- Adhabu ya kaburi aijua maiti, The touture of the grave is only known by the corpse
- Akiba haiozi, A reserve will not decay
- Asifuye mvuwa imemnyea. He who praises rain has been rained on.
- Akili nyingi huondowa maarifa. Great wit drives away wisdom
- Asiye kubali kushindwa si mshindani.He who does not admit defeat is not a sportsman
- Atangaye na jua hujuwa. He wanders around by day a lot, learns a lot
- Asiye kuwapo na lake halipo.If you are absent you lose your share
- Avumaye baharini papa kumbe wengi wapo.Shark is the famous one in sea the but they many others
- Baada ya dhiki faraja.After hardship comes relief.
- Baniani mbaya kiatu chake dawa.An evil Indian but his bussiness is good.
- Bendera hufuata upepo. A flag follows the direction of the wind.
- Bilisi wa mtu ni mtu.The evil spirit of a man is a man.
- Chamlevi huliwa na mgema.The drunkard's money is being consumed by palm-wine trapper.
- Chanda chema huvikwa pete.A handsome finger gets the ring.
- Chombo cha kuzama hakina usukani. A sinking vessel needs no navigation.
- Chovya - chovya yamaliza buyu la asali. Constant dipping will empty goud of honey
- Dalili ya mvua mawingu. Clouds are the sign of rain
- Damu nzito kuliko maji.Blood is thicker than water
- Dawa ya moto ni moto. the remedy of fire is fire
- Dua la kuku halimpati mwewe.the curse of the fowl does not bother the kite.
- Fadhila ya punda ni mateke. Gratitude of a donkey is a kick.
- Fimbo ya mbali hayiuwi nyoka. A wepon which you don't have in hand wont kill a snake.
- Fuata nyuki ule asali.Follow bees and you will get honey
- Fumbo mfumbe mjinga mwerevu huligangua.Put a riddle to a fool a clever person will solve it
- Ganda la mua la jana chungu kaona kivuno.The skin of yesteday's sugarcane is a havest to an ant.
- Haba na haba hujaza kibaba.Little by little fills up the measure.
- Hapana marefu yasio na mwisho.They is no distance that has no end.
- Hakuna siri ya watu wawili.They is no secret between two people.
- Haraka haraka haina baraka.Hurry hurry has no blessings
- Hasira, hasara.Anger brings loss(Damage)
- Heri kufa macho kuliko kufa moyo.It is better to lose your eyes than to lose your heart.
- Heri kujikwa kidole kuliko ulimi.Better to stumble with toe than toungue.
- Hiari ya shinda utumwa.Voluntary is better than force.
- Hucheka kovu asiye kuwa na jeraha.He laughs at scar who has received no wound.
- Ihsani (hisani)haiozi.Kindness does not go rotten.
- Ikiwa hujui kufa,tazama kaburi.If you don't know death look at the grave.
- Jina jema hungara gizani.A good name shines in the dark.
- Jino la pembe si dawa ya pengo.An ivory tooth is not cure for the lost tooth.
- Jitihadi haiondoi kudura. Effort will not counter faith.
- Jogoo la shamba haliwiki mjini. The village cock does not crow in town.
- Kafiri akufaye si Isilamu asiyekufa.An infidel who does you good turn is not like a Muslim who does not
- Kamba hukatika pabovu. A rope parts where it is thinnest.
- Kanga hazai ugenini.A guine- fowl not lay eggs on strange places
- Kawaida ni kama sheria.Usage is like law
- Kawia ufike.Better delay and get there.
- Kazi mbaya siyo mchezo mwema.A bad job is not as wothless as a good game
- Kelele za mlango haziniwasi usingizi.The creaking of the door deprives me of no sleep.
- Kenda karibu na kumi.Nine is near ten.
- Kiburi si maungwana.Arrogance is not gentlemanly.
- Kichango kuchangizana.Everyone should contribute when collection is made.
- Kidole kimoja hakivunji chawa.One finger canot kill a louse.
- Kingiacho mjini si haramu.That is fashionable in town is never prohibited.
