Proverbs of the Samburu by Lesarge
Ref: Lmakiya Lesarge (2018). Proverbs of the Samburu. Aura Publishers.
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Summary
Proverbs from Kenya’s Samburu tribe.
The Samburu have no written language, so all information is passed on orally from person to person and through generations.
Proverbs encapsulate the community’s traditionally held truths, values, and beliefs. They contain wisdom, morals, truths, and traditional views of the community and their relationship with the world around them.
To introduce a proverb, it is common to refer to it as having originated from the “first people”, by using the statement “Etejo apa le kwe…” (“The first ones (people) once said…”).
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Samburu
The Samburu believe in one supreme being they call Nkai (God).
The Samburu are pastoral nomadic people. They follow rain patterns in their territory and settle where it has rained well. They are a patriarchal controlled and dominated community.
It is after circumcision that a boy is regarded as mature and therefore a man (adult). He cannot marry until he serves in the standing army of the tribe for some years.
Hierarchy and social stratification based on especially age is an integral part of the Samburu people’s social organization and a basic foundation of the tenet of respect which is the ultimate value in the tribe.
The Samburu regard the neck as one of the most sensitive parts of a human body. It is considered offensive to touch the neck of a member of this community for whatever reason without their consent.
It is regarded selfish for one to eat food alone and not share it with those who are needy. Food sharing and communal feasting enhances relations and strengthens friendship as asserted through the proverb “Nkosheke naata sotwa: The stomach is the abode of friendship.”
A curse is the most lethal method for social order among the Samburu. It is used to punish people who do wrong and refuse to admit their wrongdoing. An uncle’s curse on his nephew is believed to be the most potent curse.
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God
Netamanya nkai emanyi: People settle where God settles.
This proverb advises that God gives rain and therefore in that respect, chooses where people settle by sending rain to some places and not others.
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Wisdom
Madai naituruk neisiadu ngeno: Ignorance precedes wisdom.
Before one becomes wise, he is ignorant.
Meibulu ng’eno nkwe: Wisdom cannot engulf a head.
Wisdom as a strength is not a preserve of one individual since no individual is exclusively the abode of all wisdom. People are therefore better off reasoning together, so as to share their experiences and knowledge, to arrive at sound decisions on issues.
Tinilo nenya Itome, ninyia: Eat elephant (meat) when you go to a place where it is eaten.
This proverb advises that when you are among people you are not familiar with, you do things the way they do, not the way you are used to. Life necessitates that people become adaptable in order to survive.
Mara ltolimu etalaki amu Itoning’o: It is not the speakers that are lacking, but the audience.
This proverb informs that if people are not receptive of readily available advice, they will only have themselves to blame in case of an eventuality arising out of their not heeding said advice.
Meiriamakino nkonyek eo lewa nebo: Men’s eyes do not converge at one point.
This proverb informs people who consider themselves more intelligent than others that they ought to be accommodative of those they consider unintelligent, because human beings are inherently different.
Laigwanani lchoni: The pelt is a planner.
Speakers would use this proverb to ask people to give an issue a thought overnight. It can also be used by a person to justify his changing his mind on an issue to say that he has given the issue a better thought overnight and has therefore deemed it prudent to change his mind.
Tasaana ltome minyia: Try elephant (meat) even if you do not usually eat it.
This proverb advises people to try what they would normally not. This will build their experience and make them wiser.
Keirrib nkerr nkuta: A sheep can stumble upon surface runoff.
This proverb advises people against maintaining fixed mind-sets about people. People regarded unwise can sometimes give wise inputs. It is therefore good to consider every person’s contribution in a deliberation, because, just like a sheep, a person usually regarded unwise may in his mind stumble over a wise solution to a problem at hand.
Merirotoi laur eitashe: It is not possible to load a standing camel.
The back of a standing camel is too high for anyone to reach. It is therefore not possible to load anything onto it once it is on its feet. A camel that is on its feet is ready to go so one may not get it to kneel down in order to load anything onto it. In the same way, a person on the move or in the middle of doing something may not have the time to pay attention to something that someone else would like to say to him. An individuals can use the proverb to warn somebody that he is not in a position to engage with him at that time on any discussion or activity because he is already tied up in another activity or may be leaving for some activity he had already planned to engage in.
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Planning
Meituruk nkume: The nose does not advance before the rest of the body.
Human beings have an inferior sense of smell in comparison with other animals. If man’s sense of smell was acute, he would sniff in the air and smell danger and avoid it. The proverb encourages people to maintain open minds since unexpected circumstances may render their plans unachievable.
Miar nkiteng’ te ng’oji nemeti nkare: Do not slaughter a cow in a place devoid of water.
