Common Proverbs in Mankon

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• ɨ̀fɔ̀ tɨ̀ bḛ̀ kâ bé yí fɔ̀ ɣè. 
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    • A ruler or king without subjects is no king.

• bé ò tú ǹdâ nɨ̀ɣǒ̰ nɔ̀ŋ, ò ʧí kòʔó ʒí àdzàŋ zà mbàʔá nɨ̀ɣǒ̰ bénə́. 
  •  
    • If you have never been a patient in the hospital, you will never know what it is to be ill.

  

• ká bɨ̀ ʃwí bɨ́mbô kúʔúnə́ yɛ́. 
  •  
    • Do not compare yourself with some one else because no two fingers are the same.  

  

• bɨ́ támə́ bê sə̰̂ nɨ̀sɔ̀ŋə́.  Ká bɨ̀ ntámə́ yɛ́ ŋkɔ̀mə̀ túə̀. 
  •  
    • You can fool some people some of the time, but not all people all of the time.

  

• ká ɨ̀lɯ́ ntómə́ yí ŋkyì tɨ́ ŋkàʔá. 
  •  
    • One cannot cross a stream without a bridge.

  

• ká bɨ̀ ndzɔ̀ʔɔ́ yɛ́ fɔ̀, ǹdzɛ́ɣə́ mbô ʃyè.
  •  
    • Do not desecrate what has been used in anointing the king.

  

• ɨ̀ɲàm tɨ̀zúʔù mbə̀ŋnə́ à nɨ́ zɨ̀ŋkònə́.
  •  
    • A dumb animal is an easy kill.

  

• ká bɨ̀ ǹdʒíɣə̀ yí ŋkyɛ̀rɨ̀ tɨ̀ tɯ̀ə́. 
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    • One cannot build a fence without pillars.   

  

• àtúə̀ tʃí kèʔé tsâ m̀byì tɨ̂ m̀byɛ̀ʔɛ̀nə̀. 
  •  
    • The head cannot move forward without the neck.

  

• mà kô ǹdzɛ̀rə̂ tɨ̀ ǹkɯ̀ə́ [ ǹkɯ̂ ]. 
  •  
    • I arrested a thief without a cuff.

  

• ɨ̀-yǐŋ tɨ́lwì ɨ̀sě bɔ̀ŋə̀. 
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    • A bitter leaf that is not bitter is not good.

  

• m̀bàbɨ́ndǒm tɨ́pfúrə̀ kóbɨ́ kâ tʃé yí wû. 
  •  
    • There isn’t a rat that does not eat nuts.

  

• màngyě mâŋkǔŋ tɨ́tʃúʔə̀ àtʃúə̀ ká tʃé yí wû. 
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    • There is no woman in Mankon that does not pound Achu.

  

• ŋ̀wò̰ ŋgwá m̀bàʔá fàʔánɨ̀ kèʔé ŋkə̰́, á fàʔá tɨ́sɯ́ŋə́. 
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    • A person who works without getting tired works too much.

  

• ká mùɣə̀ ŋ̀kɯ́ yí tɨ̀fɨ̀ndìʔí. 
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    • There is no smoke without fire.

  

• bɨ́ kɯ̂ŋ m̀bwvó ǹdâ lá nà kwḛ́ ɲàmə̀.
  •  
    • You can get a dog out of the house with a bone.

  

• bé ò kòʔó nɨ́kàŋ ntsótə́ mándzù nɨ̂ m̀bó mɨ̀mbá búŋ ò tsí kòʔó ʃíʔə̀. 
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    • There are some things you can not do with two hands.  For instance, you can not climb down a ladder with both hands filled with peanuts.

  

• nɨ̂dɯ́ɣɨ́ sě ŋ̀gábə́ sɔ́bə́ ɣé. 
  •  
    • You don’t kill a deer by just looking at it.

  

• ká bɨ̀ ŋ̀gàmə́ yɛ́ ǹdzùm ŋ̀kyɛ̀ʔɛ́ wòmə̀. 
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    • You do not speak behind your trap.

