Most countries and continents of the world have their proverbs and wise sayings. It’s the same in Africa and African proverbs are the pride of African culture. Since time immemorial, African proverbs have been used to convey messages in important conversations. It is believed that such sayings come from the wise and only the wise understand. Over the years it has been associated with the wise, the aged and the grey-haired, who pride themselves on knowing these proverbs and often use them to offer stern advice to children or young people. In most traditions in Africa, it is usually atypical to narrate an African proverb and still explain the meaning. Notwithstanding his answers Africabrings you some of the greatest and most famous African proverbs and their meanings:
African proverbs of life
1. Only a fool tests the depth of a river with both feet.
Meaning: You don’t jump straight into a situation without thinking about it first.
2. Knowledge is like a garden: if it is not tended, it cannot be harvested.
Meaning: If you don’t make an effort to acquire knowledge, don’t expect it to be there, and if you don’t use the knowledge you need to use, you can’t expect to gain anything from it.
Meaning: Good and sweet things in life may seem difficult but it is worth it in the end.
4. Don’t sail with someone else’s star.
Meaning: Avoid copying someone. Just because someone has been successful in what he/she does shouldn’t be what makes you do the same and expect you to be successful.
5. The best way to eat an elephant on your way is to cut it into small pieces.
Meaning: The best approach to solving a problem is to take it piece by piece. one after the other.
6. Restless feet can walk into a snake pit.
Meaning: When someone is busy doing nothing or involved in something they don’t know about, they can easily get into trouble.
7. A chick that grows into a rooster can be spotted the day it hatches.
Meaning : You can easily foretell the future of something by the signs and telltale signs it shows today.
8. After a foolish act comes repentance.
Meaning: Sorry always follows a stupid action.
9. A man who pays respect to the great ones paves the way for his own greatness.
That is to say: what goes around comes around, so whatever you sow you shall reap.
10. A roaring lion doesn’t kill a game.
Meaning: You cannot achieve or gain anything by just sitting around and talking about it.
11. If a child washes his hands, he can eat with kings.
Meaning: If you prepare for it and get a good education when the opportunity arises, you will achieve much and will be favored in due course.
12. Rain doesn’t just fall on a roof.
Meaning: Trouble always comes.
13. Life is like a shadow and a fog. it quickly passes and is no more.
Meaning: Life is short and you only live it once.
Meaning: What distinguishes a person is their character, which is inseparable from them and follows them everywhere.
15. Don’t look where you fell, look where you slipped.
Meaning: Don’t look at your mistakes. Look at what caused you to make mistakes, otherwise you could repeat the mistake.
The beauty of African proverbs lies in their mystery. Earlier in this article we mentioned that in most African traditions it is “unacceptable” to say an African proverb and still be the one to explain the meaning. In the spirit of African culture, we left some of them uninterpreted so you can enjoy their richness and wisdom while trying to see how many of them you can interpret.
