Diema tša Sepedi le ditlhaloso

Literally: A person is a person through other people.

Meaning: We become fully human through our relationships with others, so treat people with care and respect.

Tlhaloso: Motho a ka se phele a nnoši; re a hlokana, ka gona re swanetše go hlomphana le go thušana.

Literally: A child's mother holds the knife by its sharp edge.

Meaning: A mother will take on pain and danger herself to protect and provide for her children.

Tlhaloso: Mma o kgotlelela mathata ka moka gore bana ba gagwe ba phele gabotse, le ge seo se mo gobatša.

Literally: Children of one family share even the little head of a locust.

Meaning: Family members share whatever they have, however small.

Tlhaloso: Bana ba lapa le tee ba abelana, le ge seo ba nago le sona e le se sennyane kudu.

Literally: A cow's colour grows in the calf.

Meaning: Children tend to show the character and habits of their parents.

Tlhaloso: Ngwana o gola a swana le batswadi ba gagwe ka mekgwa le ka ditiro.

Literally: One finger cannot pick out a louse.

Meaning: Nobody succeeds alone; we need each other's help.

Tlhaloso: Motho a nnoši a ka se kgone dilo ka moka; re hloka thušo ya ba bangwe.

Literally: Two together kill a snake.

Meaning: A hard task becomes manageable when people work together.

Tlhaloso: Batho ba babedi ge ba šoma mmogo ba kgona dilo tšeo motho a nnoši a ka se di kgonego.

Literally: Two dogs are not beaten by a wild beast.

Meaning: Together, people can overcome what would defeat one person.

Tlhaloso: Batho ba ba thušanago ga ba palelwe ke mošomo, le ge o le boima.

Literally: The impalas that ate the marula fruit leave.

Meaning: Some friends stay only while you have something to give them.

Tlhaloso: Bagwera ba bangwe ba go tlogela ge ba bona gore ga o sa na selo seo ba ka se holegago ka sona.

Literally: A reed is bent while it is still young.

Meaning: Teach children good habits while they are young.

Tlhaloso: Ngwana o rutwa mekgwa ye mebotse a sa le yo monnyane, pele mekgwa ye mebe e tsena.

Literally: A work party stands by its members.

Meaning: A group effort succeeds when every member commits to it.

Tlhaloso: Mošomo wa sehlopha o atlega ge mongwe le mongwe a tšea karolo ya gagwe.

Literally: Many rats do not dig a hole.

Meaning: Too many people on one task can end up getting in each other's way.

Tlhaloso: Ge batho ba le bantši modirong o tee, ba ka no ngangišana gomme modiro wa se phethege.

Literally: One who gnaws a bone in hunger gnaws facing home.

Meaning: When you get something good, think first of sharing it with your family.

Tlhaloso: Ge o hweditše se sebotse, gopola ba geno pele gore le abelane.

Literally: An orphan learns the law at the chief's court.

Meaning: The whole community shares in raising and teaching a child.

Tlhaloso: Ngwana yo a se nago batswadi o rutwa mekgwa ke setšhaba ka moka.

Literally: A house full of dust does not produce a chief.

Meaning: A home or group full of quarrels cannot achieve great things.

Tlhaloso: Batho bao ba sa kwanego ga ba kgone go fihlelela dilo tše kgolo.

Literally: Lions without unity fail to catch a limping buffalo.

Meaning: Without unity, even an easy task cannot be done.

Tlhaloso: Ge batho ba sa kwane, ba palelwa le ke mošomo wo bonolo.

Literally: One that keeps company with the wild one will become wild too.

Meaning: Bad company leads you into bad behaviour.

Tlhaloso: Ge o gwerana le batho ba mekgwa ye mebe, le wena o tla thoma go dira bjalo ka bona.

Literally: It is cattle of the same kraal that gore each other.

Meaning: Quarrels happen most among people who live together; they can be settled.

Tlhaloso: Batho ba ba dulago mmogo ba a ngangišana; seo ga se re ba tlogelane.

Literally: Horns that are put on you do not stick to the head.

Meaning: Status or skill you did not earn yourself does not last.

Tlhaloso: Seo o se filwego ke ba bangwe, e sego seo o se šometšego, se ka se go dulele.

Literally: Persevere, digger of the termite queen; no wealth comes from close by.

Meaning: Success needs patience and hard work; nothing valuable comes easily.

Tlhaloso: Dilo tša bohlokwa ga di hwetšwe gabonolo; motho o swanetše go kgotlelela le go šoma ka thata.

Literally: An orphan that does not die is waiting for plenty.

