SOME POPULAR ETHIOPIAN SAYINGS AND PROVERBS WITH THEIR TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION IN ENGLISH. 8
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."
43."የቸገረው:እርጉዝ:ያገባል::" (Yechegerew erguz yagebal.) [="A troubled marries a pregnant."]
This one is an expression of difficulty that forces you choose what you don't want to. If a man is optionless, he is likely to be very glad to marry a pregnant woman and alleviate his trouble: if she is the solution, or half. This proverb tells, in another words, it is good to accept even unpleasant things that might give a little ease to one's problems. e.g. "I have no means of transportation in this busy week. A man in trouble marries a pregnant. How do you expect I would refuse to get up 5:00, cutting my sleep, and wait for your lift!"
44."መብላቱዋን:ሳታውቅ:እጁዋን:ታጠበች::" (Meblatuan satawq ejuan tatebech.) [="Washed her hands before she assured she will eat."]
This one is very famous. It expresses one has gone a pace/work far forward, before one is sure he/she will succeed in passing the path and reaching the end. It is silly and unnecessary to do something that should have been done after a preceding job is finished. e.g. "It is stupid of her to call her friends for a party, before she completely finishes the deal and process of buying the villa. It has become like, she washed her hands before she is sure she will be served a meal." That might be a saying of fun. It can also be seen as a proverb carrying a message. That one needs to finish tasks in their orders. “Please bring back my television this weekend. After all, if you keep looking out of information and get scared when I ask about it, you might have been stolen or broke it down. I cannot spend my little money on that game console without ascertaining I have the TV. I don’t want to wash my hands before I am sure I will eat. Go away now man.”
45."ጉልቻ:መቀያየር:ወጥ:አያጣፍጥም::" (gulcha mekeyayer wot ayataftm.) [="Changing stoves sweetens the stew not."]
This famous axiom is told to express when to do something is completely useless. A thing may not make any difference to your problem yet do it anyways. You will be told this proverb, if you are in such meaningless scenario. It is like to change your stove when you prepare your stew, hoping that will make the stew more delicious. This is wrong, unnecessary and silly thing. e.g. "Dad? I want to wear the black socks for my soccer match tomorrow. Swap mine blue with yours, please." "Don’t worry about such things, lad! You win not because you are pedant (about your socks), but because of your assiduousness and hard work. To change the stew and the socks makes the stew and the game no better. Your adeptness decides every thing.”
46."ሠዉ:የውሸት:እየኖረ:የእውነት:ይሞታል::" (Sew yewushet eyenore ye ewunet ymotal.) [="Man feigns life, but truly dies."]
This is told to preach frankness. Who says this proverb believes, one's life should be genuine, in a sense that, man have to show her true feelings and needs rather than hiding one's identity and live pretending. It tells, concealing your exact identity and showing your false life is to lead a sham life. But you die not in a bogus way as you did it in living. Therefore, you have to be straightforward and plain. You must show your true identity and behave as who you are. Albeit you lead a false life, a real (true) death will come at some time, to culminate your facade life. e.g. "Hey, Dawit. Let's go to Arba Minch for a week vacation." "Sorry, Hirrut. I can't stand with false identity any more. I am poor and I can't afford even my little rent. I have seen it now; man lives pretending but pass away for real. I must lead my genuine poor life this way until I become richer. Don’t take our blanket with you please.”
47."ድር:ቢያብር:አንበሣ:ያሥር::" (Dirr biabr anbessa yasr.) [="A raw cotton “spinned”, ties a lion."]
No other proverb is famous in Ethiopia on the issue of unity. “ድር” “Dirr” is a very slender fiber made from unprocessed (raw) cotton with bare hands of Ethiopians, mostly by rural women who stay at home. It is not strong and gets cuts very easily until time where it goes spinning again and again on one of the thighs of the woman using a dedicated stick called “እንዝርት” “enzirt”. It is finally united with many other 'dirr's in a cottage industry and make what is called “ጋቢ” “Gabi” and “ነጠላ” “Netella” which are big garments (used as cloaks and blankets). Also any strong thread can be fabricated of it. Meaning, if the little fiber is united, it will tie a lion. The thing to be learnt here is that unity adds strength and make difficulties or impossiblities easier!
