404 SmONGA PROVERBS. 



12. Akhombo a ba tingaivuli. 



Men do not evade misfortune." 

 Man is born to trouble. 



13. Akhombo di ni silandu. 



Misfortune has an effect." 



Sorrows never come singly. One sees, for instance, 

 someone one does not like, and fears that something 

 unpleasant will happen. 



14. Nhlampfi. u nga dile ; ma psi'na u ma bona. 



" fish, do not cry. The water is drying up even 

 while you look upon it." 



Had there been enough water, the fish might have made 

 good its escape. As it is, regrets are useless. This is often 

 said when one is trying to comfort someone who is in 

 trouble. It is rather reminiscent of Kipling's butterfly 

 beside the road, who preaches contentment to the toad 

 beneath the harrow; and may perhaps be paraphrased as: 

 Make the best of a bad job." 



15. Ahukii a yi yigi hletela sitsuwana sa yimbeni. 



" One hen does not find food for another's chicks." 

 Charity begins at home. Look after Number One. 



16. Amusasi iva tiandu hi ku pfumela. 



" A good man who has (is guilty of) a fault . . . it is 

 to confess it. " 



The best thing is to confess a fault, or " Open confession 

 is good for the soul." 



17. Abuhosi a byi tali; ku tala bulanda. 



" Wealth is not plentiful; but poverty is." 



Or " Riches are never content, but poverty is," the 

 meaning bemg that the rich man is never content with 

 what he has, while the poor man has only too much of 

 his poverty. 



18. Mayetla ndlwini munduku hi mayetla handle. 



" They who sleep in a house (to-day) sleep outside 

 to-morrow. " 

 A graphic reminder of the vicissitudes of life. 



19. Amati loko ma halakile a me he na ku woleliiva. 



" When water has been spilt, it can no longer be 

 gathered up." 

 It is- no use crying over spilt milk. This is interesting, as 

 presenting one of the perhaps surprisingly few exact 

 parallels with European proverbs. 



