Engero Ezivunudwa – Translated to English Luganda Proverbs -L

Luganda Proverbs – English Translation (English Meaning )

These are the Luganda Proverbs and their English meaning

1. Langi enfuuyire : terwa kufuma – Artificial paint soon fades
2. Leka, ab’ebweru balye : takkusa wuwe – (One who says) Sto let the guests eat : does not let his own child eat enough
3. Leka, bankube : talwa kulira – (Although the woman, who is being beaten by her husband, whilst others want to take her part, says) Let them beat me : still she will soon be crying out all the same
4. Leka, eggayamano liggwe : nga gw’ayagala y’ali kungulu – ( Eeka evvuma-gana: ) Stop! Let the quarrel come to an end : so says one whose friend is winning
5. Leka (= linda), egwe akasanda : ng’erumye musajja – (enjala) ( Tunaalyamu eyidde: ) Wait at least, till the sahas dried off the bananas (emmere) : (so answers angrily the wife) when the husband is hungry (and asks imtiently for food)
6. Leka, evvumagana liggwe ku kyalo : nga gw’ayagala amezze – Stop! Let there be an end to this mutual recrimination in the village : (so says one) if his friend is the winning party in wrestling
7. Leka kwekuza ku nnyama nzibe : nti nze mukulu, so nga ffenna twazze kubba – ( Weekuza nnyo: ) Stobragging with the stolen meat : (saying) I am the boss, although all of us have come to steal
8. Leka kunyoomera kiyirikiti mu luyiira : ng’ensiko tennakula, kitikkira engule – ( Mayirikiti gatikkira: ) Do not despise the kiyirikiti (tree Erythrina tomentosa) in the burnt-out bush : when the savannah is not green yet, it puts out its glorious crown
9. Leero kino kiggweeso : nga ne gw’oyagala atabadde – ( Kiggweeso: ) This is now the end (of joy) : (you say so) when the one you love has also gone to war
10. Likaliridde : ng’erigenda mu kiyungu – The path is well-trodden : like the one that leads to the kitchen
11. Limpadde envuunyuula : ng’olya ku ddene – (The generous helping of ttooke) has given me a chance to satisfy my ravenous appetite : (so you say) when you eat from a big helping
12. Limpe ndyase! (eggumba) (The insolent child says) Give me the bone, let me break it (to suck out the marrow) – As if a child could do that better than an adult! The child wants the rest of the meat on the bone
13. Linda buwere : akuzimbiriza endwadde – Wait till the pain is over : (one saying so) prolongs your sickness
14. Linda buwere : yawanguza Buvuma – Wait till all the miserable lame fellows are there : that brought the Buvuma- island under domination (of the Baganda)
15. Linda buzibe, tukwane abawala : nga mugenge! Wait till it is dark and let us have fun with the girls : (one who says so) must be a ler! A ler has no chance in daytime –
16. Linda ekijja : ow’obusa alinda lubale – Wait for another time (kiseera) to come (says the unmarried woman to her suitor, because she does not want to get married yet) : and the girl waits for blows on her head (musango, illegitimate child etc
17. Linda kiggweeyo : afumita mukira – ( Kirinde kiggweeyo: ) Wait till the animal (kisolo) comes out orly (is fully visible) : (so you advise the hunter and) he sars the tail-end
18. Lindalindako : akuguza ebibbe – (One who says to you) Wait a little : wants you to buy stolen things
19. Litemwa mukulu : nga tibannabagoba – ( Kkubo litemwa: ) The path (kkubo) is first trodden by the master : (but they say so only) as long as they are not followed by the enemies (otherwise each one wants to be the first)
20. Lubaale agoba nsonga : nga takuttidde wuwo – ( Lumututte: ) The spirit has a right (to kill) : (thus you speak) if he did not kill one of yours
