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Wisdom
African Proverbs
| Oct., 2003 |
The hen with baby chicks doesn't swallow the worm. |
| Sep., 2003 |
Where there is peace, a billhook (sickle) can be used to shave
your beard or cut your hair. |
| Aug., 2003 |
Walk on a fresh tree, the dry one will break. |
| Jul., 2003 |
When a tree falls on a yam farm and kills the farm's owner, you
don't waste time counting the numbers of yam hips ruined. |
| Jun., 2003 |
Like vomit and shit under your feet (the rumormonger spreads scandal). |
| May, 2003 |
The tears of the orphan run inside. (English) |
| Apr., 2003 |
Use of brains begets wealth. (English) |
| Mar., 2003 |
Cows are born with ears; later they grow horns. (English)
|
| Feb., 2003 |
An eye that you treat is the one that turns against you.
(English) |
| Jan., 2003 |
A chicken eats corn, drinks water and swallows little pebbles,
but still complains of having no teeth. If she had teeth would
she eat steel? (Literal English) |
| Dec., 2002 |
From the word of an elder is derived a bone. |
| Nov., 2002 |
Words are like bullets; if they escape, you can't catch them again.
|
| Oct., 2002 |
You cannot use a wild banana leaf to shield yourself from the
rains and then tear it to pieces later when the rains come to
an end. |
| Sep., 2002 |
Young growing cuttings determine a good harvest of cassava. |
| Aug., 2002 |
Smoke
does not affect honeybees alone; honey-gatherers are also affected.
|
| Jul., 2002 |
The
person who has a light knee can survive longer. |
| May/Jun., 2002 |
What
is in the stomach carries what is in the head. |
| Apr., 2002 |
Slowly,
slowly, porridge goes into the gourd. |
| Mar., 2002 |
A
fool has many days. |
| Feb., 2002 |
A
Tutsi liked to warm himself by the fire; someone else took the
bull. |
| Jan., 2002 |
Far
is where there is nothing, where something is that you will struggle
to the death to reach. |
| Dec., 2001 |
A
child (young person) does not fear treading on dangerous ground
until he or she gets hurt (stumbles). |
| Nov., 2001 |
When
elephants fight, the grass (reeds) gets hurt. |
| Oct., 2001 |
Many
hands make light work. |
| Sept., 2001 |
A
person who does not cultivate well his or her farm always says
that it has been bewitched. Kwaya (Tanzania)
explanation... |
| Aug., 2001 |
Water
that has been begged for does not quench the thirst. |
| July, 2001 |
War
is not porridge. |
| June, 2001 |
No
matter how long a log stays in the water, it doesn't become a
crocodile. |
| May, 2001 |
A
cockroach knows how to sing and dance, but it is the hen who prevents
it from performing its art during the day. |
| Apr., 2001 |
"Kachenche"
(very small bird) is insignificant among strangers, but very important
at home. |
| Mar., 2001 |
An
okra tree does not grow taller than its master. |
| Feb., 2001 |
God
is a great eye. He sees everything in the world. |
| Jan., 2001 |
The
brother or sister who does not respect the traditions of the elders
will not be allowed to eat with the elders. |
| Dec., 2000 |
A
person who is not disciplined cannot be cautioned. |
| Nov., 2000 |
The
eyes of the trapper are as subject to reddening as those of the
small animal (that he pursues). |
| Oct., 2000 |
The
hyena with a cub does not eat up (consume) all the available food. |
| Sept., 2000 |
I
have come a long way; the journey has exhausted me. |
| Aug., 2000 |
If
an arrow has not entered deeply, then its removal is not hard. |
| July, 2000 |
Do
not insult the hunting guide before the sun has set. |
| June., 2000 |
Even
haplochromis (name of a small fish) employs tilapia (name of a
large fish). |
| May., 2000 |
How
easy it is to defeat people who do not kindle fire for themselves.
|
| Apr., 2000 |
The
groin pains in sympathy with the sore. |
| Mar., 2000 |
If
you refuse the elder's advice you will walk the whole day. |
| Feb., 2000 |
A
tender bamboo cannot be eagerly desired (for building). |
| Jan., 2000 |
Two
bulls can't stay in the same kraal. |
| Dec., 1999 |
The
wasp says that several regular trips to a mud pit enables it to
build a house. |
| Nov., 1999 |
One
who bathes willingly with cold water doesn't feel the cold. |
| Oct., 1999 |
The
bush in which you hide has eyes. |
| Sep., 1999 |
If
you educate a man you educate an individual, but if you educate
a woman you educate a family (nation). |
| Aug., 1999 |
When
the bag tears, the shoulders get a rest. |
| Jul., 1999 |
Better
a curtain hanging motionless than a flag blowing in the wind. |
| Jun., 1999 |
When
an enemy digs a grave for you, God gives you an emergency exit. |
| May., 1999 |
The
"hurry-hurry" person eats goat; the one who takes his or her time
(or hesitates) eats beef. |
| Apr., 1999 |
One
person is thin porridge or gruel; two or three people are a lump
(handful) of ugali (stiff cooked meal/flour from sorghum or millet) |
| Mar., 1999 |
Let
the guest come so that the host or hostess may benefit (get well). |
| Feb., 1999 |
One
who enters a forest does not listen to the breaking of the twigs
in the brush. |
| Dec.,
1998 |
By
persevering the egg walks on legs. |
| Nov., 1998 |
It
takes a whole village to raise a child. |
| Oct., 1998 |
If
you have no teeth, do not break the clay cooking pot. |
| Sep., 1998 |
It
[a bug] grows up in dry wood, and yet comes to maturity. |
| Aug., 1998 |
The
person who has not traveled widely thinks his or her mother is
the only cook (the best cook). |
| Jul., 1998 |
Wisdom
is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it. |
| Jun., 1998 |
I
pointed out to you the stars (the moon) and all you saw was the
tip of my finger. |
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