Tsumo nemadimikira (i)

Rina manyanga hariputirwi mumushunje
That which has horns is not concealed in a bundle of grass

Mwana washe muranda kumwe
The son of a chief is a subject elsewhere

Chinokanganwa idemo chitsiga hachikanganwe
What forgets is the axe The faggot does not forget

Chinonyenga chinokotama chinosimudza musoro chawana
He who is courting bows down He raises his head when married

Vaviri vaviri wechitatu muzvinaguhwa
Two are a pair A third is a gossip

Muromo haupi chinopa maoko
The mouth does not give What gives are the hands

Atswinya arwa
One who has pinched has fought; Every little contribution counts

Avengwa anhuhwa
One who is hated stinks; Call a dog a bad name and hang him

Chafamba chasvava
One who has travelled has faded; Away from home one loses importance

Pagara murimi pagara mupopoti
Where there lives a farmer there lives a grumbler; A farmer is never satisfied with the work done for him

Akweva sanzu akweva namashizha aro
One who has pulled a branch along has pulled along its leaves; Inherit a wife and you inherit her children as well

Chiri pamuchena chiri pamutenure
What is on a poor man is on a slope and not secure; because of his bad luck, a poor man is ever in want

Munhu kufamba kunenge kukavira nyimo, kutizira kuchinge kudyara nzungu, kucheuka kukange kutsindire'shwa.
You have a walk like the planting of ground-peas, a run like the sowing of ground-nuts, a turning as in the capture of termites.

Chaitemura chava kuseva
One who used to eat sadza dry is now eating it with relish; His luck has changed

Aiva madziva ava mazambuko
What were pools have become fords; Circumstances have changed

Ashamba haanokorerwi
One who has washed does not have sadza broken off for him, and is not helped to food; A cultured person is entitled to proper respect

Afirwa haaringwi kumeso
One who is bereaved is not looked at in the face; Actions or words made under stress of sorrow are not to be taken seriously

Rina manyanga hariputirwi mumushunje
That which has horns is not concealed in a bundle of grass

Mwana washe muranda kumwe
The son of a chief is a subject elsewhere

Avengwa anhuhwa
One who is hated stinks; Call a dog a bad name and hang him

Chafamba chasvava
One who has travelled has faded; Away from home one loses importance

Pagara murimi pagara mupopoti
Where there lives a farmer there lives a grumbler; A farmer is never satisfied with the work done for him

Aguta haaoneki
One who has had his fill does not bid farewell; He leaves because he has nothing further to ask

Apunyaira haashayi misodzi
One who has become emotionally upset does not lack tears; Exertion brings some reward

Pachapwa madziva miramba tichanyurura
When pools dry up we fish out the barbels; The death of one man brings benefits to others

Panodya ishe varanda vanodyawo
When the chief eats the subjects eat as well; The office of the chief benefits his people

Panoda mwoyo nzira haisviki
Where the heart longs to be the path never reaches; A watched pot never boils

Pabva zino rave vende
Where a tooth has come out there is now a gap; Death destroys symmetry and leaves empty places

Imbwa payadyira haipakanganwi
The place where a dog has fed it does not forget; Help given in time of need is remembered

Chomukuru hachikumbirwi
The property of an elder is not asked for; Elders use their own discretion

Chomukuru anopa omene
The property of an elder he gives away himself

Nzombe huru yakabva mukurerwa
A big bull resulted from being nurtured; Big results have small but indispensible beginnings

Matende mashava anovazva doro
Pretty calabashes sour the beer; Attractive appearances conceal inner flaws. All is not gold that glitters.

Mwovochena unobayisa
A kind heart gets one killed; Kind hearts are soonest wronged

Mviromviro yemhanza inotanga shosha
The onset of baldness begins- at the temples; lit. Small faults may result in serious crimes seemingly unrelated

Chomungozva chinodyiwa newabata mwana
Food from a nursing mother is eaten by one who holds her child; One good turn deserves another

Nherera inoguta musi wafa amai
An orphan eats his fill on the day his mother has died; His future outlook is bleak

Kandiro kanoenda kunobva kamwe
A small dish goes whence comes another small one; One good turn deserves another

Mapudzi anowira kusina hari
Squashes fall where there are no pots; Fortune favours fools

Rambakuudzwa akazoonekwa nembonje pahuma
Headstrong was found with a head wound

Chivendekete anoseka chimedure
Cracked laughs at Broken; The pot calls the kettle black

