Asiyefunzwa na mamae hufunzwa na ulimwengu

He who is not taught by his mother will be taught by the world.

What it means

A child who gets no guidance at home will still be taught, by the world, and usually less gently. Parents carry that responsibility, and something else fills the gap when they don't.

Swahili · East Africa

Source and context

From: Swahili, East Africa

Source: Swahili (East Africa) oral-tradition proverb; explained in "Kiswahili for beginners: The proverb Asiyefunzwa na mamae hufunzwa na ulimwengu," Daily News (Tanzania), 6 August 2026. Earlier recorded here as an entry in the University of Illinois Swahili Proverbs project (swahiliproverbs.afrst.illinois.edu); that site's parents, learning and world pages, read directly, do not contain it.

The source explains it: This proverb reminds us that learning from parents, elders, and wise advice is far easier than learning through painful life experiences.. The wording of the meaning is ours.

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