African Proverbs
African proverbs collected by country and tribe, with meanings where they have been written. 443 in the archive.
- When the fool is told a proverb, its meaning has to be explained to him.Ghana
- When the head is too big, it cannot dodge blows.Zambia
- When the heart acts, the body is its slave.
- When a mighty tree falls, the birds are scattered into the bush.
- Two birds disputed about a kernel, when a third swooped down and carried it off.
- When you are rich, you are hated; when you are poor, you are despised.Ghana
- Where there is love there is no darkness.Burundi
- Where there is no shame, there is no honor.
- Where there is sea, there will always be pirates.Malawi
- Where you will sit when you are old shows where you stood in youth.Nigeria
- Whether you wait for tomorrow or you don't, it is sure to come.Nigeria
- The rat said: "If I had not been denied food, would I be stealing it?".Nigeria
- Wisdom does not come overnight.Somalia
- Wisdom is like fire. People take it from others.Congo
- Wisdom is not like money to be tied up and hidden.Guinea
- Wisdom is wealth.Kenya
- Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it.Guinea
- A wise man who knows proverbs, reconciles difficulties.Nigeria
- A wise man never knows all. Only fools know everything.
- When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.Algeria
- Wood already touched by fire isn't hard to set alight.Ghana
- Words are like bullets; if they escape, you can't catch them again.The Gambia
- Words are like spears: once they leave your lips, they can never come back.Benin
- If you are looking for a fly in your food it means that you are full.South Africa