SOME POPULAR ETHIOPIAN SAYINGS AND PROVERBS WITH THEIR TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION IN ENGLISH. 5
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.) "Because you have two legs, you won't climb two trees."
It means, people shouldn't do things that are likely to bring troubles, only because they think they can do it. One have to do a possible job at a time. If you try to do additional jobs, you may be unsuccessful in all the jobs you are trying to do. Therefore, complete the one job you are doing now, and start a new when it seems possible.
31."ምን:ሴት:ብታውቅ:በወንድ:ያልቅ::" (Min set btawk bewond yalk) "No matter a woman knows, it's by a man a thing is finished."
This saying, even though fading away now days, was a one which showed a realty in the past Ethiopia. It claims, a woman may know much and has a savvy about a thing. But, the final decision was given by her spouse, father or brother. When a woman told something about a thing because she knows and she have information about the thing and give her recommendations, she would be told her suggestions are never final, and needs confirmation of a man. She would be told the saying-no matter how much she knows, its a man who must finally decides.
32."ሕልም:ተፈርቶ:ሳይተኛ:አይታደርም::" (Hilm tefferto saytegna aytaderm.) [="Fearing dream, you won't stop sleeping."]
This saying is told to encourage someone/oneself to do something, though something unpleasant is inevitable or probable. e.g. "We have to wach this decisive game. So let's go out of the school over the fence." "No! The school securieties might catch us." "You don't stop to sleep, fearing a bad dream. If you fear, you stay here and miss the match. I must go." "You're right. Let's get lost out of here. And not fear the watchmen." There are things you think you have to do. Simultaneously, there may seem a problem coming on you if you do what you wished to. But, when it is neccessary job, Ethiopians will tell you-you must do it and never stop, as you would not stay awak over the whole night, fearing a bad illusion that may come.
33."ሴት:የላከው:ሞት:አይፈራም::" (Set yelakew mot ayferam.) [="Who is sent by a woman, (will) never fear death.]
This popular Ethiopians saying is told when one encounter the real situation of the saying. And that is common. When a woman told a man do something for her, he is never reluctant. No matter difficult, dangerous or impossible the order is, men do what their women ask them. That is to impress and/or continue the alrady established relationship.
34."ኑሮ:ካሉት:መቃብርም:ይሞቃል::" (Nuro kallut mekabrm ymokal.) [="If it is called life, even a grave is glamorous.] Or "'ኑሮ:ካሉት:ፍሪጅም:ይሞቃል::' አለች:ኮካ::" ('Nuro kallut firrijem ymokal' alech coca) [=" 'If it is called life, even a refrigerator is glamorous', said coca.]
35."ለወሬ:የለዉም:ፍሬ::" (Leworea yellewm frea) [="For talk, there is no fruit."]
This saying preaches for work. You talk and talk. But a useless talk have no reward. Your work, but not your talk, is fruitful. People tell the saying to stress the need for work, as oppossed to a meaningless (fruitless) talk.
36."እውር:አይንህ:ነገ:ይበራልሀል:ቢሉት:'ዛሬን:እንዴት:አድሬ::'አለ::" (Ewur ayneh nege yberalhal billut 'zaren endet adre' alle) [="When a blined is told he will see tomorrow he said, 'How can I sleep today?' "]
This saying shows a man who is completely unwilling to tolerate. People tell the saying when they come across with a ridiculous intolerance. When you give them a good news to their endless or big problem "An end of your misery is coming very soon!", they will shout they can't even wait till then. You may rebuke them for thier intolerance. But the saying should be the beginning of your reprimand.
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.) "Because you have two legs, you won't climb two trees."
It means, people shouldn't do things that are likely to bring troubles, only because they think they can do it. One have to do a possible job at a time. If you try to do additional jobs, you may be unsuccessful in all the jobs you are trying to do. Therefore, complete the one job you are doing now, and start a new when it seems possible.
