| 1. Ŋùdàŋə tuŋə afəmə ŋùdàŋə̀ wu’usə mə̀gə̀’ə̀ mi. | Someone is blowing the trumpet and another is raising the jaws. (Said when someone wants to take credits on the good acts of another.) |
| 2. Bə kuu nkyi kǎ məkǔ nfǝ’ǝ. | Legs are not measured when entering water. (Meaning abilities are not the same. You do only what you are able to. You don’t need to compare yourself with others.) |
| 3. Àghàngà̀ŋə̀ zu’u ngaŋə̀ | Only those who hear the language understand. (Said in a situation where only part of a gathering understands what is said. When a message is passed on in an idiomatic way that only particular people present could hear and understand. |
| 5. Boŋə ò banǝ ntenə ò jwe nkwu. | If you hate a living being, then you’ll bring forth a death one. (If you refuse the truth, that is the beginning of evil or you give rise to evil. |
| 6. Əzduŋə nshye chya tsε’ε adaŋə adaŋə. | Earthly things pass away. (Said in situations when generosity is expected or when someone refuses to be generous) |
| 7. Ŋkyi luu a nə̀ awigə̀rə̂. | It is the runoff that makes the river full. (Said when a crowd or a thing is needed as part of a situation just to make things move.) |
| 8. Ə̀̀̀̀̀nywe bənkhə tsə be mbà’ambà’à. | A young man’s cutlass is sharp only in the morning. (The young get discouraged easily) |
| 9. Əbòŋnə bya-bya zoŋə a ndzèmə nzεrə. | Babbling follows a thief. (If someone says so many things almost at the same time, then he/she is probably guilty.) |
| 10. Ǹghə̀ kwo məmə tὲrə̀ | A calabash jar or wine gourd is broken inside the wine pot. (Said as a regret when something bad happens in a situation that blames cannot be laid on) |
| 11. O dzwi afo nchə̀ o kə bəkwu nsəŋə. | While on a battle front don’t count the dead. (If you’ve embarked in doing something, don’t give room to discouragement or allow difficulties to discourage you). |
| 12. O təmə nna o zoŋə nə̀ aliŋə. | If you’ve shot an animal, follow the blood. (If you have started something, continue till the end.) |
| 13. Boŋə ntoŋə wwo tə lwε’ɛtə boŋə o bə lya ku ndyâ mə̀shà. | If you have and appetizing throat, you will enter a cult. (If you are a power monger or long for wealth at all cause, you may frustrate your life by joining a cult before you know.) |
| 14. Njwe laa mə̀nyù laa. | As the day breaks, so do events. (As we live, so do we and things that surround us change.) |
| 15. Azuŋə abàa wwò niŋə àkù zhə. | Something is put into your bag by your legs. (If you have got a present somewhere you’ve been, it’s thanks to your legs that took you there.) |
| 16. Bə bikakə ngwu məmə nkəmə nsəŋə. | Fowls cannot be counted in a cage. (Said in connection to transparency when everybody needs to see what is presented.) |
| 17. Ncu’u ətyə forə bə nkonə yε. | What saves the rat is its tail. (When there is just a narrow space for one to use in order to escape danger. In a situation where you sense danger or when there is high possibility of danger, say this and leave) |
| 18. Njwe afò bə̀zεrə bə njwe-la’à. | A farm day for a thief is the country Sunday. (Meaning, a thief only goes on mission when he knows no one is there to see him/her) |
| 19. Boŋə o kakə nkuŋə̀-tyə li’isə̀. | You cannot fool a barber. (You can’t deceive someone who renders a more often service to you for you shall surely go back the him) |
| 20. Nəwo nə ŋu fəmə kii zhə la zə ŋu nkabə kii be bâdaŋə. | A poor man weeps for his dead but that of a reach man is mourned by others. (A poor person’s pain or difficulty is not the concern of many as compared to that of a rich or popular person.) |
| 21. Aya afò məjyə nə ka nsaa. | The way to a food crop farm is never too far. (We are never discouraged to go where there are rewards or benefits.) |
| 22. Əboo bə mbwo bikàke kù’ùtə̀. | Fingers are not the same. (Meaning abilities are not the same. You do only what you are able to. You don’t need to compare yourself with others.) |
