Engero Ezivunudwa – Translated to English Luganda Proverbs -W

Luganda Proverbs – English Translation (English Meaning )

These are the Luganda Proverbs and their English meaning

1. Wa baana bangi : tasala musango – A chief who has many children (relations), does not settle disputes (does not give judgement)
2. Wabisegguusi mwana : ne Waluggi mwana? The child of the inside of the house is called child : but is the child of the door (outside) also called mwana? : yes; the child born by father and mother is their child (muzaalire ddala); but the child born by the brothers and sisters of father and mother (kitaawe muto nnyina muto) is also their child –
3. Wagenda engabo : n’effumu we libeera – (= Awagenda – – ) Where the shield goes, there also is the spear (ready for the defence and ready for the attack)
4. Wagendagenda : y’afuna ekisulo – If one travels he finds his living place
5. Waggumbulizi ky’aba nakyo : ky’awa munywanyi we – ( Aba n’ebingi: ; Atamanyi mwo: ) What a or man ssesses : that he gives to his friend
6. Wagumba ennume : n’enduusi we zibeera – ( Awagumba: ) Where there are bulls : there are also cows
7. Wagwa kinene : watuukibwa (ng’afudde mugagga) – (= Awagwa – – ) Where something big has fallen : people gather (if a rich man has died)
8. Wakabibi afuluma ng’asiba ag’akake – ( Azaala abangi: ) The portulaca-plant (creeper similar to purslane) spreads whilst tying the legs of its offspring to itself
9. Wa kalogojjo nga mubumbi : asula watonnya ng’essubi amalira ku nkoomi – ( Oli wa kalogojjo: ; Weewulira ng’omubumbi: ) He is out of his mind like a potter : he lives where the rain comes in, and the thatch he uses for his oven (burning his pottery)
10. W’akaalo ke : bw’asanga bw’ayisa – He who has his own home, behaves in his own fashion (makes his own laws)
11. Wa kamwa : tabulako musiri gwe – A braggart (scandalmonger, quarrelsome person) also has his field (where he works, namely his mouth)
12. Wa kanyumiza tiwaala nkoko : waala amayiba – ( Awa kanyumiza: ) At the home of an interesting talker the hens do not increase, but the pigeons increase
13. Wakka awunya : nga ggwe omulumbye ku nswa ze – The wakka (stinking black ant) stinks, when you have attacked it among its flying ants
14. Wakonkomi lw’assa : lw’anegula – When the big (green-red and blue) lizard crouches down, he gets up again
15. Wakubirwa mubaka : tiwakka mirembe – (= Awakubirwa – ) Where a messenger (of the king etc
16. Wa kunyumiza tiwaala nkoko : waala ebyoya – ( Wa kanyumiza: ) Where there is pleasant talk, the chickens don’t increase, but there is an increase of feathers
17. Wakyemalira ng’engalo ensajja – A person acting independently (an odd fellow) like the thumb! It always points in a direction different from the other fingers
18. Walabye malinnya : amakka ganaabula – (= Awalabye – ) Where a man has seen his way of climbing up : there might be no coming down
19. Walabyewo ki? : akusinza omusango – (If a cross-questioner asks you) What have you seen there (i
20. Wall akadiba : waagala kasambajjo – Awali – – ) Where there is a little pond, one needs a fishing net
21. Waluggyo akalanga bya banne – The potsherd (frying pan) fires other people’s things
22. Walumbe atebuka – Death catches (you) unexpectedly
23. Walumbe sowaanya : alina akake akeeriire – ( Ky’ofa togabye: ) Death is a trouble maket- : (therefore) let one who has possessions use them up for himself
24. Walumbe talya : atereka buteresi – ( Kitaka talya: ) Death does not eat (its victims like a beast of prey) : it only puts them aside
