KANGA WRITINGS

NOTE: Some of the words appearing in kanga are not necessarily proverbs, but rather meant to send out an "encoded" message or just a plain message. For example, "Harufu yako yaburudisha moyo wangu - your pleasant scent soothes my heart", or "Bure mnanichukia, bahati nimejaliwa - You hate me in vain, I'm blessed with luck".

KANGA WRITING (Swahili) - LITERAL TRANSLATION - MOST COMMON MEANING

Kikulacho kinguoni mwako - What "eats" you is within your dress - It means that the source of your problems is those close to you.

Paka chume mtaani kwenu, halahala vitoweo vyenu - A stray cat is wandering around your neighbourhood, watchout with your "vitoweo" (fish or meat) - It is a caution given to lovers to watchout against wanderers lest they snatch their partners off.

Shanuo baya pale linapokuchoma - A comb becomes bad when it hurts you - An otherwise useful thing or a good person becomes bad to you when it/he/she harms you in whatever way.

Msilolijua litawasumbua - You will be troubled with what you have no knowledge of - Normally said to discourage those who wish to know the affairs of another person.

Machoni rafiki, moyoni mnafiki - Friendly in the eyes, a hypocrite in the heart -

Ukali wa jicho washinda wembe - An eye is sharper than a razor - The effect of a look is very strong in sending the desired message across. It can be a friendly and inviting look or a threatening look.

Ala! Kumbe! - I see!! That is so! - A common expression used to show that one is suprised by some information that he or she has just come to know of.

Halahala mti na macho - Beware, a stick and your eyes! - It is a caution given against an impending danger.

Pekepeke za jirani, hazinitoi ndani - Unwarranted spying by a neighbour does not take me out of my house -

Mtumai cha ndugu hufa masikini - He/she who relies on his/her relative's property, dies poor - Encourages self-reliance.

Mdhaniaye ndiye kumbe siye - The one whom you think is the right one is the wrong one - You are bucking on a wrong tree.

Vishindo vingi sio kutenda jambo - Fumbling around doesn't accomplish anything -

Kila jambo na wakati wake - There is an opportune time for everything -

Mama ni mama japokuwa rikwama - A mother is a mother even if a "coolie's cart" - Even a bad mother is still a mother worthy of respect, love and care.

Neema ya wazee furaha ya watoto - Economic success of parents is a joy of children -

Mti hawendi ila kwa nyenzo - A log moves only with proper tools - You need to have proper facilities to carry out any task.

Moyo wangu Sultani, cha mtu sikitamani - My heart is like Sultan, I don't long for anybody else's property - I am satisfied.

Mama nipe radhi kuishi na watu kazi - Mother, give me your blessings; living with people is really tough -

Usisafirie nyota ya mwenzio - Don't set sail using somebody else's star - Everyone is having his or her own destiny. If someone has become successful by doing something, it is not necessarily right to assume that you will also be successful by doing the same thing.

Asiyekujua hakuthamini - He/she who doesn't know you, doesn't value you -

Naona ni shoga yangu, kumbe ni mke mwenzangu - I thought of you as my girlfriend, but alas! You are my co-wife -

Nilikudhani dhahabu kumbe adhabu - I thought of you as gold but you are a torment - I regarded you as the most precious thing I have ever had, but you have proved to be nothing but torture and torment to me.

Tamu ya mua kifundo - A sugarcane is sweetest at the joint - What seems to be hard to achieve in real life is often times the best.

Mso hili ana lile - A person missing this has that - There is no useless person. Likewise, there is no person that is absolutely perfect.

Mpaji ni Mungu - God is the Sustainer - Mostly used by the have-nots to console themselves.

Tulia tuishi wazuri haweshi - Calm down and live with me, pretty ones are never in short supply -

Hata ukinichukia la kweli nitakwambia - Hate me, but I won't stop telling you the truth.

Moyo wa kupenda hauna subira - A heart deep in love has no patience -

Usikumbuke uovu ukasahau fadhila - Don't remember the evil things only while forgetting to be thankful for the good deeds - Make a judgement based on both, good and bad side of everything.

Halua ya lozi imemshinda mdokozi - An almond sweetmeat is a formidable challenge to a petty thief - Sweetmeat is a famous desert in Zanzibar and along the coast of East Africa. It is made of starch, sugar, oil and sometimes nuts or sesame seeds are used. Depending on the way it is made, it can be as soft as a jelly but sometimes it may be very hard to cut with fingers. The saying above is meant to laugh at someone who has attempted in vain to do something especially to win over somebody else's lover.

Ukiujua huu, huu huujui - If you know this one, you don't know this (other) one - Sometimes interpreted as a gesture demonstrated by flies when they rub their legs forward and then they repeat rubbing their legs backward. i.e if you know the forward one, you don't know the backward one. In other words you will always find that there is something you don't know.

Mchezea wembe humkata mwenyewe - He who plays with a razor, cuts himself - If you get involved in a dangerous exercise, you are bound to get harmed physically or emotionally.

Mchimba kisima, huingia mwenyewe - He who digs a well, gets himself inside - A person who sets a trap often times finds himself caught in it. If you have bad intentions against others, chances are, you'll be the first to be effected by those intentions directly or indirectly.

Haba na haba, hujaza kibaba - Little and little, fills the measure - Small things, when combined together make up big things.