This proverb advises people to ensure that whatever they plan on doing is thought through critically to ensure that no action meant to solve a problem creates another problem.
Lonyikita ake moti owuapu loito: Only he who is closest to the pot snatches the bone.
This proverb says that proximity to the source of something is a strategic position for getting it.
Keimismis naitodooro: That which is beyond the horizon is dark.
Just like something in the darkness, it is not practically possibly to see or know something that is beyond the horizon. This proverb warns people against banking on something that they have not seen or received, but wait to get it before that make any plans about it.
Lampu tikija lcheni, nkiguana towuana: Impetuosity crash through the bush, council settle down.
An impetuous temperament is not desirable for deliberations that require meticulous reasoning and arrival at well thought out resolutions. An impetuous person rushes into conclusions without deep and deliberate thought and weighting of options to resolving the problem at hand. Councils carefully go over issues to ensure that every resolution they come up with is beyond reproach. This proverb is used in the beginning of a meeting to alert people to the need of patiently and scrupulously approaching the issue or issues at hand rather than rushing through them impetuously.
Tinikimbung nkikwai nanka, ntasho ntai: When a thorn bush hooks onto your loin cloth, stop and unhook it.
The proverb is used to advise people to address small problems that may crop up as they focus on big ones, since the small ones may get compounded and inhibit the resolution of the major problem if not dealt with in a timely manner.
Merisio neigwane o neitu: Those who have planned are not equal to those who have not.
This proverb states the obvious need for planning. Planning can be the difference between success and failure. The proverb is used to encourage people to sufficiently prepare for whatever they want to embark on, be it a dispute over something with a rival group, war with an enemy or any other such undertaking that requires meticulous tactical approaches to win.
Keoshoo lperesi mbae: A blade of grass can deflect an arrow.
This proverb warns against assumptions and calls for attention to the very least of details in making plans.
Memira te lotamieki, te likae ake emira: The difference will not be apparent in the initial discussion but in another.
The proverb is used to encourage people to focus more on action than rhetoric in dealing with an issue, because only results of their actions and not mere talk will show their commitment to it.
Kemir le siran le nteipa: Those of the morning invalidate evening ones.
The proverb is used to encourage people to be flexible and therefore be ready to vary their plans when situations necessitate such variations.
Tasaaniki ntirma nkare: Gauge the water with the stave.
This proverb advises that before embarking on any venture, people must take time to assess its viability and determine the most appropriate approach to use and avoid jumping into situations without preparing for them adequately.
Mbaa naamit eitabari nkulie: Issues impede the accomplishment of other issues.
The proverb can be used by an individual to convince others that he failed to accomplish something he promised them because of some issues that cropped up along the way. It is also used to educate people that paths to achievement of life goals are full of obstacles that must be surmounted for success.
Meibung’ai nkare o nkima: Water and fire cannot be held concurrently.
The proverb is used to discourage people from ambivalence, and may be employed to urge a person to make up their mind on an issue and approach it resolutely.
Meidashai lkokuno pokira le sere: Both banks of a river cannot be straddled.
The proverb emphasizes the need for resoluteness as a basis for prudent and prompt decision making, and discourages ambivalence.
Merrip ldia nkang’itie are: A dog cannot guard two encampments.
The proverb is meant to advise people to concentrate on whatever they have at hand and avoid dividing their attention between two or more issues that they cannot deal with at the same time.
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Friendship
Metumo ldoinyio, kake ketumo ltung’ana: Mountains do not meet, but people do.
The prober advises that it holds one in good stead to treat everyone they meet well because they do not know where they will meet again. The proverb is also used to advise people that they should not worry about parting because they will still meet in the future.
Melauno looishu: The living will always find each other.
This proverb is used to impress upon people that they should not worry about whatever they are not in a position of doing for each other at a certain point in time, because if they are genuine in their relationships, there will always be a time when they are able to do so in the future, as long as they are alive.
Kerisere lporor Nkai: The age-set is equal to God.
Members of an age set make a very cohesive group. They are expected to mutually support each other. It is such an exclusive group, especially during its inception phase, which is warriorhood. As a social unit, the group is so powerful that its power to support a needy individual member or bring wrath to bear on an errant one is only comparable to God’s power.
Notushulareki o notoororeki: A place to come together and a place to part.
Any Samburu settlement or village is comprised of people who voluntarily choose to live together. There are no restrictions as to who lives with who, where, and when. The proverb informs that there is nothing wrong with people coming to inhabit a settlement together and parting company as they desire. It is used to advise people that every relationship has a beginning and may have an end, and that they should take separation from each other positively, the reason for the separation notwithstanding.
Nkai iwa papa o yieyio ning’waa ntowa-ai: God take my father and mother and spare my age set.
