Lesson 28

Proverbs [methali]

1. Pole pole ndio mwendo. Slow, slow is the way to go.  2. Haraka haraka haina baraka. Hurry, Hurry has no blessings. / More haste, less speed.  3. Mtu ni watu. A person is people.  4. Tisa karibu na kumi. Nine is near ten.  5. Baba wa kambo si baba. A step-father is not the father.  6. Akili ni mali. Intelligence is wealth.  7. Haba na haba hujaza kibaba. Little by little fills the container.  8. Hasira hasara. Anger is loss.  9. Mtoto wa nyoka ni nyoka. The child of a snake is a snake.  10. Adui mpende.  11. Dawa ya moto ni moto.  12. Nyumba nzuri si mlango.    13. Kuuliza si ujinga. Love your enemy.The cure for fire is fire. / Fight fire with fire.A good house is not determined by its door.Asking is not ignorance.  Mifano zaidi:  14. Asiyesikia la Mkuu huvunjika guu. One who does not listen to the elders breaks his leg.  15. Bidii haiondoi amri ya Mungu. Effort does not remove God’s directive.  16. Chovya chovya humaliza buyu la asali.Dipping a finger to taste repeatedly depletes a jar full of honey.    17. Furaha/ujanja wa nyani huishiajangwani.The happiness/tricks of a monkey end inthe desert.  18. Mchovya hachovyi mara moja. The dipper does not dip once.  19. Mgema akisifiwa tembo hulitiamaji.If the winetapper is praised, he puts waterin the wine. 20. Mtaka cha mvunguni sharti ainame.One who wants something under (the bed)must bend over. 21. Mungwana ni kitendo. A good person is (so viewed) by their actions. 22. Polepole za kombe zilimfikisha mbali.Slow slow of the tortoise made him reach far. 23. Subira huvuta heri. Patience begets blessedness. 24. Ukiona vyaelea jua vimeundwa. When you see them afloat, know they have been made. 25. Ukistaajabu vya Musa utaona vya Firauni.When you are astonished by the story of Moses, you will learn about pharaoh. 26. Damu ni nzito kuliko maji. Blood is thicker than water. 27. Mungu si Athumani. God is not Athumani. / God does not choose favorites. 28. Uislamu si kilemba cheupe. Islam is not a white turban. 29. Kaa nao ujuwe tafsiri zao. Stay with them to know their translations/interpretations. 30. Vyote ving’aavyo usifikiri ni dhahabu.All that glitters is not gold. 31. Kuishi kwingi ni kuona mengi. The longer a person lives on earth, the more he sees; The older the person, the more the experience; There is wisdom in age. 32. Akili ni nywele kila mtu ana zake. Brains are like hair: each person has his/her own. 33. Mtegemea cha ndugu hufa yungali maskini.He who relies on his brother’s property dies poor. 34. Mstahimilivu hula mbivu. The patient person eats that which is ripe. 35. Maskini akipata matako hulia bwata.When a poor man becomes rich his buttocks jiggle. 36. Kilicho na mwanzo kina mwisho;Hakuna yasiyokuwa na mwisho. Everything that has a beginning must have an end. 37. Ukitaka kula nguruwe chagua aliyenona.If you want to eat pork, slaughter a fat one. 38. Ukitaja nyoka shika fimbo mkononi.If you mention a snake, hold a club in your hand.