- Kikulacho ki nguoni mwako.That which eats you up is in your clothing.
- Kila chombo kwa wimblile.Every vessel has its own waves
- Kila mlango na ufunguwo wake.Every door with its own key
- Kila mtoto na koja lake.To every child his own neck ornament
- Kila mwamba ngoma ,ngozi huivuta kwake.Every who streches a skin on a drum,pulls the skin own his own side.
- Kila ndege huruka na mbawa zake.Every bird flies with its own wings.
- Kilio huanza mfiwa ndipo wa mbali wakaingia.The beareved begins the wailing latter others join.
- Kimya kingi kina mshindo mkubwa.Along silence followed by mighty noise.
- Kinga na kinga ndipo moto uwakapo.One fire brand after another keeps fire burning.
- Kinyozi hajinyoi.A barber does not shave himself.
- Kinywa ni jumba la maneno.Mouth is the home of words.
- Kipendacho moyo ni dawa.What the heart desires is medicine to it.
- Kipya kinyemi ingawa kidonda. A new thing is a souce of joy even if is sore.
- Kisebusebu na roho kipapo.Refusing and wanting at the same time.
- Kisokula mlimwengu,sera nale.what is not eaten by a man,let the devil eat it.
- Kitanda usicho kilala hujui kunguni wake.You canot know the bugs of a bed that you have not lain on.
- Kivuli cha fimbo hakimfichi mtu jua.Shadow of a stick canot protect one from the sun.
- Kiwi cha yule ni chema cha;hata ulimwengu uwishe. The blindnes of that one is his good fortune
- Kizuri chajiuza kibaya chajitembeza.A good thing sells it self a bad one advertises it self
- Konzo ya maji haifumbatiki. A handfull of water can not be grasped.
- Kosa moja haliachi mke.One fault does not warrant divorce of a wife
- Kozi mwandada ,kulala na njaa kupenda.A goshawk is an egg child,if sleeps hungry its his own fault.
- Kuagiza kufyekeza. ie One eye of a master sees more than four of a servent.
- Kuambizana kuko kusikilizana hapana.Giving advice but no one listens.
- Kucha M'ngu si kilemba cheupe.The fear of God is not wearing a white turban.
- Kuchamba kwingi,kuondoka na mavi.Leave well alone! You wont improve matters by going on tinkering
- Kufa kufaana.Death has its advantages too ie it benifits those who inherit.
- Kufa kwa jamaa, harusi.The death of not a relative is a wedding.Compared to a death of a relative
- Kufa kwa mdomo,mate hutawanyika.When the head of the family dies,that family breaks up.
- Kuishi kwingi ni kuona mengi. To live long is to see much.
- Kujikwa si kuanguka,bali ni kwenda mbele.To stumble is not falling down but it is to go forward.
- Kukopa harusi kulipa matanga.Borrowing is like a wedding ,repaying is like mourning.
- Kuku havunji yai lake.A hen does not break her own eggs.
- Kuku mgeni hakosi kamba mguuni.A new fowl always has string around its legs.
- Kula kutamu ,kulima mavune.Eating is sweet ,digging is weariness.
- Kulea mimba si kazi kazi kulea mwana.It is not hard to nurse a pregnency,but it is hard to bring up a child.
- Kunako matanga kume kufa mtu.Where they is mourning someone has died.
- Kunguru mwoga hukimbiza mbawa zake.The timid crow withdraws his wings from harm.
- Kupanda mchongoma ,kushuka ngoma.You may climb a thorn tree,and be unable to come down.
- Kupoteya njia ndiyo kujua njia.To get lost is to learn the way.
- Kutoa ni moyo usambe ni utajiri.Charity is the matter of the heart not of the pocket.
- Kutu kuu ni la mgeni.Old rust is for the stranger.
- Kuzima koleo si mwisho wa uhunzi.Cooling the tongs is not end of forging.
- Kwa mwoga huenda kicheko na kwa shujaa huenda kilio.i.e.timidity often ends in a laugh, bravado in a lament.