25. Walumbe tawoza : akutta n’ensonga – Death does not plead in court : he kills you and all (your unavailing) arguments
26. Wali akaloka : embizzi w’ezza omumwa – ( Awali akaloka: ) Where there is something sprouting out of the ground : the pig puts its snout to it
27. Wamala okulya obwakabaka : tokyalina kye weetaaga – You have become king : there is nothing more that you could desire (i
28. Wa maanyi abulwa w’avuba : Nnamalere yabulwa omwalo – Even a powerful man might have no place for fishing : Nnamalere had no har-bour
29. Wambula dda : bw’atakuzinga muggo, akuzinga bugenyi – ( Twalabagana dda: ; Akukeera enkya: ) (One who meets you with the words) I have not seen you for
30. Wa mbuzi akunga wa maliga – The owner of goats exaggerates the riches of the owner of shee Exession of envy
31. Wam omukazi, wam nte? Nti bw’erifa ndigiryako emikalo? When you gave me a wife, did you give me a cow? When she dies, can I eat her dried meat? The husband, whose wife died, does not want to keeufriendly relations any longer with father- or brother-in-law, and says: All that you gave me is finished and id for – If it had been a cow, I could at least have dried the meat and used it
32. Wam wazaayirwa – Buganda bwe btunu : azaayira mitala wa mugga – ( Awa-m: ) Even near home one can be a stranger – Buganda is one and the same land : still one can be a stranger to the man on the next hill (or across the river or on an oosite arm of the lake)
33. Wa mukisa ng’aliibwa ngo : yava munda ate adda munda – It is a blessing for him to have been eaten by a leopard : he came from the womb (eya nnyina) and returned to the womb
34. Wandekera entate – You have put me into an impossible position (you have jeopardized me)
35. Wannaana tafa ddogo : ng’era Wammamba bw’atafa ttama – The hornbill does not give uits horrible voice, even when dead : just as the lungfish does not give uits cheek
36. Wango tabuukira walungi : buli w’abuukira, nti ebadde endidde – ( Ngo tebuukira: )
37. ankoko by’azaala : bye byenunulo – What the hen oduces : serves as ransom
38. Wano situukawo : bw’ovaawo assaawo mmanvu – (One who tells you) From here I can’t reach it (a coveted thing like fruit) puts a mortar there (to stand on it) as soon as you have gone away
39. Wante taliiko kabi – There is nothing useless in a cow
40. Wanyooka akakka – Where there rises a little smoke, there the hungry man invites himself
41. Wanziringitanya ng’ejjembe ly’enkoko : lyalekerera omutwe ne limera ku kugu-lu – ( Weereeze ng’emlaata: ) You have been fooling me like the sr of a cock : it left its ace on the head and grew on the leg
42. Wasaanye (= awasaanye) : wataali – Where something (or somebody) has sunk down (in the grave or in the water) : there is nothing left
43. Wa Ssenkole lufuuzi : tunaayogera olutaggwa? ( Tunaayogera olutaggwa: ) –
44. Watuuka (= awatuuka) akambe : enkumbi tetuukawo – Where a knife fits in : a hoe does not fit
45. Weebale, weebale : akumalira ebibyo (or: amala ebintu) – One who often says to you thank you, finishes off your things
46. Weebale, weebale : azuukusa mbwa mu kyoto – He who shouts for joy Well done, well done, rouses up the dog from its place on the hearth
47. Weebambalika : ng’omunafu akeera okuggulawo – ( Okwebambalika: ) You have made an useless effort : like a lazy woman coming out of the house (bed) early
48. We batemera ebbamba : siwabula ssaasaaniro – ( Awagwa ekku: ; Awagwa ekinene: ) Wherever they cut a big mmamba (lungfish) to pieces : there is bound to be there a big gathering
