Gikuyu Proverbs T

T

830. Tha cia arũme itirĩ iria

• • Literal translation: Males' pity has no milk.
  • Contextual note: It means that men are unable to stop the crying of a baby by suckling it. Metaphorically the proverb means that men feel no less pity than women although they show less.

831. Thaka ya mwene ndiunĩkaga

• • Literal translation: The owner's beauty does not break.
  • English equivalent: Every man thinks his own geese swans.

832. Thakame ndĩrĩ ndũgũ

• • Literal translation: Blood has need of no friendship.
  • Contextual note: The proverb means that the best friendship is the one that comes from relationship; for, as it has been told before, all the members of a clan are tied by the bond of helping one another.
  • English equivalent: Blood is thicker than water.

833. Thakame ĩhakagwo maguta na gatĩ

• • Literal translation: The 'thatũ' is smeared with fat and driven out.
  • Contextual note: 'Thatu' is the name of a big caterpillar which infests sweet potato plantations. To the Kikuyu it is a creature of bad omen; that is why, when it happens to enter their huts they do not kill it, but rather smear it with fat and take it out carefully to propitiate the spirit.
  • English equivalent: Misfortunes that cannot be avoided, must be sweetened.

834. Thegere igĩrĩ itiremagwo nĩ mwatũ

• • Literal translation: Two 'thegere' are not overpowered by a beehive.
  • Contextual note: 'Thegere' is a small mammal, about the size of a pole-cat common in Kikuyu land. It is fond of honey. The proverb means that only one 'thegere' would be unable to pull a beehive down from a tree. But if two of them join together, they easily succeed in overturning and emptying it.
  • English equivalent: Union is strength.

835. Thekanĩrĩro nĩ hĩtaahĩtano

• • Literal translation: He who laughs at others will be laughed at.

836. Thĩ na igũrũ itimenyanaga

• • Literal translation: The earth and the sky do not know each other.
  • Contextual note: The proverb means that nobody can foretell the weather.

837. Thĩga nĩ mũruu: marara nja gũtirĩ

• • Literal translation: 'Thĩga' is circumcissed: there is no reward in passing the night in the courtyard.
  • Contextual note: 'Thĩga' means a certain fellow. The proverb originates in one of the many customs relating to the Kikuyu ceremony of circumcission. On the eve of the circumcission day women and girls gather at the hut of the candidate and sing for a great part in the night; not gratuitously, but in the hope of getting food and beer from the candidates mother. But if when the rite is completed, she makes as an excuse that now the child is circumcissed and refuses to give them what they expect, they start singing the above strain, meaning: 'Have no recourse to the idle pretext that your son is now circumcissed; but rather give us the reward to which we are entitled after a night's singing and dancing'.
  • English equivalent: Eaten bread is soon forgotten.

838. Thĩna ndũrĩ mĩri

• • Literal translation: The 'thĩna' has no roots.
  • Contextual note: 'Thĩna' is the name of a kind of leafless plant growing on trees. It also means affliction, troubles, sadness, poverty.
  • English equivalent: Troubles pass.

839. Thĩna ndũtigaga handũ ũramenyera

• • Literal translation: Affliction does not leave a place which is already known to her.
  • English equivalent: One danger is seldom overcome without another.

840. Thĩna ndũtũũraga

• • Literal translation: Affliction does not last.
  • English equivalent: After a storm comes calm.

841. Thĩna nĩ rũhiũ rwa gũicũhia mũro

• • Literal translation: Affliction is a good knife to sharpen the 'mũro'.
  • Contextual note: 'Mũro' is a short stick used to beat the earth, to plant, to dig out potatoes, etc.
  • English equivalent: Necessity sharpens industry.

842. Thia ndĩthiragwo nĩ mĩhũmũ

• • Literal translation: The duiker cannot help panting.
  • English equivalent: The leopard cannot change his spots.

843. Thia ndĩthiragwo nĩ mũnithi

• • Literal translation: The duiker is not found without head stripes.
  • English equivalent: Man is what God has made him and nothing else.

844. Thiaka nĩ ũta

• • Literal translation: Quiver means bow (for there is no quiver but it has also its bow).

845. Thiaka ũiniĩ ndwagaga gũita mĩgwĩ

• • Literal translation: A quiver upside down cannot fail to pour out its arrows.
  • Contextual note: The proverb is an excuse for an error which depends only on human weakness.
  • English equivalent: To err is human.