  

• mɨ̀zàm à lǔŋə́ lá nɨ̀ wǒŋnə́. 
  •  
    • Rome was not built in one day.

  

• ká mɨ̀lùʔə̀ m̀bɔ̀ŋə́ yí lá ŋ̀gə̀, bɨ̀ súɣə́ àlɛ̀ʔɛ́ tɨ́ sɯ́ŋə̀.
  •  
    • The palm wine spigot does not have to be very clean for the wine to be good.

  

• ǹgàm ǹgàm àbə́ndzúʔə́ ǹgàm. 
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    • The speaker just got a mouth full dished back to him.

  

• ò wáɣə́ nù ò ɣɨ́ zǒ. 
  •  
    • If what you see is not good, do it yourself.

  

• áʒí ŋ̀wǒ̰ àʒì ŋwǒ.
  •  
    • Your knowledge is exclusively your’s.  What you know is known to you.

  

• tsɔ́ʔɔ̀ ǹtáʔá bó tsɔ̀ʔɔ́ kǒ bɯ́ʔɯ́nə̀. 
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    • The partridge on the hill and the partridge in the woods are rivals

  

• Ká tàʔá bò kórə́ yɛ́ nɨ̀búʔə́. 
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    • One hand cannot tie a bundle.

  

• kwìʔífɔ̀ nɨ̀ mɯ̀ɣɨ̀ bɨ̀ bḛ̀. 
  •  
    • Kwifor is the eye of the people.

  

• ò ɣǎm nɨ̀ɣàmə̀. 
  •  
    • Well spoken

  

• à lɔ̀ɣə̀ tɨ̀lḛ̀. 
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    • One who takes something that does not belong to him.

  

• ɨ̀fɔ̀ à nə̀ ɨ̀-lǎ ndə̌ŋə̀̀ tɨ̀bàŋtə̀. 
  •  
    • A king is a bridge without cracks

  

• àbó ɣɯ́ kúŋə́ fə̀ŋ tɨ̀sɯ́ŋ lǎ áfú nɨ̀ nɨ̀bvúrɨ̀.  
  •  
    • A hand that goes too dip into the anus brings out feces.

  

  

  

Now use your knowledge of Mankon to Translate these…

• à tò̰ tɨ́bɛ́bə̀ à nɨ̂ ndzɛ̀rə̂.
• ká bɨ̀ mbúʔə̀ yí líʔí tɨ́ fɯ́ɣɨ̀ nɨ̀pfúrə̀.
• m̀bó mɨ̀mbá ká mɨ̀ sámə̀ yɛ́ zúmə̀.
• ŋ̀wò̰ wárɨ́ làm yí, ɨ́tsə́m tsɛ̀ʔɛ̀ wû nɨ́dɯ́ɣə̀.
• ká bɨ̀ m̀bùʔə́ yɛ́ líʔí tɨ̌ fɯ́ɣɨ̀ nɨ̀pfúrə̀.

• àbyè ɣɯ̀ kúŋə́ ɲê kùʔə́ lá bɨ̀ ɲɛ̀ʔɛ́.
• ǹdə̀m ndá tɨ̀bé wá à pfùrə́ ɣó
• táŋə̀lómə́ fú á ǹdǒmdʒí lá ŋgə̀, zɯ̀ à tʃí bǒm mbàŋə̀.
• ká bɨ̀ ǹdɔ̀ntɨ́ yɛ́ ŋ̀kyí tɨ́ ʧwɛ́ntɨ́.
• àlòmə́ bɔ̀ŋə́ lá nɨ̀ ŋ̀gíŋ ʧɛ́.
• ǹdzɔ̀ŋ nɨ̀ ǹdzùm kǎ sɯ̀ŋə̀ yí mɯ́ʔə́.
• ká bɨ̀ ndɔ̀ɣə̀ yí fán nɨ́kɔ̀ŋ wí mɔ́ʔɔ́ ntáʔátɨ̂ nɨ̀pfúrə́ wû.

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