16. An old woman is always troubled when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb.
17. By the time the fool learned the game, the players scattered.
18. Though the old man is strong and hearty, he will not live forever.
19. Bad luck for one person is good luck for another.
20. Fire and gunpowder don’t sleep together.
21. Hunger is felt by a slave and hunger by a king.
22. The lizard that jumped down from the tall Iroko tree said he would praise himself if no one else did.
23. Money is sharper than a sword.
24. Nobody tests the depth of a river with both feet.
25. A proud heart can survive general failure because such failure does not sting its pride.
26. When you hide, don’t make a fire.
27. If you don’t stand up for something, you will fall for something.
28. When the rooster is drunk, he forgets the hawk.
29. When a proverb is told to the fool, its meaning must be explained to him.
31. Rain strikes a leopard’s skin, but it doesn’t wash away the spots.
32. The sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel beneath them.
33. When a man approaches you, you don’t need to say, “Come here.”
34. If a man is rich, he can wear an old cloth.
35. A man’s grave is on the side of the road.
35. If you follow your father’s path, you will learn to walk like him.
36. There is no shame in working for money at all.
36. It is the calm and still water that drowns a man.
37. Don’t look where you fell, look where you slipped.
38. The poor and the rich do not play together.
39. A bad reputation is like a stigma.
40. When you are rich, you are hated; If you are poor, you will be despised.
41. You can tell a ripe corn by its appearance.
42. You must judge a man by the work of his hands.
43. The moon moves slowly, but it crosses the city.
44. People shouldn’t talk while they’re eating, or pepper could go the wrong way.
45. When a man says yes, his chi (personal god) says yes too.
46. You can’t feast and get rich at the same time.
47. When the moon shines, the cripple hungers after a walk.
48. It is the fool’s sheep that break loose twice.
49. The wise create proverbs so that fools can learn and not repeat.
50. Every woman is beautiful until she speaks.
51. He who causes misfortune to others also teaches them wisdom
53. He who refuses to obey cannot command.
54. You don’t teach an old gorilla the paths of the forest.
55. An army of sheep led by a lion can defeat an army of lions led by a sheep.
56. You are beautiful because of your possessions.
57. Education in youth is like engraving in stone.
58. He who fears the sun will not become a chief.
59. He who is destined for power does not have to fight for it.
60. A big chair doesn’t make a king.
61. You are beautiful but learn to work because you cannot eat your beauty.
62. If you follow your father’s path, you will learn to walk like him.
63. Beauty does not mean understanding the endurance of marriage.
64. He who thinks he is leading and has no one behind him is just walking.
65. Money is not a medicine against death.
66. Speak softly and carry a large stick; You will go far.
67. If the cockroach wants to rule over the chicken, it must hire the fox as its bodyguard
68. When there is character, ugliness becomes beauty; When there is none, beauty becomes ugliness.
69. Without understanding there can be no peace.
70. A close friend can become a close enemy.
71. Money can’t talk, but it can make lies true.
72. He who deserves misfortune eats it with his family.
African proverbs about unity
73. A single bracelet does not ring
75. Milk and honey are different colors, but they peacefully share the same house.
76. It takes a whole village to raise a child.
Meaning: Society is responsible for the moral characters it creates and everyone in a community should have a responsibility to raise a child regardless of who the parents are; Offer correction where needed.
77. When a king has good advisers, his government is peaceful.
78. He who does not know one thing knows another.
Meaning: Nobody knows everything, but everyone knows something.
79. One lie spoils a thousand truths.
80. A fight between locusts is a delight for the crow.
81. Whoever digs a grave for his enemy can dig it for himself.
82. It takes a whole village to raise a child
Meaning: What makes a man are the circumstances and the people around him, and when they are good, he turns out to be good.
83. A bird always uses another bird’s feathers to set up its own nest.
84. A person is a person because of other people.
85. When two elephants fight, the grass is trampled.
86. When there is peace in the land, the chief does not carry a shield.
87. Two small antelopes can beat a big one.
88. The mouth that eats does not speak.
African proverbs about love
89. A child’s fingers will not be scalded by a piece of hot yam that his mother puts in his palm.
90. As the dog said, “If I fall in love with you and you fall in love with me, he plays.”
91. If you’re offended, apologize. if offended forgive.
Meaning: This is as simple as it sounds: if you upset someone, apologize to them. If someone upsets you, forgive them because what goes around you comes around you.
92. A small house will accommodate a hundred friends.
93. It is Mr. Old-Man-Monkey who marries Mrs. Old-Woman-Monkey.
94. Those whose palm kernels have been cracked for them by a benevolent spirit should not forget to be humble.
95. Wood already touched by fire is not difficult to kindle.
96. The old woman takes care of the child to grow his teeth, and the young woman in turn takes care of the old woman when she loses her teeth.
97. The one who loves an ugly person is the one who makes him beautiful.
98. Dogs don’t actually prefer bones to meat; It’s just that nobody gives them meat.
African proverbs about family
99. Do not call the forest that protects you a jungle.
That said: do not insult anyone who is capable of assuming your responsibilities or caring for you.
100. The downfall of a nation begins in the homes of its people.
101. A wise man, knowing proverbs, reconciles difficulties. (Yoruba)
102. When a woman is hungry, she says, “Fry something for the children to eat.”
103. Looking at a king’s mouth, you would never think that he sucked his mother’s breast.
104. There is no medicine to cure hatred.
105. It is a bad child who does not take advice.
106. Dine with a stranger but save your love for your family.
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