"A child is like an axe; even if it hurts you, you still carry it on your shoulder. ", 49. ", 190. ~Haya (Tanzania) proverb, Where there are many, nothing goes wrong. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. Manahodha wengi hukiangamiza chombo. Ahadi ni deni - A promise is a debt. By Pride Team on February 5, 2015 Proverbs. Firebrand on firebrand, then the fire burns. Chombo hakiendi ila kwa nyenzo. JGH. "One who has to yet learn to walk cannot climb a ladder. "Ugliness with a good character is better than beauty. ", 180. Unity is strength, division is weakness. Sayings of Swahili origin. These African proverbs providing wisdom about your closest family and friends are surely the one thing you need to keep them close. ", 12. You'll hear these a lot, even in the beginning stages of your . The flea [sitting] on a finger without your nails you cannot crush it. ", 46. Methali: PENYE NIA PANA NJIA Proverbs are sprinkled into conversation in Africa too. Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! F 27.72. KA. Cf. ~African proverb, Many hands make light work. makes it less unbearable - ZO. ", 73. EM m16. Application: It is important to take advice in life. These quotes are African proverbs about children and their growth. Practicing Buddhism, I believe in the law of cause and effect. FSM 128. 3. ~ Akan (Ghana, Ivory Coast) proverb, When brothers fight to the death, a stranger inherits their fathers estate. We may also use affiliate links for other programmes. "When the village chief himself goes around inviting people to a meeting, know there is something wrong with the system. Jambo (Hello)! 1248. meaning) 2. 72. Afungaye kibwebwe si bure ana mchezo. ~Haya (Tanzania) proverb, Where there are many, nothing goes wrong. EM i6. 1283. African Proverbs About Life. Ada ya mja hunena, muungwana ni kitendo - It is customary for man to talk, and gentlemen to act (actions speak louder than words). Kata zamani utafika kwangu kuomba dawa ya mtoto. EM p.23. Meaning: A secret is no secret when shared by two people. 2660. The sources of data for the Swahili proverbs are King'ei and Ndalu (2009) and Wamitila (2010) and those for the Akan proverbs are Appiah et al. With that being said, below are quotes, sayings and proverbs in Swahili about life. "You do not teach the paths of the forest to an old gorilla. Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, and the DRC are nations where this language is spoken.Swahili has a lot of basic Swahili phrases inspired from people speaking the language, between 2 and 15 million.. Swahili Phrases Tanzania Has That are a Must Know . Hold him!" If a dog hears whistles from different directions it will not Cf. Karibu isiyo kitu, siioni ni karibu. This Swahili saying means that if you are planning something with the intention of hurting someone else, you may end up only hurting yourself. Luo Proverbs of Kenya. ", 118. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Return to old watering holes for more than water; friends and dreams are there to meet you. ", 94. Afya ni bora kuliko mali - Health is better than wealth. ", 176. Wise elders bring unity and stability to a community in times of difficulty and strife. ", 56. This saying was used in a proclamation where everybody had to turn up - V. Refers to the cruelty of life - SPK ", 32. That is the contribution Africa will make to the world of the future - an injection of sanity into the environment of the universe itself. Application: Morning shows the day as childhood shows the man. "If you damage the character of another, you damage your own. RECH 396; MARA 3. Take a look at our list of proverbs from Africa below. The patch on the [floor] mat is [cut from] the basket. 1282. ", 70. It takes a village to raise a child. Swahili, Greed loses what it has gained. Africa, African Proverbs on Money, Wealth, Riches and Poverty, One cannot both feast and become rich. Ashanti, Money is sharper than the sword. Cross the river in a crowd and the crocodile won't eat you. Below Ive listed famous Swahili quotes, inspiring Swahili sayings and common Swahili proverbs. This Swahili saying means that if parents fail in their obligation to properly bring up a child, the child will learn everything the hard way. ", 35. F 38.1; ", 96. Mambo kikowa. Paka wengi wangewako, wamewazidisha panya. "Crawling on your hands and knees has never prevented any person from walking upright. But, as the saying goes, 'Knowledge without wisdom is like water in the sand'. Where there are experts there will be no lack of learners. Confidential information should not be shared. "It is only a stupid cow that rejoices at the prospect of being taken to a beautiful abattoir. "When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground. Kukataa kwa chungu ni kuvuja. "The earth is a beehive, we all enter by the same door. This Swahili idiom literally means how can you be burned by a hot pepper that you havent eaten?. 20. 