Swahili Proverbs
Baada ya dhiki, faraja
After hardship comes relief
Mwenda mbiyo hujikwaa dole
A person in too much hurry stubs his toe
Kila ndege huruka kwa bawa lake
Every birds flies with his own wings
Shoka lisilo mpini halichanji kuni
An axe without a handle doesn’t split firewood
Mficha uchi hazai
One who hides his private parts will never have a child
Asiyefunzwa na mamaye hufunzwa na ulimwengu
He who was not taught by his mother will be taught by the world
Akili nyingi huondoa maarifa
Too much thinking (great wit) drives away wisdom
Mpanda ovyo hula ovya
A disorderly person will eat disorderly
Si kila mwenye makucha huwa simba
Not all that have claws are lions
Yote yang’aayo usidhani ni dhahabu
All that glitters do not think that is gold
Maji ya kifuu ni bahari ya chungu
Water in a coconut shell is like an ocean to an ant
Kwenda mbio si kufika
Too run is not necessarily too arrive
Asiye na mengi ana machache
Even he who has not many troubles has a few
Painamapo ndipo painukapo
Where it slopes down is where it slopes up
Usijifanye kuku mweupe
Do not pretend to be a white fowl when you’re only an ordinary chap
Kujikwaa si kuanguka, bali ni kwenda mbele
To stumble is not to fall down but to go forward
Kufa kikondoo, ndiko kufa kiungwana
To die like a sheep is to die like a gentleman
Usiende kukate tikiti kabla hujapata ruhusa ya kusafiri
Don’t buy a ticket before you have been permitted to travel
Kichango, kuchangizana
Everyone should contribute when a collection is made
Subira ni ufunguo wa faraja
Patience is the key to tranquillity
Fuata nyuki, ule asali
Follow bees and you’ll eat honey
Hapana marefu yasiyo na cha
There is no distance that has no end