Chipitipiti chakazvara chimwandamwanda
Congregation bred Separation; Familiarity breeds contempt

Unaki hwemukadzi huri pamwana
The beauty of a wife lies in the child; A good wife is one who bears children

Twemudenhe tune ushorwi
Too little flour in the bin brings contempt; People despise an owner's improvidence or stinginess

Nhamo yomumwe hairambirwi sadza
Another's trouble is no reason to deny oneself food

Matakadya kare haanyaradzi mwana
Former meals do not satisfy a child; Boasting of past successes will not solve present problems

Munongedzo hauzvinongedzi
The index finger / does not indicate itself; viz. People are blind to their own faults

Pakukutu hapaurayi
A hard bed does not kill; Discomfort need not rob a man of his own dignity

Zviuya hazviwanani
Good people do not marry each other

Nzou hairemerwi nenyanga dzayo
An elephant is not burdened by its own tusks; One should be equal to one's responsibilities

Chidembo hachinzwi kunhuhwa kwacho
The skunk does not smell its own stink; People are blind to their own faults

Murombo haarovi chine nguo
A poor man never kills anything with a skin to it; A man condemned by fate to be poor cannot rise above his condition

Munhu haarerwi nebonde
A person is not nursed by means of a sleeping mat; Lying up is not enough to cure a sick person. Treatment is needed as well

Utsva hworurimi hahunamarapiro
A burn on the tongue cannot be treated; Some problems have no solution

Hwahwa hahuna mbuva
Beer is no food for a journey

Hapanamhou inokumira mhuru isirl yayo
No cow lows for a calf not hers; Everyone knows his own kin

Hapana angagone chisingagoneke naGona
There is no one who can manage what can't be managed by Mr. Can Do; No one can improve on an expert

Mwana asingachemi anofira mumbereko
A child who does not cry dies in the cradle; One should give voice to one's complaints

Nhenha isibi inoroya
A beautiful girl who does not steal will be a witch; An attractive appearance hides an inner flaw

Totendamaruva tadya chakata
We believe in the blossomswhen we have eaten the fruit;Promises are not to be relied on until they are performed

Hurudza inofa ichinzi inodya
The rich farmer dies being said to eat; A person once rich will not be credited with being poor

Hove dzinokwira dzine muronga
Fish go upstreamhaving a channel; Progress depends on tried paths

Mhuno hainwi mvura muromo usina kunwa
The nose does not drink if the mouth has not drunk; Elders take precedence over juniors

Zviururwi zvinofara kana kondo afa ziso
The frogs rejoice when the hammer-head has lost its eye; When the cat's away, the mice do play

Pasi nyimo makunguo aizodyei?
If there were no ground-peas what would the crows eat? A proverb addressed to a rejected suitor, ‘If I were not here you would have found another girl to woo'

Tsvaga zano iwe une rakowo
Seek a plan when you have one of your own

Tenda muchero wadya zvinogadza mwoyo
Be grateful for the fruit having eaten to satisfaction; viz.Do not count your chickens before they are hatched

Usapedzera tsvimbo kuna vanamakuwe idzo hanga dzichauya
Do not use up sticks on go-away birds while the guinea-fowl have yet to come; Do not waste your time or substance on trifles

Rega kuyera nyoka negavi iyo iripo
Do not measure a snake with string while it is present itself; Do not substitute false imitations for the real thing

Ukama hahusukwi nemvura hukabva
Kinship is not washed with water and disappears

Kana shumba ikashaya nyama inodya uswa
If a lion lacks meat it eats grass; Beggars can't be choosers

Chikomo, shata divi, rimwe ritambire pwere
Small hill, be difficult on one side and on the other children will play; A bad man will have some redeeming features

Chirere mangwana chigozokurerawo
Care for it and it will care for you tomorrow; Care for your child that he may care for you

Muroyi, royera kure ugowana anokuviga
Witch, bewitch faraway that you may find someone to bury you; Live in peace with your neighbours

Usaguta ukasunda dura
Do not get so full as to overturn the barn; Do not be improvident

Gondo kuengerera raona zumbu
If an eagle circles round and round it has seen a fowl-coop; ConFinued presence is prompted by an ulterior motive

