Binyam Hailemeskel Kidane ቢንያም ኃይለመስቀል ኪዳኔ

42."አባቱ:ዳኛ:ልጁ:ቀማኛ::" (Abatu dagna liju qemagna.) [="His father is the judge, the kid is the robber.] This saying is told by Ethiopians when things are not fair as a result of nepotism. In very old times, when a robber kid is caught and brought before court, it was his father in the chair. "The criminal code states", said the father/the judge, "there is exception to theft. If a person steals because he is very hungry, it can't be a crime." The victims reply, "Your Honour, the kid was not hungry we have asked him while we come to here. And, Your Honour, how could a judge's son be hungry enough to steal? We rest our case." The judge verdict reads, "he is not found guilty. He is my son and only I know how much hungry he was. I have not fed him yesterday and today. So, he is acquitted." Then he freed the kid. The victims complain citing the proverb. "How can fairness work, while judge is the father, and kid is the robber...

37."ምከረው:ምከረው:እንቢ:ካለ:መከራ:ይምከረው::" (Mkerew mkerew enbi kale mekera ymkerew.) [="Advice him, and, advice him. Stubborn? Let trouble advise him."] Minds are different. But, it does not mean sure or better suggestions don’t have to be bought to. Especially when you share what you know for sure, rejection boils your head. So you go further and insist too much. But after you gave it all (be stubborn yourself) and still stubborn is the other person too, this proverb is for you, and it might quench you as it goes with some contextually deserved attitude. It tells that you withdraw the issue and you decided the situation will teach the person. E.g. "I told him much about the transportation problems in A.A and advised him to migrate here only after he buyt that car for 58,000 Birr. But he is still deaf to my words and opted to retain his money. I can't do anything else. It's advice him, and, advice him. If he refuses, let trouble advise him. I say he will buy ...

28."ጭስ:ና:ደፋር:መውጫ:አያጣም::" (Çhis ena defarr mewucha ayatam.) "A valiant and smoke will never lose a way to go out (through)." This famous proverb told in Ethiopia, express whoever bold will be successful in completing a difficult task and hide itself from the punishments that may possibly come. e.g. Abel, the talented spy, searching their own office, has revealed the plan of our enemies. A valiant and smoke will never lose a way out. Abel has just arrived and re-joined us completing his mission. 29."እርጅ:ና:ብቻህን:ና::" (Erjina, bchahin na.)"Oldness. Please come alone." This one is, beyond a 'sayingness', even a prayer. People wish to be healthy, no matter how old they have become. They pray that side effects of oldness, (like illness and weakness), are not coming to them with their oldness. That is the meaning of the proverb. 30."ሁለት:እግር:አለኝ:ተብሎ:ሁለት:ዛፍ:ላይ:አይወጣም::" [=(Hoollat egir allegn teblo hoollat zaf lay aywotam.) ...

19."ሠው:ጥራ:ቢሉት:ራሡ:መጣ::" [="When they tell him call a person, he himself go."] If you tell this famous saying of Ethiopians, you are disdaining the one you are referring as the person who comes himself when he is told to call a person. Imagine when you want somebody to help you, just in that moment. And only someone who you do not want or who cant help is near to you. Then you tell that person "call someone please." But he himself comes to help. Alas! The one you disdain comes. This is the explanation of the saying. When it is used in speech, its meaning is just showing underestimation. 20"ሥጋ:ቁጠር:ቢሉት:ጣፊያ:አንድ:አለ::" [="When he is told to count meat, he said 'pancreas one'."] This is when someone do something silly and unexpected simultanously. When you expect them to do big, people might perform, behave, say... , in foolish way. When you get them that way, you will say the saying to express your aspiration is not meet. 2...

11."አባይ:ማደርያ:የለው:ግንድ:ይዞ:ይዞራል::" [="It has no place to sleep(rest), yet Abay (River Nile) roam with a log."] Some times we try to help others while we have nothing and we are not capable of doing anything. People pretend and behave as if they can make a difference, but they know they can not do any thing. And the saying is rebuking such behaviours. Abay is always holding logs. But where will it takes them? It has no place to rest even to itself. So, you should not try to help others while you have nothing even for yourself and you are dependent. 12."ሁለት:ጉርጉርጉዋድ:ያላት:አይጥ:አትምትም::" [="A rat with two dens will not die."] This one tells you to have back up options is very decisive in life. If you have two things to count on, you would make your life or goals certain, for you may pursue either of the options you created. A rat will hide in the nearest hole, if she has two, and thus, will make her life longer. 13."መርፌ:የራሡዋን:ቀዳዳ:ሳታይ:ብዙ:ጨርቅ:...

5."ዝም:ባለ:አፍ:ዝምብ:አይገባበትም::" [="In a mouth not speaking, no fly will enter."] If Ethiopians tell you this proverb, they are requesting you to keep silent (not to talk any further or at all from the beginning). Even if it literally means that if somebody's mouth is not talking, no fly will enter in to it, it is used for its subtle meaning - - if you do not talk, you will not mess up. Aparently, thi is the saying that Ethiopianss would through if they want to inform keeping silent is better than a perceived or actual problem that might occur because one is speaking. These is said  to mean, if you do not talk in a certain situation, no one will hate, oppose or rebuke you, for haven't said any think. What you may talk is likely to arouse some bad feeling to others, thus keeping silent, you can avoid the danger of fly entering in to your mouth (being hated, or opposed, and even you may avoid mistakes.) 6."ካለመናገር:ደጅ-አዝማችነት:ይቀራል::" [="By not spea...

SOME ETHIOPIAN POPULAR SAYINGS AND PROVERBS WITH THEIR TRANSLATIONS AND EXPLANATIONS IN ENGLISH #1 AS one of the historic nations in the world, Ethiopia has a deep tradition and way of life which has become a solid psych governing all the mind-sets of its typical citizens. Among other things, the nation has a plentiful culturally-popular proverbs and very old sayings. I have picked some of these most commonly referred to proverbs and sayings in the country where they are heard now and then, and just here and there. More often than not, they are apparently justifications for the thing they tell of. May be they could also be seen as inspiration, or rather advice. Objectively speaking, they are, of course, informative, reassuring or unacceptable, just as they may be; have your own judgment if you want. Yet to myself, I have found them interesting. And that is why I am sharing them with you, for I have learned from and criticize them. But now in this list, I have disallowed my...