Diane with English Explanations
SEANE | ENGLISH LITERAL | ENGLISH EXPLANATION | |
1 | Ba ba buelang dikgageng, magakabe a a ba bona. | Those who skin [stolen] animals in caves will still be seen by crows. | All evil secrets are eventually uncovered. |
2 | Ba ba ratang pako ba jewa dikobo. | Those who love praise lose their blankets. | Those who are fond of flattery are cheated out of their property. |
3 | Bagologolo ke rona basha. Basha ke bagologolo. | The elderly, we are the youth. The youth are the elderly. | The young also have wisdom that they can share with the old. |
4 | Bana ba buwa le Modimo. | Babies converse with God. | Babies enjoy the protection of God. |
5 | Bana ba kgori, monokwana o seng, tshika e ya baneng e a kgaogana. | For the young of the kori bird, which does not have permanent abodes, blood relationship diminishes with each new generation. | Family relations tend to diminish with each new generation. |
6 | Bana ba kgwale ba bitsana ka melodi. | The young of a patridge communicate with each other throw their melody. | Family look out for each-other during times of difficulty, and share beneficial findings. |
7 | Bana ba motho ba kgaogana tlhogwana ya tsie. | Siblings would share the head of a locust. | Family members would share even the smallest morsel. |
8 | Bana ba tadi ba bonwa ka mereto. | Offspring of a serval cat can easily be identified by their spots. | People with a similar background have similar characteristics. |
9 | Bana ba tadi ba itsane ka mereto. | Offspring of a serval cat identify each other by their spots. | People with a similar background can identify each other based on specific characteristics or behaviour. |
10 | Bana ba tladi ba anyela loratleng. | The children of thunder are nursed in a noise. | One adapts to their environment to the extent that they may not notice oddities in it. |
11 | Bana ba tshipa ba tsaya mmila o le mongwe. | Young genets follow the same path. | People with a similar background have similar behaviour. |
12 | Bana ba tshipa ba tsaya mmila o le mongwe, fa ba kgaogana, ke baswi ba mogotlha. | Young genets follow the same path, lest they end up as prey. | A team that does not work together get easily divided. |
13 | Bana mamphorwana maatlhamela babolai. | Children are like hatchlings, trustingly vulnerable to murderers. | Children are trusting of all people, good or evil. |
14 | Banna ga ba na thwadi, ba bonwe ke Mmamariga. | Men do not have any difference, as observed by “Mmamariga” | Men often act alike. |
15 | Banna matshootshoo ba tshosana ka marota. | Men are like bovids who use their humps to intimidate each other. | Men will try by all means to outcompete each other. |
16 | Banthati ba kana ka bantlhoi | Those that love me are as numerous as those that hate me. | A man’s friends are as many as his enemies. |
17 | Basadi ba bolola ntwa ba sa e ya ditlholwa. | Women charge into war before having first gathered intelligence. | Women venture into projects without considering the possible consequences. |
18 | Basadi ga ba na kgosi. | Women know no king. | Women do not fear anyone, regarless of their size or stature. |
19 | Batho ba lemogana loetong. | People know each other better on a journey | You get to really know someone after being in a lengthy situation with them. |
20 | Batho ga ba ke ba bolaana ka motlele jaaka dikgomo. | People wouldn’t die from overcrowding like cattle. | Even if it gets very crowded, people are able to create room. |
21 | Batho ga ba lekane e se meno. | Although not teeth, people are not equal in size. | People are never all the same/equal in wealth or stature. |
22 | Batho ga ba tlale e se dinku. | People can never be overcrowded like sheep would. | Even if it gets very crowded, people are able to create room. |
23 | Batho ga ba tshwane e se dipeba. | Unlike rats, people are never identical. | Humans are never altogether identical. Not even identical twins. |
24 | Batsomi ga ba tlhakanele sekgwa. | Hunters do not share the same forest. | Competitors often have bad blood towards each other. |