This is a prayer by a warrior to God that he would rather lose his parents to death than the members of his age set.
Mintudutie nabo sotwa: Do not opt between one (animal) and friendship.
The proverb advises that it is unwise to compare the value of an animal to the value of friendship, because friendship is worth a lot more than a single animal.
Nkosheke naata sotwa: The stomach is the abode of friendship.
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Negative Influence
Lchore lai pae ikichoraki napiak: My friend you bring me evil.
The proverb is used to advise people to get into friendships awake to this fact and shun friendships that may end up building negative influences on them.
Meata lowuoru lemeata lchore: There is no beast that has no friend.
The proverb is used to warn people not to underestimate the social strength or influence of a person regarded as bad in the community, but to expect people who will come to his defense when confronted over something wrong he has done.
Keitasurr no lodo kula mboo: A single case of red water can infect an entire herd.
The proverb is a general warning that it only takes an individual to poison the minds of all others, so the prudent thing to do, therefore, is to be cognizant of this fact and curtail these influences at the earliest opportunity.
Teneipirrar nkishu kutwaa, negil laram ate: When older cows go at a canter, younger ones end up breaking their legs.
Human adults can easily influence youngers. They are expected to be role models to the young people in the community. Adults must therefore always strive to display responsible behavior to youngsters.
Meeim mpito neitu eim ltudu: A sinew cannot go through a place that the needle has not gone through.
This proverb is used to imply that an action or habit of a child was copied from or influenced by an adult.
Kenya nyirig nenya ng’otonye: A camel calf browses where its mother browses.
The proverb is used to warn parents to act responsibly at all times, and most of all in the company of their own and other children to avoid influencing them negatively.
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Family
Meurori lcheni oata lng’asul: A branched tree cannot fall.
A person who has strong bonds with his friends and relatives gets support and care from them, and is therefore not likely to be weighed down by any difficult situation that he may encounter.
Medung’oroi lkumojino lino ong’u: It is not possible to chop off your rotten finger.
The prober is used to advise family members to correct and care for their kin who are errant, but not condemn them.
Ketama ldia nkik amu lenche etala oliki: The dog ate feces because it did not get a relative to advise it.
Dogs do come across human feces and feast on it, which is not a desirable thing for anyone’s dog to do. No dog has ever advised another dog not to do it. People also do not do wrong things for lack of advice. The proverb encourages people to take seriously any suggestion or advice given by people who care about them.
Pooki lino, likiar kiramat: Your true kin is one who harasses you in genuine reproach.
People reprimanding mean well for the people they are reprimanding. This proverb is a caution to people that even if they are harshly reprimanded, they ought to take it positively, because there are no ill intentions from the persons reprimanding, but a genuine desire and intention to make them better.
Meishu lemeata lkulenche: He who has no kin is dead.
The proverb is a warning to people who try to distance themselves from their relatives that they do so at their own peril.
Memurata layieni eishu menye: A son is uncircumcised as long as his father is alive.
Circumcision is the beginning of adulthood for a man. The proverb is meant to check sons from creating other centers of power in the management of family affairs that they may antagonize their father’s authority.
Tenegila teyian, nerub ldung’oret: When the first born gets a fracture, he is attended to by the last born.
The proverb is used to remind siblings of their obligations to each other.
Kekurr lngejep lala: The tongue gossips about the teeth.
This talk of someone who is not present in a meeting is considered healthy, because others would be free to talk about his misgivings and will ultimately confront him in a bid to correct him.
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Bravery
Merrinyo lakirkir eitu edol likae: Indignation cannot subside before it faces opposing indignation.
The proverb advises that in a contentious situation, a good argument can only be countered by an argument that is as good or even better. Similarly, in a situation of war, the fury of one party can only be repulsed by the fury of equal proportion.
Merumae nkoshuaa: Stomachs (personalities) cannot be borrowed.
The Samburu refer to personality as the stomach and use several terms with the word stomach to refer to different personalities.
Black Stomach: A mean, unfriendly, stingy, and selfish person.
White Stomach: A nice, friendly person.
Weak Stomach: A person who easily breaks down in unpleasant situations.
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Responsibility and Hard Work
Melau ltome neikunaa lala lenyana: An elephant cannot fail to find a strategy of carrying its tusks.
The proverb means that it is an individual’s ultimate responsibility to manage his own affairs well. It advises that even in a situation where others think that the burden is too heavy, the individual directly affected will find a way to manage it, because it is his responsibility.
Merakinoi neshal nkitung’at: A frail team does not merit reinforcement.
The proverb warns that without personal initiative and effort, one does not deserve the support of others.
Meisosionoi nkaji narita nopeny: It is impossible to maintain a hut being demolished by the owner.
