Njia ya siku zote haina alama
A regular path has no signposts

Ng'ombe avunjikapo guu hurejea zizini
When a bull gets his leg broken, he returns to his pen

Ng'ombe haelemewi na nunduye
A cow is not oppressed by its own hump

Nta si asali, nalikuwa nazo si uchunga
Wax is not honey, 'I had them' (= cattle) is not herding

Nyani haoni kundule, huliona la mwenziwe
The ape does not see his own backside, he sees his companion's

Nyimbo ya kufunzwa haikeshi ngoma
Songs learnt from outside sources (foreign importations) don't make the dance last long

Nyumba usiyolala ndani huijui ila yake
You cannot know the defects of a house you have not slept in
(i.e. It is the wearer who knows where the shoe pinches)

Nyumba ya udongo haihimili vishindo
A mud hut cannot withstand great shocks

Nzi kufa juu ya kidonda si haramu
For a fly to die on an ulcer is not bad
(i.e. After all, he got what he wanted)

Pabaya pako si pema pa mwenzako
Your own bad place is far better than your companion's place

Padogo pako Si pakubwa pa mwenzako
Your own small place is not like a big place of your companion
(i.e. A poor thing but it's my own)

Painamapo ndipo painukapo
Where it slopes down is where it slopes up

Paka akiondoka, panya hutawala
When the cat is away, the mice will play

Paka hakubali kulala chali
A cat can never be made to lie on its back

Paka wa nyumba haingwa
You don't introduce the cat belonging to the house

Palipofia ndege hapakosi manyoya
Where a bird died there are always feathers

Panapo wengi hapaharibiki neno
Where there are many, nothing goes wrong
(i.e. A council of many people ensures that things are kept on the right lines)

Papo kwa papo kamba hukata jiwe
Constant rubbing of a rope will cut a stone
Constant dripping wears away a stone

Pele hupewa msi kucha
Scabies are given to him who has no fingernails
(i.e. to him who cannot scratch himself)

Pema usijapo pema, ukipema si pema tena
A good place you don't go to is a good place, if you go too often, it isn't a good place any longer
Familiarity brings contempt

Penye kuku wengi hapamwagwi mtama
Where there are many fowls, millet is not scattered
(i.e. It is not advisable to disclose a secret in the presence of a number of people)

Penye mafundi, hapakosi wanafunzi
Where there are experts there will be no lack ot learners

Penye mbaya wako, hapakosi mwema wako/na mwema wako hakosi
Where you have an enemy, you will also surely have a friend

Penye miti hakuna wajenzi
Where there are plenty of trees there are no builders

Penye nia pana njia
Where there is a will there is a way

Penye urembo ndipo penye urimbo
Where there is finery, there lies the snare (Lit: birdlime)

Penye wazee haliharibiki neno
Where there are old people, nothing goes wrong

Penye wengi pana mengi
Where there are many (present) there is much (said)

Penye wengi pana Mungu
Where there are many people, there is God

Pilipili usozila zakuwashiani ?
How can you be burnt by chilies which you have not eaten ?

Pofu hasahau mkongoja wake
A blind person does not forget his walking stick

Pwagu na pwaguzi
A thief and a bigger one (who is more expert than he is)
When thief meets thief

Radhi ni bora kuliko mali
Blessings are better than wealth

Sahani iliyofunikwa, kilichomo kimesitirika
When a plate is covered, its contents are hidden.

Samaki mmoja akioza, huoza wote
If one fish rots, they all rot
A rotten apple spoils its neighbours

Shauku nyingi huondoa maarifa
Great desire removes all prudence

Shika! Shika! na mwenyewe nyuma
Hold him ! Hold him ! and you yourself after him
(i.e. You shouldn't expect others to do all the work)

Shimo la ulimi mkono haufutiki
A pit of (dug by) the tongue cannot be erased by the hand
(i.e. words are more dangerous than deeds : The pen is mightier than the sword)

Shoka lisilo mpini halichanji kuni
An axe without a handle does not split firewood

Si kila mwenye makucha huwa simba
Not all that have claws are lions
All that glitters is not gold

Sikio halilali na njaa
An ear does not go to bed hungry
(i.e. There's always plenty of gossip)

Sikio halipwani kichwa. Alt: Sikio halipiti kichwa
The ear does not surpass the head

Sikio la kufa halisikii dawa
A dying ear does not feel the medicine

Siku njema huonekana asubuhi
A good day becomes evident in the morning

Siku utakayokwenda uchi, ndiyo siku utakayokutana na mkweo
The day you go naked, is the day you will meet your father/mother-in-law

Simba mwenda kimya (pole) ndiye mla nyama
The lion which moves silently is the one that eats meat

Simbiko haisimbuki ila kwa msukosuko
A thing that is firmly fixed cannot be dislodged except with much trouble

Sitafuga ndwele na waganga tele
I shall not suffer illness while doctors abound.

