Mtoto akililia wembe mpe
When a child cries for a razor give it to him
(i.e. Let him learn by experience)

Mtoto umleyavyo ndivyo akuavyo
As you bring up a child, so he will be

Mtoto wa mfalme hutinga kwao ndani
The Prince/Princess has all rights in his/her home

Mtoto wa nyoka ni nyoka
The child of a snake is a snake

Mtu hakatai mwito, hukata aitwalo
A person does not objects to being called, he objects to what he is called for

Mtu hujikuna ajipatiapo
A person scratches himself where his hand can reach

Mtu huulizwa amevaani, haulizwi amekulani
A person is asked about his dress not what he has eaten

Mtumai cha ndugu hufa masikini
One who always depends on his brother will die poor

Mtumi wa kunga haambiwi maana
The carrier of a secret message is not told its meaning

Mtumikie kafiri upate mradi wako
Serve even an unbeliever to attain your own ends

Mtupa jongoo hutupa na mti wake
If you throw a millipede you should throw away the stick you picked it up with

Mume wa mama ni baba
The husband of a mother is a father

Mungu hamfichi mnafiki
God does not conceal a liar

Mungu ni mkuu wa yote
God is the greatest of all

Mvumbika changa hula mbovu
One who stores half grown fruit eats it rotten

Mvungu mkeka
The space under the bed is like a mat

Mvunja nchi ni mwananchi
The destroyer of a country is a citizen of that country

Mvuvi ajuwa pweza alipo
A fisherman knows where to look for an octopus

Mwacha asili ni mtumwa
He who renounces his ancestry is like a slave

Mwamba na wako hukutuma umwambiye
He who speaks ill of someone close to you in your presence sends you to tell him so

Mwamini Mungu si mtovu / Mcha Mungu si mtovu
Who trusts in God lacks nothing / Who fears God lacks not

Mwana maji wa kwale kufa maji mazowea
To a seamen of Kwale, death by water is common experience

Mwana mkaidi hafaidi mpaka siku ya idi
An obstinate child does not get pleasure until the day of festival

Mwana mkuwa nawe ni mwenzio kama wewe
The child who grows up with you is your fellow

Mwana simba ni simba
The child of lion is a lion

Mwana wa kuku hafunzwi kuchakura
A chick is not taught how to scratch up the ground

Mwanga mpe mtoto kulea
Give a wizard a child to bring up

Mwangaza mbili moja humponyoka
He who is after two things at the same time, one will surely escape him

Mwanzo kokochi mwisho nazi
The begining is bud the end is coconut

Mwanzo wa chanzo ni chane mbili
The begining of a mat-making is two slips of raffia leaf

Mwanzo wa ngoma ni lele
The begining of a dance is "lele"
(i.e. Just one man singing hu lalaaaa)

Mwapiza la nje hupata la ndani
One who curses someone in public, brings it on himself in private

Mwekaji kisasi haambiwi mwerevu
He who nurses vengeance is not called wise

Mwenda bure si mkaa bure, huenda akaokota
One who walks with no reason is not like one who sits without reason, the one who walks might pick up something

Mwenda mbio hujikwa kidole
A person who is too much in a hurry stubs his toe

Mwenda tezi na omo marejeo ngamani
He who goes to the quarterdeck and forecastle will return to the hold eventually

Mwenye kelele hana neno
A noisy person is harmless

Mwenye kovu usidhani kapowa
One with a scar, does not think himself healed

Mwenye kubebwa hujikaza
He who is carried on the back must cling on

Mwenye kuchinja hachelei kuchuna
He who slaughters a beast does not hesitate about skinning it

Mwenye kuumwa na nyoka akiona jani hushtuka
One who has been bitten by a snake, when he sees grass he he gets afraid
Once bitten twice shy

Mwenye macho haambiwi tazama
One who has eyes is not told to look
(i.e. He does it himself)

Mwenye nguvu mpishe
Let a strong man pass

Mwenye njaa hana miiko
A hungry man observes no taboos

Mwenye pupa hadiriki kula tamu
A hasty person misses the sweet things
(i.e. Because he cannot wait for the fruit to ripen)

