If the hours are long enough and the pay is short enough, someone will say it’s women’s work.

More Swahili Proverbs

• Delay so that you may arrive.
• Anger brings damage.
• If you want to eat a pig, eat a fat one.
• He who sows haphazardly, eats haphazardly.
• A single finger does not break a louse.
• Blood is heavier than water.
• If a child cries for a razor-blade, give it to him.
• Intelligence is an asset.
• Where smoke is being generated, there is a fire.
• Nine is near ten.
• If water has been spilt, it cannot be scooped up.
• He who isn’t around, his share isn’t around either .
• Little by little fills up the measure.
• Don’t plant a seed in the sea.
• Two crocodiles cannot agree.
• A spear is only against a pig; against a human being it is painful.
• If you destroy a bridge, be sure you can swim.
• If the hyena eats the sick man, he will eat the whole one.
• Give way to the strong one.
• If you don’t seal a crack, you will build wall.
• There are three things which if one does not know, one cannot live long in the world: what is too much for one, what is too little for one, and what is just right for one.
• A distant fire does not burn. Haste has no blessing. Delay so that you may arrive.
• The route of a liar is short.
• Wait at the bottom, for the one who is up.
• Haste does not result in prosperity.
• A fly does not mind dying in coconut cream.
• The remedy for fire is fire.