Rodgers Dictionary of Proverbs
If a man told you that a dog had run off
with your ear, would you go after the
dog or search first for your ear?
If a man would know what he is, let him
anger his neighbours.
If a man would learn to pray let him go
often to sea.
If a man would live in peace he should be
blind, deaf, and dumb.
If a man's heart be impure, all things will
appear hostile to him.
If a man's mouth were silent, then another
part would speak.
If a marriage is sweet or if it is bitter, it is the
one who is married who can tell.
If a monkey is amongst dogs, why won't it
start barking?
If a mother steals with a child stripped in
the back what do you expect of the child.
If a native of pemba can get a log he does
not relive himself on the ground.ie
nothing but the best.
If a pedestrian sees a horse he will want to
ride it.
If a person is away, his right is away.
If a person is fated to drown, he'll lose his
life even in a teaspoon of water.
If a person loves peace, it does not make her
or him a coward.
If a person shave you with a razor, do not
shave him with broken glass.
If a person shaves you with a razor, do not
shave him with broken glass.
If a person who curses another is not better
than the person he curses, a request is
never made of him to rescind the curse.
If a poor man ate it, they would say it was
because of his stupidity.
If a poor man ate it, they would say it was
because of his stupidity.
If a poor man finds a penny, it is probably a
false one.
If a poor man gives to you, he expects more
in return.
If a rat is on the clay pot it cannot be killed.
(It is difficult to judge the court case of a
relative or a friend; Protection is found in
301
being in close relationship with people.)
If a rat wants to die it bites a cat's tail.
If a rich man ate a snake, they would say it
was because of his wisdom; if a poor
man ate it, they would say it was
because of his stupidity.
If a rich man ate a snake, they would say it
was because of his wisdom.
If a rich man dies, all the world is moved; if
a poor man dies, nobody knows it.
If a rich man eats a snake, people call it
wisdom; if a poor man does the same
thing, people call it derangement.
If a rich man steals it is a mistake; if a poor
man makes a mistake he has stolen.
If a rogue deceives me once, shame on him.
If he deceives me twice, shame on me.
If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are
wicked.
If a sauna, whiskey and tar do not help, the
disease is fatal.
If a soldier doesn't have ambitions to
become a general is not a good soldier.
If a son is uneducated, his father is to blame.
If a soup is sweet, it is money that cooks it.
If a stone falls on an egg, it is bad for the
egg; if an egg falls onto a stone, it is still
bad for the egg.
If a stone was thrown at you, throw back
some bread in return.
If a string has one end, then it has another
end.
If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing
well.
If a tree is cursed even its shade is unclean.
If a warrior does not fight, he does not
breathe.
If a warrior ignores duty, acts dishonorably,
or is disloyal, he is nothing.
If a waterwheel exerts itself, it has no time to
get frozen.
If a wife is unfaithful then the husband is
partly to blame.
If a wind blows, ride it.
If a woman doesn’t love you, she calls you
brother.