Proverb in the local language
həbäy-sə-ya mäq_ämmäč̣ə᾽a z-äy-rə᾽ayät, mäq_ämmäč̣a ḥ afta rə᾽əya səḥ iq_a
motät
The monkey laughing at its sister
Proverb's direct translation
As for the monkey, it does not see its [own] buttocks; [but] when it saw those of its sister, it laughed and died (died of laughter).
Proverb's meaning
Don't point at others when you have the same faults.
Equivalent proverb
A kettle calling the pot black.
From: Tigrinya
General comments
Tigrinya is spoken in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia. In Somalia they say "Daanyeerku dabadiisa guduudan ma arkee kan kale tiisuu arkaa" or "The monkey does not see its own red buttocks, unlike those of other monkeys" and in Uganda they say "When a baboon sees another's red buttocks, it laughs".