846. Thiari ndĩrerega kwa ngĩa

• • Literal translation: The 'thiari' does not hover above a poor man's house.
  • Contextual note: 'Thiari' is the tick-bird. The proverb says that this bird does not stay with the poor for there are no oxen to provide ticks.
  • English equivalent: A poor man has no friends.

847. Thirĩ ũtarĩhagio no wa ũrogi

• • Literal translation: The debt of poisoning is a debt which cannot be paid.
  • Contextual note: All the other crimes can be paid for with a number of goats, but the crime of bewitching must be expiated by heavier punishment.

848. Thiriti nĩ ĩteanaga

• • Literal translation: Friendships dissolve.

849. Thiriti nĩ ya andũ erĩ, ya atatũ nĩ rũmena

• • Literal translation: Friendship can exist between two people, friendship of three people would mean strife.
  • English equivalent: Two's company, three is none.

850. Thiriti yagĩa kĩhehũ no ĩthire

• • Literal translation: Friendship finishes if there are whisperings.

851. Thogora nĩ mũrurumo ũtarũo

• • Literal translation: Buying (and selling) brings in much noise but no strife.

852. Thogora ndũrĩ nyina na mwana

• • Literal translation: Buying and selling has neither mother nor son.
  • English equivalent: Friendship is friendship and business is business

853. Thome wa anake ndũrĩ thogora no tharo

• • Literal translation: Young unmarried men do not buy in their 'thome': they steal things.
  • Contextual note: 'Thome' is the pathway leading up to the entrance of the Kikuyu homestead. It is made in the shape of a narrow passage which can be closed at night or in time of danger. The proverb means that nothing orderly can be done when only youngsters are present.

854. Thoni itirĩ gathuthuma

• • Literal translation: Shyness has no sucking.
  • Contextual note: It means that if a calf is shy it will be afraid to approach its mother and consequently will get no milk.

855. Thoni nene nĩ ũkarĩ

• • Literal translation: Too much shyness means miserliness.
  • English equivalent: There is measure in all things.

856. Thũ ndĩgũaga harĩa ĩikagio

• • Literal translation: The enemy does not fall where one throws him.
  • English equivalent: Man proposes, God disposes.

857. Thũ ndĩagaga mwenji

• • Literal translation: An enemy does not lack someone to shave him; i.e. to keep him informed of what is going about him, and very often to give him help.

858. Thũmbĩ ĩrĩ nyone, mwene nĩ muone

• • Literal translation: If one sees the ostrich-feather head-dress, one sees also the owner of it.
  • Contextual note: The Kikuyu warriors used to pass over the head and under the chin a strap carrying ostrich feathers. Such a head-dress is used today only by young men at the circumcission ceremonies. The proverb means that if you see anyone wearing such an ornament, you easily recognize him as a warrior.

859. Thurania gũkua na kũhona

• • Literal translation: Choose between dying and living; i.e. between death and life, war and peace.

860. Thutha mwega nĩ wa ndũrũme

• • Literal translation: It is proper of the ram to have a good tail.
  • Contextual note: It means that the good side of many a thing is not found at the beginning of it, but at the end, just as the best part of the ram is not its head, but its fat tail.
  • English equivalent: The best fish swim near the bottom.

861. Thutha nĩ mwariĩ

• • Literal translation: The afterwards is wide.
  • Contextual note: The future holds many happenings.

862. Thutha wa arume nduoyagwo ruoya

• • Literal translation: Where men have passed there is not a single feather to pick up.

863. Thutha wa maũndũ mothe nĩ Mwathani

• • Literal translation: After all, there is God.
  • English equivalent: Man proposes, God disposes.

864. Tiga gũkunga hĩra-inĩ na tama mwerũ

• • Literal translation: If you wear white clothes do not hide ina place where the grass has been burnt (for you would easily be discovered).
  • Contextual note: The proverb means that it is useless to tell lies that are obviously lies.

865. Tiga gũkungia ũgĩ ũgĩ-inĩ

• • Literal translation: Do not show wisdom where there is wisdom.
  • English equivalent: To carry coals to newcastle.