Wajenga kwa wengine kwako kwabomoka - You build somebody else's place while yours is falling down -

Njaa mwanamalegeza, shibe mwanamalevya - Hung

KANGA WRITING (Swahili) -	LITERAL TRANSLATION -	MOST COMMON MEANING
Kikulacho kinguoni mwako -	What "eats" you is within your dress -	It means that the source of your problems is those close to you.
Paka chume mtaani kwenu, halahala vitoweo vyenu -	A stray cat is wandering around your neighbourhood, watchout with your "vitoweo" (fish or meat) -	It is a caution given to lovers to watchout against wanderers lest they snatch their partners off.
Shanuo baya pale linapokuchoma -	A comb becomes bad when it hurts you -	An otherwise useful thing or a good person becomes bad to you when it/he/she harms you in whatever way.
Msilolijua litawasumbua -	You will be troubled with what you have no knowledge of -	Normally said to discourage those who wish to know the affairs of another person.
Machoni rafiki, moyoni mnafiki -	Friendly in the eyes, a hypocrite in the heart -
Ukali wa jicho washinda wembe -	An eye is sharper than a razor -	The effect of a look is very strong in sending the desired message across. It can be a friendly and inviting look or a threatening look.
Ala! Kumbe! -	I see!! That is so! -	A common expression used to show that one is suprised by some information that he or she has just come to know of.
Halahala mti na macho -	Beware, a stick and your eyes! -	It is a caution given against an impending danger.
Pekepeke za jirani, hazinitoi ndani -	Unwarranted spying by a neighbour does not take me out of my house -
Mtumai cha ndugu hufa masikini -	He/she who relies on his/her relative's property, dies poor -	Encourages self-reliance.
Mdhaniaye ndiye kumbe siye -	The one whom you think is the right one is the wrong one -	You are bucking on a wrong tree.
Vishindo vingi sio kutenda jambo -	Fumbling around doesn't accomplish anything -
Kila jambo na wakati wake -	There is an opportune time for everything -
Mama ni mama japokuwa rikwama -	A mother is a mother even if a "coolie's cart" -	Even a bad mother is still a mother worthy of respect, love and care.
Neema ya wazee furaha ya watoto -	Economic success of parents is a joy of children -
Mti hawendi ila kwa nyenzo -	A log moves only with proper tools -	You need to have proper facilities to carry out any task.
Moyo wangu Sultani, cha mtu sikitamani -	My heart is like Sultan, I don't long for anybody else's property -	I am satisfied.
Mama nipe radhi kuishi na watu kazi -	Mother, give me your blessings; living with people is really tough -
Usisafirie nyota ya mwenzio -	Don't set sail using somebody else's star -	Everyone is having his or her own destiny. If someone has become successful by doing something, it is not necessarily right to assume that you will also be successful by doing the same thing.
Asiyekujua hakuthamini -	He/she who doesn't know you, doesn't value you -
Naona ni shoga yangu, kumbe ni mke mwenzangu -	I thought of you as my girlfriend, but alas! You are my co-wife -
Nilikudhani dhahabu kumbe adhabu -	I thought of you as gold but you are a torment -	I regarded you as the most precious thing I have ever had, but you have proved to be nothing but torture and torment to me.
Tamu ya mua kifundo -	A sugarcane is sweetest at the joint -	What seems to be hard to achieve in real life is often times the best.
Mso hili ana lile -	A person missing this has that -	There is no useless person. Likewise, there is no person that is absolutely perfect.
Mpaji ni Mungu -	God is the Sustainer -	Mostly used by the have-nots to console themselves.
Tulia tuishi wazuri haweshi -	Calm down and live with me, pretty ones are never in short supply -
Hata ukinichukia la kweli nitakwambia -	Hate me, but I won't stop telling you the truth.
Moyo wa kupenda hauna subira -	A heart deep in love has no patience -
Usikumbuke uovu ukasahau fadhila -	Don't remember the evil things only while forgetting to be thankful for the good deeds -	Make a judgement based on both, good and bad side of everything.
Halua ya lozi imemshinda mdokozi -	An almond sweetmeat is a formidable challenge to a petty thief -	Sweetmeat is a famous desert in Zanzibar and along the coast of East Africa. It is made of starch, sugar, oil and sometimes nuts or sesame seeds are used. Depending on the way it is made, it can be as soft as a jelly but sometimes it may be very hard to cut with fingers. The saying above is meant to laugh at someone who has attempted in vain to do something especially to win over somebody else's lover.
Ukiujua huu, huu huujui -	If you know this one, you don't know this (other) one -	Sometimes interpreted as a gesture demonstrated by flies when they rub their legs forward and then they repeat rubbing their legs backward. i.e if you know the forward one, you don't know the backward one. In other words you will always find that there is something you don't know.
Mchezea wembe humkata mwenyewe -	He who plays with a razor, cuts himself -	If you get involved in a dangerous exercise, you are bound to get harmed physically or emotionally.
Mchimba kisima, huingia mwenyewe -	He who digs a well, gets himself inside -	A person who sets a trap often times finds himself caught in it. If you have bad intentions against others, chances are, you'll be the first to be effected by those intentions directly or indirectly.
Haba na haba, hujaza kibaba -	Little and little, fills the measure -	Small things, when combined together make up big things.
Wajenga kwa wengine kwako kwabomoka -	You build somebody else's place while yours is falling down -
Njaa mwanamalegeza, shibe mwanamalevya -	Hung