Mwenye shibe hamjui mwenye njaa
A satisfied person does not know the hungry man

Mwenye shoka hakosi kuni
He who has an axe does not lack firewood

Mwenye tumbo ni tumbole, angafunga mkaja
She who is pregnant, is pregnant, even though she wraps herself in an 'mkaja'
(i.e. You don't achieve anything by merely pretending you have achieved it)
("Mkaja" is the cloth a woman wears round her stomach after giving birth)

Mwenzako akinyolewa wewe tia maji
When your Companion is being shaved, put water (on your head)
(i.e. Be prepared : e.g. When your neighbour's house is on fire, take care of your own)

Mwibaji ni mtwana, mlifi ni mwungwana
A thief is a rogue but the one who repays is a gentleman

Mwili wa mwenzio ni kando ya mwilio
Your companion's body is beside (i.e. not a part of) your body

Mwizi hushikwa na mwizi mwenziwe
A thief is caught by his fellow thief
Set a thief to catch a thief

Mwomba chumvi huombea chunguche
He who asks for salt does so for his own cooking pot

Mwosha hadhuru maiti
The washer of corpses does no harm to the dead

Mwosha huoshwa
The corpse-washer is washed (in his turn)
Tit for tat

Mwosha husitiri maiti
The washer conceals the corpse
(i.e. He gives nothing away)

Mzaha, mzaha, hutumbuka usaha
Joke, joke, discharges pus
(i.e. Do not dismiss even a small scratch as if it were only a joke, it may go bad)

Mzazi haachi ujusi
One who gives birth cannot avoid (ritual) defilement

Mzigo wa mwenzio ni kanda la usufi
Your companion's burden is a load of kapok
(i.e. The burden is light on another's shoulder)

Mzika pembe ndiye mzua pembe
The one who buries ivory is the one to dig it up

Mzowea kutwaa, kutoa ni vita
(For him) who is accustomed to taking, giving away is a battle

Mzowea kunyonga, kuchinja hawezi
He who is used to strangle, cannot slaughter

Mzungu wa kula hafundishwi mwana
The instinct of eating is not taught to a child

Nahodha wengi, chombo huenda mrama
Too many captains and the ship rolls
Too many cooks spoil the broth

Natuone ndipo twambe, kusikia si kuona
Let's see what we are told, hearing is not seeing
Seeing is believing

Nazi mbovu harabu ya nzima
A rotten coconut in a heap spoils the wholesome ones
A rotten apple spoils its neighbours

Ndege mjanja hunaswa na tundu bovu
An artful bird can be trapped in a rotten cage

Ndege mwigo hana mazowea
A bird that imitates others does not get used to a place

Ndugu chungu, jirani mkungu
A brother is (as useful as) a cooking pot, and a neighbour is (as useful as) a cooking pot lid

Ndugu mwui afadhali kuwa naye
A bad brother is far better than no brother

Ndugu wakigombana, chukua jembe ukalime, wakipatana chukua kikapu ukavune
When brothers quarrel, take a hoe and dig, and when they make it up, take a basket and gather the crop
(i.e. Never interfere with a dispute between brothers except to try and settle it amicably)

Ngoja ! ngoja ? huumiza matumbo
Wait a minute ! Wait a minute ! Harms the stomach

Ngoma ivumayo haidumu
A noisy drumming does not last long

Ngoma ivumayo haikawii kupasuka
A drum that is sounded loudly will soon split
A pitcher that often goes to the well, is broken at last

Ngozi ivute ili maji
Stretch hide while it is still green
Strike while the iron is hot

Nia njema ni tabibu, nia mbaya huharibu
A good purpose is like a doctor (it heals or keeps you well) and evil purpose corrupts

Nifae na mvua nikufae na jua
Do me a favour during the rainy season and I shall do the same for you during the dry season

Nimekula asali udogoni, utamu ungali gegoni
I ate honey in my childhood, and its sweetness is still in my tooth

Nimekupaka wanja, wewe wanipaka pilipili
I have anointed you with kohl, will you anoint me with pepper ?

Njia ya mwongo fupi
The way of a liar is short
(i.e. He soon comes to grief)