African Proverbs

As children, we learned many proverbs, both in vernacular language and in English. A proverb is a short, well-known saying that conveys a general truth, offers advice, or shares wisdom based on common sense or cultural experience. These sayings are catchy and easy to understand, found in every culture around the world. However, I have come across some African proverbs that are particularly interesting and stand out from the usual ones.

Africa, the world’s second largest continent, also known as the Mother of Mankind, offers an abundance of beauty and resources, such as gold, diamonds, and coffee, as well as the invaluable gift of knowledge.

Here are 25 African proverbs I have gathered for you to enjoy this Sunday.

1. Respect the fools to avoid noise.

2. A fool has to say something, while a wise person has something to say.

3. Only a fool tests the depth of a river with both feet.

4. We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.

5. If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try spending night with a mosquito.

6. A person who sells eggs should not start a fight in the market.

7. No matter how far an eagle flies up the sky, it will definitely come down to look for food.

8. A bird that flies off the Earth and lands on an anthill is still on the ground.

9. Knowledge is a garden. If it isn’t cultivated, you can’t harvest it.

10. Rain doesn’t fall on one roof alone.

11. The road to success is always under construction.

12. If you want to know the end, look at the beginning.

13. The axe forgets, but the tree remembers.

14. No matter how hot your anger may be, it cannot cook beans.

15. Don’t mistake a short man for a boy.

16. Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers.

17. A monkey that eats grass instead of banana is a goat.

18. You cannot convince a monkey that honey is sweeter than a banana.

19. When the mouse laughs at the cat, there is a hole nearby.

20. A snake that you can see doesn’t bite.

21. Don’t think there are no crocodiles just because the water is calm.

22. Love, like rain, doesn’t choose the grass on which it falls.

23. Men would not tell lies if women asked fewer questions.

24. Every beetle is a gazelle in the eyes of its mother.

25. Everything happens for a reason, but sometimes the reason is that you’re stupid and you make bad decisions.

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–Kaushal Kishore 

image: pinterest