Zimbabwe (Shona), Nigeria (Efik), Nigeria (Fulbe), Nigeria (Hausa), Nigeria (Igbo), Nigeria (Mwaghavul), Nigeria (Yoruba), Ghana (Akan), Ghana (Kasem), East Africa (Kiswahili), Kenya (Gikuyu), Kenya (Luo), Africa (COVID-19),

Proverbs

Proverb: Paduku paduku, tinosvika.
Translation: Step by step, we will be there.

Postproverbial: Paduku paduku saga resugar rakapera netii sipunu.
Translation: Bit by bit, a bag of sugar was emptied using a teaspoon.

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Proverb: Kugocha kunoda kwaamai, kwemwana kunodzima moto.
Translation: Roasting is tolerated when it is mother doing it, when the child does it, it is described as destructive to the fire.

Postproverbial: Kutonga kunoda kweMDC kweZANU kuuraya nyika.
Translation: Ruling by MDC is tolerated, that of ZANU destroys the country.

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Proverb: Chinoziva ivhu kuti mwana wembeva anorwara.
Translation: It is the soil that knows about the illness of mouse’s child.

Postproverbial: Chinoziva ismall house kuti kumba kwamaiguru hakuna mari.
Translation: It is the small house mistress who knows that there is no money at the husband’s first wife.

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Proverb: Zingizi gonyera pamwe, maruva enyika haaperi.
Translation: Wasps coil in one place, flowers of the world are inexhaustible.

Postproverbial: Mabusinessman gonyerai pamwe n' anga dzekuZengeza dzinoputitsa.
Translation: Businessmen be content with what you have, traditional healers in Zengeza have explosives.

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Proverb: Ateya riva murutsva haatye mhapa/magaro kusvipa.
Translation: He who sets a trap in a place where the grass has been burnt is not afraid of making his mhapa or bums dirty.

Postproverbial: Ateya mabhomba muZengeza haatye kusviba magaro.
Translation: One who sets bombs in Zengeza is not afraid of making his bums dirty.

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Proverb: Natsa kwawabva, kwaunoenda husiku.
Translation: Be good to those you are leaving behind because it is night where you are going.

Postproverbial: Natsa kwawabva kuZengeza kune zvinoputika.
Translation: Be good to those you are leaving behind because there are explosives in Zengeza.

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Proverb: Zviro zviedzwa chembere yekwaChivi yakabika mabwe ikaseva muto.
Translation: Things are to be tried, an old woman from Chivi boiled stones and got soup from them as relish.

Postproverbial: Zviro zviedzwa n' anga yekuZengeza yakaboilisa gunpowder ikaputikirwa.
Translation: Things are to be tried, a traditional doctor from Zengeza boiled gunpowder and got killed in the resultant explosion.

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Proverb: Makangamwa chazuro nehope.
Translation: Do not forget challenges of yesterday because of sleep.

Postproverbial: Makanganwa chekuZengeza nehope.
Translation: Have you forgotten what happened in Zengeza because of sleep?

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Proverb: Kugona mbavha huirongera.
Translation: Set a trap to catch a thief.

Postproverbial: Kugona mosquito huirongera.
Translation: Spray insecticide to kill mosquitoes.

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Proverb: Chakafukidza dzimba matenga.
Translation: What hides the insides of houses are roofs.

Postproverbial: Chakafukidza dzimba maDSTV.
Translation: What hides the insides of houses are DSTV dishes.

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Proverb: Musikana chihambakwe asvika anokanda chibwe.
Translation: A girl is a mound, whoever passes by throws a stone.

Postproverbial: Musikana chihambakwe, asvika anokanda shoko.
Translation: A girl is a mound of stones, whoever passes by throws a word.

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Proverb: Akupa zanhi ndewako.
Translation: He who gives you advice is a friend.

Postproverbial: Kupa $ ndewako.
Translation: One who gives you USD notes is a friend.

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Proverb: Kudada kwevari mugomo kumbira mapfihwa kune vari pasi.
Translation: It is vanity of those who live in the hills to ask for fireplace stones from those who live in the valley.

Postproverbial: Kudada kwevari Amerika, kukumbira vari Zimbabwe bond.
Translation: Those living in America should not ask for bond notes from those in Zimbabwe.

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Proverb: Kure kwegava ndokusina mutsubvu.
Translation: A wild dog will go anywhere the mutsubvu fruit tree is found.

Postproverbial: Kure kwabusinessman ndokusina n' anga.
Translation: A business man will go wherever there is a traditional doctor.