Meaning: Keep going through hard times; better days will come.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a kgotlelelago mathateng, ka moso o tla bona mahlatse.

Literally: It is the cow that tries to rise that is helped up.

Meaning: People help those who are already trying to help themselves.

Tlhaloso: Ge o nyaka thušo, thoma ka go leka wena ka noši; batho ba thuša yo a ikemišeditšego.

Literally: The one who digs does not come back empty-handed.

Meaning: Steady effort is always rewarded in some way.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a šomago ka kgotlelelo o tla hwetša se sengwe se sebotse.

Literally: An inheritance that is not yours, you kick with your feet.

Meaning: People do not value what they did not work for.

Tlhaloso: Selo seo motho a sa se šomelago ga a se hlokomele ka gobane ga a tsebe boima bja sona.

Literally: Trying is not mastering; mastery comes from repeating.

Meaning: Practice is what turns a first attempt into skill.

Tlhaloso: Ge o paletšwe la mathomo, o se lahle; boeletša go fihlela o kgona.

Literally: A partridge scratches for food while it is still morning.

Meaning: Start early, and learn your skills while you still have time.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a thomago ka pela le go ithuta e sa le nako, o atlega.

Literally: The sick person goes after the doctor.

Meaning: If you need help, it is up to you to go and find it.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a hlokago thušo ke yena a swanetšego go e nyaka moo e lego gona.

Literally: A man eats the sweat of his brow.

Meaning: People who work hard enjoy the rewards of their effort.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a šomago ka thata o hwetša moputso wa go lekana le mošomo wa gagwe.

Literally: The rock rabbit has no tail because it sent others to fetch it.

Meaning: If you always rely on others to do things for you, you lose out.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a dulago a romela ba bangwe go mo direla dilo o feleletša a hloka.

Literally: One who waits for the moon waits in darkness.

Meaning: Waiting for perfect conditions keeps you stuck; act with what you have.

Tlhaloso: O se dule o letile gore dilo di loke ka moka; thoma ka seo o nago le sona.

Literally: There is no vulture that never comes upon a carcass.

Meaning: Everyone's chance of good fortune comes in time.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo mongwe le yo mongwe o na le nako yeo a tlago go hwetša mahlatse.

Literally: What delays the baboons is looking back.

Meaning: Hesitating and dwelling on the past wastes time and holds you back.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a nyakago go fihlelela sengwe a se senye nako ka go dikadika le go lebelela morago.

Literally: Good fortune is wrapped in misfortune.

Meaning: Hardship endured with patience often leads to good things.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a kgotlelelago ge dilo di le thata, mafelelong o hwetša lethabo.

Literally: The hasty one eats a goat; the one who takes his time eats a calf.

Meaning: Work done patiently brings bigger rewards than work rushed.

Tlhaloso: Modiro wo o dirwago ka lebelo ga o phethege gabotse; wo o dirwago ka go se fele pelo o tšweletša tše kaone.

Literally: A fig does not ripen because it sees a baboon.

Meaning: Things happen in their own time; impatience does not hurry them.

Tlhaloso: Selo se tla direga ge nako ya sona e fihlile, le ge o se nyaka ka pela.

Literally: Meat forced into the pot breaks the pot.

Meaning: Things done by force, without willingness, turn out badly.

Tlhaloso: Selo seo motho a gapeletšwago go se dira ga se phethege gabotse.

Literally: A river is dammed in winter; in summer it will overflow.

Meaning: Act in good time, before the problem becomes too big.

Tlhaloso: Dira dilo ka nako ya tšona; o se dikadike go fihlela go šetše go le thata.

Literally: The baby-carrying skin is not prepared before the child is born.

Meaning: Do not count on something before it has actually happened.

Tlhaloso: O se ke wa ithekga ka selo seo se sego sa direga; leta se fihle pele.

Literally: As soon as you think of the rhino, climb the tree.

Meaning: Act at once when you see the need; do not delay.

Tlhaloso: Ge o nagana ka modiro wo o swanetšego go o dira, o dire ka yona nako yeo.

Literally: Delay gives birth to loss.

Meaning: Putting things off leads to missed chances.

Tlhaloso: Ge o diega go dira seo o swanetšego go se dira, o ka lahlegelwa ke sebaka.

Literally: We will say they are zebras when we see the stripes.

Meaning: Believe a claim when you see the evidence, not just the words.

Tlhaloso: Re dumela seo re se bonago ka mahlo, e sego seo re se botšwago fela.

Literally: The beer has made the brewer drunk.

