Traditional proverbs of Mayotte in fr and English — each with its meaning and source.
Mbe kali mbe.
“A cow does not eat another cow.”
One should not turn against or harm someone of one's own kind.
Source: Traditional Comorian proverb (Shikomori oral tradition, shared Comoro Islands heritage including Mayotte), as recorded in "Proverbes comoriens (Première série)", YSIA (ysia.e-monsite.com)
Ye woulimo djouwani ngou djo la mvoulini.
“Whoever cultivates under the sun will eat in the shade.”
Hard work done now prepares comfort and reward later.
Yeka ngo wandzo wouhame mbe, mdru ykouwa le dingo.
“If you want to milk a cow, scratch its back first.”
Kindness and courtesy open the way to receiving favors from others.
Mafoura yo houheya ha madji.
“It is with water that oil is made.”
Nothing valuable is produced without patient, careful effort.
Fouwou dzima kali foussou nda.
“A single fingernail cannot crush a louse.”
People working alone accomplish far less than people working together.
Oulime kaouna shiba.
“The tongue has no bone.”
Speech is flexible and can be twisted to serve whoever is speaking, so words should be weighed carefully.
Mdwa ngoma ndo ngomani.
“The dance step comes with the dancing.”
Skill is developed through practice and doing, not by waiting to feel ready.
Ye ziwoungo za mdrou tsi andui.
“Your body is not your enemy.”
A person should care for and listen to their own body and well-being rather than mistreat it.
Ye wandzo yende kawono houle.
“Whoever wants to go far does not look at the distance.”
Big goals are reached by focusing on the next step rather than being discouraged by how far away the destination looks.
Ya houva yiri shambo.
“The little fish that grew big did not swim toward the hook.”
Those who survive hardship and grow strong do so by learning caution from the dangers they escaped.
Komale male ya tso nantsa.
“Every length has an end.”
No hardship or difficult period lasts forever; everything eventually comes to a close.
Kapvana kali kali latsoshindwa ni djiyoni.
“There is no blazing sun that does not bow before the evening.”
Even the harshest circumstances eventually soften and pass with time.
Ngama hagnoi ya tsimba mhono ka chindi ou fikiza.
“The hole your mouth has dug, your hands cannot fill back in.”
Harm done through careless words cannot always be undone by later good deeds.
Deya djamba ngou diwazo chaya deya hichia katsou diwaza.
“The one who caused the offense forgets, but the one who felt it does not.”
Those who cause harm move on quickly, while those who were hurt by it remember for far longer.
Dzitso la munyabo kali honesa.
“A true friend's eye does not expose you.”
Real friends tell you the truth honestly and privately rather than embarrassing you in front of others.
Source: Traditional Comorian proverb (Shikomori oral tradition, shared Comoro Islands heritage including Mayotte), as recorded in "Cinq proverbes comoriens sur l'amour et l'amitié", Nofi Média, 2018 (nofi.media)
Yeyi poisiwa hale ndrabo.
“She who has been engaged too long ends up abandoned.”
Commitments left unfulfilled for too long tend to fall apart.
Landa hamba kapvwana mzaha wa dufini.
“The hedgehog says there is no joking about the backside.”
Some matters are serious and should not be treated carelessly or lightly.
Ye shema ndeshi fayidisho mdru.
“What is beautiful is what is useful to a person.”
True value lies in usefulness and benefit, not merely in outward appearance.
Wowa yenshiyo pvwadzima do wa manawo.
“Only those who live together quarrel.”
Close relationships and daily proximity naturally bring friction, which is a sign of closeness rather than enmity.
“You can win a woman with lies but you cannot feed her with lies.”
Deception may win someone over at first, but it cannot sustain a relationship over time.
Source: Traditional Comorian proverb, shared Comoro Islands heritage including Mayotte, public-domain oral tradition, as recorded in the Comoros country profile, African Proverbs in African Literature project (proverbsafricanliterature.wordpress.com)
“If you live in the river you should make friends with the crocodile.”
Wisdom means adapting to one's environment and making peace with the powers within it.
“A beggar won't mind being insulted; a beggar who cannot take insults will go hungry.”
Survival sometimes requires humility and the patience to endure hardship without pride getting in the way.
“A chicken with beautiful plumage does not sit in a corner.”
Talent and beauty naturally draw attention and cannot stay hidden for long.
