Annotated proverbs
Lesson 1 of 5≈ 14 min
Folk wisdom in a few words
Proverbs (fani in shikomori, sometimes maneno mzee — « elders' words ») are a culture's condensed wisdom. They've circulated orally for generations, passing on life rules, warnings, consolations.
Comorians pepper their conversation with them. Knowing a few proverbs means:
- Understanding what someone really means
- Being able to quote when the moment fits (a sign of respect for tradition)
- Grasping a society's worldview
Four proverbs to get started.
Proverb 1 — Maji ya jana tsi maji ya leo
Literal translation: Yesterday's water is not today's water.
Meaning: Times change, so do customs. Things shift, don't get stuck in the past.
Breakdown:
- maji — water
- ya jana — of yesterday (genitive ya + jana « yesterday »)
- tsi — is not (copula negation)
- ya leo — of today
Use: invoked to urge adaptation to change, to modernity, or to forgive old mistakes. A deeply optimistic proverb: the past doesn't imprison us.
Proverb 2 — Hasira hasara
Literal translation: (Getting) angry (is) a loss.
Meaning: Anger is a poor counsellor. Keep your cool.
Origin: a swahili proverb integrated into the Comorian lexicon:
- hasira (anger) — from Arabic حسرة
- hasara (loss, damage) — also from Arabic خسارة
The rhyme between the two words boosts memorability — typical of oral wisdom, which leans on music to cross generations.
Use: say to someone losing their temper, or to yourself when you feel anger rising.
Proverb 3 — Kula ndrege na mabawa zahe
Literal translation: Each bird (flies) with its own wings.
Meaning: Each with their own means. Don't compare your circumstances to others'.
Breakdown:
- kula — each (Bantu word)
- ndrege — bird (variant of nyunyi, more poetic)
- na — with
- mabawa — wings (plural of bawa, class 5/6)
- zahe — its own (possessive)
Use: a proverb encouraging autonomy and personal dignity. Say to someone comparing themselves unfavourably to others, or to a child struggling to imitate their elders.
Proverb 4 — Puhu lendjia djumbe kalitsoka mfaume
Literal translation: When a rat enters a palace, it does not become a sultan.
Meaning: Origin doesn't change. Appearances deceive.
Breakdown:
- puhu — rat
- lendjia — when it enters (verbal form)
- djumbe — palace (royal residence)
- kalitsoka — does not become (negation + verb)
- mfaume — sultan, king (historical title)
Use: a proverb with critical edge. Used to mock those claiming a stature that isn't theirs — e.g. an upstart putting on aristocratic airs. Also a reminder that power doesn't erase humble origins: a leader may decorate their palace, they don't rewrite their history.
When to quote a proverb?
The art of quoting a proverb at the right moment is socially valued. A few usage rules:
- Don't over-quote. One proverb per conversation, two max. Otherwise you sound pedantic.
- Adapt to context. Hasira hasara to a friend who's losing it, yes. To a boss mid-meeting, no — it can come across as moralising.
- Know the local version. Proverbs sometimes have dialect variants — ask your interlocutor for their version if they correct you.
- Learn the origin. Some proverbs are swahili, others purely Comorian. Knowing where what you quote comes from boosts your credibility.
It's a sign of successful cultural integration when a native speaker asks: « Do you know this proverb? » mid-conversation. You're then treated as a member of the linguistic community, not as a visitor.
Practice
The proverb Maji ya jana tsi maji ya leo means…
…things ___.
Hasira hasara — the rhyme boosts its…
…___.
Mini-quiz
The Comorian proverb is called…
…___ in shikomori.
Twelve proverbs
Eleven Mahoran proverbs from the Nisusoma shimaore booklet (CASNAV, 2019, pp. 31 and 64-65) and one Anjouan proverb quoted by Ahmed-Chamanga (1992, foreword, free translation).
| Proverb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hasira hasara. | Anger is a loss (a bad adviser). |
| Maji ya jana tsi maji ya leo. | Yesterday's water is not today's water. |
| Nyombe kaili nyombe. | A cow does not eat a cow (like does not harm like). |
| Mutama Mungu kalatsiha. | Whoever relies on God is not abandoned. |
| Maji ya shijavu ujiva shijavuni. | Coconut water is drunk from the coconut. |
| Jwayi kaliwana na bwe. | An egg does not fight a pebble. |
| Kula ndrege na mabawa zahe. | Every bird flies with its own wings. |
| Fazaa nyengi ushia. | Great fear makes you escape danger. |
| Hairi ya hazi ya bure raha na uketsi bure. | Better to work for nothing than to sit idle. |
| Hairi ya uona taâmbu raha na ufa. | Better to suffer than to die. |
| Neika trongo za shinamna fanya piya zitrongo zike fetre swafi ! | When things go wrong, do all you can to make them better. |
| La msaâda likomo, labaki, la mwenye shamba. | Here are the tools, it's up to you to work the field (Anjouan). |
The « Hairi ya … raha na … » pattern
Two proverbs share the same mould: Hairi ya A raha na B, « better A than B ».
- Hairi ya hazi ya bure raha na uketsi bure — better to work for nothing than to sit idle
- Hairi ya uona taâmbu raha na ufa — better to suffer than to die
hairi means « good, better »: it is also a reply to greetings (« I'm fine »).
Practice — twelve proverbs
« Hasira hasara » means…
Anger is ___.
Complete: « Kula ndrege na … zahe » (every bird flies with its own wings).
Kula ndrege na ___ zahe.
On to the tales
Two lessons dedicated to traditional tales — the other great pillar of Comorian oral literature. 7.2 explores a Mahorais tale, 7.3 a Ngazidja tale.