INTRODUCTION: A special feature of this Website is to circulate worldwide an "African Proverb of the Month." Our plan to is post an important proverb from a different African country every month. We use a simple format that includes: meaning of the proverb; use of the proverb; and application of the proverb including a Biblical parallel. African proverbs of previous months are found under "Resources" starting with the June, 1998 "African Proverb of the Month." You are invited to send an African Proverb to the moderator to be posted on this Website. We hope this can be a participatory Website. Welcome.
| Jan., 2008 |
I have been bitten by a tsetse fly.
Sukuma
(Tanzania)
explanation... |
|
Dec., 2007 |
It is not the cook's fault when the cassava turns
out to be hard and tasteless. Ewe-mina
(Benin, Ghana and Togo) explanation... |
|
Nov., 2007 |
The lead cow (the one in front) gets whipped the most. Zulu (South Africa, Swaziland) explanation... |
|
Oct., 2007 |
Only a wise person can solve a difficult problem. Akan (Ghana) explanation... |
|
Sep., 2007 |
Where there’s a will there’s a way. Swahili (Eastern and
Central Africa) explanation |
|
Aug., 2007 |
A child or youth who does not
listen to an elder’s advice gets his or her leg broken.
Nyanja (Mozambique,
Zimbabwe,
Zambia) and Chewa (Malawi) and Bemba (Zambia)
explanation |
|
Jul., 2007 |
The camel does not see the bend in its neck. Arabic (Libya) explanation... |
|
Jun, 2007 |
The thing that will hurt you will always keep on coming back even if you try to avoid it. Shubi (Tanzania) explanation... |
|
May, 2007 |
Beer that will spoil ferments unequally. Luyia (Kenya) explanation... |
|
Apr., 2007 |
If you rattle a snake, you should be prepared to be bitten by it. Gikuyu (Kenya) explanation... |
|
Mar., 2007 |
The one who fetches the water is the one who is likely to break the pot. Ga (Ghana) explanation... |
|
Feb., 2007 |
Love is blind. Mende (Sierra Leone) explanation... |
|
Jan., 2007 |
Two ants do not fail to pull one grasshopper. Haya, Sukuma (Tanzania) and Ganda (Uganda) explanation... |
|
Dec., 2006 |
Unity is strength. Ganda (Uganda) explanation... |
|
Nov., 2006 |
The dog does not worry when the chicken runs over to the bones. Ewe-mina (Benin, Ghana, and Togo) explanation... |
|
Oct., 2006 |
A rich person does not have a mountain. Shubi (Tanzania) explanation... |
|
Sep., 2006 |
When you sort out the grains, it becomes pure. |
|
Aug., 2006 |
Don’t ask for
Lukole when you have already reached [the village of] Mubaga. |
|
Jul., 2006 |
The chief's son has
to collect firewood when destiny destroys him. |
|
Jun., 2006 |
Suffering is prior
to attaining success or perfection. |
|
May., 2006 |
A debt is not a
loss once one knows the debtor. |
|
Apr., 2006 |
Until the lion has his
or her own storyteller, the hunter will always have the best part of the
story. |
|
Mar., 2006 |
A warthog eating
its fill does not delight a pig. |
|
Feb., 2006 |
A stone from home
is worth ten from the riverbed. |
|
Jan., 2006 |
The (word) of a
friend makes you cry; the (word) of an enemy makes you laugh. |
|
Dec., 2005 |
Patience can cook a
stone. |
|
Nov., 2005 |
The person who has
eaten and satisfied himself or herself does not care for the one who is
hungry. |
|
Oct., 2005 |
Due to shyness the tortoise
died in a boat. |
|
Sep., 2005 |
Provided no person stunts
or destroys a sprouting palm kernel seedling, it will definitely grow into a
palm tree. |
|
Aug., 2005 |
Swallow saliva before
you cross a one-log bridge. |
|
Jul., 2005 |
To punch with a
strong fist, you need to turn over your hand. |
|
Jun., 2005 |
If you do not
listen to good advice, you will be embarrassed in public. |
|
May., 2005 |
The pants of today are
better than the breeches of tomorrow. |
|
Apr., 2005 |
The one who eats
has tasted the hardship of labor. |
|
Mar., 2005 |
How are things?
Cool! |
|
Feb., 2005 |
The fierce white
ants cause the death of the kind and harmless ants. |
|
Jan., 2005 |
The cure of the
Ma'di is Ma'di. |
|
Dec., 2004 |
A boisterous horse
needs a boisterous bridle. |
|
Nov., 2004 |
It's better to give
than to receive. |
|
Oct., 2004 |
One who relates
with a corrupt person likewise gets corrupted. |
|
Sep., 2004 |
If God breaks your
leg, He will teach you how to limp. |
|
Aug., 2004 |
The eyes of the
wise person see through you. |
|
Jul., 2004 |
The person who
tends to ingratiate himself to his father without involving others never
inherits the father’s property. |
|
Jun., 2004 |
Hot water does not
burn down the house. |
|
May., 2004 |
After hardship
comes relief. |
|
Apr., 2004 |
If you refuse the
advice of an elder you will walk until sunset. |
|
Mar., 2004 |
Cannot Ngorulahi be
satisfied and Ngarambangandu miss the chance? |
|
Feb., 2004 |
An empty stomach
can make a person lose his or her cattle; that is, when the stomach is empty
the legs become weak and you can't run after your animals. |
|
Jan., 2004 |
The thorn in your
foot is temporarily appeased, but it is still in. |
|
Dec., 2003 |
The beer is
difficult to strain. |
|
Nov., 2003 |
The old woman looks
after the child to grow its teeth and the young one in turn looks after the
old woman when she loses her teeth. |
|
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. |