866. Tiga thĩna: toboka: ndũcũnaga kĩihũri

• • Literal translation: Cease repining: go on; you are not like a child that licks the 'kĩihũri'.
  • Contextual note: 'Kĩihũri' is a half calabash used as a ladle or eating bowl. The proverb means that a man must not be timid like a child that is afraid of his mother's rebuke and dares not lay down the 'kĩihũri' used for gruel, if it is not licked.
  • English equivalent: Fortune helps them that help themselves.

867. Tiga kũhoya ngi thakame

• • Literal translation: Do not expect blood from a fly.
  • English equivalent: If you squeeze a cork, you will get but little juice.

868. Tiga kwaria na kanua ka ngoma

• • Literal translation: Stop talking with the mouth of the 'ngoma'.
  • Contextual note: 'Ngoma' are the spirits of the departed in which the Kikuyu firmly believe.
  • English equivalent: Keep the tongue within your teeth.

869. Tiga kuonia ngarĩ kũhaica mũtĩ

• • Literal translation: Stop teaching the leopard how to climb a tree.
  • English equivalent: Don't teach your grandmother how to knit.

870. Tũtikũhe hiti kerĩ

• • Literal translation: We do not give twice to the hyena.
  • English equivalent: Once bitten, twice shy.

871. Tũtũ ũrĩ mwana ndũnyitagia ngotho

• • Literal translation: The man who has a family does not adorn his family with finery.
  • English equivalent: Children are certain cares, but uncertain comforts.

872. Turuma yakĩra kĩrugo

• • Literal translation: A sip is better than a feast.
  • Contextual note: The proverb means that a sip of beer given to him who happens to call on a friend during a beer drinking is more appreciated than a feast to which one has been invited (and has therefore waited for).

873. Tuoko tũingĩ tũthũranaga tũkĩrĩa

• • Literal translation: Many hands eating (from the same dish) hate one another
  • English equivalent: Two cats and a mouse, two wives in one house, two dogs and a bone never agree in one.

Gikuyu Proverbs R

R

778. Rĩgu ndũtwaranagio

• • Literal translation: The food one takes as provision for one's journey is not carried by another person.
  • English equivalent: Take heed is a good read.

779. Rĩrĩ nda rĩkuaga ũnene

• • Literal translation: The foetus which is in the womb carries the future.
  • Contextual note: The Kikuyu use this proverb to mean that only God knows the future, just as only God causes a foetus to be a male or a female.

780. Rĩtwa nĩ mbokio

• • Literal translation: The name is a useless thing.
  • English equivalent: From our ancestors came names, but from our viirtues our honours.

781. Rĩu nĩ thatũ, no rĩu rĩngĩ nĩ mbura ya mahiga

• • Literal translation: Now we have the misty weather, but after a while it hails.
  • Contextual note: To become worse and worse.

782. Rigĩ rĩa nyũmba rĩtirutagwo rĩa gũtiria nyũmba ya ũngĩ

• • Literal translation: The door of one's hut is not taken to close another's hut.
  • English equivalent: He who has but one coat cannot lend it.

783. Rika na nyũmba itiũraga

• • Literal translation: One does not lose the age-grade nor the clan-right.
  • Contextual note: Kikuyu circumcissed in a particular season are banded together in an age group to which a name is given, after a special event of the season. This age-grade as well as the clan imply certain rights which no Kikuyu wants to give up.
  • English equivalent: No man is willing to waive his rights.

784. Riko na mwana na nda itiũĩ 'kwaga'

• • Literal translation: The hearth, the child and the belly ignore the word 'lack'.

785. Riko na mwana na nda itiganagia

• • Literal translation: The hearth, the child and the belly never have enough.

786. Ringĩra harĩa rũkũgambĩra

• • Literal translation: Cross the stream where it roars.
  • English equivalent: Still waters run deep.

787. Ritho rĩarĩra rĩarĩria iniũrũ

• • Literal translation: The watering eye makes the nose water.
  • English equivalent: When the head aches all the body is the worse.

788. Ritho rĩathigithwo rĩarĩra

• • Literal translation: The eye, which is disturbed, waters.
  • English equivalent: Let sleeping dogs lie.

789. Ritho rĩmenaga njamba

• • Literal translation: The eye scorns heroes; i.e. it can judge falsely of what it sees.
  • English equivalent: Never judge from appearances.

790. Ritho rĩũĩ thaka rĩtiũĩ ngamini

• • Literal translation: The eye discerns the beauty but not the kindness (of a person).