The proverb is used to warn a person in need to demonstrate a sense of responsibility in dealing with his predicament. It is also used to advise others not to waste their energies on trying to help a person who does not indicate the will to be helped.
Kesapi mejing nkang aajoki nji ewua kule e nkiteng ino: He who does not enter the homestead is lied to about the quantity of his cow’s milk.
The proverb advises that it is necessary for one to be vigilant about and personally involved in the management of his wealth if it is to grow.
Tinimikintololong’ likae retenata e nanka oo ‘kintirish: If one does not fasten your loin cloth loosely, it is likely he will fasten it extremely tightly.
If you entrust someone with an activity, they may not yield the results you expected. It is therefore best to do something personally then complain of someone having done it improperly for you or having failed to meet your expectations.
Nkiteng’ sas ake nayiolo neiko koon: It is only the emaciated cow that knows how to handles itself.
The proverb advises that the solution to a problem is best sought by the individual directly affected by the problem.
Meaku sagata lototo: Stalking cannot translate to moving.
The proverb is meant to advise people to avoid ambivalence and instead be resolute in taking actions to achieve whatever it is that they are pursuing, because indecision leads to waste of time and loss of concentration and probably failure.
Meti siedi supat: There is no good last position.
The proverb can be equated to the English proverb “The earliest bird catches the worm.”
Meng’ar nkakeny lomoni: Dawns do not share news.
The proverb is used to encourage people to deal with issues that they have at hand within the current day if they can, rather than postponing them to the following day because it is not obvious that the new day will afford them an opportunity to do so.
Milang saye naper te nkoitiei: Do not walk over a necklace that is lying on the path.
The proverb is a message to people to make use of every opportunity that comes their way, because such opportunities may be few and far apart.
Menya ndama lomon: The sun does not engage in conversations.
The proverb can be used in a meeting to alert people to concentrate on the core business of the meeting and stop unrelated side talks in order not to waste time. Similar to the English proverb “Time waits for no man.”
Ketejo apa lkonoi, “Mara oshi kamunyak, nkeju-ai mapik loilisho”: The hyena once said, “I am not really lucky, I just do not encourage lassitude on my leg.”
The proverb is used to remind people that, while luck may sometimes come their way in their endeavors to achieve the goals they set out to accomplish in life, the principal determinant of every success is fundamentally sheer hard work.
Meata loidipa, loitumurwa ake otii: There is no one that has achieved, but he who has embarked on doing so.
The proverb advises that people need to perpetually work hard at gaining what they want and keep working harder to maintain it and achieve more. It is a statement that at no time should anyone stop striving to achieve some more in life.
Meatae lpayian ojo layieni lenye toki: No father speaks highly of his son.
The Samburu believe that when a person is praised for being good or for some achievements, he may become complacent.
Mebaki ne likae lopi ltagulle: Someone else’s (food) stops short of the elbow.
The proverb is an encouragement to individuals to strive to make their own wealth and avoid being dependent on others, because they are bound to perpetually remain in that vicious cycle of dependence, since anything given will never be more than enough for the beneficiary’s immediate need.
Pooki layieni, lotama sina: A real man is he who has endured privations.
Hardships that people go through shape their resilience, which is the bedrock of success.
Mara tumoto nagol amu barata: The challenge is not in the acquisition, but the nurturing.
The real task lies in the nurturing of something, but not in its acquisition.
Meatae nikijing’aki iper: Nothing comes to you as you lie down.
The secret to getting what one desires is going out to seek it. Without any effort, any wish that one has will always be that- a wish.
Mebaru nkeju nashal: A weak leg cannot nurture.
The proverb is used to call for attention to the welfare of the individuals charged with the responsibility of raising livestock at all times.
Sina likiya neodo: It is adversity that keeps you going for long.
It is advisable to appreciate and take all hardships positively, because lessons learnt from them are foundations of resilience and launching pads for success in life.
Menyanyuk nkare ino narok o nelikae nasira: Your plain water is better than another person’s mélange of water and milk.
Water mixed with milk is the ultimate thirst breaker of the Samburu people. This proverb discourages individuals dependence on others.
Keyei nelikae dama: Someone else’s (cow) “dries off” in the middle of the day.
This proverb advises awareness that the support you are enjoying from others can be withdrawn without warning, so you must have your own fallback should you encounter such a situations. It is a call to endeavor for self-reliance.
Mepala nkishon te sii: Life cannot be neglected for convenience.
Good life to the Samburu is a seamless order of things and wellbeing of all members of the community.
Mikincho nkinyiyyiret e ndanko swom, nkinyinyiret e nkomom ake nikincho: The sweat of the gluteal fold will not produce livestock for you, only that of the face will.
