Swahili Proverb of the Day #11

"Kamba inakatikia pabovu"

This means that there is rottenness in the rope; meaning, that when there is a weakness in the rope, all the blame will go to the weak person.

Read more...

Swahili Proverb of the Day

"Ungeenda juu, kiboko, makazi yako ni pwani"

("Even though you go up-country hippopotamus, your real habitation is the coast")

This proverb has a connotation of reminding coastal people of their true identity. Lyndon Harries cites it in "The Arabs and Swahili Culture" in relation to a discussion of Swahili language and its transistion from being the language of Islam and coastal culture to being a national lingua franca.

Read more...

Swahili Proverbs from Life and Politics in Mombasa

Sheikh Hyder el-Kindy was a Swahili political leader whose autobiography, Life and Politics in Mombasa, has a number of great Kiswahili proverbs:

"Kweli ikidhihiri, uwongo hujitenga" meaning when truth comes, falsehood disappears. This was said in relation to Sheikh Hyder's story of standing up to a brutal overseer while on a prison chain gang.

"Mtambua ndwee ndiye mganga" meaning he who diagnoses a disease is the physician. This was related by Sheikh Hyder after the installation of the new Tamim of the Thelatha Taifa (Three Tribes) a group of Swahili clans in Mombasa. He afterwards was appointed deputy Tamim.

"Kinolewacho hupata" meaning that Anything that is sharpened becomes sharper. This was said in relation to Sheikh Hyder's ambivalence about translating subservive Kiswahili political texts for the colonial police,(he worked as a translator), which implicated his grandnephew as an anticolonial agitator.

Sheikh Hyder relates many other stories about the social and cultural history of the coast. His memoirs are a valuable source for understanding the tension between "Arabs" and "Swahili" in the colonial era, the relationship between nationalism and Islam in Kenya, colonial political agitation, and some of the attitudes of postcolonial African leaders in Mombasa.

Read more...

Swahili Proverb of the Day #10

"Mwenye pupa hadiriki kula tamu."

A hasty person misses the sweet things (because he cannot wait for the fruit to ripen)

Read more...

Mwambao Website

Check out www.Mwambao.com on the web: It definitely has a Kenyan flavor (check the political jokes) and a nice collection of poetry, proverbs and interesting stories by the author.

Read more...

Swahili Proverb of the Day #8

"Atangaye na jua hujuwa."

Translation: He who wanders around by day, learns a lot.

Read more...

Swahili Proverb of the Day #7

"Haba na haba ujaza kibaba"

"Bando bando humaliza gogo"

These two proverbs have basically the same meaning. The first is, 'heap by heap' will fill up the basket. The second is 'chop by chop will finish the log.'
In other words, slow and steady wins the race. Do a big job little by little and eventually you will finish.

Read more...

Swahili Proverb of the Day #6

"Ukila na kipofu usimkamate mkono."

If you eat with a blind man, don't touch his hand. That is, if you are eating off someone, mooching them, or deceiving them, they will not know unless you make yourself evident and obvious.

Read more...

Swahili Proverb of the Day #5

"Usimwamshe aliyelala Usimwamshe aliyelala, ukimwamsha utalala wewe"

Don't wake up he who is sleeping. If you wake up someone who is sleeping, you will sleep yourself. For example, if you are pursuing a research goal, don't share your results with everyone until you yourself have published them, because then you may find yourself beat to the punch of publishing.

Read more...

Swahili Proverb of the Day #4

"Kidole kimoja hakivunji chawa"

It means one finger can't remove lice. In other words, Don't be afraid to ask for help!

Read more...

Swahili Proverb of the Day #3

"Usiache Mbacho Kwa Msala Upitao"

This little gem literally means, "Don't throw out your old prayer mat for a new one." In other words, don't be so quick to discard that which is known to you and familiar, just because you see something shiny and new. Or don't discard old friends for new ones. Word.

Read more...

Swahili Proverb of the Day #2

"Mtu ajipigaye mwenyewe hali"

This proverb is found in Tippu Tip's autobiography, and it is translated by W.H. Whiteley as "the man who hits himself doesn't cry." Literally it can be read as "the person who hits himself/herself are themselves responsible for their condition."

Read more...

Swahili Proverb of the Day

Ukikaanga bisa, tuko chini ya ghai.

Which basically means: "if you are frying popcorn, we are down in the pot." In other words, whatever you try to keep secret from someone will be found out by them.

Read more...