Zizi kurungwa munyu roti, ‘Ndava hukuwo'
If an owl is seasoned with salt it thinks, ‘I'm a chicken now too'; A person is out of place in company with people with whom he has nothing in common, though he may strive to appear as one of them

Mwana muduku kubvuma rwendo rwake ruri mberi
If a child agrees to an errand his own errand lies ahead; One will endure inconvenience if one's interest is involved

Kurera imbwa nomukaka mangwana inofuma yokuruma
Bring up a dog on milk it will bite you first thing the next day; One may spoil others by over-indulgence

Kubaya, tange hama, vatorwa vakutye
When killing, first set on your kinsmen, so that strangers may respect you; Be impartial if you would be respected

Kurera imbwa, rera inoruma, igokudzivirira mupfumvu
If you rear a dog, rear one that bites, that it may protect you in time of danger

Mhondoro kurura, inotanga wayo
When a lion-spirit goes wild, it sets on its own (kinsman)

Chengeta ose manhanga, hapana risina mhodzi
Keep all the pumpkins There is none without a seed

Kuziva mbuya huudzwa
To know one's in-laws means being told— who they are;Wisdom comes from others

Kudada kwavari mugomo kukumbira vari pasi mapfiwa
Arrogance of those on the hill is to ask those on the plain for hearth-stones;who have plenty. It is arrogant, not humble, for those to beg from those who have little

Kuramba nyama yechidembo hunge uine yetsuro
To refuse the flesh ofapolecat meansyou have that of a hare; Refusal of a gift implies you have no need of it. But accept a gift,nomatter how humble, if you need it to live

Kuchengeta imbwa yomweni kuda mwene wayo
To look after the dog of a stranger is to love its owner; Love me, love my dog

Kurava mbudzi nedzisipo kurava nedzavamatowo
Counting even absent goats means counting even dead ones, lit. those which have become hides; Do not rely on something of which you are not certain

Kupa kuturika
To give is to hang up; Giving to help others is a good investment

Kubikira mweni kumudzinga
To cook, for a stranger is to get rid of him; Do not be too ready with help for others if you wish to retain their presence or their respect

Dzvinyu kuzamba zuva huona bako
For a lizard to bask in the sun is to have a cave in view: If you venture into danger, be sure you have a means of escape

Mbudzi kudya mufenje kufana nyina
For a goat to eat cabbage-tree leaves is to imitate its mother; Like father, like son

Kakara kununa hudya kamwe
For an animal to get fat is to eat another one; One man prospers at the expense of another

Nhonhongora kudya chayo kukumbirirei uchi kudondi?
A big bee eating its own store why ask for honey from a small one? It is arrogant for a rich man to beg from a poor man

Chura kugara mumvura handi kunwa
For a frog to live in water does not mean to drink; Do not be misled by appearances into making rash judgements

Kurembera kwedamba handiko kuwa
The hanging of a wild orange is not its fall

Kupedza nyota kuenda padziva
To quench thirst is to go to the pool

Kuramba dzvuku kuona jena
To reject a red one means seeing a white one; Do not refuse or reject anything unless you have something better

Kukokwa kwasamusha kukokwa kwavagere naye
The invitation of a village head is the invitation of those who dwell with him

Kukonwa kwedare kukonwa kwamambo
For a court to be convinced means the chief is convinced

Matukirwo ababa kunema mwana
The way a father is scolded is to chide a child in play; Reproof is best conveyed indirectly

Mutsa worutsoka kuperekedza ziso
The stupidity of the foot is to accompany the eye; It is stupid to accompany someone on some errand from which one cannot profit oneself

Pfini yenyoka kungoruma icho isingadyi
The spite of the snake is just to bite what it cannot eat; It is gratuitously evil to inflict pain for no reason

Ziriwo rechembere ziramba waravira
The unattractive relish of an old woman is refused only after tasting it

Muramba kukombwa muramba hweni
One who won't be surrounded is one who won't be visited

Idambudziko rehope kurota kwawakarambwa
It's a sleep that brings no benefit the dreaming of a rejected lover; It is no good crying over spilt milk

Igangaidza mukwenyi mhezi kuvavira mudumbu
It's confusing to the scratcher forapimple to itch inside his belly; Some situations cannot be helped

Mazvokuda kufa namaronda enyora
It's a deliberate choice to die from the wounds of tattoo marks; Consequences of our own choice can't be blamed on others

Chigare chenda kudya akaitakura
It's the louse's wont to bite the one who bears it; A comment evoked by ingratitude

