since it's been years since my last Japanese class. However, I'm groggy and having a horrendous time deciphering it with the rusty remnants of my Japanese grammar, and of course since it's in kana the ambiguities are plentiful. Anyone willing to help? Also, do any of you happen to know if this is a proverb, tongue twister, or just plain clever wordplay on my professor's part?
とらをとるならとらをとりよりとりをとれとりわおとりにとらをとれ!
I have come up with something like, "If you capture a tiger you capture trouble, since..." and something about a bird and a decoy or lure. However, all of that is quite questionable.
Here's Google Translate's fantastic take on it:
Taken to adopt a take take take take from you I take take take take it!
Thanks very much in advance, ほんとうに!