25 | Bo a re go tsholwa bo le molelo, e re go tsogwa bo bo bo fodile. | Although dished very hot, it [porrage] eventually cools down. | Emotions eventualy cool down – regardless of how high they were. |
26 | Boammaaruri ga bo jelwe pheko | No magic spell is required for uncovering the truth. | Eventually, the truth always gets uncovered. |
27 | Bobedi ke bongwefela. Bongwefela ke loso. | Two is one. One is death. | Without a witness, it is very difficult to get people to believe your story. |
28 | Bodiba jo bo jeleng ngwana wa ga mmaago, e re o feta ka bone o bo katologe. | When passing by a lake that killed your sibling, keep a safe distance. | Learn from bad experiences of other to avoid falling victim too. |
29 | Bodipa jwa moraka bo gaisa jwa legae. | Bravado is easier displayed at distant farms that at home. | It is easy to exaggerate your abilities when in the presence of people who do not know you. |
30 | Boferefere ga se papadi. | Trickery is not prosperity. | One should not prosper throw cheating others. |
31 | Bogale ga bo bewe tlapaneng. | Bravery is not left by a rock, to be used later. | The loser of a fight surrenders or retreats. |
32 | Bogale ja mogale bo bonwa ka dipadi. | Battle scars are the evidence of one being a true warrior. | “The proof is in the pudding” |
33 | Bogale tsholo, bo a omisiwa. | Anger is like childbirth, it needs proper care. | Anger should be soothened, rather than antagonised. |
34 | Bogosi bo a taga. | Lordship intoxicates. | Lordship can cause one to have an God Complex. |
35 | Bogosi bo a tsalelwa, ga bo lwelwe. | Kingship is a birth right, not something to be fought over. | A king is born, not made. |
36 | Bogosi ga bo tlolwe e se letsoku. | Kingship is a birth right, not something one can just claim. | A king is born, not made. |
37 | Bogosi jwa dijo bo a fapanelwa. | Food-driven kingship changes hands. | People are attracted to wealth/power, and shall disappear when it diminishes. |
38 | Bogosi ke ntho e e sa foleng. | Lordship is a painful wound that doesn’t heal. | A king’s life is very challenging/difficult. |
39 | Bogosi phate e e mmitlwa, bo a kokonela. | Lordship is a thorn-ridden mat. | A king’s life is very challenging/difficult. |
40 | Bogwe ga bo bole. | Marital family bonds do not rot. | Relationships between in-law families continue even after divorce. |
41 | Bogwera bo senang kgajane bo wela mo isong. | A regiment without a designated leader is doomed. | A lack of leadership often leads to disaster. |
42 | Bohula bo a bapatswa. | Greed is advertised. | Bad habits are hard to hide. |
43 | Bojalwa, thabisa digogo. | Alcohol unlocks the most shy. | Drink will even cheer even the most shy. |
44 | Bojang ga bo bofane. | Grass can not bundle other grasses. | It is difficult to assist a person facing the same difficulty as you are. |
45 | Bojang jwa pitse ke jo bo mo ganong, jo bo ko ntle e swa e bo lebile. | A horses grass is that what is in its mouth; it can die having not touched the grass outside. | It is not yours until it is yours. |
46 | Bojang jwa pitse ke jo bo mo mpeng, jo bo mo ganong e swa e bo hupile. | A horses grass is that what is in its stomach; it can die having not swallowed the grass in its mouth. | It is not yours until it is yours. |
47 | Bonolo bo fentse bogale. | Gentlrness triumps over harshness. | Being gentle often produces better results that harshness. |
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49 | Bontlenyane bo seng bosi, bo na le dibelebejane. | Beauty usually comes with problems. | Beauty can be deceiving. |
50 | Bontšhe ga ba tlhakanele khutla. | Ostriches do not share a nest. | Competitors often have bad blood towards each other. |
51 | Bontsi bo bolaya noga. | Large numbers easily kill a snake. | It is helpful to be in a large group, as you can pool resources. |
52 | Bontsi bo ntsha mangana. | Large numbers cause stress. | It is difficult to manage a large group of people. |
53 | Bopelonomi bo bolaile mmamasiloanoka. | Kind heartedness caused the death of the hammerkop [bird]. | Kind-heartedness can put one in danger. |