49. Weebuga : ng’essukka-mugga – You are excited like a mason-was You are fidgeting about, be quiet!
50. a Weebugabuga : ng’omwavu akomera enju – You are taking over much trouble : like a poor man fencing in his house
51. Weebuuza kabaka ggye? Are you inquiring whether the king has an army? Asking the obvious –
52. Weedibonkola : ng’ow’amalibu addiza ekibumba – You have done a silly thing : like the toothless person who refuses (a piece) of liver
53. Weefudde : ng’anaakuboola mu lumbe – (He who says to you) You have changed your character, will disown you (disinherit you) at the burial rites
54. Weegagasa : ng’omwavu atalya masavu – You are particular : like a poor man who refuses to eat fat
55. Weegendereza : ng’ayafumbirwa ow’amayuuga – You are careful like the wife of one with protruding jaw-bones
56. Weegendereza : ng’ow’amayuuga ayita ku lutindo – You are walking carefully like one with otruding jaw-bones, walking over a bridge
57. Weeginga : ng’omukazi afumbye gonja abiriridde – ( Weegambya: ) You give yourself airs : like a woman who has cooked very soft gonja
58. Weegulirawo omuwa-butwa : ng’omulaba – You buy yourself a wife who is a wizard (poisoner), whilst seeing her (i
59. Weeguluma nga bijanjaalo : enkumbi ebirima esula wansi, byo Walla waggulu ku mpagi – You are overbearing like beans : the hoe that cultivates them, sleeps on the ground but they are high up on a pole
60. Weejalabya : ng’omubi awonga – ( Ekibi kigwana wala: ; Maziribano: ) You pretend to be rich (make a show) : like a bad man offering sacrifice to the gods
61. Weekakire : omugenyi yeekakira taaba mubie (If the host says) Fill it as much as you like : the visitor fills his pipe with bad tobacco – If the visitor had been welcome, the host himself would have filled the pipe for the visitor with good tobacco
62. Weekambazza ng’ow’effumu erimu : nti sikukuba manyago – You are bragging like one who has only one spear saying: I am not killing you with spears (shafts)
63. Weekennenkula nga bbugga : balyaye kibbo lidda munda – You are disappointing like bbugga (vegetable leaves) : people plucked them by the basketfuls, but the leaves shrink together
64. Weekennenkula nga mukyawe : leero akukyawanga n’akugulira enkumbi; nti abaganzi balimya nkobazangu? ( Weeyogeza ng’omukyawe: ) You are imagining things, saying your husband hates you and yet he buys you a hoe; do his favourites hoe with a needle? –
65. Weekennenkula ng’embooge (= ng’omubooge) : bagunoga kibbo, gudda muga-nda – ( Weekennenkula: ) You are disappointing like a heap of embooge (vegetable) : people collect it by the basketfuls and it shrinks to a handful
66. Weekiina nga Kasuipu, nti: Embuga nnaagikuba mu ggulu – You are exaggerating like the Kasujju (ssaza chief), when he said: I shall put up my headquarters at Ggulu (place in Busujju)
67. Weekiina ng’ow’ettulu akiika embuga, nti bakira omwami ayogera nga mmusi-mbyeko abiri – ( Okekkera ng’ow’ettulu: ) You are bluffing like a one-eyed person who went to court and reported (afterwards): when the chief spoke, Mixed my eyes on him
68. Weekolera mbyone : ng’omulwadde eyeewolera nte – You act in a careless manner : like a sick person getting the loan of a cow (think-ing: my relations will give it back)
69. Weekolera mbyone : ow’obusa by’akola ewaabwe – ( Akola bya mbyone: ) You act carelessly, as an unmarried girl does at home
70. Weekuube : omukazi omunafu yeekuuba ttaka – Smear yourself! : even a lazy woman smears herself with soil (pretending to have worked well in the garden)
71. Weekuumiiza ng’ow’ekirevu ayasizza ekita; nti zino ewuzi ku mumwa, tizilkitu-nge? ( Okekkera ng’ow’ekirevu: ) You are haughty like a bearded man who has broken a beer-calabash (and wants others to give him reiring material); (rey) what about those fibres round your mouth?, can’t you sew the calabash together with those? –
72. Weekunye : totaase wa muliraano – You feign to be very busy : you will not be of any help to your neighbour (who sounded the alarm)
73. Weekutte enkolo n’akambe? Do you keep hold of the food and the knife? You don’t give anybody a chance to eat –
