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26
Hausa Proverbs
95 Sata ta sache sata.
- Does dog eat dog.
96 Shafu ba ya chi'n rabbo'n kunkurru.
- The hawk does not eat the food of the tortoise (because their tastes are different).
97 Yungwa na tanda kishinrua.
Does hunger lick (the hand of) thirst.
If one beggar had just received something and another asked him for a share he might reply as above.
Na, see 8.
98 Sabani'n kiwo shi ya sa kura ba ya chi birri ba.
Difference of diet saves the monkey from being eaten by the kura.
Because it is so different that they never meet in getting it.
99 Zamma da mai dauka'n kanwa shi ya kawo ja'n kai.
Living with a man who carries potash is what makes your head red.
Carrying potash on the head makes the hair red. You can't touch pitch without being defiled.
100 Zamma da mai zakkanku shi kan kawo dandanna.
Associating with a man who has zakkanku makes you want to taste it.
Zakkanku, the ash of the wood of a small thorny shrub called kaia'n rakumi: this is kneaded into small cakes and used as medicine.
101 Idan angulu ta bia maka maradi, zabua ta taffi da zānenta.
If the vulture fulfils your desire, the guinea fowl will pass you by, (beautiful) marks and all.
If you are satisfied to associate with such low people, a better class will have nothing to do with you.
