Swahili Proverbs I

A

* Achekaye kovu hajaona jeraha.
o Idiomatic Translation: One who laughs at a scar hasn't seen a wound.
o Literal Meaning: Don't insult what someone does if you don't fully understand the root of their actions.

* Adhabu ya kaburi aijua maiti.
o Idiomatic Translation: The torment of the grave is known only by the dead.
o Literal Meaning: Only the one in trouble knows the full measure of his situation.

* Adui aangukapo muinue.
o Idiomatic Translation: When your enemy falls down, pick him up.
o Literal Meaning: By our shared humanity we are compelled to help those in trouble, be they friend or enemy.

* Adui ya mtu ni mtu.
o Idiomatic Translation: The enemy of a person is a person.
o Literal Meaning: Most of our problems are caused by other people. Such is the nature of society.

* Afadhali mchawi kuliko mfitini.
o Idiomatic Translation: Better a witch doctor than a troublemaker.
o Literal Meaning: A witch doctor is easy to spot quickly but a troublemaker works through underhandedness and deception and can cause more trouble than a witch doctor before he is detected. (?)
o See Also: Better the devil you know than the devil you don't.

* Afya ni bora kuliko mali.
o Idiomatic Translation: Health is better than wealth.
o Literal Meaning: All the possessions in the world can not compare to the blessing of a healthy body.

* Ajabu ya shingo kukataa kulala kitandani.
o Idiomatic Translation: It is astonishing for the neck to refuse to lie down on the bed.
o Literal Meaning: Something odd is happening when someone who normally loves something denies any interest in it.

* Akili ni mali
o Idiomatic Translation: Intelligence is wealth.
o Meaning: Having a good head on one's shoulders will lead to one being prosperous. Akin to "A fool and his wealth are soon parted

* Akili ni nywele, kila mtu ana zake.
o Idiomatic Translation: Intelligence is like hair, everyone has their own type.
o Literal Meaning: The types of intelligence amongst the minds of humanity are as varied as the types of hair.

* Aliyekutweka ndiye atakayekutua.
o Idiomatic Translations: One who lifts the load onto your head is indeed the one who will lift it off.
o Literal Meaning: One who plants the tree will water it or God created you and will look after you.

* Anayekueleza ya wengine atawaeleza mengine ya kwako.
o Idiomatic Translation: One who tells you about someone else's business will tell someone else about your's.
o Literal Meaning: A gossip isn't a good friend.

* Aninyimaye mbazi kanipunguzia mashuzi.
o Idiomatic Translation: He who denies me beans rids me of farts.
o Literal Meaning: One who refuses your request for help prevents you from accumulating debt.

* Asiyefunzwa na mamaye hufunzwa na ulimwengu.
o Idiomatic Translation: He who is not taught by his mother will be taught by the world.
o Literal Meaning: If you don't heed the lessons your parents teach you, you will suffer the lessons under the cruel tutelage of life.

* Asiyejua kufa na atazame kaburi.
o Translation: One who does not know death should look at a grave.
o Meaning: We should learn from the mistakes of others.

* Asiyekunywa kwenye chemchemi hunywa kwenye mto.
o Idiomatic Translation: He who doesn't drink from the spring will drink from the river.
o Literal Meaning: If you can't get what you want you'll take whatever you can get.

* Asiyekuwepo machoni na moyoni hayupo.
o Translation: One who is not in your eyes is not in your heart.
o Meaning: You forget about the people you don't see on a regular basis. The opposite of "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

* Asiyeona aibu zake asione za mwenziwe.
o Translation: He who doesn't see his own failings should not see those of his fellow man.
o Meaning: Don't criticize someone else's faults when you have them too.
o See Also: Matthew 7:5

* Atekaye maji mtoni asitukane mamba.
o Translation: One who draws water at the river shouldn't curse the crocodile.
o Meaning: Don't insult the people whose help you will need later (or at least the people that you want to not destroy you).