48."ለተቀማጭ:ሠማይ:ቅርቡ:ነው::" (Letekemach semay kirbu naw.) [="The sky is closer to a seated.]
This tells who does not work, feels all things are easy. People seat idle and talk something is very easy. When Ethiopians get such sort of behaviors, it is commonly told-they rebuke with this saying. It is, simply, told when one try to tell something difficult or heavy is completely easy. e.g. "My goodness! You scored 52 out of 100! It means, you are never good at Physics." "Now I learnt for a seated, one who is seating) the sky is closer. You do not know how much difficult Physics is. And you disdain my big result. The highest score in our class was only 68. Mine is ranked fifth."
49."ያዳቆነ:ሰይጣን:ሳያቀስ:አይለቅም::" (Yadakone seytan sayakes aylekm.) [="A devil annoiting a deacon never leaves before annoiting as priest."]
This proverb encourages you not start any thing bad, no matter small it looks, or is. That is because, once you begin a bad job, it will be difficult to you to leave it easily. Even to the worst failure, you would find it good and keep it up making it a habit. Once the devil have taken your heart and mind, it will make you blind to see your good past and make you delve into your bad habits. So, the wisest thing about keeping away from failure is, the proverb dictates, not to let the devil make you start any bad action. You win by leaving temptations as soon as they happen, or any time before you act accordingly. Then you will be safe from the result of the bads. Unless and otherwise, bad habits, if defeated to, will almost leave you never. To return is so unlikely. Thus, not to go is the key (medicine). e.g. "Come on Hanna! We smoke and steal only for this night. We will never do it again, I swear!" "No. Mihret. I will not do such thing and lose my serenity. What more is that, the devil that made you a deacon will never leave you before making you a priest. So, I shall only go to my home. Cheerio."
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."
43."የቸገረው:እርጉዝ:ያገባል::" (Yechegerew erguz yagebal.) [="A troubled marries a pregnant."]
This one is an expression of difficulty that forces you choose what you don't want to. If a man is optionless, he is likely to be very glad to marry a pregnant woman and alleviate his trouble: if she is the solution, or half. This proverb tells, in another words, it is good to accept even unpleasant things that might give a little ease to one's problems. e.g. "I have no means of transportation in this busy week. A man in trouble marries a pregnant. How do you expect I would refuse to get up 5:00, cutting my sleep, and wait for your lift!"
44."መብላቱዋን:ሳታውቅ:እጁዋን:ታጠበች::" (Meblatuan satawq ejuan tatebech.) [="Washed her hands before she assured she will eat."]
This one is very famous. It expresses one has gone a pace/work far forward, before one is sure he/she will succeed in passing the path and reaching the end. It is silly and unnecessary to do something that should have been done after a preceding job is finished. e.g. "It is stupid of her to call her friends for a party, before she completely finishes the deal and process of buying the villa. It has become like, she washed her hands before she is sure she will be served a meal." That might be a saying of fun. It can also be seen as a proverb carrying a message. That one needs to finish tasks in their orders. “Please bring back my television this weekend. After all, if you keep looking out of information and get scared when I ask about it, you might have been stolen or broke it down. I cannot spend my little money on that game console without ascertaining I have the TV. I don’t want to wash my hands before I am sure I will eat. Go away now man.”
45."ጉልቻ:መቀያየር:ወጥ:አያጣፍጥም::" (gulcha mekeyayer wot ayataftm.) [="Changing stoves sweetens the stew not."]
This famous axiom is told to express when to do something is completely useless. A thing may not make any difference to your problem yet do it anyways. You will be told this proverb, if you are in such meaningless scenario. It is like to change your stove when you prepare your stew, hoping that will make the stew more delicious. This is wrong, unnecessary and silly thing. e.g. "Dad? I want to wear the black socks for my soccer match tomorrow. Swap mine blue with yours, please." "Don’t worry about such things, lad! You win not because you are pedant (about your socks), but because of your assiduousness and hard work. To change the stew and the socks makes the stew and the game no better. Your adeptness decides every thing.”
46."ሠዉ:የውሸት:እየኖረ:የእውነት:ይሞታል::" (Sew yewushet eyenore ye ewunet ymotal.) [="Man feigns life, but truly dies."]
