Showing posts with label Proverbs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Proverbs. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Nghala yi vomba exihlahleni
Literal: A lion roars in the bush
Figurative: A warrior is seen in a war
Mhunti yo tlulatlula Mangulwe wa yi khoma
Literal: An antelope that jumps around will be caught by Mangulwe (dog's name).
Figurative: Something that pretends to be untouchable is easy to detain.
Vana va munhu va tsemelana nhloko ya njiya
Literal: Siblings share the head of a locust.
Figurative: Give the little that you have.
Ku hiwa hi Thomo ku suka epalamendhe ya le tilweni
Literal: To be given by Thomo (king's name) is from the parliament in heaven.
Figurative: To be blessed by God.
Mbyana loko yi lava ku ku luma ya n'wayitela
Literal: A dog smiles when it intends to bite you.
Figurative: A person can hurt you while he smiles.
Xandla famba, xandla vuya
Literal: Let the hand go and let the hand come back.
Figurative: The hand that gives will receive.
Mavoko ya munhu a ma mili nhova/byanyi
Literal: Grass cannot grow on a human being's hands.
Figurative: No matter how hard you work, you can still work some more.
Nomu a wu taleriwi hi nambu
Literal: A mouth can cross any river.
Figurative: Making promises does not mean you'll keep them.
I malebvu ya nghala
Literal: It is a lion's beard.
Figurative: A thing may not be as scary as it looks.
Ku tlula ka mhala ku letela n'wana wa le ndzeni
Literal: The way an impala jumps influences its unborn child.
Figurative: Whatever bad things a mother does, her daughter will also do.
Mbuti yi dya laha yi nga bohiwa kona
Literal: A goat eats where it is tied.
Figurative: A person must use properties of the place where he is working.
N'wana wo ka a nga rili u ta fela a dzobyeni
Literal: A child who does not cry will die unnoticed at the back of his mother.
Figurative: If you do not raise your voice (in the form of a complaint), you will not be heard.
N'hwari mbirhi yin'we yi ta tshwa nkanga
Figurative: : If one tries to do more than one thing at the same time, one might not prosper.
Matimba ya ngwenya i mati
Literal: The strength of crocodile is the water.
Figurative: A man has power when he is supported by his people.
Mbuti ya xihaha a yi tswaleli entlhambini
Literal: A secretive goat does not give birth in a midst.
Figurative: Keep a secret do not say it where there are many people.
Ndlopfu a yi fi hi rivambu rin'we
Literal: An elephant does not die of one (broken) rib.
Figurative: When in trouble, a man should try all efforts to find a solution.
N'wana wa nyoka i nyoka
Literal: The child of a snake is a snake.
Figurative: A child of a bad person, might be a very bad person.
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