* Avumaye baharini papa kumbe wengine wapo.
o Translation: The most famous creature in the ocean is the shark, but it is not the only fierce creature there.
o Meaning: Don't blame one evil person for your troubles, there are lots of bad people in the world. Or, don't be afraid of doing something just because someone else might do it better.

B

* Badiliko kwa mjukuu uanze na babu.
o Idiomatic Translation: Change in the grandchild begins with the grandfather.
o Literal Meaning: Change happens slowly. If you desire to truly make a change you must start early.

* Bahati ikipiga hodi ni lazima ufungue mlango mwenyewe.
o Idiomatic Translation: When good fortune knocks you have to open the door yourself.
o Literal Meaning: When you're given an opportunity you must take it without fear or hesitation.

* Bahari haivukwi kwa kuogolea.
o Idiomatic Translation: The ocean can't be crossed by swimming.
o Literal Meaning: Some things just can't be done by relying only on your own efforts.

* Bahari iliko ndiko mito iendako.
o Idiomatic Translation: Rivers flow to the sea that is there.
o Literal Meaning: Wealth flows to the wealthy.

* Banda likikushinda jenga kibanda.
o Idiomatic Translation: If you can't build a hut, build a lean-to. [Note: kibanda is the diminutive form of banda and both have multiple meanings.]
o Literal Meaning: If you can't solve the big problems at least work on the little ones.

* Bata mtaga mayai usimchinje kwa tamaa ya wengi.
o Idiomatic Translation: Don't slaughter a duck that's hatching eggs if you want more ducks.
o Literal Meaning: Don't destroy the good things that you have if you want more in the future.
o See Also: ...kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

* Bila silaha usiingie vitani.
o Idiomatic Translation: Don't go to war without weapons.
o Literal Meaning: Don't begin a project without the proper tools.

C

* Chaka la simba halilali nguruwe.
o Idiomatic Translation: A pig doesn't sleep in the lion's thicket.
o Literal Meaning: The weak don't hang around in a powerful person's territory.

* Cha mlevi huliwa na mgema.
o Idiomatic Translation: The money of the drunkard is eaten by the palm wine tapper.
o Literal Meaning: Whenever a drunk gets a little money it is soon in the hands of the wine seller. An exhortation to be thrifty and not run after short-lived pleasures.

* Chombo hakiendi ikiwa kila mtu anapiga makasia yake.
o Idiomatic Translation: The vessel doesn't go if everyone rows in their own way.
o Literal Meaning: In order to get anything done a group of people must work together.

* Chovya chovya humaliza buyu ya asali.
o Idiomatic Translation: Taste by taste empties the honey jar.
o Literal Meaning: A small drain on a limited resource will finish it eventually.

* Chui naye ana mke.
o Idiomatic Translation: Even a leopard has a wife.
o Literal Meaning: Everyone, even the worst person, has someone who loves and respects them.

* Chui hakumbatiwi.
o Idiomatic Translation: A leopard can't be hugged.
o Literal Meaning: An enemy is an enemy. You shouldn't welcome them or treat them as friends.

* Chura huweza kumwua tembo.
o Idiomatic Translation: A frog can kill an elephant [by climbing up into its trunk].
o Literal Meaning: Small things are capable of doing great harm. Don't disregard them out of hand.

D

* Dalili ya mvua ni mawingu.
o Idiomatic Translation: Clouds are a sign of rain.
o Literal Meaning: You can predict your success by watching for the right signs.

* Daraja livuke ulifikiapo.
o Idiomatic Translation: Cross the bridge when you reach it.
o Literal Meaning: Don't worry about problems that haven't come up yet.
o See Also: "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

* Daraja ukilibomoa ujue kuogolea.
o Idiomatic Translation: If you destroy the bridge you'd better know how to swim.
o Literal Meaning: If you intend to destroy something that is useful to you (a relationship, quit your job, etc.) you'd best be prepared to get along without it.

* Dawa kubwa ya hasira ni kuchelea.
o Idiomatic Translation: The greatest medicine for anger is patience.
o Literal Meaning: When angry, being patient and thinking before you act is the best way to prevent an action you might regret.


