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956. Wa gĩthĩ ngagiragia wa kĩo akagĩa
- Literal translation: He who feels envy cannot prevent a man of energy from becoming enriched.
- English equivalent: Envy never enriched any man.
957. Wa haraya ũhoragĩra njĩra
- Literal translation: The fire which comes from afar dies out in the way.
- English equivalent: Out of sight, out of mind.
958. Wa hwaĩ-inĩ warũgwo nĩ wa kĩroko
- Literal translation: What happens in the morning, surpasses what happened the preceding evening.
- English equivalent: Every day brings a new light.
959. Wa karimũ wĩtirimagia na mũgĩ
- Literal translation: The fool's staff (walking stick) is used by the wise.
- Contextual note: The proverb means that something belonging to a fool may help the wise, as the fool does not know how to use it to his benefit.
960. Wa mbũri ndũteagwo ũtarĩ mwatie
- Literal translation: The goat bone is not thrown away if it is not completely chipped.
- English equivalent: Do nothing by halves.
961. Wa kuona ndangĩhĩtia
- Literal translation: He who sees does not err.
- English equivalent: One eye-witness is better than ten hearsays.
962. Wa mũcarĩ wagwatirie wa mũtigiri
- Literal translation: Yaws causes one to be attacked by chicken pox too.
- English equivalent: Misfortunes seldom come alone.
963. Wa Ngai ũraragio nĩ magoto
- Literal translation: God's fire keeps alight with 'magoto'.
- Contextual note: 'Magoto' is dry banana bark which is much used for thatching but of no use as firewood. The proverb means that God can kindle a fire and keep it alive with unsuitable materials.
- English equivalent: With God all things are possible.
964. Wa mũingĩ wathũra mũtĩri
- Literal translation: The work of many people scorns him who does not do it.
- Contextual note: Work however heavy it may be, if done by many people seems to become light for each worker. This is why the proverb says that he who refused to do his part should be despised by the work itself.
965. Wa mũrũngũrũ ũrũraga na ime
- Literal translation: The squirrel walks in the dew.
- Contextual note: The proverb originates in the fact that the squirrel is often seen in the road by early travellers, which would suggest that it rises very early in the morning. The Kikuyu say the proverb as a reply when, met by friends in the road, they are asked about the place they are coming from and why they are travelling so early. It means: I start my work early because I am like the squirrel that knows that morning hours are the best.
- English equivalent: The early bird catches the worm.
966. Wa mũru ũnungaga ũrĩ thiaka
- Literal translation: A wicked man's arrow emits its unpleasant smell even if hidden in the quiver.
- English equivalent: Stinking fish are felt from afar.
967. Wa mwangi ndũtogaga kerĩ
- Literal translation: The fire of the 'Mwangi' does not smoke twice.
- Contextual note: 'Mwangi' is the name of one of the major ruling generations. The representatives of each generation stand in authority and are responsible for the conduct of public affairs all over Kikuyu land for about thirty years. After such a term there is a ceremony of handing over the custody of the affairs of the tribe from one generation to the next. The handing-over rite takes months and even years to complete. When the consolata Fathers entered Kikuyu land in 1902 the Maina generation was handing over its powers to the Mwangi generation, which in its turn has already begun to hand over to the Irungu.
- English equivalent: Time flies away without delay.
968. Wa mwega ta wa mũru
- Literal translation: The case of the good man is like the bad one's.
- Contextual note: The sentence is said by elders when judging tribal questions, and means that all people have the same right and nobody can expect to have his case discussed before another's: every one must wait his turn.
969. Wa mwene ũthũire thakame
- Literal translation: One hates to see the blood of a thing that belongs to him.
- Contextual note: The proverb means that one's heart is affected by the pains of the persons and animals whom one loves.
- English equivalent: Whom we love best, them we want to be happy.
970. Wa mwĩrĩ ndũmenyagwo
- Literal translation: What is inside the body is not known.
- English equivalent: No one knows the weight of another's burden.
971. Wa mwĩtũmo ndũremaga
- Literal translation: The work one imposed on oneself is never impossible.
- English equivalent: Where there is a will there is a way.
972. Wainaga nĩ eroragĩra
- Literal translation: He who used to dance, now looks on.
973. Wairire ndakerũha
- Literal translation: He who has ever been black will never become white.
- English equivalent: A leopard cannot change his spots.
974. Wanyua ĩnyuaga mũguĩ
- Literal translation: He who drinks (beer in company) drinks an arrow at the same time.
- Contextual note: The proverb means that people who drink beer together as a token of friendship, drink as well an arrow which they will use to shoot one another as soon as their friendship breaks.
975. Warĩire athĩnirie waigire
- Literal translation: He who has eaten (all his food) vexes him who has put some aside.
- Contextual note: A fool and his money are soon parted.
976. Warũgaga nĩ atobokaga
- Literal translation: He who used to jump across now wades through.
- English equivalent: Old age creeps in.
977. We ũrĩ karĩa nĩme
- Literal translation: You are the one who eats the fruit of what your father has planted.
- Contextual note: The proverb is a reproach to young people who expend lavishly what they have inherited from their parents.
- English equivalent: What costs little is little esteemed.
978. We ũrĩ mũnyota matahwo
- Literal translation: You are only thirsty when somebody has drawn the water.
- English equivalent: The proverb is told to lazy people.
979. Wega na wega iticemanagia
- Literal translation: Good and good never meet.
- English equivalent: Perfection is not of this world.
980. Wega ũrĩ mbere ya kahinga
- Literal translation: The good is to be found beyond the bush, i.e. the obstacle.
- English equivalent: No gains without pains.
981. Wega umaga mũciĩ
- Literal translation: Prosperity is found in one's home.
- English equivalent: Look to the cow, and the sow, and the wheat mow, and all will be well now.
982. Wega warĩire karĩgũ
- Literal translation: Illicit love spoilt the uncircumcised girl.
- Contextual note: Sexual relation between an uncircumcised girl and a circumcised young man is considered unmentionable depravity by the Kikuyu.
- English equivalent: The reward of unlawful pleasure is lawful pain.
983. Werũ ũgũthogoranĩrwo ndũagaga rũitĩki
- Literal translation: The open country where markets are held does not lack rubbish.
984. Werũ wa arũme ndwagaga kũnunga
- Literal translation: The open place where men used to stay cannot help stinking (because of the many quarrels and thefts which occur therein).
985. Wĩigĩire ndahũtaga
- Literal translation: He who has put something aside will not starve.
- English equivalent: Thrift is good revenue.
986. Wĩra wa mũingĩ ũragaga kĩrimũ
- Literal translation: Many people's work kills the fool (because he does alone what should be done by many).
987. Wĩrane ndũrĩ ngarari
- Literal translation: He who has been warned does not dispute.
- English equivalent: A word is enough to the wise.
988. Wĩteithie ngũteithie
- Literal translation: Help yourself so that I may help you.
- English equivalent: God helps those who help themselves.
989. Wona ciene waruta ndũngũrũ, wona ciaku wacokia ndũngũrũ
- Literal translation: When you see another's things your mouth waters; when you see your own you swallow such water.
990. Wonaga nĩ agaga
- Literal translation: He who had things, may stand in need.
- English equivalent: Today gold, tomorrow dust.
991. Woni ũrĩ njacĩ, wagi gĩtaranio
- Literal translation: To have means mischief, to lack means thought.
- English equivalent: Misfortunes tell us what fortune is.
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