- Kwenda mbio siyo kufika.To run is not neccessarily to arrive.
- Kwenye miti hakuna wajenzi.Where there trees,there are no builders.
- La kuvunda(kuvunja) halina rubani. A vessel running agroud has no captain.
- La kuvunda (kuvunja)halina ubani.They is no incence for something rotting.
- Lake mtu halimtapishi bali humchefusha.One's foul smelling does not sicken one self but merely disguts one.
- Leo ni leo asemayo kesho ni mwongo.Today is today who says tommorrow is a liar
- Liandikwalo ndiyo liwalo.That which is written by God is what is.
- Lila na fila hazitangamani.Good and evil will never mix.
- Lipitalo ,hupishwa .Things dont just happen by accidents
- Lisemwalo lipo,ikiwa halipo laja.What is benig talked about is here,and if its not it's comming around behind.
- Lisilokuwapo moyoni,halipo machoni.Out of sight out of mind.
- Maafuu hapatilizwi.You dont take viengeance on silliness.
- Macho hayana pazia.Eyes have no screens,they see all that is within view.
- Mafahali wawili hawakai zizi moja.Two bulls do not live in the same shade.
- Maiti haulizwi sanda.A dead person is not asked for a shroud.
- Maji hufuata mkondo.water follows current.i.e.swim with current.
- Maji huteremka bondeni,hayapandi mlima.Water flows down the valley does not climb the hill.
- Maji ukiyavuliya nguo huna budi kuyaogelea.If you take of your clothes for water you must bathe.
- Maji usiyoyafika hujui wingi wake.You can not know the extent of water in a pond that you have never been to.
- Maji ya kifufu ni bahari ya chungu.Water in a coconut shell is like an ocean to an ant.
- Maji yakija hupwa.When tide is high,it ebbs.
- Mpanda ngazi hushuka.He who climbs a ladder comes down again.i.e.What goes up must come down
- Maji yakimwagika hayazoleki.If water is split,it can not be gathered up.
- Majumba makubwa husitiri mambo.Big houses conceal a lot.
- Majuto ni mjukuu.Regrets are like a child,They come some considerable time after event.
- Manahodha wengi chombo huenda mrama.With many captains,the ship does not sail properly.i.e.Too many cooks spoil the broth.
- Maneno makali hayavunji mfupa.Words alone wont break bones.
- Maneno mema hutowa nyoka pangoni.Pleasent words will draw the snake from its hole.
- Masikini akipata matako hulia mbwata.When a poor man gets something he boasts of his new wealth.
- Masikini haokoti,akiokota huambiwa kaiba.A poor man does not pick up things if does they say he stole them.
- Masikini na mwanawe tajiri na mali yake.A por man with his child a rich man with his wealth.
- Mavi usioyala,wayawingiani kuku? Why drive away fowls from the dung you do not eat yourself?
- Mavi ya kale hayanuki.Old droppings do not stink.
- Mbinu hufuata mwendo.A double jointed arm follows the leg action.i.e Like father like son.
- Mbio za sakafuni huishia ukingoni.Running on the roof finishes at the edge.
- Mbiu za mgambo ikilia kuna jambo.When an oxhorn of a news man is sounded,something is wrong.
- Mchagua jembe si mkulima.One who selects his hoe is not real farmer.
- Mchagua nazi hupata koroma.He who selects coconut with great care ends up getting a bad coconut
- Mchakacho ujao,halulengwi na jiwe.You dont throw stones at an approching craclin noise in the bush wait and see what is it first
- Mchama ago hanyeli,huenda akauya papo.A traveller does not make a mess where he had made a camp as he might one day come back.
- Mchelea mwana kulia hulia yeye..He who fears the crying of a child,will cry himself.
- Mchele moja mapishi mengi. Rice is all one but they are many ways of cooking it.
- Mcheka kilema hafi bila kumpata.He who laughs at a cripple will not die without becoming himself
- Mcheza hawi kiwete,ngoma yataka matao.A dancer will not become crippled for dancing calls for grace.
- Mcheza kwao hutuzwa.He who dances at home will be rewarded.
