The Azanian Sea

"Kamba inakatikia pabovu" This means that there is rottenness in the rope; meaning, that when there is a weakness in the rope, all...

"Ungeenda juu, kiboko, makazi yako ni pwani" ("Even though you go up-country hippopotamus, your real habitation is the coast...

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

"Mwenye pupa hadiriki kula tamu." A hasty person misses the sweet things (because he cannot wait for the fruit to ripen)

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

"Atangaye na jua hujuwa." Translation: He who wanders around by day, learns a lot.

"Haba na haba ujaza kibaba" "Bando bando humaliza gogo" These two proverbs have basically the same meaning. The first i...

"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,...

"Usimwamshe aliyelala Usimwamshe aliyelala, ukimwamsha utalala wewe " Don't wake up he who is sleeping . If you wake up someon...

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

"Usiache Mbacho Kwa Msala Upitao" This little gem literally means, "Don't throw out your old prayer mat for a new one....

"Mtu ajipigaye mwenyewe hali" This proverb is found in Tippu Tip's autobiography, and it is translated by W.H. Whiteley as ...

Ukikaanga bisa, tuko chini ya ghai . Which basically means: "if you are frying popcorn, we are down in the pot." In other words, w...