Kazi mbaya siyo mchezo mwema
A bad job is not as worthless 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 cannot kill a louse
Kiharibucho urafiki ni kukopa na kuazima
What ruins friendship is borrowing and lending
Kingiacho mjini si haramu
What is fashionable in town is never prohibited
Kikulacho ki nguoni mwako
That which eats you up is in your clothing
Kila chombo kwa wimbile
Every vessel has its waves to meet
Kila mlango na ufunguwo wake
Every door has its own key
Kila mtoto na koja lake
To every child his own neck ornament
Kila mwamba ngoma, ngozi huivuta kwake
Everyone who streches a skin on a drum, pulls the skin his own side
Kila ndege huruka na mbawa zake
Every bird flies with its own wings
Kilio huanza mfiwa ndipo wa mbali wakaingia
When the bereaved begin the wailing far relatives then join in
Kimya kingi kina mshindo mkubwa
A long silence followed by a mighty noise
Kinga na kinga ndipo moto uwakapo
Firebrand on firebrand, the it is the fire burns
Kinyozi hajinyoi
A barber does not shave himself
Kinywa ni jumba la maneno
The mouth is the home of words
Kipendacho moyo ni dawa
What the heart desires is medicine to it
A merry heart makes good medicine
Kipya kinyemi ingawa kidonda
A novelty has its charms even though it be a sore
Kisebusebu na roho kipapo
Refusing and wanting at the same time.
Kisokula mlimwengu, sera nale
What is not eaten by man, let the devil eat it
Kitanda usicho kilala hujui kunguni wake
You cannot know the bugs of a bed that you have not lain on
Kivuli cha fimbo hakimfichi mtu jua
The shadow of a stick cannot protect one from the sun
Kizuri chajiuza kibaya chajitembeza
A good thing sells itself a bad one advertises itself
Konzo ya maji haifumbatiki
Water cannot be grasped in the fist
Kosa moja haliachi mke
One fault does not warrant divorce of a wife
Kuambizana kuko kusikilizana hapana
Giving advice but no one listens
Kucha Mungu si kilemba cheupe
The fear of God is not wearing a white turban
Kuchamba kwingi, kuondoka na mavi
Lots of washing remove the shit
Kufa kufaana
Death has its advantages
(i.e. It benefits those who inherit)
Kufa kwa jamaa, harusi
The death of a relative is a wedding
Kufa kwa mdomo, mate hutawanyika
When the mouth dies, the saliva is dispersed
(i.e. 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 its own eggs
Kuku mgeni hakosi kamba mguuni
A new fowl always has strings 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 pregnancy, but it is hard to bring up a child
Kunako matanga kumekufa mtu
Where there is mourning someone has died
Kunguru mwoga hukimbiza mbawa zake
The timid crow withdraws its wings
Kupanda mchongoma, kushuka ngoma
You may climb a thorn tree, and be unable to come down.
Kupotea 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
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 are trees, there are no builders
La kuvunda (kuvunja) halina rubani
A vessel running aground has no captain
La kuvunda (kuvunja) halina ubani
There is no incence for something rotting
Lake mtu halimtapishi bali humchefusha
One's foul smelling does not sicken oneself but merely disgusts one
Leo ni leo asemayo kesho ni mwongo
Today is today who says tomorrow 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
What happens is to happen
(i.e. Things don't just happen by accidents)
Lisemwalo lipo, ikiwa halipo laja
What is said is here, and if it's not it's coming around behind
Lisilokuwapo moyoni, halipo machoni
When it's not in the heart, it's not in the eye
Out of sight out of mind
Maafuu hapatilizwi
Insanity is not to be revenged upon
Macho hayana pazia
Eyes have no screens
(i.e. They see all that is within view)
Mafahali wawili hawakai zizi moja
Two bulls cannot live in the same pen
Maiti haulizwi sanda
A dead person is not asked for a shroud
Maji hufuata mkondo
Water follows current
(i.e. Swim with the current)
Maji huteremka bondeni, hayapandi mlima
Water flows down the valley, it does not climb the hill
Maji ukiyavuliya nguo huna budi kuyaogelea
If you take off your clothes for water you must bathe
Maji usiyoyafika hujui wingi wake
You cannot 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
Maji yakimwagika hayazoleki
If water is spilt, it cannot be gathered up
Majumba makubwa husitiri mambo
Big houses conceal a lot
Majuto ni mjukuu
Regrets are grandchildren
(i.e. They come some considerable time after event)
Manahodha wengi chombo huenda mrama
With many captains, the ship does not sail properly
Too many cooks spoil the broth
Maneno makali hayavunji mfupa
Words alone won't break bones
Maneno mema hutowa nyoka pangoni
Pleasant 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 he does they say he stole them.
Masikini na mwanawe tajiri na mali yake
A poor 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 ?