SIRONGA PROVERBS 40iJ 



4. Ktira inuuditku i buJolo. 



" The worker (of) to-morrow is idleness." 

 It is idleness which says " I'll work to-morrow." A 

 proverb which may go to show that, popular opinion 

 notwithstanding, idleness is recognised for what it is, and 

 is deprecated. 



5. Kinya n fa kolwa. 



" Help yourself greedily, and you will be surfeited." 

 To take more than one's fair portion out of the common 

 dish is, of course, very bad behaviour. We may, perhaps, 

 compare " Enough is as good as a feast." 



6. Asingc (Ja nwinyi a (ji hlelcisi. 



" A master of a fool does not laugh at him." 

 This needs no comment. 



7. Ainbyana i bitana hi likatla. 



" The dog is called by the shell." 

 When the dog hears the sound of the shell used to clean 

 out the pot, it will run up at once. The proverb is used 

 when rebuking children for " cupboard love," or older 

 people for too often asking favours 



8. Mauiitn tinyitigi a dumba iva kwe nkolo 



" He who swallows fruit-stones trusts his throat." 

 This is used sarcastically of bumptious persons. 



9. Amhcuga a-u'u ngi ganya mcana 



The pot never gets (or gains) a child (or son)." 

 This proverb is, at first, not very obvious in meaning. 

 It is explained to mean that, if one rears and. supports 

 the, child of another man, the time will come when the 

 child will leave its foster-father, and return to its own 

 parents. Cherish it as one may, it will never be one's own. 



10. Lcli so bnrcna n si na niche.' 



" A brave animal (siltari) has no skin .for carrying 

 children. " 



To inter[)ret : It takes so many assegai wounds to kill a 

 brave animal, that the skin is so badly pierced as to be 

 unfit for a woman to use to carry a child in, upon her 

 back. 'The proverb is used of a man who does not take 

 action that may lead to unpleasantness, for fear of the 

 consequences, or, in other words, has not the courage of 

 his convictions. 



II. Alidimi li dlaya y'noinyi. 



" The tongue kills its owner." 

 Speech is silvern, but silence is golden. 