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Proverb: Aive madziva ave mazambuko, aive mazambuko ave madziva.
Translation: Deep pools have become crossing points, crossing points have become deep pools.

Postproverbial: Aive mabeare ave mabond.
Translation: The bearer notes have become the bond note.

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Proverb: Gudo guru peta muswe kuti vaduku vakutye.
Translation: Big baboon, fold your tail so that the young fear you.

Postproverbial: Ane bond peta muswe kuti ane $ akutye.
Translation: The one with bond notes must behave so that those with the USD respect him.

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Proverb: Mudzimu wakupa chironda, wati nhunzi dzikudye.
Translation: An ancestral spirit who gives you wounds, call for flies to eat you.

Postproverbial: Mudzimu wakupa bond, wati nhunzi dzikudye.
Translation: Ancestors who give you bond notes call for flies to eat you.

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Proverb: Igaroziva kuti mai mukadzi wababa.
Translation: It is known that mother is father’s wife.

Postproverbial: Igaroziva kuti bond haricrosse boda.
Translation: It is known that the bond is useless outside Zimbabwean borders.

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Proverb: Charovedzera charovedzera, gudo rakakwira mawere kwasviba.
Translation: Because of experience baboons climb slopes even during the night in darkness.

Postproverbial: Charovedzera charovedzera, bond rakapinda muZimbabwe kwakachena.
Translation: The bond note was forced on the unwilling Zimbabwean people in broad daylight.

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Proverb: Ane bhonzo ane nyama hazvienzani neasina.
Translation: One with a born (meat) is better than one without.

Postproverbial: Ane kwacha ane mari, hazvienzani neane bond.
Translation: One with the kwacha (Zambian currency that was once very weak) is better than one with the bond (Zimbabwean bond note recently introduced in a bid to solve the current cash crisis but is failing to do so).

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Proverb: Obughi onu eji bite aku ka eji akwu ya.
Translation: It is not the mouth used in borrowing palm nut that is used to repay.

Postproverbial: Obughi onu eji nara aki ka eji akwu ya.
Translation: It is not the mouth that is used to collect the palm kernel that is used to repay.

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Proverb: Agbara aka na-azo ala, onye ji ji ga na akonye.
Translation: When there is a struggle over land, he who has yam will be planting.

Postproverbial: Onye gbara aka na-azo ala, onye ji ji ana akonye.
Translation: He who is without yam struggles over land; he who has yam will be planting.

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Proverb: Onye jekata ghalu, nke o jelueje a naa ya ni-iyi.
Translation: When one embarks on a journey or project and halfway through one decides to go back or abandon the project, then all (your) initial efforts are a waste.

Postproverbial: Onye jekata ghalu, nwanne ya enyelu ya aka.
Translation: When one embarks on a journey and later decides to discontinue, his brother (others) should encourage or assist him.

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Proverb: Ebe onye oso ruru, ka onye ije ga-eru.
Translation: We all have a common destination, we all must arrive there eventually, whether we decide to run or walk.

Postproverbial: O bughi ebe onye oso ruru, ka onye ije ga-eru.
Translation: It is not where one who runs gets to, that the person that walks would get to.

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Proverb: Ihe abuo ka a na-eme ji, o buru na esighi ya esi, a huo ya a hu o.
Translation: There are only two ways of preparing yams, either by boiling or roasting.

Postproverbial: Ihe a na-eme ji kariri-akari.
Translation: There are many ways of making the yam edible.

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Proverb: Nwata bulie nna ya elu, ngwongwo na ngwo-ngwo a yochie ya anya.
Translation: A child that dares carry his father up, shall be blinded by all sorts of things under the father’s loins.

Postproverbial: Nwata bulie nna ya elu, ogodo a yochie ya anya.
Translation: When a child dares lift his father up the father’s loin cloth is bound to cover his eyes.

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Proverb: Onye ajuju a di e fu uzo.
Translation: A person that asks questions never misses his way.

Postproverbial: Onye ajuju na-efu uzo ma o juo ajo mmadu.
Translation: When a person enquires from an evil one, he is bound, to be misled.

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Proverb: Nkita nwere ndidi na-ata okpukpu siri ike.
Translation: A patient dog eats the strong bone.

Postproverbial: Nkita nwere ndidi na-ebu onu.
Translation: A patient dog starves.

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Proverb: Nwanyi na-achọ nwa anaghịeyi ákwà ara hụ ụra abali.
Translation: A woman who is in dire need of a child sleeps naked at night.

