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Mphemphe ea lapisa, motho o khonoa ke sa hae
Sesotho proverb · Sesotho
Literally: “Give-give (constant begging) starves you; a person is satisfied/sustained by what is their own”
Meaning: Relying on hand-outs and perpetually begging from others leaves you hungry and wanting, because such help is small, grudging and unreliable; lasting satisfaction and dignity come from what you yourself earn, own and produce.
Background
A widely taught Sesotho proverb promoting self-reliance and industriousness, frequently used in moral and economic instruction among the Basotho. 'Mphemphe' is a reduplicated coinage from 'mpha' (give me), evoking the nagging, repeated nature of begging. It is among the proverbs most often quoted in Lesotho schooling and public discourse on dignity and work.
How it is used
Said to encourage someone to work for themselves rather than depend on others, to caution against a culture of dependency, or to explain why self-earned resources — however modest — bring more security and respect than borrowed or begged ones.