“A fool and water will go the way they are diverted.”
Someone without firm judgment can easily be led wherever others choose to direct them.
“A nose alone does not lead.”
No single part or person can govern alone; leadership needs cooperation with the whole.
“A slippery person is not a king.”
A leader who cannot be trusted or held to their word does not deserve authority.
“A thread follows the path of the needle.”
What follows is shaped by whoever leads or acts first.
“A whistle will not call back a dog that has escaped from the leash.”
Some actions, once taken, cannot be reversed no matter how much one wishes otherwise.
“Where there are riches, thieves abound; if the riches are large, the thieves are as big.”
Wealth attracts opportunists and corruption in proportion to its size.
“If you steal while you carry your son on your back, you teach him to steal.”
Children learn their values primarily by watching the example set by their parents.
“The spider moves only inside its web.”
People operate best, and with the most authority, within their own domain of skill and experience.
“The elephant never abandons his tusks on the road, however heavy they may be.”
A person does not abandon the responsibilities or burdens that truly belong to them, however difficult.
“Death is like an eagle that snatches away a chick and leaves its mother in tears.”
Death arrives suddenly and without warning, leaving grief behind.
Un voyage prévu pour demain se prépare aujourd'hui.
“A journey planned for tomorrow is prepared today.”
Good preparation in advance is what makes a future undertaking succeed.
Source: Traditional Mahorais proverb (Shimaore oral tradition, Mayotte), as recorded in "Les proverbes de Mayotte", proverbes-francais.fr, drawn from the 1996 Dictionnaire mahorais
Tout travail se fait de bon matin.
“All work is done early in the morning.”
Diligence means starting tasks early rather than putting them off.
L'amour est à l'exemple de la pluie, douche-toi quand ça tombe.
“Love is like rain — shower yourself in it while it falls.”
Good fortune and love should be embraced fully in the moment they appear, since they may not last.
Lorsqu'on est mort, on n'a pas peur de la décomposition de son corps.
“Once a person is dead, they no longer fear the decay of their own body.”
Once the worst has already happened, there is nothing further left to fear from it.
Tous préparent la terre, mais la récolte choisit les hommes.
“Everyone prepares the soil, but the harvest chooses which men it favors.”
People may put in the same effort, yet success and reward are not shared out equally among them.
Qui dort avec celui qui a un drap s'en recouvre.
“Whoever sleeps beside someone with a blanket gets covered by it too.”
Staying close to capable or fortunate people brings shared benefit to those nearby.
Un poisson pourri dans une pirogue pourrit tous les autres.
“One rotten fish in a canoe spoils all the others.”
A single corrupting influence can taint an entire group if it is not removed.
Après le malheur, le bonheur.
“After misfortune comes happiness.”
Hardship does not last forever and is often followed by better times.
Tant qu'on n'a pas accosté on n'arrête point de pagayer.
“As long as the canoe has not reached shore, one does not stop paddling.”
Effort must continue until a goal is fully and truly achieved, not merely in sight.
Les yeux de tes amis ne voient pas pour toi.
“Your friends' eyes do not see on your behalf.”
A person must observe and judge situations for themselves rather than relying entirely on others.
Qui paie ses dettes montre sa noblesse.
“He who pays his debts shows his nobility.”
Honoring one's obligations to others is a true mark of good character.
Ta mauvaise main tu ne pourras pas la couper.
“You cannot cut off your own bad hand.”
A difficult relative cannot simply be abandoned, because family ties remain even when they are painful.
Quand l'eau monte, ce n'est pas la peine de tirer la pirogue à la mer.
“When the water is already rising, there is no need to drag the canoe out to sea.”
When circumstances already favor you, there is no need to force extra effort.
Feu trop ardent ne tarde point à s'éteindre.
“A fire that burns too fiercely does not take long to go out.”
Passion or effort that starts too intensely often burns out just as quickly.
Feu trop violent ne grille pas, il ne fait que cramer.
“A fire that is too violent does not grill properly — it only chars.”
Excessive force or haste ruins a task rather than completing it well.
Ce qui fait monter le serpent dans l'arbre, c'est l'orgueil.
“What makes the snake climb the tree is pride.”
Pride can drive someone to overreach far beyond their natural place, often dangerously.
Je n'y crois que si je le vois.
“I believe it only if I see it.”
Some claims must be witnessed firsthand before they can truly be believed.
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