Mhosva ibakatwa, rinopakatirwa nokwawaenda.

Definitions

bakatwa: Big knife (used as weapon; carried in sheath)

pakatira: Put under arm

Translation

A wrongdoing is like a knife; you carry it under your arm wherever you go.

Application

The proverb compares a misdeed to a knife tucked under one’s arm, ever-present and impossible to escape. It teaches that wrongdoing travels with you, shaping how people view you and eventually catching up with you. No matter where you go, your actions go with you.

Similar Proverbs

  1. Mhaka haina dongo.
  2. Mhosva inorondwa, hakuna mhosva yakaita honye.