Meaning: A person's own actions or schemes can turn back on them.

Tlhaloso: Ka dinako tše dingwe motho o wela mathateng ka baka la seo yena ka noši a se dirilego.

Literally: Things that come lightly become things that come heavily.

Meaning: Small problems that are not dealt with early grow into big ones.

Tlhaloso: Bothata bjo bonnyane ge bo sa rarollwe ka pela, bo a gola bja ba bothata bjo bogolo.

Literally: We know the lion-killer by the claws.

Meaning: Claims are proven by evidence and results.

Tlhaloso: Motho o tsebja ka seo a se fihleletšego; re dumela ge go na le bohlatse.

Literally: Where there is a carcass, we know by the vultures.

Meaning: Clear signs show that something is really happening.

Tlhaloso: Ge go na le maswao a taba, go šupa gore taba yeo ke ya nnete.

Literally: One who runs from the rain runs into a downpour.

Meaning: Running away from one problem can land you in a worse one.

Tlhaloso: Ge o tšhaba bothata, o ka wela bothateng bjo bogolo go feta bjoo o bo tšhabago.

Literally: A tortoise does not throw away its shell.

Meaning: Deep-rooted habits are very hard to change.

Tlhaloso: Mekgwa yeo motho a e tlwaetšego ga e tlogelwe ka bonolo.

Literally: What goes to the royal place does not come back.

Meaning: What you have given away should not be demanded back; some things, once done, are final.

Tlhaloso: Se o se filego motho o se ke wa boela wa se nyaka; selo se se fetilego ga se boe.

Literally: The springhare said 'I am fast'; the sand said 'I stretch far'.

Meaning: Do not boast about your strength; there is always something greater than you.

Tlhaloso: Motho a se ikgantšhe ka maatla a gagwe, ka gobane go na le tše di mo fetago.

Literally: Chieftainship you give yourself does not last.

Meaning: Status that you grab or praise you heap on yourself will not last.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a ikgodišago a ipea godimo ga ba bangwe, mafelelong o tla nyatšega.

Literally: To give is to hang up in store; when you feel hungry you take it down.

Meaning: Kindness you show others is like saving: it comes back to you when you are in need.

Tlhaloso: Thušo yeo o e fago ba bangwe e tla go boela ka letšatši leo o hlokago.

Literally: Even if you skin it down in the gorge, the crows see you.

Meaning: Wrongdoing done in secret is eventually found out.

Tlhaloso: Bobe bjo o bo dirago o utame bo tla tšwelela pepeneneng ka letšatši le lengwe.

Literally: The heart's kraal is never full.

Meaning: Human desires are never fully satisfied.

Tlhaloso: Motho ga a kgotsofale; ge a hweditše se, o nyaka sela.

Literally: A guilty conscience judges itself.

Meaning: A person who has done wrong often gives themselves away.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a dirilego molato o ipontšha ka go tshwenyega, pele a ka bolelwa ke ba bangwe.

Literally: Lies are not an ointment a person can smear on.

Meaning: Lying does not help you; always be truthful.

Tlhaloso: Maaka a ka se go hole; motho o swanetše go bolela therešo ka mehla.

Literally: You give them a finger and they want the whole arm.

Meaning: Some people, given a little, keep demanding more.

Tlhaloso: Batho ba bangwe ge o ba fa se sennyane ba thoma go nyaka tše dintši.

Literally: Do not, on seeing it limp, make it climb a mountain.

Meaning: Do not make life harder for someone who is already struggling.

Tlhaloso: Ge motho a šetše a le mathateng, o se mo oketšetše bothata.

Literally: A baboon does not see its own brow ridges.

Meaning: People easily see others' faults but not their own.

Tlhaloso: Motho o bona diphošo tša ba bangwe, eupša ga a bone tša gagwe.

Literally: The thicket a duiker will come out of is not known.

Meaning: You never know where help or talent will come from, so despise no one.

Tlhaloso: O se nyatše motho goba lefelo; ga o tsebe gore thušo e tla tšwa kae.

Literally: The mouth is one's sister.

Meaning: Speak up and ask; your own words will get you the help you need.

Tlhaloso: Ge o sa tsebe goba o hloka thušo, botšiša; molomo wa gago o tla go thuša.

Literally: News comes out of the eyes.

Meaning: A person's face often shows whether they are telling the truth.

Tlhaloso: Ge o lebelela motho sefahlegong ge a bolela, o ka bona ge e le therešo goba maaka.

Literally: A word does not come back; only a finger comes back.

Meaning: Once spoken, words cannot be taken back, so think before you speak.