E

* Elimu maisha si vitabu.
o Idiomatic Translation: Education is life not books.
o Literal Meaning: You can't learn everything you need to know from books. Some things you learn from living.

* Epuka wakusifuo siku zote.
o Idiomatic Translation: Avoid those who constantly praise you.
o Literal Meaning: Sycophancy isn't true praise but rather a sign that someone wants something from you.


F

* Farasi hamuwawezi, tembo mtawalishani?
o Idiomatic Translation: If you can't feed a horse, how are you going to feed an elephant?
o Literal Meaning: If you can't succeed at something simple, why would you try to do something more complicated?

* Fimbo ya mbali haiuwi nyoka.
o Idiomatic Translation: A distant stick won't kill a snake.
o Literal Meaning: If you get into trouble don't rely on people who aren't present to help you; solve the problem on your own.

G

* Ganda la muwa la jana chungu kaona kivuno.
o Idiomatic Translation: In the discarded husk of yesterday's sugar cane the ant sees a harvest.
o Literal Meaning: What is worthless to one is of great value to another.
o See Also: One man's trash is another man's treasure.

* Gome la udi si la mnuka uvundo.
o Idiomatic Translation: The bark of a fragrant incense tree isn't like that of one that stinks.
o Literal Meaning: If you surround yourself with bad people you will become like them.

H

* Haba na haba hujaza kibaba.
o Idiomatic Translation: Little by little fills the measure.
o Literal Meaning: Slow and steady wins the race.

* Hakuna masika yasiyokuwa na mbu.
o Idiomatic Translation: There isn't a rainy season without mosquitos.
o Literal Meaning: With anything good comes something that is bad.
o See Also: Every cloud has a silver lining.

* Haraka, haraka haina baraka.
o Translation: Hurry, hurry has no blessing.
o Meaning: Haste makes waste.

* Hatua ndefu hufupisha mwendo.
o Idiomatic Translation: A long stride shortens the journey.
o Literal Meaning: One step at a time will get you to the end of a large task.

* Heri kufa macho kuliko kufa moyo.
o Literal Translation: Better the death of the eyes than the death of the heart.
o Idiomatic Translation: Better to go blind than to lose heart.
o Literal Meaning: It is better to go blind than to lose your will to do anything.

* Heri kujikwaa kidole kuliko kujikwaa ulimi.
o Idiomatic Translation: Better to stumble over your toe than to stumble over your tongue.
o Literal Meaning: It is better to stub your toe than to speak carelessly.

* Heri nitakula na nini kuliko nitakula nini.
o Idiomatic Translation: Better "what will I eat with" than "what will I eat".
o Literal Meaning: It is better to have food and no fork than no food at all. Be grateful for the little you have.

* Heri ya mrama kuliko kuzama.
o Idiomatic Translation: Better to be tossed about than to sink.
o Literal Meaning: It is better to suffer through small problems than to die completely.


I

* Ila ya kikwapa kunuka pasipo kidonda.
o Translation: The flaw of the armpit is that it stinks even though it is not a wound.
o Meaning: If the armpit stunk because it was a bad wound then it could be healed but its stink is an intrinsic fault. We can't help our small character flaws as they are an innate part of us.

* Iliyopita si ndwele, ganga ijayo.
o Idiomatic Translation: That which has passed isn't a sickness, heal that which shall come.
o Literal Meaning: Don't spend your time worrying about what has already happened; pay attention to what is happening now.

* Imara ya jembe kaingoje shamba.
o Idiomatic Translation: The power of the hoe stays on the farm.
o Literal Meaning: Don't believe the hype about something until you've actually seen it working in its element.

* Ipunguzwayo ni iliyojaa.
o Idiomatic Translation: That which is reduced is that which is full.
o Literal Meaning: Those who have much are the ones who are targets.
o See Also: You can't squeeze blood out of a turnip.

* Isipokuwasha hujairamba.
o Idiomatic Translation: If it doesn't burn you, you haven't tasted it (hot pepper).
o Literal Meaning: Don't listen to someone who objects to something they have no experience of.