23 Proverbs and Sayings from Africa

On Tuesday I shared some thoughts in response to the Old Testament proverb, "Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. That night as I lay awake I began thinking about proverbs and sayings from other traditions. Wednesday evening I decided to visit websites with collections of sayings from various African nations and peoples. I found it fascinating. Here are some of my favorite gleanings. 

Algeria
A secret for two, soon a secret for nobody.

Benin
Silence is an attribute of the dead; he who is alive speaks. 

Cameroon
Lying can get you a wife, but it won't keep her.

Djibouti
A guest who breaks the dishes of his host is not soon forgotten.

Ethiopia
One who plants grapes by the road side, and one who marries a pretty woman, share the same problem.

Ghana
The ruin of a nation begins in the homes of its people.

Kenya
A man who continually laments is not heeded.**

Liberia
Only when the tree is big and strong can you tether a cow to it.

Mali

The hyena chasing two antelopes at the same time will go to bed hungry.

Madagascar (The Malagasy peoples)

Those who rush things too much, without reflection, can be surpassed by those who take their time. 

Nigeria
The child of an elephant will not be a dwarf.

Rwanda
You hide the fact you hate me; I hide the fact I know.     (EdNote: Interesting.)

Senegal

A lobster loves water, but not when he's being cooked in it.

Tunisia

How lovely is the sun after rain, and how lovely is laughter after sorrow.

Uganda
Old men sit in the shade because they planted a tree many years before.

Zambia
When you show the moon to a child, it sees only your finger.

Zimbabwe

God is good, but never dance with a lion.

Bonus Tracks

Two men in a burning house must not stop to argue. (Ghana)

If you are on the road to nowhere, find another road. (Ghana)

 

The end of an ox is beef, and the end of a lie is grief. (Malagasy)
 

The day on which one starts out is not the time to start one’s preparations. (Nigeria)

Only the thing for which you have struggled will last. (Nigeria)

A riddle made by God has no solution. (Zambia)

** This saying reminded me of a poem I used to read to my children: Matilda Who Told Lies and Was Burned.