31."ምን:ሴት:ብታውቅ:በወንድ:ያልቅ::" (Min set btawk bewond yalk) "No matter a woman knows, it's by a man a thing is finished."
This saying, even though fading away now days, was a one which showed a realty in the past Ethiopia. It claims, a woman may know much and has a savvy about a thing. But, the final decision was given by her spouse, father or brother. When a woman told something about a thing because she knows and she have information about the thing and give her recommendations, she would be told her suggestions are never final, and needs confirmation of a man. She would be told the saying-no matter how much she knows, its a man who must finally decides.
32."ሕልም:ተፈርቶ:ሳይተኛ:አይታደርም::" (Hilm tefferto saytegna aytaderm.) [="Fearing dream, you won't stop sleeping."]
This saying is told to encourage someone/oneself to do something, though something unpleasant is inevitable or probable. e.g. "We have to wach this decisive game. So let's go out of the school over the fence." "No! The school securieties might catch us." "You don't stop to sleep, fearing a bad dream. If you fear, you stay here and miss the match. I must go." "You're right. Let's get lost out of here. And not fear the watchmen." There are things you think you have to do. Simultaneously, there may seem a problem coming on you if you do what you wished to. But, when it is neccessary job, Ethiopians will tell you-you must do it and never stop, as you would not stay awak over the whole night, fearing a bad illusion that may come.
33."ሴት:የላከው:ሞት:አይፈራም::" (Set yelakew mot ayferam.) [="Who is sent by a woman, (will) never fear death.]
This popular Ethiopians saying is told when one encounter the real situation of the saying. And that is common. When a woman told a man do something for her, he is never reluctant. No matter difficult, dangerous or impossible the order is, men do what their women ask them. That is to impress and/or continue the alrady established relationship.
34."ኑሮ:ካሉት:መቃብርም:ይሞቃል::" (Nuro kallut mekabrm ymokal.) [="If it is called life, even a grave is glamorous.] Or "'ኑሮ:ካሉት:ፍሪጅም:ይሞቃል::' አለች:ኮካ::" ('Nuro kallut firrijem ymokal' alech coca) [=" 'If it is called life, even a refrigerator is glamorous', said coca.]
35."ለወሬ:የለዉም:ፍሬ::" (Leworea yellewm frea) [="For talk, there is no fruit."]
This saying preaches for work. You talk and talk. But a useless talk have no reward. Your work, but not your talk, is fruitful. People tell the saying to stress the need for work, as oppossed to a meaningless (fruitless) talk.
36."እውር:አይንህ:ነገ:ይበራልሀል:ቢሉት:'ዛሬን:እንዴት:አድሬ::'አለ::" (Ewur ayneh nege yberalhal billut 'zaren endet adre' alle) [="When a blined is told he will see tomorrow he said, 'How can I sleep today?' "]
This saying shows a man who is completely unwilling to tolerate. People tell the saying when they come across with a ridiculous intolerance. When you give them a good news to their endless or big problem "An end of your misery is coming very soon!", they will shout they can't even wait till then. You may rebuke them for thier intolerance. But the saying should be the beginning of your reprimand.
Hello Binyam Hailemeskel,
ReplyDeleteI'm an editor at World Trade Press, a company in California that creates educational websites. We are compiling proverbs from around the world for one of our sites, and want to add Ethiopian proverbs in Amharic, with transliteration, translation, and meaning. We found your website to be a valuable resource for Ethiopian proverbs, and would like to request the use of your content in exchange for author attribution, a link to your website, and a free one-year subscription to our website where the proverbs will appear.
Thank you for your time and for your consideration of our request. I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks,
Hope Kang
hope@worldtradepress.com
Hello Hope Kang,
DeleteI am glad You find my blog usefull. In a good Public, for nothing is as noble as education, it is a great honor to let you make use of these posts about Ethiopian Proverbs. I hope and wish you accumulate a great deal of valuable sayings from around the glob.
Regards,
Binyam Hailemeskel
Binyamael@gmail.com