791. Ritho ti ndamĩ

• • Literal translation: The eye is not a piece of cloth (which can be thrown away).
  • English equivalent: The eye is the pearl of the face.

792. Ritho ti ndathio

• • Literal translation: The eye is not a thing which can be asked for.

793. Riũa rĩtietagĩrĩra mũthamaki

• • Literal translation: The sun does not wait for the judge.
  • English equivalent: The sun may do its duty though your grapes do not ripen.

794. Riũa rĩtiũĩ gĩtonga no ngĩa theri

• • Literal translation: For the sun there are no rich, but only poor people.
  • Contextual note: The proverb means that in the dry season neither the rich nor the poor people can plant.
  • English equivalent: The sun shines on the just and the unjust.

795. Rũũa rũkuhĩ rũtirĩ thogora

• • Literal translation: A short hide is of no value.

796. Rũũa rwa mwenw rũtirĩ iringa

• • Literal translation: The owner of the goat does not give away its hide.
  • Contextual note: The proverb refers to the fact that the skin of a slaughtered goat belongs by right to the animal's owner, who does not allow anybody else to have it for nothing. Metaphorically it means that nobody gives his life but for a cause worthy of it.

797. Rũga runaga ũta

• • Literal translation: The string (too tightly strung) breaks the bow.
  • English equivalent: A bow long bent at last waxeth weak.

798. Rũgendo rwa njũa na rwa mbũri ititwaranaga

• • Literal translation: Hides and goats do not keep the same pace (when they are taken to the market).
  • Contextual note: In facts goats go onn foot while hides are carried by men who actually go more quickly.
  • English equivalent: Every man in his way.

799. Rũgũtema rũtiagaga igeca

• • Literal translation: The cutting knife does not lack bruises.
  • English equivalent: Touch pitch and you will be defiled.

800. Rũhiũ rũgĩ nĩrũtuĩkaga

• • Literal translation: A knife too well sharpened easily breaks.
  • English equivalent: To kill with kindness.

801. Rũhonge rwa mũtĩ rũtithendũkaga mũndũ

• • Literal translation: A tree branch cannot put forth a man.
  • English equivalent: Nothing comes out of the sack but what was in it.

802. Rũĩ rũnenehagio nĩ tũthima

• • Literal translation: The river is made bigger by small springs.
  • English equivalent: Little winnings make a heavy purse.

803. Rũĩ rũtithamaga mũkuru waruo

• • Literal translation: A river is not made to flow out of its bed.
  • English equivalent: Every sparrow to its ear of wheat.

804. Rũkaga rũtaraire rũgakĩra rũraire

• • Literal translation: An occurrence in the morning can be of more importance than one of the night before.
  • Contextual note: Problems should be dealt with in order of importance not in order of time.

805. Rũmĩra nguo harĩa hatarĩ ihoro

• • Literal translation: Take hold of your clothes where there is no hole (lest you would tear them even more).

806. Rũmwe rũranagwo rũkĩrĩa: rwagomania hĩa rũgacokanwo

• • Literal translation: The members of one clan can leave one another, but after all they return (to help one another).
  • Contextual note: Mutual assistance is one of the pacts by which members of one clan are bound.

807. Rũmwe rũtiũranagwo, no kũrĩkana rũrĩkanaga

• • Literal translation: The clan does not break, but its members can separate.

808. Rũrakora mũndũ rũtirĩ mũthemere

• • Literal translation: The fate, dear man, cannot be avoided.

809. Rũrĩ itara rũthekaga rũrĩ riko

• • Literal translation: The firewood which is in the pile laughs at the firewood which is already in the fire.
  • English equivalent: Today me, tomorrow thee.

810. Rũrĩ kuuma njora rũticokaga tũhũ

• • Literal translation: The knife which has been unsheathed does not return into its sheath without having done some work.

811. Rũrĩmĩ rwa ngĩa rũtithiraga kĩmanda

• • Literal translation: The poor man's tongue is always thin.
  • Contextual note: Since a poor man's tongue is supposed to utter only words of no importance, so it is said to be thin. The meaning of the proverb is that a poor man will never be listened to.
  • English equivalent: The poor man's wisdom is as useless as a palace in the wilderness.