21. Lubaale aliirana – The lubaale (or witch doctor) profits either way (he takes his fee, wether the sick person dies or recovers)
22. Lubaale maliba : bull afuluma alyambala bubwe – The idea of God (religion) is like skins : each one (every mortal) will adopt his own Each one chooses that religion he considers the right one for him
23. baale, mbeera : nga n’embiro kw’otadde (= ng’otaddeko n’embiro) – ( Ka- tonda, mbeera: ) Srit (heaven), helme! : (you have a right to exct hel if you exert your- self
24. Lubaale taba nda : lw’abanula lw’azaala – The sky is not (like) the womb of a woman : when it is pregnant (with rain) it brings forth at once
25. Lubaale w’ekiswa : talagwamu lunwe (= nnantalagwamu lunwe) – The spirit of an anthill : is not pointed at with the (stretched-out) fore-finger
26. Lubaale w’omulamu (= w’obulamu) : tasamirirwa – The lubaale of a living person is not overpowered (by another person)
27. Lubaale yambikkako akasubi : nga ne we yeekweka wadi wagumu (= nga yeekweka mu kikulu) – ( Lubaale mbeera: ) The spirit has covered me with a little grass : (one can say so) if he has also taken refuge in a strong place (safe hiding place)
28. Lubuto kyoto : alusennyera enku y’akoowa – ( Olubuto kyoto: ) The stomach is like a fireace : the one who has to collect fire-wood for it, gets tired
29. Lubwa lukovvu onyoomera mu kyoto : naye bwe lutuuka ku nsiko nga luwera nnemba – You despise a miserable dog, when it lies near the fire : but when it reaches the wilds, it makes a brave show (is tireless in hunting)
30. Luganda lwa mbwa : lulamusa na mannyo – Relationshiof dogs : is shown by greeting with the teeth (because they cannot talk)
31. Lugoma lukadde : eyalumanyako y’aluggyako endere – A poor old drum : a man who knows its good qualities, takes the (broken) strings off it and puts new ones on
32. Lugudde ku Munyolo : Abaganda baseke (= beesekere) – When trouble has befallen a Munyolo : the Baganda rejoice
33. Lugumira enjala : era ng’aliko k’asuddemu – (The poor old person) is bearing it patiently (hunger, want) : (so one com- miserates with a poor man) even when he has eaten something
34. Lukande lwa nnyoko : lukira olwa muka-kitaawo olulime – The uncultivated land of your own mother : is worth more than the cultivated plot of (another) wife of your father
35. Lukka ennyanja : teruleka nkanga – On going down to the lake : one does not leave behind the fish-basket
36. Lukoma nnantawetwa – The stem of the lukindu-palm : cannot be bent (even the young stems)
37. Lukuba empanga : lulekera ensenyi okutaataagana – (olumbe) When death strikes the cock : it leaves the hens in confusion
38. Lukuba emyali : ne lutakuba azibumba – ( Babika anzirako: ) Death strikes the (unfinished) pots and spares the potter
39. Lukuggya we bajjula : ne lukutwala we basaaniika – (lubwa) Misfortune takes you from a ace where they dish uthe food, and brings you to where they still cover it for cooking
40. Lukwegombya (= nze Lukwegombya) – (I am) Death makes you covet
41. Lukyakamwa terugalulirwa mbazzi – (lute) An old cow that still can be milked is not threatened with the axe
42. Luliko omwenge : terubula akubagiza – (olumbe) Where there is beer at the mourning-rites : a consoler is not lacking
43. Lulina amaddu : nga lusse muganda we – (olumbe) Death is a passionate killer : (so one says) if it has killed a relation (brother or sister)
44. Luma ggumba, amazzi gawole – Gnaw the bone and let the broth cool down! Stands for keep quiet and let me explain first!
