Zulu Proverbs and Sayings

Zulu proverbs and sayings
1. Isitsha esihle asidleli
Translation: A nice plate is not long eaten off from.
Meaning: It is used to express sentiments on the damage that has been done on a good thing.
2. Uthanda ukubukwa njengesiyephu
Translation: He likes to be looked at is like a long-hairy goat.
Meaning: It is used to describe someone who is an attention seeker.
3. Ikhiwane elihle ligcwala izibungu
Translation: The nice fig is often full of worms.
Meaning: It is used to warm people who are fond of focusing on the good side of something,
forgetting on the negative side of it.
4. Uphakathi komhlane nembeleko
Translation: he is between the back and the sack.
Meaning: It is used to refer to someone who is in the middle of cosy situations.
5. Kuhlonishwa kabili
Translation: Respect is two ways.
Meaning: For you to earn respect you have to give it.
6. Akukho mango ongenaliba
Translation: There is no hillside without a grave.
Meaning: Death is one of the unavoidable occurrences.
7. Uchakide uhlolile imamba yalukile
Translation: The weasel is at ease because the mamba has gone out.
Meaning: When the oppressor is away, the oppressed will find their way into doing what they like.
8. Udla indlu yakho njengentwala.
Translation: You eat your hut (hair) like a lice.
Meaning: You should not despise someone or something that was once beneficial to you.
9. Inkunzi isematholeni
Translation: The bull is among the calves.
Meaning: A great leader was once an ordinary man, the same way, the leaders of tomorrow are the
youths of today.
10. Amanxiwa Kamili Mbuya

Translation: A rolling stone gathers no moss.
Meaning: Someone who does not settle in one place doing something does not accumulate any
wealth.
11. Isikhuni sibuya nomkhwezeli.
Meaning: The lit fire-brand has returned with one tending fire.
Translation: If you choose to play with a risky situation, be sure that you will have to suffer the
consequences.
12. Enethunga ayisengeli phansi.
Translation: He who has a milking-pail should not be obliged to milk on the ground.
Meaning: If you have an opportunity, do not let others have it and be inconvenienced, all in the
name of kind.
13. Libunjwa liseva.
Translation: The day is worked while it is still fresh.
Meaning: Make good use of opportunities when they are available.
14. Ukubona kanye ukubona kabili
Translation: Once beaten twice shy.
Meaning: Once you get into an unpleasant situation, you learn the art of being cautious.
15. Iso liwela umfula ugcwele
Translation: The eye crosses the full river.
Meaning: If you have a desire to do something, you cannot be stopped by anything.
16. Amaqili kathengani
Translation: Cunning men do not deal with each other.
Meaning: People of the same mischievous character cannot relate with one another.
17. Akukho nkwali yaphendela enye
Translation: There is no partridge that scratches for another.
Meaning: Everyone must learn to do things by themselves.
18: Ishwa lomhluzi wamanqina
Interpretation: Misfortune of soup made of shanks and feet.
Context: Describes an individual who never progresses but instead keeps getting into scrapes.
19. Unebhungan' ekhanda
Interpretation: He has a beetle in his head Understanding:
Describes a person who is acting strangely.

20. Akuko mpukane inqakulela enye
Interpretation: One fly does not provide for another.
Context: This saying is meant for the idle, and it tells them that everyone should work for themselves
as the fly does.
21. Indonga ziwelene
Interpretation: The walls have come into collision.
Context: This phrase is used during disputes between persons of consequence.
22. Akunyoka yakhohlwa ngumgodi wayo.
Interpretation: No snake forgets its home.
Meaning: The proverb has the same meaning as the English proverb: East or west home is best
23. Uyakulila ngasonye uxele inkawu
Translation: You will shed tears with one eye like a monkey.
Use: A monkey is believed to shed tears with one eye when caught in a trap. The saying is used when
warning a person against being deterred from any snare.
24. Nala kungekho qhude liyasa.
Interpretation: Even when the rooster is not present, day dawns.
Use: Used to describe a person who thinks they are exceptional and often have a selfish attitude.
25. Impungushe kayivalelwa nezimvu
Interpretation: The jackal is not kept on the same kraal with the sheep.
Understanding: This saying warns an individual from bringing together things or people that do not
mesh.
26. Yimbabala yolwantunge
Interpretation: He is a buck of an endless forest.
Use: It is used to refer to a shiftless individual who hardly stays in any workplace.
27. Ingwe ikhontha amabala ayo amlhlope namnyama.
Interpretation: The leopard licks both its black and white spots.
Context: It emphasizes equal justice by those in authority.
28. Aku’qili lazikhota emhlane.
Interpretation: There is no cunning person who licked himself on the back.
Use: The saying is used to describe an individual who tried to use trickery of some sort but was
discovered.
29. Amaqili kathengani