The proverb reminds people that wealth is created by hard work and poverty by idle sitting.
Meng’or lng’ejep kulupo: The tongue does not wish for soil.
The proverb is used to tell somebody to talk positively, because no positivity yields negativity.
Lopeny oyiolo nedungie sobwa enye: It is the owner that determines the length of his rattan.
The proverb advises people to respect others decisions on personal issues, because they understand their situations better than others.
Meata njio le okishi: Sleep knows no orphan.
The proverb warns people against harshly judging others by sleep created omissions because everyone is a potential victim to this effect of sleep.
Meatae murwa e laroi: There is no such settlement as of a fool.
The proverb advises that men are known by the legacies they establish such as a successful family, but a fool would be known by the absence of any legacy.
Nkaitisiani nkwaarie, naa bitir nkakenya: The night is wearisome and daybreak is abrupt.
The proverb is used during meetings held at night to impress upon people to promptly start deliberations, because the more the night progresses, the wearier they grow to effectively concentrate, and by day break, they will be too many activities lined up to afford an opportunity to come together for any deliberations.
Menyanyuk siligi o pala: Hope is not the same as despair.
An individual who feels that another is giving him false promises may use this proverb to ask that individual to dismiss him rather than give him false hope, because it is better to have no hope than ride on false hope.
Meishu lemeidashita moidiei e nkiteng’: He who is not treading on cow dung is not alive.
The proverb is used to impress upon people of the need to have and sustain their own property, because without it they are not guaranteed of survival.
Mejing’a lturmai o ltolut: A naïve person and an inept one are incompatible.
A naïve person has no clue of what is happening around him while an inept one has no ability to deal with anything.
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Men
Meini lee kat are: A man is not born twice.
The proverb is employed to encourage young boys to take up responsibility given them without necessarily expecting support from the older men. It teaches them to take charge of situations independently early in life and erase the notion in their minds that they have to be a certain age to take up responsibilities.
Sanag lgoo le lee: A man’s chest is a grove.
A man must be strong enough to harbor both pleasant and unpleasant issues in his heart that come up with his responsibility, and not crumble under the weight of the unpleasant ones, but maintain his composure.
Meata lmorwo lbarnoti: There is no junior elder.
The proverb discourages older married men from underestimating the wisdom and potential of younger ones because of their age, but also encourages younger elders to believe in their potential to carry out their responsibilities successfully, irrespective of their ages.
Kerrek nkong’u e lee soit: A man’s eye can penetrate a boulder.
The proverb states that levels of expectations of a man by the community are extraordinary, and that every many must live up to those expectations, whether within his family or the larger community. The meaning of the proverb is that a man as a leader must be visionary enough to see or envision what other community members cannot.
Lapalani le limot lee: A man is one who withholds comments.
The proverb is a reminder to men that they should weigh situations and avoid making comments that may disturb the peace and harmony of their families or communities, even if the comments they could have made are valid.
Medoki lmotonyi netewienie lewa: Vultures cannot descend on a men’s meeting place.
The proverb is an assurance to affected parties in a dispute that they should expect nothing short of a prudent resolution of their dispute by elders.
Meata lee lkini: No man is young.
People are advised to trust a young man to naturally rise up to the occasion when the situation demands and do what is technically regarded beyond his capacity based on his age. In essence a man’s strength any intelligence should not be underestimated because of his age.
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Women
Lmang’ati le boo ng’orio: Women are internal enemies.
The proverb is used to warn men to be aware of and check the manipulative tendencies of women which may bring down their families.
Melo sainoti nemelo nkop: A legitimate wife, like the Earth can never be lost.
If in the course of moving on with her life she (a separated wife) cohabits with another man and gets children, the first man who is the legitimate husband will be the legitimate father of the children sired by the man with whom she is cohabiting. The legitimate husband can claim and take away the woman and children.
Megwetakini ntito nkawuo: A bow cannot be made for a girl.
Gender role segregation is clearly defined in the Samburu community. The role of warfare, for which bows are used, is exclusively a masculine role. The proverb is used to remind people that there are masculine roles that cannot be taken up by female members of the community.
Meata ng’oroyieni murwa: A woman has no settlement.
The proverb is used to impress upon community members that marriage is mandatory for all women, so they cannot establish their own settlements outside the institution of marriage.
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Youth
Kedol nkerai ldoor eitu menye: A child can see a thief before the father does.
This proverb serves to encourage older people to listen to young people, because they are not totally devoid of wisdom, but have thoughts or ideas that can be of use to the management of family or community affairs.
Nkera adoru lmurran: Warriors are tall children.