Tlhaloso: Ge o šetše o boletše, o ka se tšee mantšu a gago morago; nagana pele o bolela.

Literally: A baby who does not cry dies in the carrying skin.

Meaning: If you do not speak about your problems, nobody can help you.

Tlhaloso: Ge o sa bolele mathata a gago, batho ba ka se tsebe gore o hloka thušo.

Literally: News is smoke; it rises.

Meaning: Secrets and news spread no matter how hard you try to hide them.

Tlhaloso: Taba e ka se fihlwe ka mehla; e tla tšwelela gomme ya tsebja ke bohle.

Literally: Speak, you who have a mouth; the one with ears will hear.

Meaning: Talk about your troubles so that others can help.

Tlhaloso: Ge o na le bothata bolela, gore bao ba go kwago ba go thuše.

Literally: While they mix with the calves, let them keep suckling them.

Meaning: Adults who are close to young people must keep guiding them, or familiarity turns into disrespect.

Tlhaloso: Bagolo ge ba tlwaelane le bana ba swanetše go dula ba ba ruta mekgwa, gore bana ba se ba nyatše.

Literally: Let the wildcat be blamed, not the one who killed it.

Meaning: Judge the wrong that was done, not the person's family, status or background.

Tlhaloso: Ge go ahlolwa molato, go lebelelwe phošo yeo e dirilwego, e sego gore modiri ke mang goba o tšwa kae.

Literally: They see the goat's private parts in the open; the sheep's are covered by its tail.

Meaning: The faults of ordinary people are exposed, while the faults of the powerful are hidden.

Tlhaloso: Diphošo tša motho wa go hloka di bolelwa phatlalatša, mola tša motho wa maemo a godimo di khupetšwa.

Literally: A kraal is built around the chief's word.

Meaning: A leader's word carries authority and is respected by the community.

Tlhaloso: Seo moetapele a se boletšego se a hlomphiwa, gomme setšhaba se a se latela.

Literally: To despise the chief is to leave.

Meaning: If you cannot respect a community's leadership, you cannot stay and undermine it.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a sa hlomphego baetapele ba motse o a ikarola go setšhaba.

Literally: When the chief limps, we his followers limp too.

Meaning: When a leader fails, the people led suffer too.

Tlhaloso: Ge moetapele a sa phethe mošomo wa gagwe gabotse, setšhaba ka moka se a tlaišega.

Literally: A journey is known by the one who makes it.

Meaning: Each person knows their own path and is responsible for the choices that shape it.

Tlhaloso: Motho ke yena a tsebago moo a yago gona, gomme diphetho tša gagwe ke tšona di mo isago moo.

Literally: Do not poke at the rats and then run away when you see their tails.

Meaning: If you start something, be ready to face what follows.

Tlhaloso: Ge o thomile taba, ema o lebane le ditlamorago tša yona.

Literally: Let them eat but leave the bones.

Meaning: When you correct or punish someone, be firm but not destructive; leave them room to recover.

Tlhaloso: Ge o kgalema motho o se mo fediše; kotlo e be ya go lekana gore a kgone go ema gape.

Literally: Not knowing is a danger.

Meaning: Ignorance leads to mistakes and harm, so make the effort to learn and to ask.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a sa ithutego goba a sa botšišego o tla wela mathateng ka gobane ga a tsebe tsela.

Literally: Fish, rely on the mud; you can see the water has dried up.

Meaning: When what you depended on is gone, make do with what remains instead of complaining.

Tlhaloso: Ge seo o bego o se tshepile se fedile, šomiša seo se šetšego, o se ke wa llela tša go feta.

Literally: One who goes before a lion goes holding a burning stick.

Meaning: If you know you are facing danger, go prepared.

Tlhaloso: Ge o tseba gore o lebane le kotsi, itokišetše pele gore o kgone go itšhireletša.

Literally: A restless bird lays only one egg.

Meaning: If you keep jumping from one thing to another, you achieve little; stay focused.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a sa tsepelelego modiro o tee o feleletša a sa phethe selo.

Literally: Where the front hoof has stepped, the back one will step too.

Meaning: Children follow the example set by their parents and elders.

Tlhaloso: Bana ba latela mehlala ya batswadi; seo bagolo ba se dirago, le bana ba tla se dira.

Literally: Wisdom comes from a scar.

Meaning: We learn from painful experiences and mistakes.

Tlhaloso: Mathata ao motho a ilego a a fete a mo ruta go se wele phošong yeo gape.

Literally: An elephant's two kidneys are not carried at the same time.