74. Weekuza nnyo ku nnyama nzibe : nze mukulu – ( Leka kwekuza: ) You are very arrogant with the stolen meat : (saying) I am the leader (of this gang)
75. We kyenkanawo : ng’akuwadde – ( Ka beene: ) (One who says) That is all I can give you, at least gives you something
76. Weemagaza ng’omukazi ataterekedde bba – You are in a scrape : like a woman who has put no food aside for her husband
77. Weemazemaze ng’atta enjaliko : ng’enkulu ekyatudde – You are considering it carefully (on the mweso-board) like one who is going to pick an enjaliko (single luwiki) whilst the big heap is still remaining
78. We mbalemera : takuza baana – ( Baana bannemye: ) That’s the thing in which I cannot manage them : (a parent who talks like that), won’t educate children –
79. We mmala okulya, simalirawo (bigambo) byange : ng’anaalya ku bbiri (= n’awalala) – ‘Where I stop eating, I do not stop talking (says one) who intends to eat in a second place
80. Weenaanya ng’omulungi akomba ensaka – ( Weewoomya: ) You are fastidious like a clean person licking a small cooking pot (being careful not to be stained by the soot)
81. Weenaanya : ng’ow’enviiri ensale – You are mighty careful : like a syilitic rson after a haircut (being anxious not to show the sickness)
82. W’endya-mbi : tabula gw’alya naye – A great eater won’t fail to have somebody else eating with him (i
83. Weenyumlikiriza : ng’alya obutooke obutono – You are exaggerating like one who eats small (unripe) matooke
84. Weenyumiikiriza : ng’azaala omumpi – You are flattering yourself (you are an optimist) like the woman bringing forth a fat stumpy child (and saying: when its stomach straightens out, it will be taller)
85. Weesuumusa : ng’omumpi akka e siira – ( Weeyiringisa: ) You are popping up and down : like a short stumpy person going downhill at siira (village)
86. Weetaaganyiza : nga lumonde akona – You go to useless trouble : like an underdone potato,
87. Weetekedde ekitakwetekedde : embuyaga tenyeenya kutu – You care about something that does not care about yoU : wind does not move the ear
88. Wettula : ng’omwana omulizi – You act on your own initiative : like an habitually crying child
89. We twagala : nga likutte ekitooke – ( Obulwa bukula omusaayi: ) That’s where we wanted it (namely the spear) to go : (so they say), when the spear (that was meant for a person dear to them), has hit a banana stem
90. Weetwale : enkejje w butta – ( Yeetutte: ) Be off (hurry up) : like sprats on posho
91. We twava emmanju nga kiwedde : musale wa matu – When we came from the back of the house, all was finished : (says the) fellow whose ears were cut off
92. We twenkana : yeeyitira abassi – (The man who shouts to the enemy) We are as strong as that, calls the killers upon himself
93. Weetyabidde za kukwokya : kijja-na-nnenge ku kkubo – You have collected firewood with which you will burn yourself, as a kijja-na-nnenge (baby born feet first) on the road
94. Weewanise ng’omuwazi : bw’akakana ng’ali ku za birenge ; bw’aba awala asooka mutwe n’alyoka addira ebirenge – You are acting obstinately in your own way : like a dresser of skins, starting from the ends; a dresser starts from the head of the skin and then works towards the ends
95. Weewanise : ng’akabiika mu nkanaga – You are aiming too high (you are daring) : like the little bird that is breeding high up in a nkanaga (thorn-tree)
96. Weewola kivunya musango : ng’omulwadde eyeewola ente – ( Weekolera mbyone: ) If you get the loan of something and eat it (finish it off), you commit an offence, like a sick man getting the loan of a cow (and eating it)
97. Weewoomya : ng’omulungi akomba ensaka, nti tensiige! ( Weenaanya: ) You take meticulous care of yourself : like a beautiful woman cleaning out a cooking t, saying: let me not get soiled by its soot –
98. Weewulidde bubwa : tekannazibula nga kasutama – ( Mujagujagu: ; Oli kajagujagu: ) You are self-conscious like little dogs : when it has not yet oned its eyes, it sits u When it is grown u it will climb roofs!
