Meaning: Do not cross water that you are unable to wade through

Context: Do not get involved in a situation you cannot handle

Meaning: Do not insult the midwives while childbirth still continues

Context: Do not scorn those whose services you might need in the future

Meaning: Do not insult the palm-wine tappers while the drinking persists

Context: Do not bite the hand that feeds you

Meaning: Do not compete with Kari; Kari is a servant of God

Context: Do not contend with fate or divine will

Meaning: Do not forget how to be a sailor because you are a captain

Context: Do not forget your roots or basic skills when you rise in status

Meaning: Do not travel by your friend's star

Context: Do not rely on another person's luck; make your own way

Meaning: If you do not fill a crack, you will end up building a whole wall

Context: A stitch in time saves nine

Meaning: Do not put a grass turban on my head

Context: Do not flatter me falsely

Meaning: Do not abandon your own old mat for a passing prayer mat

Context: Do not give up something certain for something uncertain that seems better

Meaning: Are you a dugong, that you cannot bear a shock?

Context: Why are you so sensitive or unable to handle pressure?

Meaning: You are blaming the hawk, while the falcon is killing the chickens

Context: You are accusing the wrong person

Meaning: If you knew what the bee eats, you would not have tasted its honey

Context: If you knew the origins or the unpleasant aspects of something, you might not enjoy it

Meaning: When you are seized, hold on tight yourself

Context: When you get an opportunity, make the most of it

Meaning: Do not neglect unsetting a caught trap for the sake of setting new ones

Context: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

Meaning: Do not pretend to be a white chicken

Context: Don't put on airs; be yourself

Meaning: Do not eat with a blind person and then touch their hand

Context: Do not do things that will arouse suspicion in a vulnerable person

Meaning: Do not roast baobab seeds and leave them for those with teeth to chew

Context: Do not start trouble and leave others to deal with the consequences

Meaning: The face of a fish does not feel the spices

Context: It is useless to try to influence someone who is insensitive or unresponsive

Meaning: Do not quarrel with the coconut climber; the coconut was eaten by the moon

Context: Do not fight with someone who is not the real cause of your problem

Meaning: Do not play with a lion by putting your hand in its mouth

Context: Do not take foolish risks or overstep dangerous boundaries