DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0338
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HARVARD AFRICAN STUDIES
An expression intimating that a man who is cocksure about doing a thing may come to
grief, whereas the man who takes the trouble to get information gains his object.
9. M’lwesi mwangalengula mwiwa!
In the moonlight you cannot cut out a thorn!
A free English translation of this saying would be,“ There is a proper time for doing every-
thing.” It involves the implication that doing a thing at the wrong time may result in
evil.
10. Apakamwa waulesye ambuje wao!
Mr Mouth hurt master his!
An expression intimating that careless speech may bring a man into trouble: the mouth
is looked upon as the slave of the body. The expression has reference to a story which
points a moral against smoking hemp. There was once upon a time a big chief who had a
headman (Apakamwa) to whom he entrusted all his messages. One day, the chief brewed
beer for hoeing and the big drum was beaten to call all the people together, and thus, the
chief leading, they all went to the gardens, but the headman who used to smoke hemp
lingered behind and in coming later, while crossing an open glade between the village
and the gardens, he saw a human skull beside the path. Half intoxicated with the hemp,
he kicked it, saying “ Who killed you? ” The skull answered, “Apakamwa! ” The man
was frightened and so kicked it again; then going off to the chief, he related what had
happened. The chief and all the people returned with the headman to the place where the
skull was and the headman, kicking the skull, asked again who had killed him, but no
answer came, and so with a second interrogation. Then the chief had the headman bound
and said, “ What you say cannot be trusted. You waste our time with your untruths,”
and he had him killed.
11. Kola lulasi ngasisaga Iwembe!
Having baldness you must not hide the razor!
An expression meaning “ If you have no further use for a thing yourself, do not throw it
away; it may be useful to others!”
12. Lelo lelo mlamba wapilile!
Today today the mlamba was blackened!
A saying meaning “ he who hurries will not do best! ” Lelo, today; lelolelo here has the
meaning “ in a hurry.” Mlamba is the name of a small jet black bird. The story goes that
when all the birds were being painted, the mlamba bird was very impatient and coming up
to the painter, said, “ I must be done today; I am in a hurry.” The painter said it would
take longer but acting on mlamba’s persistent cries to be done quickly, he just took up a
brush and painted him black all over. The following is sometimes added:
Kwembecheya wanda wapatile mawala (or ilemba)!
Being patient the wanda bird came by spots (or marks on its head).
HARVARD AFRICAN STUDIES
An expression intimating that a man who is cocksure about doing a thing may come to
grief, whereas the man who takes the trouble to get information gains his object.
9. M’lwesi mwangalengula mwiwa!
In the moonlight you cannot cut out a thorn!
A free English translation of this saying would be,“ There is a proper time for doing every-
thing.” It involves the implication that doing a thing at the wrong time may result in
evil.
10. Apakamwa waulesye ambuje wao!
Mr Mouth hurt master his!
An expression intimating that careless speech may bring a man into trouble: the mouth
is looked upon as the slave of the body. The expression has reference to a story which
points a moral against smoking hemp. There was once upon a time a big chief who had a
headman (Apakamwa) to whom he entrusted all his messages. One day, the chief brewed
beer for hoeing and the big drum was beaten to call all the people together, and thus, the
chief leading, they all went to the gardens, but the headman who used to smoke hemp
lingered behind and in coming later, while crossing an open glade between the village
and the gardens, he saw a human skull beside the path. Half intoxicated with the hemp,
he kicked it, saying “ Who killed you? ” The skull answered, “Apakamwa! ” The man
was frightened and so kicked it again; then going off to the chief, he related what had
happened. The chief and all the people returned with the headman to the place where the
skull was and the headman, kicking the skull, asked again who had killed him, but no
answer came, and so with a second interrogation. Then the chief had the headman bound
and said, “ What you say cannot be trusted. You waste our time with your untruths,”
and he had him killed.
11. Kola lulasi ngasisaga Iwembe!
Having baldness you must not hide the razor!
An expression meaning “ If you have no further use for a thing yourself, do not throw it
away; it may be useful to others!”
12. Lelo lelo mlamba wapilile!
Today today the mlamba was blackened!
A saying meaning “ he who hurries will not do best! ” Lelo, today; lelolelo here has the
meaning “ in a hurry.” Mlamba is the name of a small jet black bird. The story goes that
when all the birds were being painted, the mlamba bird was very impatient and coming up
to the painter, said, “ I must be done today; I am in a hurry.” The painter said it would
take longer but acting on mlamba’s persistent cries to be done quickly, he just took up a
brush and painted him black all over. The following is sometimes added:
Kwembecheya wanda wapatile mawala (or ilemba)!
Being patient the wanda bird came by spots (or marks on its head).