99. Weewulira nga kassukussuku : kajjira mu kibondo ate keetikka ssanja – You are self-conceited like a kassukussuku (kind of mushroom) : it grows in a sack and carries dry antain leaves on its head
100. Weewulira nga nkoko : eyagifuna akuba nsindirirwa nga yo ekuba muzinga – You are conceited like a hen : its owner charges (the gun with) powder and the hen fires the gun
101. Kukuba muzinga has two meanings: to fire a gun and to grow a rump (the sickly growth on the extremity of a chicken’s backbone – a peculiarity imported into Buganda mu Mikaabya) –
102. Weewulira nga nkoko : eyagifuna asula wansi mu nkukunyi, yo ng’ebeera waggulu – You are as overbearing as a hen : its owner sleeps below among the fleas and it sleeps on top (on the laths of the hen-roost)
103. Weewulira ng’omubumbi : enju asulamu etonnya, ng’essubi ayokya lukumi – You are as silly as a tter : the house he lives in is leaking and (in his courtyard) he burns grass by the hea
104. Weeyagaagula : ng’azinira mu kye yeebikka – You are doing a risky thing : like one who dances in poor clothing
105. Weeyagaagula : ng’ow’ensimbu atabaala – ( Weesigudde: ) You are taking a risk : like an epileptic going to war
106. Weeyagaze : akubbya mw’osula – (The importunate petitioner urging you to) search for what I asked you will make you steal in your own house
107. Weeyiringisa : ng’omumpi akka e Masinga – You are rolling downhill : like a short stumpy person walking down to Masinga (Busiro?)
108. Weeyinula : ng’omunaku avuma amagufa; nti ggwe bwe banaagakuddiza too-kaabe? (or: nti owuwo waali?) ( Kye nkola bannange: ) You are insulting yourself : like the man who has lost his own mother and abuses others about their own dead mother (nnyoko!); if they return the insult, will you not lament? (or: is your mother still alive?) , , , –
109. Weeyisaayisa : ng’omumbowa amwedde – You are parading up and down like an executioner after shaving his hair
110. Weeyogeza : ng’afumbye amaluma – You are boasting like a woman who has cooked food without vegetables
111. Weeyogeza : ng’afumbye ekikongo, nti lyako ebibiriridde! You are exaggerating : like a woman who has cooked kikongo (kind of yam) and says: eat it, it is soft (soaked with water – ) Reply: Will a stone in the lake ever soften with all the water round it?
