Rushambwa

Shoko rokuti rushambwa kana kuti jambwa (1. calamity, 2. misfortune, ill-luck, 3. disaster, accident) rinoreva nhamo huru kana kuti dambudziko guru yakadai serushigido rwavaJudah.

• Dzambwa kana madzambwa (Calamity, misfortune). Chidzambwa izita remhuri.

• Kukwangwaya (Desire vehemently; 2. Suffer intensely from lack of necessaries of life.) kureva kubatwa neshungu. Munhu ari kukwangwaya nenzara anochera midzi nokutsenga rwodzi: a person tormented by hunger digs up roots and chews bark.
• Kubomerwa kana kuchona (be destitute).
• Chivi (Calamity; tragic happening) zvichireva ndondo.
• Baya kana mabaya (Misfortune e.g continual ill-health).

Mamwe Mazwi

• Rukono, nhamo, rumhambanda; rupfupfuneko (calamity).
• Tsekwende, tahwa kana jambwa (problem).
• Kuorora kana kuworora (to punish; to bring disaster).

Tsumo

• Nhamo haizivi pakagara imwe. A misfortune does not avoid another one.
• Nhamo haityi imwe. A misfortune is not afraid of another one.
• Nhamo urimbo inonamira. Misery is like bird-lime; it sticks (to men).
• Nhamo ine dzimba dzayo. Misery haunts its (chosen) families.
• Njodzi hadziiti mbiri. Danger never comes in twos.

Mitauro yeBantu

• VaChewa vanoti masoka (misfortune) kureva rushambwa.
• VaMakhuwa vanoti mashoka (spirits) kureva mweya.