812. Rũrĩ mũciĩ rũrĩ mũgũnda

• • Literal translation: If you have a pain at home, you have it in the field too.
  • English equivalent: No place is fenced against suffering.

813. Rũrĩ na Komũ rũrĩ na Kaigũ wa nyina

• • Literal translation: If Komũ has it, Kaigũ, his brother, has it too.
  • Contextual note: 'Komũ' and 'Kaigũ' are used in Kikuyu proverbs to denote brothers. The proverb means that if a man has something (either good or bad) his brother has a share in it too.

814. Rũrĩra rũtithambagio rũũĩ

• • Literal translation: Family-ties cannot be washed at the river, i.e. cannot be untied.

815. Rũrigi rũrĩ nja rũtiagaga gĩa kuoha

• • Literal translation: The string in the courtyard does not lack something to tie (in due time, although at present it may seem a useless thing).

816. Rũrigi rwetagĩrĩria mũndũ mũkwa

• • Literal translation: The string can be useful until a rope (of hide) can be got.
  • English equivalent: Little is better than nothing.

817. Rũtemaga mwenji

• • Literal translation: The knife cuts him who shaves another.
  • English equivalent: A knave is often caught in his own trap.

818. Rũthuko rũnungaga rũrĩ mbũthũ

• • Literal translation: The 'rũthuko' spreads its smell from its container.
  • Contextual note: 'Rũthuko' is a medicine given by a witch-doctor to a trapper to help him attract prey, or to a shepherd to call his sheep. It should be burnt and the smell of the smoke is supposed to be a call for animals. But natives believe the medicine to exercise its power even from its container. The proverb compares the smell of the medicine to the words of a man, which are supposed to be a reflection of his mind and means that one can judge him from his words.

819. Rũtungu rũmwe rũtiraragia mwaki

• • Literal translation: One piece of wood only does not keep the fire alight.
  • English equivalent: One stroke fells not an oak.

820. Rũtungu rwa gwĩtinĩria rũtirĩ gĩthong'ori

• • Literal translation: The log which I myself cut has no knot.
  • English equivalent: Every potter praises his own pot, and more if it be broken.

821. Rũtwaraga mũthambĩri

• • Literal translation: The stream drowns even the swimmer.

822. Rũu nĩ rũrigi rwa kũruta rũngĩ kĩnya

• • Literal translation: That is a thread for pulling another thread out of the 'kĩnya'.
  • Contextual note: 'Kĩnya' is a calabash used to draw water or to hold gruel. Here it is taken to mean the hidden place wherein one's secrets are kept. The proverb is told to people who ask indirect questions for discovering what they cannot learn directly.

823. Ruuo rũrĩaga mwene

• • Literal translation: The pain is felt by its owner (and not by another).

824. Ruuo rũtiguanagĩrwo

• • Literal translation: Pain cannot be felt by one for the other.

825. Rutanĩria mũigua na maguta

• • Literal translation: Take out the pus with the thorn.
  • English equivalent: Do nothing by halves.

826. Rwambo rũmwe rũtiambaga ndarwa

• • Literal translation: One peg only does not stretch out a skin.
  • English equivalent: No living man all things can.

827. Rwendo nĩ ũnyamarania

• • Literal translation: Love means trouble.
  • English equivalent: Love is a sweet tyranny, because the lover endures his torments willingly.

828. Rwendo rũkĩrĩte ihaki

• • Literal translation: Love exceeds reward.
  • English equivalent: Love is not mean.

829. Rwendo rwarutire mwana wa nderi igũrũ

• • Literal translation: Love put the eaglet out of its nest.
  • Contextual note: The Kikuyu say that the young eagles, if left alone in the nest by their parents try to do as the parents do out of love for them and leap out of the nest; but in so doing they kill themselves.
  • English equivalent: Love is blind.

Gikuyu Proverbs O

O

776. O mũndũ athondekaga ũrĩrĩ wake

• • Literal translation: Every man makes up his own bed.
  • English equivalent: Every bird must hatch its own eggs.

777. O mũndũ ahuragia mwaki na mwĩhĩrĩto wake

• • Literal translation: Every man scratches in his fire and in his 'mwĩhĩrĩto'.
  • Contextual note: 'Mwĩhĩrĩto' is the space between any two of the three stones of the Kikuyu hearth.
  • English equivalent: Everyone should sweep before his own door.