24 Swahili Proverbs For Traders B'cuz It's 2024

I’m working on something about the VIX which involves calculating VIX values from the white paper for several years and several assets from historical options data. It has been challenging and it’s very expensive and time-consuming computationally. Since any other analytical tasks would only steal valuable time from the VIX thing, I thought this would be a fun post for some reason.

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1. Simba mwenda pole, ndiye mla nyama

[The patient (mwenda pole) lion (simba) is the one (ndiye) that eats (mla) the meat (nyama).]

Mwenda pole means who goes slowly but can also mean who is careful or patient. Both apply to trading: be mindful of risk, and patiently hunt for opportunities. I like this proverb (methali) for trading because it captures how you need to be both patient yet ready to pounce at opportunities when they arise.  

2. Fuata nyuki ule asali

[Follow (fuata) the bees (nyuki) so you can eat (ule) the honey (asali).]

Follow the right people and you will discover where the opportunities are.

3. Manahodha wengi, chombo huenda mrama

[Too many (wengi) captains (Manahodha), the vessel (chombo) goes (huenda) astray (mrama).]

This one warns against having too many experts. If you read a lot of financial commentary and expert opinions, you can easily go astray, not because they are wrong, but because it’s hard to make up your mind after. You need to be an independent thinker. Better to steer your own ship, even as you listen to other’s opinions.

4. Siku njema huonekana asubuhi

[A good (njema) day (siku) is seen (huonekana) in the morning (asubuhi).]

A good trade is noticed early on? Well that would be the most direct interpretation, but not always. I think a better interpretation would be that you should consider exiting a trade at the earliest sign that it won’t be any good.

5. Mwenda tezi na omo, marejeo ni ngamani

[Whoever who goes (mwenda) front and back (tezi na omo), will return (marejeo) to (ni) the center (ngamani).]

The English analog to this is: east or west, home is best. But it more directly translates to: if you go front and then back, you have to pass the center. It argues that things mean-revert and warns against extremes.

6. Dalili ya mvua ni mawingu

[A sign (dalili) of the (ya) [coming] rain (mvua) is (ni) the clouds (mawingu).]

The English analog is: where there is smoke, there is fire. This one warns against false signs. Every once in a while you come across some analysis that points to a doom-and-gloom scenario, but seems far-fetched. This proverb argues that you should wait for the more direct sign- the clouds.

7. Haba na haba, hujaza kibaba

[Little by little (haba na haba) fills (hujaza) the jar.]

Small wins add up, too.

8. Bendera hufuata upepo

[A flag (bendera) follows (hufuata) the wind (upepo). ]

Don’t fight the trend, it’s your friend.

9. Leo ni leo, asemaye kesho mwongo

[Today is today (leo ni leo), whoever says (asemaye) tomorrow (kesho) is a liar (mwongo).]

Reconsider your positions in light of what is happening today. Focus on the opportunities today.

10. Akiba haiozi

[Savings (akiba) don’t rot (haiozi)]

Clearly the Swahili hadn’t heard about inflation! A trading interpretation is when you are flat, you don’t lose anything. Keep your powder dry.

11. Hasira, hasara

[Anger (hasira), begets losses (hasara).]

The interpretation is that anger and frustrations will lead you to losses. You can add impatience to that list.

12. Asiyekubali kushindwa si mshindani

[He who doesn’t accept (asiyekubali) defeat (kushindwa) is not (sio) a sportsman (mshindani).]

Accepting losses is part of the game.

13. Haraka haraka, haina baraka

[Hurry hurry (haraka haraka) has no (haina) blessings (baraka).]

Take your time and do things right.

14. Usipoziba ufa, utajenga ukuta

[If you don’t fill (usipoziba) a crack (ufa), you will build (utajenga) a wall (ukuta).]

Don’t move your stop loss maybe?

15. Mtaka cha mvunguni, sharti ainame

[Whoever wants (mtaka) what is (cha) under the bed (mvunguni), must (sharti) bend down (ainame).]

If you want what is hard to reach/difficult to achieve, you have to put in the effort (no shit Sherlock). Think about this one when you notice that you are slacking in certain parts of your process.

16. Ushikwapo shikamana

[When you are seized (ushikwapo), pull yourself together (shikamana)]

After a loss, consolidate.

17. Akili nyingi huondoa maarifa

[Too much (nyingi) wits (akili) drive away (huondoa) wisdom (maarifa).]

Trying to be too clever can prove costly. Also, simplify your process.

18. Skio la kufa halisikii dawa

[An ear (skio) that is dying (la kufa), doesn’t respond (halisikii) to medicine (dawa).]

Be careful about adding to losing positions.

19. Kikulacho ki nguoni mwako

[That which eats you (Kikulacho) is in (ki) your (mwako) clothes (nguoni).]

Poor trading results? Search within.

20. Mtaka yote hukosa yote/Tamaa mbele, mauti nyuma

[Whoever wants (Mtaka) everything (yote) will lack (hukosa) everything (yote)]/[Desire (Tamaa) first (mbele), a corpse (mauti) later (nyuma).]

I paired these because they say more or less the same thing. The first one can apply to take profits. It’s okay to take profits earlier if you think the market won’t go any further. The second one is a general warning about being greedy, which is one of the things that can prevent you from taking profits.

21. Mkono usioweza kuukata, ubusu

[The hand (Mkono) which you can’t (usioweza) cut (kuukata), kiss (ubusu).]

If the market isn’t ready for your narrative, trade the prevailing one.

22. Mgema akisifiwa tembo hulitia maji

[When the brewer (mgema) is praised (akisifiwa) for his alcohol (tembo) he adds (hulitia) water (maji) to it.]

The part about adding water just means he will ruin his process. If you praise a trader you will ruin his process? idk. But it can interpreted as: don’t let praise get to your head, or don’t let your winning streak get to your head. The gist of it is a warning against overconfidence.

23. Cha mkufuu mwanafuu huu, na akila haa; lakini cha mwanafuu mkufuu haa, na akila huu

[What is (cha) the teacher’s (mkufuu) the student (mwanafuu) eats (huu), and (na) when he/she eats (akila) he/she doesn’t die (haa); but (lakini) what is (cha) the student’s (mwanafuu) the teacher (mkufuu) doesn’t eat (haa), and (na) when he/she eats (akila) he/she dies (huu).]

This is a shortened version. The long version goes: cha mkufunzi, mwanafunzi hula, na akila hafi; lakini cha mwanafunzi mkufunzi hali, na akila hufa. It was shortened to make it pithy and punchy, as a proverb should be.

The interpretation is that a student can benefit from a master but not the other way around. But it can also mean that students should not to try to be masters when they are not ready, or that if you consume what is from a student disguising themselves as a master, you will pay the price. Watch out for the trading ‘gurus’.

24. Kinyozi hajinyoi

[The barber (kinyozi) doesn’t shave himself (hajinyoi).]

You can know how to trade, but still struggle in trading. It can also be interpreted to mean that it is difficult to be self-aware.

Please reply with some proverbs you know that can be applied to trading and I will put them together in another post.

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