Mla mbuzi hulipa ngombe

Mla mbuzi hulipa ngombe.

The eater of a goat pays back a cow.

Mla mla leo mla jana kala nini?

Mla mla leo mla jana kala nini?

The real eater is todays eater not yesterdays.

Mla nawe hafi nawe ila mzaliwa nawe

Mla nawe hafi nawe ila mzaliwa nawe.

He who eats with you will not die with you except he who was born with you.

Mlenga jiwe kundini hajui limpataye

Mlenga jiwe kundini hajui limpataye.

He who who flings a stone amid a crowd,does not know the it hits.

Mlimbua nchi ni mwananchi

Mlimbua nchi ni mwananchi.

He who enjoys the first fruit of a country is son of that country.

Mnyamaa kadumbu.

Mnyamaa kadumbu.

One who keeps silent,endures.

mnywa maji kwa mkono moja,Kiu yake i pale pale

mnywa maji kwa mkono moja,Kiu yake i pale pale.

He who drinks water with one hand finds out his thirst is still there.

Moja shika,si kumi nenda urudi

Moja shika,si kumi nenda urudi.

Take one,not that you may return with ten.

Moto hauzai moto

Moto hauzai moto.

Fire does not beget fire in the end it begets ashes.

Mpanda farasi wawili hupasuka msamba

Mpanda farasi wawili hupasuka msamba.

One who rides two horses at once will split asunder.

Mpanda ovyo hula ovyo

Mpanda ovyo hula ovyo.

He who sows disorderly fashion will eat likewise.

Mpemba akipata gogo hanyii chini

Mpemba akipata gogo hanyii chini.

If a native of pemba can get a log he does not relive himself on the ground.ie nothing but the best

Mpemba hakimbii mvua ndogo

Mpemba hakimbii mvua ndogo.

A native of Pemba does not run away fro a small shower.

Mpiga ngumi ukuta huumiza mkonowe

Mpiga ngumi ukuta huumiza mkonowe.

  He who fights with a wall will only hurt his hand

Mpofuka ukongweni,hapotewi na njia

Mpofuka ukongweni,hapotewi na njia.

He who becomes blind in his old age does not lose his way.

Msafiri masikini ajapokuwa sultani

Msafiri masikini ajapokuwa sultani.

A traveller is poor,even though he being a ruler

Msasi haogopi mwiba.

Msasi haogopi mwiba.

A hunter is not afraid of thorns

Msema pweke hakosi

Msema pweke hakosi.

One who talks to himself can not be wrong.Ie no one to correct him.

Mshale kwenda msituni haukupotea

Mshale kwenda msituni haukupotea.

If an arrow goes into a forest it is not lost.

Mshoni hachagui nguo

Mshoni hachagui nguo.

A tailor does not select his cloth.

Mke ni nguo ,mgomba kupalilia

Mke ni nguo ,mgomba kupalilia.

A wife is like clothes and banana plant needs weeding.

Mkata (masikini) hana kinyongo.

Mkata (masikini) hana kinyongo.

A poor man has no contempt.

Mkamia maji hayanywi.

Mkamia maji hayanywi.

He who fixes his mind much on water ends up not drinkink it

Mkamatwa na ngozi ndiye mwizi

Mkamatwa na ngozi ndiye mwizi.

The one who is caught with the skin is the thief.

Mjumbe hauawi

Mjumbe hauawi.

A messenger is not killed

Mjinga akierevuka mwerevu yupo mashakani

Mjinga akierevuka mwerevu yupo mashakani.

When a fool becomes enlightened,the wise man is in trouble.

Miye nyumba ya udongo ,sihimili vishindo

Miye nyumba ya udongo ,sihimili vishindo

I am a mud hut, I can not stand shocks.

Mgonjwa haulizwi uji

Mgonjwa haulizwi uji.

A sick person is not asked for porridje.

Mgeni njoo mwenyeji apone

Mgeni njoo mwenyeji apone.

Let the guest come so that the host may benifit.

Mgeni ni kuku mweupe.

Mgeni ni kuku mweupe.

A stranger is like a white fowl (noticeble)

Mgema akisifiwa tembo hulitia maji

Mgema akisifiwa tembo hulitia maji.

If the palmwine tapper is praised,he dilutes the palm-wine with water.

Mganga hajigangui

Mganga hajigangui.

A witchdoctor does not cure himself.

Mgaagaa na upwa hali wali mkavu

Mgaagaa na upwa hali wali mkavu.

A lazy person with a nephwe does not eat dry rice.

Mfukuzwa kwao hana pakwenda

Mfukuzwa kwao hana pakwenda.

He who is expled from home has no where to go

Mfuata nyuki hakosi asali

Mfuata nyuki hakosi asali.

One follows bees will never fail to get honey.

Mficha uchi hazai

Mficha uchi hazai.

One who hides private parts wont get a child

Mfa maji hukamata maji

Mfa maji hukamata maji.  

A drowning man catches at the water.

Meno ya mbwa hayaumani

Meno ya mbwa hayaumani.

The teeth of a dog do not lock together.i.e brothers do not harm one another when they fight

Mdharau biu,hubiuka yeye

Mdharau biu,hubiuka yeye.

He who riducules a deformed person becomes deformed himself.

Mchumia juani,hula kivulini

Mchumia juani,hula kivulini.

He who earns his living in the sun,eats in the shade.

Siku utakayokwenda uchi, ndiyo siku utakayokutana na mkweo

Siku utakayokwenda uchi,
ndiyo siku utakayokutana
na mkweo.

The day you go
naked, is the day you will
meet your father/
mother.in-law .

Sikio halipwani kichwa. Alt: Sikio halipiti kichwa

Sikio halipwani kichwa.
Alt: Sikio halipiti kichwa.

The ear does not surpass
the head.

Sikio halilali na njaa

Sikio halilali na njaa.

An
ear dots not go to bed
hungry (there's always
plenty of gossip).

Si kila mwenye makucha huwa simba

Si kila mwenye makucha
huwa simba.

Not all that
have claws are lions. cf All
that glitters is not gold.

Shoka lisilo mpini halichanji kuni

Shoka lisilo mpini
halichanji kuni.

An axe
with rio handle does not
split firewood.

Shimo Ia ulimi mkono haufutiki

Shimo Ia ulimi mkono
haufutiki.

A pit of (dug
by) the tongue cannot be
covered up by the hand
(words are more
dangerous). Cf. The pen is
mightier than the sword.

Shika! Shika! na mwenyewe nyuma

Shika! Shika! na
mwenyewe nyuma.

Hold
him! Hold him! and you
yourself after him (i.e. you
shouldn't expect others to
do all the work).

Samaki mmoja akioza, huoza wote

Samaki mmoja akioza,
huoza wote.

If one fish
rots, they all rot. cf. A
rotten apple spoils its
neighbours. A sickly sheep
infects the whole flock.

Shika! Shika! na21. Sahani iliyofunikwa, kilichomo kimesitirika

Shika! Shika! na21. Sahani iliyofunikwa,
kilichomo kimesitirika.

When a plate is covered,
its contents are hidden.

Sahani iliyofunikwa, kilichomo kimesitirika

Sahani iliyofunikwa,
kilichomo kimesitirika.

When a plate is covered,
its contents are hidden.