Zambia Proverbs (26)

Mayo mpapa, na ine nkakupapa.

“Mother, carry me, and I too will carry you.”

The young have a duty to care for their elders just as they were once cared for in infancy.

Uwawa, taimina.

“He who falls does not rise on his own.”

A person in difficulty needs the help of others; community support is essential in hardship.

Akaboko, kakonka akabiye.

“One arm follows the other arm.”

Kindness shown to others tends to be returned in kind, in due course.

Apali umunwe, e pali ibala.

“Where there is a finger, there is a cultivated field.”

Success and abundance are the result of dedicated effort, not chance.

Abalya imbulu, balapalamana.

“Those who eat water monitor lizards are found sitting close together.”

People who share the same tastes and interests naturally gather and stay close to one another.

Imbwa ya mukali, taicenjela.

“A dog belonging to a harsh master does not grow wise.”

Excessive harshness in discipline is counterproductive and fails to build real understanding.

Mumuchima wamukwenu munkundwe.

“Your friend's heart is a wilderness.”

No one can ever fully know what truly lies within another person, however close the friendship.

Kanwa kaalobeele mutwe.

“The mouth puts the head in trouble.”

Careless or reckless speech brings problems down upon the speaker.

Bichi biji pamo byobishenkana.

“Trees standing close together brush against each other.”

It is natural for friction and disagreement to arise among people who live closely together.

Imiti ikula empanga.

“Growing trees make a forest; today's seedlings are tomorrow's forest.”

The young, if cared for and nurtured, grow into the strength and future of a community.

Akantu kantu ukwete kuminwe.

“A thing is what you hold in your hands.”

Value what you actually possess now rather than relying on promises of what may come.

Beshiba ekowafuma tabeshiba ekoleya.

“Where a person is coming from is known; where they are going is not.”

Plan with what is certain today, since the future can never be fully foreseen.

Icikalipa cumfwa umwine.

“Pain is felt by the one who suffers it.”

Only the person going through hardship truly understands its weight; judge others with compassion.

Ishuko lyamunobe talyendelwa.

“Your friend's luck does not walk your road.”

Each person follows their own path; another's fortune cannot simply be copied.

Ukutangila tekufika.

“To go first is not the same as to arrive first.”

A head start does not guarantee success; steady effort matters more than an early lead.

Umunwe umo, tausalula.

“One finger cannot pick lice from the head.”

Certain tasks cannot be done alone; cooperation is necessary to accomplish them.

Umupama pamo watulile ing'oma.

“He who stays and works steadily in one place finishes carving the drum.”

Consistency and patience, more than talent alone, are what allow a person to achieve their goals.

Kolwe uwakota asabilwa na bana.

“When a monkey grows old, it is fed by its own children.”

Children have a duty to care for their aging parents, just as parents once cared for them.

Ifyakulya ubushiku fitulikila kumalushi.

“Whatever you eat in the darkness of night will be seen in your vomit.”

Wrongdoing done in secret is eventually exposed, however carefully it was hidden.

Ukuteke mbwa mano.

“To take good care of even a dog requires wisdom.”

Leading and caring for others well takes intelligence and skill, not force alone.

Ndi mwina mpanga, mwilanjipusha pa fya mukalale.

“I am a bushman who knows nothing about city life; leave me be.”

A person should not be blamed or questioned harshly for lacking experience in matters outside their own world.

Impande yalubile mukwalaula.

“Do not let just anyone handle your valuables; they may get lost.”

Be careful who you trust with what is precious to you, or it may not come back.

Ndi musunga wa mpundu, nyambalala pa mûlu.

“I seem harmless, but provoke me and I turn dangerous.”

Do not mistake a calm, quiet nature for weakness; it can hide real strength.

Kolwe angala pa musambo anasha.

“A monkey plays only on a branch it trusts.”

People feel free to relax and be themselves only among those they truly trust.

Umwina musunga talamba minwe.

“The true owner is never at fault.”

If something truly belongs to a person or is truly meant for them, it will eventually come to pass.

“One Zambia, One Nation.”

Zambia's founding national motto, calling on the country's many ethnic groups to set aside division and build unity as a single people.