45. Lumbe lukuba eggu ne luleka omuzima – Death strikes the unripe fruit (of the muwafu tree) and leaves the ripe one alone
46. Lumonde akuza amatooke – Potatoes prepare the soil for bananas
47. Lumonde awubira : ng’alabye mwannyina – The (sweet) potato hides itself (i
48. Lumonde omunene : yalwanya omukomazi – The big potato made the barkcloth-maker fight (with his wife)
49. Lumonde mukalubo : akuba ekikwa – Tough (underdone) potatoes : bring bad luck (a hungry stomach)
50. Lumoonyere : ng’omulere gwa Ssuuna – ( lere gwa Ssuuna: ) An interminably repeated saying (song, never ending talk) : like the flute of Ssuuna
51. Lumututte : ekingi bantu – (olumbe) Death has taken him : (somebody not much concerned about the person) answers: Ah well, many people have died (since Adam and Eve)
52. Lunaanoba : terubula ntondo – (lukazi) The woman who intends to leave you : is sure to complain about something
53. Lunatta omulwadde : nze nduwuuta – The sickness will kill the patient : and I suck it in
54. Lunaayabira emmanga : nga y’ekira oluganda (= nga y’esinga oluganda) – The finishing of the mourning-rites will be held in the other village : (so is the decision of the responsible persons), if in that village there is a person who is a closer relation
55. Lunaayabira mitala : nga y’emusinga ekinyumu – The finishing of the mourning-rites will be held on the next hill : (so they may say) if there greater amusement is to be had
56. Lungu (Iwungu) luwoome : y’aluggyako empambo – Let the vegetable-marrow plant be sweet (to me) : (one saying so) gets the seeds out of the fruit (for planting them in his own garden)
57. Lusala ekyayi : lulekera munyeera okusaasaana (= kutaataagana) – When the antain-fibre is cut away : it leaves the small ants (that have built in the trunk) scattered
58. Lusowaanya – (olumbe) Sickness sets (people) at variance
59. Lutimba lukadde : luttira n’awatali ggira – The old hunting net : kills (catches the animal) even where there is no game track
60. Lutta embwa : mu lw’ente batuula kitebe – When death kills the dog (nobody takes much notice) : but at the killing of a cow they sit up happily
61. Lutta emyali : ne lutakuba agibumba – (olumbe) ( Lukuba eggu: ) Death strikes the unbaked pots and spares the one who has moulded them
62. Lutta munno : nti nze mukaubaale? When death takes your companion : (you say) I am a prot g of the spirit (i – e
63. Lutumaze(wo) : enkoko asuula (= assa) ku luwe – ( Tufudde tuweddewo: ) Death has finished off all of us (one may say, including himself) : and still he ts the chicken on the roost (to have it in the future)
64. Luvudde ku ki? : y’akuza omusango – (luyombo) How did the quarrel come about? : (one who asks that question) makes the quarrel into a court case
65. Luwanga lwa mbwa : balunyoomera (= onyoomera) mu kyoto – ( Lubwa lukovvu: ) They are not afraid of the skull (teeth) of the dog, when it slee at the fire- ace
66. Luweddemu abakubagiza : musigadde bannyini lumbe – When the mourners (consolers) have all gone away from the burial : the bereaved ones are left to their sorrow
67. Luyindi : nnantaliibwa nkagga – ( Oluyindi: ) The small bean : is uneatable, when green
68. Luyungudde emmandwa amaziga – (olumbe) A general calamity reduces even a witchdoctor (lubaale-man) to tears
69. Luzigo lwa mumanye : bw’osanga bw’otyaba – The small firewood belonging to a man whom you know (who cut down a tree) : you gather when you find it
70. Lw’abaaga : lw’afuna munywanyi we – When the or man kills an animal : he easily finds a friend (but not a disinter- ested one)
71. Lwakya kutta bantu : nga gw’asikidde mugagga – (olunaku) The day came to kill people : (says) the heir of a rich man
72. Lwa mulungi : teruggwa ttenda (= matenda) – (olumbe) The mourning rites of a good rson : are aised a long time