Ku tlula ka mhala swi letela n'wana wa le ndzeni
Literally: “The way the impala jumps teaches the child that is inside (the womb)”
Meaning: Children imitate and inherit the behaviour of their parents; a parent's conduct shapes the next generation.
N'wana wa nyoka i nyoka
Literally: “The child of a snake is a snake”
Meaning: Offspring take after their parents; expect a person to resemble the family or stock they come from.
N'wana wa mfenhe a nga tsandziwi hi rhavi
Literally: “A baboon's child is not defeated by a branch”
Meaning: A child raised by capable parents will manage tasks of the kind their parents mastered; skill runs in the family.
Emahlweni ka nghala ku fambiwa na xisana
Literally: “In front of a lion one travels with a firebrand”
Meaning: Be well prepared before facing danger or a serious challenge.
Hambi wo famba enkoveni, lundza ri ta vonaka
Literally: “Even if you walk in the valley, the top of your head will still be seen”
Meaning: Wrongdoing cannot stay hidden forever; the truth eventually comes out.
Loko u tsundzuka mhelembe, khandziya nsinya
Literally: “When you remember the rhino, climb the tree”
Meaning: Act on an important matter at once; do not procrastinate, because a rhino cannot follow you up a tree but delay narrows your options.
Matimba ya ngwenya i mati
Literally: “The strength of the crocodile is water”
Meaning: A person draws their power from their proper element or support base; you are strongest among your own people.
Ximita ntsengele xi tshemba nkolo
Literally: “The one that swallows the ntsengele fruit trusts its throat”
Meaning: Only take on what you are sure you can handle; do not undertake something whose full consequences you cannot manage.
Kuwa ro tshwuka ri na xivungu endzeni
Literally: “A fig that is red (ripe) has a worm inside”
Meaning: Attractive appearances often hide a hidden flaw or danger.
Mativonele i khombo
Literally: “Doing as one sees fit alone is misfortune”
Meaning: Self-will — doing only as you yourself see fit and going your own way without regard for others or counsel — brings misfortune. The emphasis is on egotistical self-direction, not merely failing to take advice.
Va bile xihlahla, kambe a va banga mpfundla
Literally: “They beat the bush but did not strike the hare”
Meaning: Much effort was expended (beating the bush) but the real target — the hare — was missed: great activity that fails to achieve the actual objective.