The proverb is used to remind the community that though mature, the warriors are still in need of guidance and instruction from senior elders of the community, so as to fill up any of their shortcomings in the course of the execution of their mandate.
Meata nkerai lopeny: No one owns a child.
A Samburu child, despite having parents, belongs to the whole community. Every person in the community takes part in the upbringing of every child. This proverb is meant to advise people to raise their children as a community, because when children know that everyone in the community is keeping an eye on them and genuinely guiding them, they will not only behave well in the presence of their parents, but in the presence of everyone in the community. Such collective responsibility in the upbringing of children gives them a strong sense of belonging in the community.
Kedir lpole nkiteng’ te rridata: A bullock can mount a cow at a headwall.
The proverb advises people, especially elders, to recognize that young people can take up leadership roles when given a chance and must encourage them to do so.
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Leadership
Keye nkima etii lkeek: A fire can go out with wood in it.
The proverb is used to challenge a group of people that the onus is on them to deal with a certain situation.
Tiriko ne lkeresire, mirik ne lgurle: Lead like the guineafowl and not like the Spurfowl.
The guineafowl leadership style is the inclusive, caring, patient and objective one that takes care of the needs of all, cares about the weak, is patient with the slow and objective enough to aim for the survival of the nation. Spurfowl leadership on the other end of the spectrum is impetuous, selfish, and lacks focus.
Meeipur laing’oni te murwai are: A bull cannot bellow in two settlements.
The proverb advises people to accept that situations change and that they must change with them by giving way to others to take over responsibilities, such as those of leadership which they originally held.
Meitaap laing’oni le likae doinyio nkishu e likae doinyio: The bull of one mountain cannot serve the cows of another mountain.
The prover impresses upon people that while support from elsewhere may be welcome in resolving an issue, it is the people who understand the issue best that are better placed to deal with it.
Meiriamakino nguset e nkiteng’ lashao waare: Two calves cannot fit into a cow’s womb.
The proverb informs that there cannot be two centers of power in any social set up- there can only be one leader.
Kererei lamuratani: A circumciser is corrected.
The proverb teaches that nobody is all-knowing, and encourages all to appreciate their limitations and accept guidance and correction by anyone who cares to do so genuinely. It is especially apt for advising elders who are the community leaders to accept genuine criticism.
Lchuu oiututoreki larikoni: A leader is a termite mound used for grooming.
The prover advises a leader that leadership sometimes entails getting unpleasant treatment from the people he is leading and must be prepared for and accept that, even when it is clearly obnoxious.
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Peace and Security
Menyanyuk naimot o seriani: Satiety bears no semblance with peace.
The proverb urges people to prioritize peace above all else and cultivate it as a sine qua non for a conducive environment for attainment of all other things in life.
Ketejo lotimi “Meata namokwa kinturiate kiserian”: Baboons once said, “There is nothing wrong with us getting arlarmed in quietude.”
The proverb educates people that like the baboons, they need to be eternally vigilant for the sake of safety.
Kerrip lmaalo koon edaa: A greater Kudu guards itself as it browses.
The proverb alerts people to the need for perpetual vigilance.
Meata nkaina nalepu kule: No hand draws milk.
The proverb is used to restrain individuals who want to get into a physical fight. It serves to remind people that nobody gains from any physical fight because everyone involves is bound to be injured.
Tiika nkawuo, nimiik nkong’u: Stow the bow, but not the eye.
The proverb teaches that if people must relax and put away their weapons, they must engage all their sense and ensure that they are aware of what is happening around them. Eternal vigilance is the best weapon for ensuring one’s safety.
Mikiarie ele limbung’ita, tarieeki elde lintepero: Do not kill me with the one (weapon) you are holding, but the one you have laid down.
The proverb is used to ask an annoyed person to calm down and not make a rush decision towards harming someone.
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Cooperation
Meatae sieur obo: No one is singly mighty.
The proverb advises that people are better off working as a team because each of them is only as strong as the rest of the team.
Meeinok lchata obo nkima: A single firewood cannot make a fire.
The proverb is used to remind people of the strength that they can find in unity.
Midung’ lkees miata le anashe ng’utunyi: Do not traverse a desert without a cousin.
A person’s life is like a desert- there are myriad challenges which may not be overcome in isolation. The proverb advises that it is wise to engage others, especially relatives, in what you plan to do even if it is only to get some advice.
Ldupaisoro ltungana: People are like the sansevieria plant.
Above the ground, the leaves look independent, but they are all connected to a subterranean rhizome from which they all sprout. Like this plant, all people share the same origin and are therefore all related. There is more that binds people than sets them apart.
Mear lkumojino obo lashei: One finger cannot kill a louse.
The proverb advises that the more cooperation there is between individuals, the better their chance of success both as individuals and collectively as teams.