1255. AL 1482. Majirani hufanyiana shime. Methali: ASIYESIKIA LA MKUU HUONA MAKUU ~ African proverb, If I am in harmony with my family, thats success. Ghana, Wisdom is not like money to be tied up and hidden. Akan, Show me your friend and I will show you your character. African proverb, If your cornfield is far from your house, the birds will eat your corn. Congo, Do not let what you cannot do tear from your hands what you can. Ashanti, If ten cents does not go out, it does not bring in one thousand dollars. Ghana, Return to old watering holes for more than water; friends and dreams are there to meet you. African proverb, Dogs do not actually prefer bones to meat; it is just that no one ever gives them meat. Akan, There is no one who became rich because he broke a holiday, no one became fat because he broke a fast. Ethiopia, Lack of money is lack of friends; if you have money at your disposal, every dog and goat will claim to be related to you. Yoruba, Beautiful from behind, ugly in front. Uganda Proverb, A beautiful one hurts the heart. African Proverb, A beautiful thing is never perfect. Egyptian Proverb, Youth is beauty, even in cattle. Egyptian Proverb, Beauty is not sold and eaten. Nigerian Proverb, You are beautiful because of your possessions. Baguirmi Proverb, Every woman is beautiful until she speaks. Zimbabwean Proverb, A pretty basket does not prevent worries. Congolese Proverb, He who marries a beauty marries trouble. Nigerian Proverb, Roosters tail feathers: pretty but always behind. Malagasy Proverb, Patience is the mother of a beautiful child. Bantu Proverb, The most beautiful fig may contain a worm. Zulu Proverb, Beautiful words dont put porridge in the pot. Botswana Proverb, A womans polite devotion is her greatest beauty. African Proverb, Ugliness with a good character is better than beauty. Nigerian Proverb, Having beauty doesnt mean understanding the perseverance of marriage. African Proverb, There is no beauty but the beauty of action. Moroccan Proverb, She is like a road pretty, but crooked. Cameroonian Proverb, A pretty face and fine clothes do not make character. Congolese Proverb, The cook does not have to be a beautiful woman. Shona Proverb, Dress up a stick and itll be a beautiful bride. Egyptian Proverb, Greatness and beauty do not belong to the gods alone. Nigerian Proverb, The skin of the leopard is beautiful, but not his heart. Baluba proverb, Its those ugly caterpillars that turn into beautiful butterflies after seasons. African Proverb, A chicken with beautiful plumage does not sit in a corner. African Proverb, There is always a winner even in a monkeys beauty contest. African Proverb, Even the colors of a chameleon are for survival not beauty. African Proverb, A woman who pursues a man for sex loses her spiritual beauty. African Proverb, You are beautiful, but learn to work, for you cannot eat your beauty. Congolese Proverb, Three things cause sorrow to flee; water, green trees, and a beautiful face. Moroccan Proverb, Anyone who sees beauty and does not look at it will soon be poor. Yoruba Proverb, If there is character, ugliness becomes beauty; if there is none, beauty becomes ugliness. Nigerian Proverb, The one who loves an unsightly person is the one who makes him beautiful. Ganda Proverb, Why they like an ugly person takes long for a beautiful person to know. African Proverb, The surface of the water is beautiful, but it is no good to sleep on. Ghanaian Proverb, The beauty of a woman becomes useless if there is no one to admire it. African Proverb, If you find Miss This Year beautiful, then youll find Miss Next Year even more so. Nigerian Proverb, There are many colorful flowers on the path of life, but the prettiest have the sharpest thorns. African Proverb, Getting only a beautiful woman is like planting a vine on the roadside everyone feeds on it. African Proverb, It is only a stupid cow that rejoices at the prospect of being taken to a beautiful abattoir. African Proverb, An ugly child of your own is more to you than a beautiful one belonging to your neighbor. Ganda Proverb, Beautiful discourse is rarer than emerald. yet it can be found among the servant girls at the grindstones. Egyptian Proverb, One who plants grapes by the road side, and one who marries a pretty woman, share the same problem. Ethiopian Proverb, Despite the beauty of the moon, sun and the stars, the sky also has a threatening thunder and striking lightening. African Proverb, When a once-beautiful piece of cloth has turned into rags, no one remembers that it was woven by Ukwa master weavers. Igbo Proverb, She is beautiful; she has love, understands; she respects herself and others; everyone likes, loves and honors her; she is a goddess. African Proverb, Judge not your beauty by the number of people who look at you, but rather by the number of people who smile at you. African Proverb. 1. Nothing can satiate my soul than good music, horror movies, psycho-thriller, and crime stuff. 1300. Everyone who knocks at the door gets an answer. Among the oldest Swahili Proverbs this adage is simple and to the point. ", 63. Eleka or beba, to carry. Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. ~ Swahili proverb. ", 133. Bamba la warume, si bamba na maguvu. Ukurasa (Page): wa Kwanza(1) wa Pili(2) wa Tatu(3) wa Nne(4). 1300. EM t10. African saying. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so its important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. Swahili Proverb. "Until the lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter. "A debt between children born by the same mother is paid in a clever way. Macho mawili huona zaidi kuliko jicho moja. F 22.14; AL 1970 kikoa; Nestor p.77. Juu ufike mzinga, sharti uvutwe kwa kamba. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. ~Ethiopian proverb, There is no fool who is disowned by his family. "Let your love be like the misty rain, coming softly but flooding the river.". No elephant is burdened by the weight of its tusks. Also: Persistent stoking will cause rebellion - SPK. AL 1056; AL tembea. Asiye na mtoto (or mwana), na abebe (or aeleke) jiwe. Meaning: A secret is no secret when shared by two people. This Swahili idiom literally means good birds, go and eat with the blind. T 326; SACL 844; MM. Application: Every cloud has a silver lining. - James Stevenson-Hamilton, first warden of South Africa's Sabi Nature Reserve. Swahili people, Kenya. ", 187. Mgongo haupakwi mafuta. EM; H 32. "Forget about effort, each person has his or her luck.". African quotes and African sayings have wisdom and inspiration in them! Today it is you, tomorrow it is me. This Swahili proverb means that during a festival everyone is on their best behavior and you cant judge a persons true character. This Swahili inspirational quote means that a good person will always try to help someone who is in trouble. Kwae and Manda are (old) villages of Lamu. So, if you are filled with pride, then these proverbs will show you the one thing that you need - the correct path! ", 88. Swahili Proverbs. Find below ten advanced level Kiswahili lessons, each linked to a Kiswahili proverb. A real family eats from the same cornmeal. "No one became wealthy because they broke a holiday and no one who gained weight because they broke a fast. ", 90. 156. Unity is strength, division is weakness. There are many ways to demonstrate the act of togetherness. When a tree falls it leans on its neighbor. I enjoy photography, music and watching comedy videos. Yatima humnyonya mcha mungu. ", 189. "Where you sit when you are old shows where you stood when you were a youth. Things in turn. ", 99. Not only is the Swahili language poetic, but it also offers some of the most interesting quotes, sayings and even proverbs. 1277. ", 80. Mwewe hana mihadi na kuku. It really means that experience comes with age. An idiom: Fanya jambo shingo upanda, Doing something without liking it. Cf. This Swahili proverb teaches us that we should have respect for everyone. Miluzi mingi mbwa hupotea. "If there is character, ugliness becomes beauty; if there is none, beauty becomes ugliness. - Swahili proverb. The poles of the roof support each other - RSP. "To get lost is to learn the way.". Swahili Proverb. ", 111. 1326. To get a difficult cause moving, many little efforts are needed. Beautiful African Quotes. "Other people's wisdom prevents the king from being called a fool. To have a good reason in refusing service, one must not pester someone in giving a service, but leave that one free - KB. "It is better to be poor when one is young, rather than becoming poor at old age. 106. "A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."- Kenyan Proverb. ", 100. "Don't call the forest that shelters you a jungle. It is interesting to see the themes of motherhood, unity, and knowing where you come from echoed throughout these proverbs. This famous quote in Swahili means that violence and force do not fix bad behavior. JKP. - African proverb. ", 7. "Judge not your beauty by the number of people who look at you, but rather by the number of people who smile at you.". Don't expect help to repair your own mistakes. ", 130. To see this page as it is meant to appear, please enable your Javascript! ", 132. - Buganda proverb. 66. "It is the duty of children to wait on elders and not the elders on children. It takes a village to 1242. Meaning: Clouds are the sign of rain. These are used often in day to day life. ", 97. ", 15. 14 . ", 93. ", 103. Two people in accord are stronger than eight who disagree. Mkono mmoja haulei mwana. ", 71. 1303. Cf. ", 62. One leg cannot support a bed. For each proverb, there is a video containing an improvised skit intended to reflect the meaning of the proverb. "It is better to walk than curse the road. KSnazi; AL mvugulio. "If you educate a man, you educate one person. "Adults are considered to be wise, so they will not need the use of force before coming to a reasonable agreement" - JKP. "A womans polite devotion is her greatest beauty. Kukubali shingo upande. 13. "A drowning person does not stop thrashing about/around." -A4-. 1323. Out of whatever pit, unbound from whatever tie, released from whatever fear. ", 4. 198. "There are many colorful flowers on the path of life, but the prettiest have the sharpest thorns. Kijiti kimoja hakisimamishi jengo. "Show me your friend and I will show you your character. Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, Unity is strength, division is weakness. A girl must not have lovers that give the house a bad name - JKP. You are lifted. Cf. ~ African proverb, Dine with a stranger but save your love for your family. "There is a limit to the help we can give others" - JKP. 1275. - Annang proverb. ~ Swahili proverb. "There are no shortcuts to the top of the palm tree. Kila mtu kwa shauri lake. Dead coals don't cure meat. 1272. A person who has no helper, helps one self [to finish the job]. "Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable." Bondei proverb. Zamani here means, later (Kingwana dialect). These proverbs carry great wisdom and meaning for us all. A patient man will eat ripe fruit. "A bird does not change its feathers because the weather is bad. If you want to go far, go together. Requires a leader or helper. 1306. A tree without a fork [branches] is difficult to climb. 'Shika shika' (or shike, shike) na mwenyewe nyuma. ", 175. If there is one person who is to be pitied most in life, it is the fool.
10. March 2023