Hausa Proverbs
17
42 Babba juji ne, kowa ya zo da shaara sai ya zubar.
- The chief (or head of the family) is like a dust-heap, every one comes with his sweepings and deposits them.
- The master is the recipient of all complaints and troubles.
43 Dauda'n gora achikki akan sha shi.
- The dirt inside a gora is drunk inside.
- Swallow your wrath.
- Gora, a water-bottle; note that it is pronounced differently from gora, a male bamboo.
44 Sai kwarri ya chikka, saanan akan yi zagia.
- Only when the quiver is full do you make a zagia.
- Don't give anything away until your own wants are satisfied.
- Zagia, when a quiver is full it is usual to pull two or three arrows out a little so that they may be easily got at if suddenly wanted; this projection of arrows is called the zagia.
45 Kunkurru ya so dambé, ba shi da yasa.
- The tortoise wishes to fight with his fists, but he has no fingers.
- Impotent wrath.
46 Gero ya saba da ganni'n rua tun ba na sürfeshi ba.
- Gero (millet) has seen (has been familiar with) water before it was put into the turmi to have its skin taken off.
- If a man asks one for anything and is refused, he may make this reply, as much as to say, "Ail right, I can get plenty more."
- Sürfee, the operation of taking off the "dusa."
- Apropos of this, there is a saying describing the disadvantages of being without a wife. "Sissikka, sürfee, bākachi, tankaddi, nikka, dakka, dauka'n rua aiki'n gobro (or goro).
- Clearing the chaff, taking off the dusa, sifting the gari, winnowing, rubbing on stones, pounding in a turmi, are all work which a bachelor has to do.