Postproverbial: Nwanyi na-achọ nwa ga eri nsi.
Translation: A woman who is in dire need of a child can condescend to doing unimaginable and despicable things.

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Proverb: Ike si na ọ bụrụ na ya mara na ikpu ga-enwe ọtụtụ ndị ọbịa,ọ gaghị ekweta ka ha bụrụ agbata obi.
Translation: The anus said that if it had known the vagina would have many visitors, it would not have agreed to be its neighbor.

Postproverbial: Onyenkuzisi, na ọ bụrụ na ya mara na ndi uka ga-enweta esemokwu, ọgaghị ekweta ka ha bụrụ agbata obi.
Translation: The teacher said that if he had known that Christianity would arouse much disputes, he would not have agreed to accommodate the whites.

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Proverb: Atakata akwụ hịọ ọnụ ịmara na oge mgbu pụ ya erụola.
Translation: Any person chewing palm fruit and twists his mouth shows that he is about to spit it out.

Postproverbial: Ihe a na atara akwụ afị ọnụ bụ ka a mara ma a ga-ata pụ ta ya mmanụ.
Translation: The reason why the person eating palm fruit continues to twist his mouth is to extract as much oil as possible.

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Proverb: E jighị nnukwu amụ amaja akwụna.
Translation: You don’t scare a prostitute with a big sized penis.

Postproverbial: E jighị nnukwu okwu amaja onye nkasi obi.
Translation: You do not scare a person whose job is to console people with much talking.

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Proverb: Mba ji na akari ịru n’ọkụ.
Translation: A person who has attained certain height in society should not indulge in ignoble acts.

Postproverbial: Mba ji karia ịrun’ọkụ, a wayaawa.
Translation: There is always a way to get at a person who feels he cannot be called to order.

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Proverb: Ihe nwoke zọgidere ọgọdọ ya atọ n’ọha siri ike.
Translation: Anything a man struggles for, to the point that his wrapper loosens up in public, is a serious matter.

Postproverbial: Ihe nwoke zọgidere ahụ mkpụrụ amụ ya,si hapụrụ ya.
Translation: Anything a man struggles for until his testicles is exposed should be left for him.

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Proverb: Ebe onye ma ka nmanya na-egbu ya.
Translation: One gets intoxicated where one is familiar with.

Postproverbial: Ebe onye ma uzo ka nmaya na-egbu ya.
Translation: One gets intoxicated on the road one is familiar with.

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Proverb: Onye na-anoghi ebe eliru ozu na ebido iboya na-ukwu.
Translation: He who was not around at the place where a corpse is buried begins to retrieve it from the leg.

Postproverbial: Onye na-anoghi oge eliri ozu na ebido iboya na-ukwu.
Translation: He who was not around at the time a corpse is buried begins to retrieve from the leg.

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Proverb: Onye kọrọ ọka n’ugbo bia bụrụ ụkpa ji lọta kwesịrị ka umunna ya juo ya ajuju.
Translation: If a person plants corn in his farm and comes home with a basket of yam, his kinsmen should ask him questions.

Postproverbial: Onye jiri ụkwụ jeemba ma bụrụ ụgbọ ala lọta kwesịrị ka umu nna ya jaa ya ike.
Translation: A man who travels out of town on foot and comes back with a car should be praised by his kinsmen.

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Proverb: Ewu nwụrụ n’ọba ji abụghi agụ gbụrụ ya.
Translation: A goat that dies in a barn was not killed by hunger.

Postproverbial: Di ka ewu,ndi ichie nwụrụn’ọba ji abụghi agụ gbụrụ ha.
Translation: Just like the goat, the elders that fails in their leadership duties didn’t fail because of hunger.

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Proverb: Ọbịara nga awọ sị ya bunye ya oche,ọhụrụ nke ọnọ.
Translation: One who visited the toad’s house asking for a chair, did he see the toad sitting on any?

Postproverbial: P2: Ọ bịara nga awọ na chisị ya bunye ya oche,onwere aka oru nke o mete.
Translation: One who asks what the government can do for him, has he any achievements?

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Proverb: Nwata kpaa nkụ karia ibe ya, a sịna ọ kpatara ya n’ajọ ọhia.
Translation: When a child brings home more firewood than his peers, he will be accused of fetching them from the evil forest.

Postproverbial: Ezeego kpaa nnukwu ego karia ibe ya,a sịna ọ kpatara ya n’igbu mmadu.
Translation: When a rich man returns to the village with more money than his peers, he will be accused by the poor of being a ritualist.

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