- Mcheza na tope humrukia.He who plays with mud will get splashed.
- Mchezea zuri ,baya humfika.He who ridicules the good will be overtaken by evil.
- Mchimba kisima hungia mwenyewe.He who digs a pit will fall into it himself.
- Mchonga mwiko hukimbiza mkono wake.The maker of wooden spoons saves his hand from fire.
- Mchovya asali hachovi mara moja.He who dips his finger into honey does not dip it once.
- Mchuma janga hula na wakwao.He who earns calamity,eats it with his family.
- Mchumia juani,hula kivulini.He who earns his living in the sun,eats in the shade.
- Mdharau biu,hubiuka yeye.He who riducules a deformed person becomes deformed himself.
- Meno ya mbwa hayaumani.The teeth of a dog do not lock together.i.e brothers do not harm one another when they fight.
- Mfa maji hukamata maji.A drowning man catches at the water.
- Mficha uchi hazai.One who hides private parts wont get a child.
- Mfinyazi hulia gaeni.A potter eats from a potsherd.
- Mfuata nyuki hakosi asali.One follows bees will never fail to get honey.
- Mfukuzwa kwao hana pakwenda.He who is expled from home has no where to go
- Mgaagaa na upwa hali wali mkavu.A lazy person with a nephwe does not eat dry rice.
- Mganga hajigangui.A witchdoctor does not cure himself.
- Mgema akisifiwa tembo hulitia maji.If the palmwine tapper is praised,he dilutes the palm-wine with water.
- Mgeni ni kuku mweupe.A stranger is like a white fowl (noticeble)
- Mgeni njoo mwenyeji apone.Let the guest come so that the host may benifit.
- Mgonjwa haulizwi uji.A sick person is not asked for porridje.
- Miye nyumba ya udongo ,sihimili vishindo I am a mud hut, I can not stand shocks.
- Mjinga akierevuka mwerevu yupo mashakani.When a fool becomes enlightened,the wise man is in trouble.
- Mjumbe hauawi.A messenger is not killed
- Mkamatwa na ngozi ndiye mwizi.The one who is caught with the skin is the thief.
- Mkamia maji hayanywi.He who fixes his mind much on water ends up not drinkink it
- Mkata (masikini) hana kinyongo.A poor man has no contempt.
- Mke ni nguo ,mgomba kupalilia.A wife is like clothes and banana plant needs weeding.
- Mkono moja hauchinji ngombe.A single hand can not slaughter a cow.
- Mkono moja haulei mwana.A single hand can not nurse a child.
- Mkono mtupu haulambwi.An empty hand is not licked.
- Mkono usioweza kuukata,ubusu.Kiss the hand you can not cut.
- Mkosa kitoweo humangiria.One who has little relish must eat sparingly.
- Mkuki kwa nguruwe mtamu,kwa mwanadamu uchungu.Its nice throw a spear to a pig,but painful when thrown to you.
- Mkulima ni mmoja walaji ni wengi.The farmer is one but those who eat fruits of his labour are many.
- Mla cha mwenziwe na chake huliwa.He who eats another mans food will have his own food eaten by others.
- Mla cha uchungu na tamu hakosi.He who eats bitter things gets sweet things too.
- Mla kuku wa mwenziwe miguu humwelekeya.He who devours his neighbour's fowl,its foot prints will give him away.
- Mla mbuzi hulipa ngombe.The eater of a goat pays back a cow.
- Mla mla leo mla jana kala nini?The real eater is todays eater not yesterdays.
- Mla nawe hafi nawe ila mzaliwa nawe.He who eats with you will not die with you except he who was born with you.
- Mlenga jiwe kundini hajui limpataye.He who who flings a stone amid a crowd,does not know the it hits.
- Mlimbua nchi ni mwananchi.He who enjoys the first fruit of a country is son of that country.
- Mnyamaa kadumbu.One who keeps silent,endures.
- mnywa maji kwa mkono moja,Kiu yake i pale pale.He who drinks water with one hand finds out his thirst is still there.
