Xhosa Proverbs

proverb: Umtathi uyawuzala umlotha.
meaning: The umtathi tree begets ash.
Although the umtathi is a good tree, it turns to ash when burnt.It
means that a good person can have bad children.
name: Aubrey Franks


proverb: Ungalibali intaka yobusi.
meaning: Don't forget the honey bird.
Give the honey bird some of the honey it helped you to find.
name: Aubrey Franks

proverb: Ithemba liyaphilisa.
meaning: Hope causes one to live.
name: Aubrey Franks

proverb: Alitshoni lingenandaba.
meaning: It (the sun) doesn't set without news.
There's fresh news every day.
name: Aubrey Franks

proverb: Ukuhamba kukufunda.
or
Ukuhamba yimfundo.
meaning: Travelling is learning.
or
Travelling is education.
name: Aubrey Franks

proverb: Induku ayinamzi.
meaning: A stick doesn't have a home. Violence leads to a broken home.
name: Aubrey Franks

proverb: Isiziba siviva ngodondolo.
meaning: A hole in a river (isiziba) is felt with a long stick
(udondolo). Look before you leap.
name: Aubrey Franks

proverb: Ingcibi yamanzi ifa ngamanzi.
meaning: Too difficult too explain in English. You die doing what you
do for a living. Like live by the sword. die by the sword.
name: Aubrey Franks

proverb: Intaka yakha ngoboya benye.
meaning: A bird builds (it's nest) with another's feathers.
name: Aubrey Franks

proverb: Indlovu ayisindwa ngumboko wayo.
meaning: An elephant's trunk does not weigh it down.
Everyone should carry their own burden.
name: Aubrey Franks

proverb: Iqaqa aliziva kunuka.
meaning: A skunk does not smell itself. People are unaware of their shortcomings.
name: Aubrey Franks

proverb: Ungalahl'imbo yakho ngopoyiyana.
meaning: Do not throw away what is valuable for what is worthless.
name: Aubrey Franks

proverb: Isala-kutyelwa sibona ngolophu.
meaning: A person who never listens to advice will see because of a
bergwind(a warm wind that descends from a mountain towards the sea).
name: Aubrey Franks

proverb: Isiqhelo siyayoyisa ingqondo.
meaning: A habit conquers the mind.
name: Aubrey Franks

proverb: Umntu ngumtu ngabantu.
meaning: A person is a person because of other people. No man's an
island.
name: Aubrey Franks