Meaning: Do not take on more than you can handle at once.

Tlhaloso: Motho a se leke go dira mediro ye mentši ka nako e tee, ka gobane e tla mo palela.

Literally: While the sun still shines on you, bask in it, for tomorrow it will shine on others.

Meaning: Use your opportunity while you have it; it may not come again.

Tlhaloso: Šomiša sebaka seo o nago le sona bjale, ka gobane ka moso se ka ba sa ba bangwe.

Literally: If a black thing has bitten you, you will run even from a millipede.

Meaning: A bad experience makes you cautious of anything that resembles it.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a kilego a gobala o fela a tšhaba le dilo tšeo di swanago le seo se mo gobaditšego.

Literally: A dog's loud barking is not biting.

Meaning: People who threaten loudly are often not the ones who act.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a tšhošetšago ka lešata ga se gore o tla dira seo a se bolelago.

Literally: A fish swims with its fins.

Meaning: Use the tools and abilities you have to do the job.

Tlhaloso: Motho wa bohlale o šomiša seo a nago le sona go phetha modiro wa gagwe.

Literally: A flying guinea fowl looks black; we see its colours only when it is dead.

Meaning: We often value people only after they are gone.

Tlhaloso: Re fela re sa bone bohlokwa bja motho ge a sa le gona; re bo lemoga ge a se a sepetše.

Literally: Sweetness cannot be tasted on someone else's behalf.

Meaning: You must experience something yourself to truly know it.

Tlhaloso: O ka se tsebe gore selo se bose bjang ge o sa se leka wena ka noši.

Literally: Hardship teaches wisdom.

Meaning: Struggling through difficulty makes a person wiser.

Tlhaloso: Mathata ao motho a fetago go ona a mo ruta go nagana le go loga maano.

Literally: A knobkerrie that will kill shows it in the swing.

Meaning: A strong, well-prepared start points to a good finish.

Tlhaloso: Ge o thoma modiro ka maatla le mafolofolo, o tla o fetša gabotse.

Literally: The stomach is a child; you save for it.

Meaning: Do not use up everything now; keep something for tomorrow.

Tlhaloso: O se fetše dijo goba tšhelete ka moka ka letšatši le tee; boloka tše dingwe tša ka moso.

Literally: When a dog grows old, it hunts by setting out early.

Meaning: When strength fades, use wisdom and planning instead.

Tlhaloso: Ge maatla a fela, šoma ka bohlale le maano.

Literally: A hyena that follows two paths splits its waist.

Meaning: Trying to do two things at once, you end up doing neither well.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a dirago mešomo ye mebedi ka nako e tee o ka palelwa ke bobedi bja yona.

Literally: When the little bird calls 'ping', it heard the big bird's 'ping'.

Meaning: Children copy what they see and hear from their elders.

Tlhaloso: Bana ba dira seo ba se bonago go batswadi ba bona.

Literally: A goat that fails to give birth says the udder is too small.

Meaning: People who fail often blame something else instead of themselves.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a paletšwego o fela a nyaka seo a ka se solago go na le go itebelela.

Literally: A matter is between two; the third is a gossip.

Meaning: Keep private matters between the people involved.

Tlhaloso: Ditaba tša batho ba babedi di swanetše go dula magareng ga bona.

Literally: Learning in old age is hard going.

Meaning: Learn while you are young; it gets harder as you grow older.

Tlhaloso: Ithute o sa le yo monnyane, ka gobane ge o tšofetše go ithuta go thata.

Literally: Food put back on the fire burns.

Meaning: Do not repeat a mistake; the second time the price is higher.

Tlhaloso: Ge o dirile phošo, o se e boeletše; la bobedi kotlo e ba ye kgolo.

Literally: A small wild ginger makes itself bigger by its scent.

Meaning: Someone small or overlooked can earn respect through what they do.

Tlhaloso: Motho yo a nyatšegago a ka hlompšha ka baka la ditiro tša gagwe.

Literally: A sore feels best when its owner scratches it.

Meaning: The person who lived through something knows it best.

Tlhaloso: Therešo ya taba e tsebja kudu ke motho yo e mo hlagetšego.

Literally: One does not grieve for a child over the cold, but over hunger.

Meaning: Put first things first: food and basic needs before comfort.

Tlhaloso: Dijo ke tša bohlokwa go feta diaparo; nyaka tše bohlokwa pele.

Literally: Those who love each other will even sleep out in the dew.

Meaning: People who truly love each other endure hardship together.

Tlhaloso: Batho ba ba ratanago ba kgotlelela mathata mmogo.