112. Weeyogeza : ng’anaakugoba mbuga – You are exaggerating : like a man who wants to frighten you away from the chief’s place (by saying: he is raving mad today etc
113. Weeyogeza nga anaakoola omuddo; nti ka nnende nkoole entungo; kazzi ali ku muddo – You are talking like one about to start weeding, and saying: I am going to weed out the semsem, although he means to weed out the weeds
114. Weeyogeza nga asibiikirira embuzi : nti aliba omulamu alirya wa ku nnyama? You are talking (to yourself), like a man who ties up a goat in the grass (saying) Where should one get meat to eat (with all the misery about)? Reply: Is what you tie up there not meat? – Unnecessary worries –
115. Weeyogeza ng’ekitaalimye : nti baaba (or mulamu) vaayo nfumbe – You are overbearing like a (lazy) fellow who has not worked in the field and says to his sister-in-law: move away and let me cook
116. Weeyogeza ng’olwanoba luzadde : nti taba mwana wange, sandizze – You are talking like a woman who has run away (from her husband) after having had a child and said: if it had not been for the child, I should not have come
117. Weeyogeza ng’omukazi agamba, nti olusuku Iwange lundaluseeko – You are talking like a woman, saying: My bananary has made me mad
118. Weeyogeza ng’omukyawe : nti bbalo akukyawanga n’akugulira enkumbi – ( Weekennenkula nga mukyawe: ) You are talking (spitefully) like a hated woman : (saying to the favourite) your husband hates you also! he has bought a hoe for you
119. Weeyogeza ng’omutulu ava mbuga : nti omwami abadde ayogera nga ntaddewo abiri; nti eddala lyameredde e mbuga? ( Weekiina ng’ow’ettulu: ) You are talking like a one-eyed person who came from the chiefs place saying: when the chief spoke, I set my eyes on him; (question) has the other eye per-haps grown there? –
120. Weeyogeza ng’ow’amalibu ayigga ayasira – ( Okwegambagamba: ) You are talking (nonsense) like a toothless man on the hunt, urging on the dogs
121. Weezaalira ekirikutta : ng’omwana w’ekitooke – You bring forth for yourself what will kill you : as is the case with the young shoot of the banana tree
122. W’oddiza omulalu mu kyama : ng’ayogera obulungi – ( W’otereereza: ) If you ask a simpleton in secret, you have found somebody who might give good advice
123. W’ofunira ebingi : nga kitaawo ne nnyoko tebakyaliwo (= baafa dda) – Where you have plenty : your father and your mother are no longer there
124. W’oligwa nange we ndigwa : bwe bafa tebaziikibwa wamu – Where you will fall, I, also, shall fall : (says he, but) when they die, they are not buried together
125. W’olimalira omulimo ogwo : nga eza Nnakakedde luwe – By the time you will have finished that job, the hair of a clean-shaven person will have grown into Iuwe (hair of about mm) (i
126. W’olumira ku ly’ogenda okukoza : ng’ekiri munda kikuli bulungi? Where you bite the ttooke before diing it into the sauce, (they might ask you) does what is inside you (i – e
127. W’omubiri gwe : y’agwonoona – (= Ow’omubiri – ) One who does harm to his body : does it to himself
128. W’omugongo omutono : talya ka Mugolooba – (= Ow’omugongo – – ) One who shows no energy (has no persistency) : will not get anything from the Mugolooba
129. W’omutala (= ow’omutala) gwe : bw’asanga bw’ayisa (= w’asanga w’akola) – ( W’akaalo ke: ) He who lives on his own land : lives as he pleases
130. W’omwana afuluma amdnya wuwe – (= Ow’omwana – – ) Every one knows and loves his own child (more than he loves others)
131. W’ondaba omala : yettira obuko – Wherever you meet me, you can settle your business! : one who speaks like this deprives himself of friends (relations)
132. W’osuula engabo : obulwa (= olutabaalo) we bukoma – Where you throw the shield away : there the fighting stops
133. W’otereereza mmomboze: nga gwe wawasa ng’omulaba? ( W’oddiza omulalu: ) Would you trust (anything) to a stranger (slave woman, concubine), even though you had one whom you married (i – e
134. W’otonnatuuka : we balya eky’enkya – Where you have never yet called : there (you imagine) they have lunch
135. W’otonnava : toyonoona mu kisulo! A ace you have not left yet (your kibanja) : do not let it fall into disorder (do not soil it)! You might decide to stay and would have to restore order –
136. W’ova toyombye : w’otera okudda – You like to go back to a ace, where you had no comaint
137. Wulutu, wulutu : ng’amazzi ku lutimpatimpa; olukomako nga gayiika – ( Ka-bala butegero: ) Slithering (sliding, rolling) away : like the waterdrop on an arum-lily leaf; as soon as you touch it (the leaf), the drop slides away (without leaving a trace)