Subira ni ufunguo wa faraja
Patience is the key to tranquility

Subira yavuta heri, huleta kilicho mbali
Patience attracts chance, it brings what is far

Sumu ya neno ni neno
The poison for a word is a word
Tit for tat

Tajiri na maliye, maskini na mwanawe
A rich man and his money (are like) a poor man and his son

Tamaa mbele, mauti nyuma
Desire first, death afterwards
(i.e. No one ever thinks of the possibIlity of death when concentrating on achieving a particular end)

Taratibu ndiyo mwendo
Slowly is indeed the way to walk
He that goes slowly goes surely

Teke la kuku halimwumizi mwanawe
A hen's kick does not hurt her chick

Tonga si tuwi
The juice of an immature coconut is not like the real coconut juice

Ubishi mwingi huvuta mateso / mateto
Joking carried too far leads to quarrelling / persecution

Ubishi ni chanzo cha kuteta
Joking is the way to quarrelling

Ucheshi wa mtoto ni anga la nyumba
The laughter of a child lights up the house

Uchungu wa mwana, aujua mzazi
The pain of raising a child, the mother knows it

Udongo uwahi ungali maji
Work the clay while it is still wet
Strike while the iron is hot

Udugu wa nazi hukutania chunguni
The brotherhood of coconuts has its meeting in the cooking pot
(said of people who do not cooperate until it is too late)

Ukenda kwa wenye chongo, vunja lako jicho
When you go among one-eyed people, put out your own eye
Where ignorance is bliss, it is folly to be wise, or, When in Rome, do as the Romans do

Ukikataa wengi ni mchawi
If you don't agree with the majority, you are a wizard

Ukiona kwako kunaungua kwa mwenzako kunateketea
If you find your own house is on fire, you may be sure that your neighbour's house is burning much more fiercely

Ukiona neno, usiposema neno, hutapatikana na neno
If you see something and say nothing, you will have nothing to suffer for
Mind your own business, or, Hear all, see all, say nothing

Ukiona vinaelea, vimeundwa
If you see vessels afloat, remember that they have been built

Ukiona zinduna, ambari iko nyuma
If you see amber, ambergris is (not far) behind
Where there is a jealous husband, there will be a jealous wife)

Ukipewa shibiri usichukue pima
If you are offered a span, do not take a couple of yards
Give him an inch and he will take an ell

Ukupigao ndio ukufunzao
What beats you is what teaches you
Spare the rod and spoil the child

Ukistaajabu ya Musa utaona ya Firauni
If you are astonished at Moses' deeds, you will be more astonished at Pharaoh's
(Moses declared himself to be a prophet, but Pharaoh declared himself to be God)

Ukitaja nyoka, shika fimbo mkononi
When you mention a snake, have a stick ready in your hand
Talk of the devil, and you'll hear the rustle of its wings

Ukitaka kula nguruwe, chagua aliyenona
If you want to eat pig, choose one which is fat
As well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb (Muslims are forbidden pork)

Ukitaka uzuri sharti udhurike
If you want beauty, you must (first) be injured

Ukuukuu wa kamba si upya wa ukambaa
A well-worn coil-rope is better than a new rope made from raffia

Ulimi hauna mfupa
A tongue has no bone
(i.e. it can get round anything, both literally and metaphorically)

Ulimi unauma kuliko meno
The tongue hurts more than the teeth

Ulipendalo hupati, hupata ujaliwalo
You will not necessarily get what you desire, you will get what is appointed you (by God)
Man proposes, God disposes

Ulivyoligema utalinywa
As you tapped it (palm-wine) you will (have to) drink
As you sow, so shall you reap, or, You have made your bed and now you must lie on it

Umejigeuza pweza, unajipalia makaa ?
Have you changed into a cuttle-fish, (that) you heap live embers on yourself ?

Umekuwa bata akili kwa watoto ?
Are you a duck (that) your mind is with your children ?

Umoja ni nguvu, utengano ni udhaifu
Unity is strength, division is weakness

Unamlaumu mwewe, kipanga yuwesha kuku
You are blaming the hawk, (while) the falcon is killing the chickens

Ungalijua alacho nyuki, usingalionja asali
Had you known what bees eat, you would not have tasted the honey

Ushikwapo shikamana
When you are seized, hold on yourself

Usiache kunanua kwa kutega
Do not neglect the undoing (of a trap that has caught) for the setting (of others)
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

Usiache mbachao kwa msala upitao
Never give up your old mat for a better prayer mat which you see passing

Usicheze na simba, ukamtia mkono kinywani
Don't play with a lion, you could put your hand in its mouth

Usigombe na mkwezi, nazi imeliwa na mwezi
Don't quarrel with the coconut-palm climber : the coconut has been eaten by the moon

Usijifanye kuku mweupe
Do not pretend to be a white fowl
(i.e. You're just an ordinary chap)

Usikaange mbuyu ukawaachia wenye meno watafune
Do not roast baobab kernels and leave them for those who have teeth to chew them
(i.e. Don't start quarrels among other people by telling tales)

Usilima hua huli
If you don't farm you are not eating

Usimwamshe aliyelala utalala wewe
Do not wake one who is sleeping, you will fall asleep yourself

Usinivishe kilemba cha ukoka
Do not put a grass turban on my head
(i.e. Do not flatter me)

Usipokula huwezi kutoa baraka
If you don't eat, you can't give blessing

Usipotii wazazi ulilaniwa
If you don't respect your parents, you were cursed

Usipoziba ufa utajenga ukuta
If you do not fill up a crack, you will have to build a wall
A stitch in time saves nine

Usisafiriye na nyota ya mwenzio
Don't travel under another's lucky star
(i.e. Do not rely on someone else's good fortune)

Usisahau ubaharia kwa sababu ya unahodha
Do not forget what it is to be a sailor because of being a captain yourself

Usitukane wagema na ulevi ungalipo
Speak no ill of palm-wine tappers as long as drinking persists

Usitukane wakunga na uzazi ungalipo
don't insult midwives while childbirth still continues

Usiyavuke maji usiyoweza kuyaoga
Do not cross water that is too deep for wading

Wapingapo fahali wawili ziumiazo ni nyasi
When two bulls fight, it is the grass that suffers