Made echakata kutsvukira mumuti kuti ndiposherwe
It's the trick of the wild plum to redden on the tree and so to become a target; A comment on women's wiles or vanity

Mwoyochena ndowei bere kugarira munhu akafa?
What kindness is it for a hyena to mount guard over a dead man? A comment on an offer of help not entirely disinterested or which is hypocritical

Ishungu dzomutana waswera padare kuramba nemhandire seane meno
It's the ill-nature of an old man at the meeting place to begrudge others even mealie grains as if he had the teeth to munch them; A comment on meanness

Urombo hwayo mhembwe kufa iri pamusungo
It's hard luck on the duiker to die while in the snare; A comment on stupidity in one who could have helped himself

Manenji kuona kamba ichitamba nembudzi
It's a marvel to see a leopard playing with a goat; A suspicious comment on something which appears unnatural

Kwadzinorohwa matumburira ndiko kwadzinomhanyira
Where they are kicked in the belly is the place to which they run; Harshness attracts more than kindness, for example it is held that women are attracted to harsh men

Vataitururira matohwe nhasi ndivo votiseka maparapadzwa
Those for whom we got down snot apples are the ones who laugh at our bruises today; Kindness is not repaid bv respect

Kangoma kanoririsa ndiko kanotsemuka
The little drum which sounds the loudest is the one which splits; When a fashion or a man's popularity is at its height, it is then that it is about to fade

Chidziva chakadzikama ndicho chinogara ngwenya
The quiet pool is the one in which the crocodile lives;Do not underestimate an enemy. It is the thing you despise that kills you

Chigarisano ndicho chine mhosva
What leads to living together is what leads to accusation; Familiarity breeds contempt

Muto wetsenza ndiwo mumwe
Soup made from tuber roots is one and the same; The attraction of variety, for example in women, is an illusion

Mugoni wepwere ndiye asinayo
The one who can manage a child is the one who has none

Hukwana inodya ndeiri pana mai
The chick that feeds is the one that is close to its mother; Humility is more profitable than pride

Chitende chinorema ndechine mhodzi
The gourd which is heavy is the one which has seeds; Respect is accorded to inner qualities rather than to outward appearance

Kure kwegava ndokusina mutsubvu
Far for a jackal is where there is no mutsubvu fruit tree; The attractiveness of any work depends upon one's interest

Chakafukidza dzimba matenga
What covers houses are the roofs; A peaceful exterior may hide trouble inside

Chawira pasi mudzimu wembwa
The fallen scrap is (due to) the dog's ancestral spirit; It is a piece of good luck

Nzira masanga
Paths mean meetings; One learns different ways by meeting others; or, A common solution or aim may be reached by different paths

Gore musandu
Every year is a change; No one year is the same as any other

Gore harizi pakaza rimwe
No year comes from where another came; Opportunities do not come twice

Mai musuva usingasehwi mumuto
Mother is a morsel but not dipped into gravy; Some persons are sacred, and not for common use

Muromo chipfuto unopedza matura
The mouth is a weave! It consumes granaries; It is necessary to be provident in regard to one's crops

Mukuwasha mukuyu haapere kudyiwa
A son-in-law is a fig-tree He never stops being consumed; Payment of the bride price may go on over a long time

Chirema ndechina mazano chinotamba chakazendama kumadziro
A cripple is one who has sense He dances while leaning against the walls; A person must come to terms with his limitations

Zuva igore rinodoka rava namarevo mavi namavuya
A day is a year It ends with its fill of bad and good news;Much can happen in one day

Muroyi munhu kubayiwa anochemawo
A witch is human When pricked she too cries; No person, no matter how much he boasts, is invulnerable

Zino irema rinosekerera warisingadi
The tooth is a fool It smiles at one it does not like; A smile can hide all sorts of inner feelings

Mbiri matende inoputsika
Fame is a fragile gourd It breaks; One's reputation will be destroyed if one does not take care of it

Ugaro mwena kutevedza hunoguma
Life is a hole in the ground Follow and it comes to an end; Everyone is mortal

Mwana wengwe mwana wengwe kuona chikara haatizi
A leopard's cub is a leopard's cub If it sees a wild beast it does not flee; A chip of the old block

Mwana wenyoka mwana wenyoka haana muduku
A young snake is a young snake It is never too small; A poisonous snake may be lethal even from birth