Proverbs (Thimo)

Goodness begin at home

Meaning: Means charity begins at home.

You cannot rob a leopard of its cub while it is awake

Meaning: You should never underestimate someone or try to take away what rightfully and fiercely belongs to them

A brave warrior does not fear consequences .

Meaning: A person of action must be willing to take risks and face the difficult outcomes or criticisms that come with making tough decisions.

Submissions needed for translation

Meaning: Simply means people who meet have the opportunity to make a decision

A households affairs should not go out

Meaning: Used to emphasis on the imporance of not airing dirty linen in public

Going to bed with unresolved issues is bad

Meaning: Used in domestic context, it encourages people to resolve an differences as soon as possible

Children of the same father don't fight

Meaning: A rallying call for oneness among families

Leaking from the base of the traditional baskets

Meaning: Means things have gone horribly wrong

Peoples laughters are not equalto a Hyenas cries

Meaning: Used to encourage people that their situation is not as dire as they seem to imagine

There is no small gunuea when dust bathing

Meaning: Used to discourage underestimating anyone in broad contexts but commonly in matters of the bedroom

No bee lacks a flower

Meaning: Used in matters of love to communicate that everyone can have a suitable partner

No Cockerel crows in unfamiliar sorrounding

Meaning: Encourages people to be mindful of their behaviour and mannerisms when they are guests somewhere

No sun lacks baskers

Meaning: Submissions needed for meaning

No Animal screams without being bitten

Meaning: Used to encourage helping people in distress

It doesn’t land where its aimed at

Meaning: Used to broadly mean people who wish you harm will always fail

Hyenas far away cannot stripmeat in bones

Meaning: Encourages people against relying on promises or help that’s not at hand

A hyena has never eaten its cub

Meaning: Submissions needed for meaning

A hyena intending to eat its cub accuses it of smelling like a goat

Meaning: Used to refer to betrayal situations where close friends, family , colleagues etc falsely accuse one of their own

A hyena with nausea does not grow fat

Meaning: Used to encourage people to work hard and not be chosey when presented with opportunities

Loose weight over you own affairs

Meaning: Directed at people meddling in other peoples affairs. A simple way to say Mind your own business

An army without a plan is defeated with a single club

Meaning: It encourages people to never overlook preperations and planning especially in joint undertakings

Once a pregancy displaces clothing, you can't hide it anymore

Meaning: Used in situations where there is clear evidence to something that has't been disclosed yet, e.g an affair

Submissions needed for translation

Meaning: Submissions needed for meaning

A sharp knife cuts its owner

Meaning: Used to caution people against over indulging in situations that can come back to bite them

The mouth that allulates is the same mouth that screams

Meaning: Submissions needed for meaning

Submissions needed for translation

Meaning: Submissions needed for meaning

Submissions needed for translation

Meaning: Submissions needed for meaning

Gathering firewood before ascertaining the meat availability

Meaning: Discourages people from hasty decisions

A guard with buttock supports itself

Meaning:

The unspoken never wins

Meaning: Encourages people to speak up and be heard

A bite piece and another meet in the stomach

Meaning: Submissions needed for meaning

A bent person is not a bent tree

Meaning: Urges people to respect and uphold human respect and dignity regardless of perecieved weaknesses and vulnerabilities

You fetch from an old mans guard when he is not looking

Meaning: Used to encourage young people to respect their elders

Submissions needed for translation

Meaning: Submissions needed for meaning

A fool is not beaten

Meaning: Cautions people against wasting time and energy on lost causes

When a frog is helped across a river it claims it crossed unaided

Meaning: Brings attention to ungrateful attitudes

Lacking dowry goats is lacking a wife

Meaning: Calls on people to be prepared and to always plan to attain desired results

Ignoring the ceremony symbolising full dowry payment is dangerous

Meaning: Encourages people to honour tradition

Witnessing the extraordinary doesn’t mean you are old

Meaning: Submissions needed for meaning

A born child can't be disowned

Meaning: Used to ecourage parents with troublesome children to continue trying to guide and rehabilitate them

A beloved child is given a portion (or a piece of meat) by his father.

Meaning: This is a traditional cultural saying that represents a father's love, provision, and favor toward the child who is closest to his heart

A visitor is like a flowing river.

Meaning: A guest is only passing through and will eventually leave, so treat them with utmost hospitality while they are with you.

A brave woman does not leave the elephant's tusk behind.

Meaning: When you set out to achieve a difficult task, you must be determined to finish it completely without giving up halfway.

A home is known by who resides there not who visits

Meaning: Used to bring awareness that as an outsider you can never have the whole picture and not to take sides especially in domestic disputes

A deceased goes no where

Meaning: A clarion call to fondly remember people who have passed away

A disease between two lovers is addressed by talking

Meaning: Ecounrages fighting couples to talk it out

He who is circumcised away from home doesn't heal

Meaning: Submissions needed for meaning

A farmer's hands/arms should not be broken.

Meaning: It means one shouldn't discourage or harm someone who provides for them.

A wise person is the one who is advised.

Meaning: To gain wisdom one should listen to advise, listen and learn from others. One must be ready for guidance.

A cow knows the shepherd not the milkman

Meaning: The wisdom illustrates the difference between genuine loyalty and transactional relationships. mũkami only comes to extract value while mũrīithi truly cares for the animal

Stored firewood laughs at the bring firewood

Meaning: People laugh and make fun of those in trouble yet are next in line.

When a calf is being taken away, the cow is given some feed

Meaning: Encourages people to be fair in their dealings

You chase a cow away before it crosses into the shamba

Meaning: Used to caution people against making decisions too late when damage is already done

The owner of burning house watches on and feels the hear

Meaning: Encourages people to not give up in difficult situations and even it comes to it, to go down fighting

Once its felled, it can't refuse being butchered

Meaning: Used to refer to situations where one is utterly defeated or at wits end and everything is out of their hands

Old age cannot be washed away in the river.

Meaning: Certain realities of life, like aging or past mistakes, are inevitable and permanent. You must accept them rather than fighting them.

Unity is strength

Meaning: Its shows how people should work together to succeed, it encourages team work.