Tau tša hloka seboka di šitwa ke nare e hlotša.
Literally: “Lions that lack teamwork are defeated by a limping buffalo.”
Meaning: Without unity and cooperation, even strong people fail at what should be easy; together they would succeed.
Mmago ngwana o swara thipa ka bogaleng.
Literally: “The mother of a child holds the knife by its sharp edge.”
Meaning: A mother (or parent) endures pain and sacrifice, taking the dangerous part upon herself, for the sake of her child.
Moja morago o a tlhotša.
Literally: “The one who eats last limps / is left behind.”
Meaning: The one who eats last/lags behind ends up worse off; but in genuine usage this proverb counsels patience and care rather than speed — the one who takes his time and comes last still gets to eat, OR conversely warns the slow lose out. The spelling 'tlhotša' is Setswana-influenced; Sepedi uses 'hlotša'. Treat as 'the latecomer is disadvantaged'.
Lebitla la mosadi ke bogadi.
Literally: “A woman's grave is at her marital home.”
Meaning: Traditionally a married woman belongs to her husband's family and remains there for life; an expression about marriage and belonging.
Sejo senyane ga se fete molomo.
Literally: “A small portion of food does not pass the mouth.”
Meaning: No gift or help is too small to be accepted with gratitude; even a little is worth having.
Monwana o tee ga o hlatswe sefahlego.
Literally: “One finger cannot wash the face.”
Meaning: One person alone cannot accomplish a big task; cooperation is needed.
Modiša wa kgomo o tšwa natšo šakeng.
Literally: “The herdsman of cattle comes out of the kraal with them.”
Meaning: Genuine proverb: the herdsman comes out of the kraal together with the cattle — i.e. a leader/caretaker leaves only when those in his charge leave; one shares the fate of and stays with those one is responsible for. It stresses solidarity of a leader with his people, not merely 'reward for diligence'.
Mphiri o tee ga o lle.
Literally: “A single bangle does not make a sound.”
Meaning: This mirrors the well-known unity proverbs. 'Mphiri' (a single string/strand of beads, or a single bangle) alone makes no sound — one person alone is ineffective; unity and numbers are needed. The standard, far better-attested form is 'Sekgwa se se sa hlokego...' style or rather the Tswana 'mphiri' variants; in Sepedi the recognised unity proverbs are 'Tau tša hloka seboka...' and 'Monwana o tee...'. Given meaning is essentially right.
Kgaka ya moeng ga e bolawe.
Literally: “A guest's guineafowl is not slaughtered.”
Meaning: The guest does not get to slaughter/choose the guineafowl — i.e. a visitor does not dictate in another's home; the host decides, and the guest accepts what is offered. It is about a guest's place and humility, NOT primarily about protecting the guest from exploitation.
Bana ba motho ba ngwathelana hlogwana ya tšie.
Literally: “Children of one person share among themselves the little head of a locust.”
Meaning: Kin and family share even the smallest thing; relatives help one another even in scarcity.
Leswika ga le bole.
Literally: “A stone does not rot.”
Meaning: A stone does not rot/decay — used to say that some things (a wrong, a debt, a grudge, a truth) do not disappear with time and will resurface; permanence and the persistence of matters. Standard Sepedi for stone is 'leswika'. Meaning broadly right.
Go tšhela meetse moleteng o se nago noga.
Literally: “To pour water into a hole that has no snake.”
Meaning: To pour water into a hole that has no snake — to expend effort where there is nothing to gain / chase something that isn't there; wasted, misdirected effort. Often used of being deceived into useless labour or pursuing an empty prospect. Given meaning ('pointless effort') is acceptable but should stress misdirected/futile pursuit of an absent prize.
Ngwana wa mpa ga a latwe.
Literally: “A child of one's womb is not thrown away.”
Meaning: More standard Sepedi: 'Ngwana wa mpa ga a lahlwe' — one's own child (of the womb) is not thrown away/abandoned; you do not disown your own blood however troublesome. Given meaning is correct; 'latwe' should be 'lahlwe'/'lahlwa'.
Mosadi ke tšhwene o lewa mabogo.
Literally: “A woman is a baboon, she is eaten by her hands (her work).”
Meaning: A woman is valued for her industriousness and the work of her hands.
Tšhukudu ga e itsebe boima.
Literally: “The rhinoceros does not know its own weight.”
Meaning: The rhino does not know its own weight — a person is unaware of their own size/strength/impact, often blundering or burdening others without realising. Given meaning is correct; note primary sense is unawareness of one's own heaviness/impact rather than 'faults' generally.
Naga ga e na mahlo.
Literally: “The veld/wilderness has no eyes.”
Meaning: The veld has no eyes — out in the wild/away from home there is no one to see or protect you; misfortune can strike unseen, so be careful. The usual fuller, attested form is 'Naga ga e na mahlo, e na le ditsebe' (the veld has no eyes but has ears). Given meaning is acceptable.
Go ja ga mmutla ke go lebelela.
Literally: “The hare eats while looking around.”
Meaning: The hare eats while looking about — stay watchful even while at ease/enjoying yourself; remain vigilant against danger. Given meaning is accurate. ('mmutla' = hare in Sepedi.)