54 | Bophokoje ba ba nkgwe ba itsane ka mebala. | Black-backed jackals associate. | People tend to associate with those who have similar interests and/or habits. |
55 | Bopodi go kgonana ba ba dinaka. | In battle, horned goats are matched by other horned goats. | Bullies can be overcome by other bullies. |
56 | Boraro ke bobedi, bobedi ke jone bongwefela. | Three is two, and two is oneness. | The more people, the better a situation will be |
57 | Boroko, mafura a mmotlana. | Sleep, the joy of children. | Sleep is a luxury for the poor. The rich cannot afford to sleep. |
58 | Boroko, ngwana oorra loso. | Sleep the near relative to death | Sleeping is similar to dying. |
59 | Boroko, tau. | Sleep is a lion. | One can easily be killed in their sleep. |
60 | Bosigo ga bo akele ope. | The night speaks ill of nobody. | It is difficult to prove events that allegedly happened in the cover of darkness (night). |
61 | Bosigo ga bo na bosigonyana. | Night is night. There is no such thing as a semi-night. | A problem is a problem, regardless of its magnitude. |
62 | Bosigo ga bo rone nta. | Insect vermin are not slayed at night. | No good deed is done at night. |
63 | Boswa ga bo jewe motho a sentse a tshela. | Inheritance is only inherited after the owner’s death. | Everyone has to earn their own living, and not just wait for promised inheritance. |
64 | Boswa jwa tau ke letlalo. | The leagacy of a lion is its hide. | Value is derived differently from different items. |
65 | Botlhale bo bolaile mong wa jone. | Cleverness is the fall of its owner. | Trying to outsmart other people may land you in trouble. |
66 | Botlhale e a re bo re tsheetshee, bo fitlhele jo bongwe fa pele. | When applying deceptive cleverness, one may find an even larger bout of deception ahead. | You may fall victim to a person you had though you were trying to victimise when they outwit you. |
67 | Botlhale ga bo ke bo pegwa fa godimo ga jo bongwe. | Deceptive cleverness backfires when met with similar. | You may fall victim to a person you had though you were trying to victimise when they outwit you. |
68 | Botlhale ga bona ntlo ya jone. | One cannot confine wisdom. | Wisdom has no boundries. |
69 | Botlhale jwa phala bo tswa phalaneng. | Impalas derived wisdom from fawns. | Children can impart wisdom. |
70 | Botlhale jwa phala bo tswa phalaneng. Phala e e se nang phalana, lesilo. | The wisdom of an impala is derived from its fawn. A childless impala lacks wisdom. | Parents can learn from their children. |
71 | Botlhoko bo bonako go tsena, bo bonya go tswa. | Pain is easier to obtin than to get over. | It is is much easier to get into trouble that to get out of it. |
72 | Botswerere jwa modisa ke go di tlhatlhela. | The mastery of a herder is in bringing the flock home. | A job well done is a job done to completion. |
73 | Bowelo jwa kokwana ke boselo jwa mmaayo. | The chick lands in the domain of its mother. | A parent will always be able to find their child, no matter how far they go. |
74 | Di ja mmago dia itsanye. | Those that eat together know each other. | People easily recognise their kind. |
75 | Di leseng di kgaolane megatla, ke tsa mosima o le mongwe. | Let them bite eachother’s tails off – they are from the same den. | A feud between family or friends needs no intervention |
76 | Di nwang di a dibosana. | The ones that drink assist others. | Those who are able help those who are not. |
77 | Di sa itsaneng dia welana. | Those that are unknown to each other spring surprises on one another | Those that are unknown to each other spring surprises on one another |
78 | Di sa kopaneng ke dithaba. | Only hills never cross paths. | You cannot avoid/hide from another forever, eventually your paths will cross. |
79 | Di tswa ganong ga di siane. | Words of the mouth are never that far apart. | Rumours are never far from the truth |
80 | Dibaga di ka tloga baapari di ya bafololeding. | Dress beads would skip to passers-by. | That would never happen. |
81 | Digwana tsa basadi, thabisa digogo. | Alcohol unlocks the most shy. | Drink will even cheer even the intolerable |
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