Translation: Cunning men do not deal with each other
Understanding: Refers to two individuals who know each other's dealings and never interact.
30. Uphakati kwomhlana nembeleko
Translation: He is between the back and the sack (Mother carrying her baby on the back)
Use: It is used to refer to someone with a protector to help him.
31. Isihlala ‘ndawonye sidla amajwabu
Interpretation: The sitter-in-one-place eats the skin-scrapings.
Use: Used to refer to a lazy person who lacks the insight of his laziness.
32. Ubude abupangwa
Translation: Height is not reached in a hurry
Meaning: Things take time before they fall in place.
33. Inhlwa aibanjwa ngekanda isavela
Translation: The winged termite is not caught by its head as soon as it appears.
Meaning: Do not jump to make a judgment before you hear the whole story.
34. Akulahlwa imbeleko ngokufelwa
Translation: the child's sack is not thrown away after the death of one child.
Meaning: Never lose hope no matter the intensity of your adversities.
Some Zulu words and meanings.

Woman - Umfazi
Human - Umuntu
Child - Umntwana
Father - Ubaba
Mother - Umama
Dog - Inja
Bird - Inyoni
Meat - Inyama
Egg – Iqanda.

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Zulu Proverbs and Sayings

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Zulu proverbs and sayings

1. Isitsha esihle asidleli

Translation: A nice plate is not long eaten off from.

2. Uthanda ukubukwa njengesiyephu

Translation: He likes to be looked at is like a long-hairy goat.

Meaning: It is used to describe someone who is an attention seeker.

3. Ikhiwane elihle ligcwala izibungu

Translation: The nice fig is often full of worms.

4. Uphakathi komhlane nembeleko

Translation: he is between the back and the sack.

Meaning: It is used to refer to someone who is in the middle of cosy situations.

Translation: Respect is two ways.

Meaning: For you to earn respect you have to give it.

6. Akukho mango ongenaliba

Translation: There is no hillside without a grave.

Meaning: Death is one of the unavoidable occurrences.

7. Uchakide uhlolile imamba yalukile

8. Udla indlu yakho njengentwala.

Translation: You eat your hut (hair) like a lice.

Translation: The bull is among the calves.

10. Amanxiwa Kamili Mbuya

11. Isikhuni sibuya nomkhwezeli.

12. Enethunga ayisengeli phansi.

13. Libunjwa liseva.

Translation: The day is worked while it is still fresh.

Meaning: Make good use of opportunities when they are available.

14. Ukubona kanye ukubona kabili

Translation: Once beaten twice shy.

15. Iso liwela umfula ugcwele

Translation: The eye crosses the full river.

Meaning: If you have a desire to do something, you cannot be stopped by anything.

16. Amaqili kathengani

Translation: Cunning men do not deal with each other.

17. Akukho nkwali yaphendela enye

Translation: There is no partridge that scratches for another.

Meaning: Everyone must learn to do things by themselves.

18: Ishwa lomhluzi wamanqina

Interpretation: Misfortune of soup made of shanks and feet.

19. Unebhungan' ekhanda

Interpretation: He has a beetle in his head Understanding:

Describes a person who is acting strangely.

Interpretation: One fly does not provide for another.

21. Indonga ziwelene

Interpretation: The walls have come into collision.

Context: This phrase is used during disputes between persons of consequence.

22. Akunyoka yakhohlwa ngumgodi wayo.

Interpretation: No snake forgets its home.

23. Uyakulila ngasonye uxele inkawu

24. Nala kungekho qhude liyasa.

Interpretation: Even when the rooster is not present, day dawns.

25. Impungushe kayivalelwa nezimvu

26. Yimbabala yolwantunge

Interpretation: He is a buck of an endless forest.

27. Ingwe ikhontha amabala ayo amlhlope namnyama.

Context: It emphasizes equal justice by those in authority.

28. Aku’qili lazikhota emhlane.

Interpretation: There is no cunning person who licked himself on the back.

29. Amaqili kathengani