This is told to preach frankness. Who says this proverb believes, one's life should be genuine, in a sense that, man have to show her true feelings and needs rather than hiding one's identity and live pretending. It tells, concealing your exact identity and showing your false life is to lead a sham life. But you die not in a bogus way as you did it in living. Therefore, you have to be straightforward and plain. You must show your true identity and behave as who you are. Albeit you lead a false life, a real (true) death will come at some time, to culminate your facade life. e.g. "Hey, Dawit. Let's go to Arba Minch for a week vacation." "Sorry, Hirrut. I can't stand with false identity any more. I am poor and I can't afford even my little rent. I have seen it now; man lives pretending but pass away for real. I must lead my genuine poor life this way until I become richer. Don’t take our blanket with you please.”
47."ድር:ቢያብር:አንበሣ:ያሥር::" (Dirr biabr anbessa yasr.) [="A raw cotton “spinned”, ties a lion."]
No other proverb is famous in Ethiopia on the issue of unity. “ድር” “Dirr” is a very slender fiber made from unprocessed (raw) cotton with bare hands of Ethiopians, mostly by rural women who stay at home. It is not strong and gets cuts very easily until time where it goes spinning again and again on one of the thighs of the woman using a dedicated stick called “እንዝርት” “enzirt”. It is finally united with many other 'dirr's in a cottage industry and make what is called “ጋቢ” “Gabi” and “ነጠላ” “Netella” which are big garments (used as cloaks and blankets). Also any strong thread can be fabricated of it. Meaning, if the little fiber is united, it will tie a lion. The thing to be learnt here is that unity adds strength and make difficulties or impossiblities easier!
48."ለተቀማጭ:ሠማይ:ቅርቡ:ነው::" (Letekemach semay kirbu naw.) [="The sky is closer to a seated.]
This tells who does not work, feels all things are easy. People seat idle and talk something is very easy. When Ethiopians get such sort of behaviors, it is commonly told-they rebuke with this saying. It is, simply, told when one try to tell something difficult or heavy is completely easy. e.g. "My goodness! You scored 52 out of 100! It means, you are never good at Physics." "Now I learnt for a seated, one who is seating) the sky is closer. You do not know how much difficult Physics is. And you disdain my big result. The highest score in our class was only 68. Mine is ranked fifth."
49."ያዳቆነ:ሰይጣን:ሳያቀስ:አይለቅም::" (Yadakone seytan sayakes aylekm.) [="A devil annoiting a deacon never leaves before annoiting as priest."]
This proverb encourages you not start any thing bad, no matter small it looks, or is. That is because, once you begin a bad job, it will be difficult to you to leave it easily. Even to the worst failure, you would find it good and keep it up making it a habit. Once the devil have taken your heart and mind, it will make you blind to see your good past and make you delve into your bad habits. So, the wisest thing about keeping away from failure is, the proverb dictates, not to let the devil make you start any bad action. You win by leaving temptations as soon as they happen, or any time before you act accordingly. Then you will be safe from the result of the bads. Unless and otherwise, bad habits, if defeated to, will almost leave you never. To return is so unlikely. Thus, not to go is the key (medicine). e.g. "Come on Hanna! We smoke and steal only for this night. We will never do it again, I swear!" "No. Mihret. I will not do such thing and lose my serenity. What more is that, the devil that made you a deacon will never leave you before making you a priest. So, I shall only go to my home. Cheerio."
hi Mr Hailemeskel
ReplyDeleteit is good to see someone sharing these proverbs.
thank you.
i want to ask a proverb's saying and writing in amharic,
"when one is prepared, difficulties do not come"
i heard it in TV serial "Da Vinci's Demons".
they say it was amharic.
do you know such a proverb in the same meaning in amharic.
Unfortunately I don't. But I will ask from Fathers and tell you... tnx for asking and the compliment.
ReplyDeleteIt is in the third episode of the first season.
ReplyDeletethe exact time of the speech is 02:50 in the episode.
you may understand if you could have see the scene.
i'd appreciate if you could watch that part of the episode.
tnx again.
Hi, 8 had looked at the moviend and sadly the languages spoken was not amharic.
DeleteI can't believe that they dared to make such a big lie .
They say "ለተዘጋጀ ችግር ሩቅ ነው" can be read as "Le tezegaje cheger ruk new". This is not a proverb but just a simple Amharic phrase.
ReplyDelete