Milo miata le somwa: Do not embark on a journey without someone to remove a speck from your eye.
The prover is used to advise people to have company whenever they are venturing out into the wilderness, it also advises that every individual needs others in life to help when they encounters problems.
Meeidim ltome nking’arra: An elephant cannot withstand a mob attack.
The proverb is used to indicate that no human being is so strong, mighty or wise enough to outdo all others. It also encourages that, with respect to work, that no task of whatever proportion is impossible to accomplish if people work together as a team.
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Habits
Mepal nkare meim sunyai oima hae kata: Water will not cease following a course it followed before.
The proverb is used to remind people that once someone has developed a bad habit, there is a very high likelihood of him going back to it even after seeming to have shaken it off for some time.
Mepal lowuoru ng’iro netadaare: A hyena will not cease going back to where it once had a feast.
The proverb serves to remind people that as they help others, they should understandably expect them to keep coming back to them for more help.
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Honesty
Lumwa naaiting’ sapare: Mendacity is a burrow with a dead end.
The proverb is a warning to people to steer clear of giving false information because they would soon be discovered to be lying to their own shame.
Mear lenadede nkanyit: Truths do not erode respect.
The proverb is used to encourage people to confidently tell others the truth even if it is bitter rather than hold it back for fear of being regarded disrespectful or for any other reason.
Meisudoo lowuoru ng’iro lkujita: Grass cannot conceal a hyena.
The proverb is used to assure people that nothing that an errant person does to conceal his bad habit will work, since he is bound to err repeatedly and get caught in one of the acts sooner or later.
Meremoi ndap: The palm cannot be stabbed.
An open, stretched out palm is the Samburu sign of pleading for forgiveness, pardon, or mercy. The proverb can be used by a speaker to ask the audience to forgive the person asking for forgiveness.
Meisimakinoi nkare loipang’i: Water cannot be forced uphill.
This proverb is used to politely tell somebody that they are being unreasonable in their demands, in the event that what they are demanding is realistically not possible. It is also used to indicate to an individual who is trying to go against a fact that no amount of argument can change the fact.
Meitodooyo sipat ndama, monko ake naaitodooyo: Facts cannot be discussed til sunset, but falsehoods can.
The proverb is used to call people to stick to facts in a discussion and save time, because unlike falsehoods, the truth does not need long elaborations to qualify it.
Meeiput rerei ndap: A conversation cannot fill the palm.
There are people, who during meetings like talking for the sake of being seen to have contributed to the deliberations, even when what they are saying does not add any value to the deliberations. The proverb is used in meetings to encourage people to be precise and to the point in contributing to deliberations and avoid unnecessary talk that only consumes time.
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Respect
Kerisio nkanyit ana nkaik: Respect is as congruent as the hands.
The proverb advises people to respect others as much as they want to be respected; respect all equally.
Merisio near nkanyit o near lmang’ati: The harm caused by respect and that caused by enemies is not equal.
The proverb advises people to be bold enough to guide others genuinely, because holding back any guidance for fear of being considered disrespectful is more disastrous than a physical attack by armed enemies.
Meata lng’ejep rubata: The tongue has no joint.
The proverb is a caution to people to use their tongues in talking very carefully so that they do not say things that may offend others.
Nkanyit nabar nkop: Respect nurtures the world.
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Justice
Menya ltungani lkujita: A person cannot be consumed by the grass.
To be ‘eaten by grass’ means to disappear without a trace.
Meri purrusho: Thieves are not killed.
The proverb is a reminder that people who do wrong in the community do not deserve to be condemned but instead corrected and guided to reform.
Mbung’a lorita ndarpoi nimimbung’ lorita ng’anayioi: Restrain one who is intoxicated by alcohol and not the one intoxicated by curd.
The proverb is used to indicate that though it is good to be wealthy, wealth can sometimes intoxicate an individual to the extent that he only believes in himself- a mindset that will alienate him from wise counsel.
Meatae siamu kini: There is no small council.
The proverb is a warning to people against belittling the decision of a small council in cases affecting them, because the decisions are recognized by council members, present or not, and are legally binding.
Kemir sipat monko: Veracities annul falsehoods.
The proverb is used to assure a person that the truth will prevail even when there is deliberate effort to promote a falsehood in a case or dispute.
Meatae mana nayau koon: No trouble causes itself.
Avoid lamenting about trouble that befalls you, instead be vigilant enough to keep it off by being aware of and keeping trouble rousers at bay.
Kekurro nkine nekurru lalem: A goat scrapes the ground and unearths a knife.
The proverb means that a person who seeks trouble will certainly find it. It is used to warn trouble rousers that it is almost always certain that the trouble they rouse will not affect the people they intended to affect, but will backfire on them, since the people they try to trouble will retaliate.
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Reciprocity
Kumu emutu naa kumo eikienyu: It dusks and dawns numerously.
The proverb is used to serve two purposes. First, it is to warn people against imagining or assuming that the wealth or other capacity they have at any given time is eternal, but instead appreciate that they have it for a season. Second, it is to advise people who have wealth or some other strength that others do not have that they should use it so support those who do not have it, because a time will come when they may not have that capacity and will in turn need others to support them.
Te ndikir eanyae: The pass is the point of convergence.
The proverb is used to warn people who have tendencies of not supporting others in times of need that they may also get into difficult situations that will prompt them to seek help from others. It especially emphasizes the fact that the possibility of encountering the same people one did not support is real.
Loipi ooijulo le nkishon: Oscillating shades of life.
The proverb is used to remind people that fortunes oscillate from person to person at different times in their lives, so that one who has plenty today may be needy tomorrow. People are encouraged to support each other when they can for they do not know when they stand in need of the same kind of support.
Keitorno nkang’ nemeata sile: A family that is not in debt is odd.
A family that is owed nothing by others has a questionable social standing.
Meata swomi lopeny: An animal has no particular owner.
It is expected that a person who finds a stray animal takes care of it the same way he takes care of his own, until he finds the owner.
Meisamisu sile: A debt does not become rancid.
This proverb is meant to encourage people to help others when they are in need by lending them livestock, because it is also a form of banking excess livestock one owns and getting it when most needed, without any danger of losing one’s wealth. Among the Samburu therefore there is no such thing as bad debts.
Kenya sung’urr ldia: A secluded hamlet can be preyed on by a dog.
The proverb encourages people not to alienate themselves form their kinsfolk, because they are their pillar in times of need.
Meimujunoi murt e ltome: It is not possible to wrap a hand around an elephant’s neck.
The proverb is used to impress upon individuals that there is a limit to how far they can go in helping others if they are not run the risk of depleting their own resources.
Meimu nkop: The world cannot get satiated.
An individual’s attempt at giving to every person in need will ultimately deplete his wealth and render him needy. The proverb is a reminder to individuals that there ought to be a limit to what one can do to help those in need if he is to avoid spending all his wealth.
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Marriage
Meatae ltung’ani oitaki likae nkang’: Nobody raises a family for another’s person.
The proverb is used to warn a man who is seen to be irresponsible in the upbringing of his family that he should not expect anyone, not even his relatives, to raise his family for him.
Lbusbus eramatieki nkang’itie mara ltauja: Families are raised with the lungs, not the hearts.
In this proverb, the heart is representative of rigidity, intolerance, ruthlessness and any unpleasant characteristic that a married person may exhibit in rearing his family. The lungs on the other hand are associated with tender care, moderation, tolerance, flexibility and all the good attributes that one would need to exhibit in bringing up his family well. A person who uses the heart to raise his family is therefore one who would act irrationally and vice-versa for the lungs.
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Others
Meibooi nkare eshomo nkwe: Water is unstoppable as long as it has started flowing.
Menyanyuk likitereto o likituruma: He who consoles you is better than the one who helps you (materially).
The person visiting the sick, with or without gifts, gives company, gives moral support, encourages and lifts the spirits of the sick, and more so is alive to the predicament of the sick person.
Murt nayiolo atowuana meti saye, meyiolo nkosheke: The neck can do without a necklace, but not the stomach (without food).
The proverb advises people to prioritize their needs prudently.
Tama nkeek niming’al: Feed on twigs, but not overly.
This proverb is meant to warn people to use moderation, because too much of anything is bad.
Sapa nkishon: A week is a lifetime.
The proverb is used to advise that every fraction of a person’s lifetime is as critically significant as their whole lifetime because events in any fraction of an individual’s lifetime can make or break the entire lifetime.
Midaare ng’inai eatae lalem: Do not use a flint knife when a knife is available.
This proverb can be used to indirectly ask someone to redirect his question to the person better placed to exhaustively answer it.
Medwaa laparanak tapana: People soliciting help do not notice each other’s foot prints.
Paran is the term used for this process of seeking assistance and the individual seeking assistance is called laparanani (pl. laparanak). The proverb is used by a person to indicate that he had no knowledge of someone having come to the same individual to ask for support, otherwise he would not have come to ask for the same support.
Keata nkishon larin: Life consists of seasons.
The proverb advises that as the seasons pass an individual changes.
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Terminology
Ltorrobo: A tribe of hunter gatherers in Kenya who traditionally own no livestock and live off nature by hunting wild game and gathering wild fruits, nuts, berries, roots, and honey.
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