African Proverbs
African Proverbs carry the distilled wisdom of generations — short, sharp and endlessly quotable. Here are 16 of the finest, gathered from our proverbs collection.
When you pray, move your feet.
The axe forgets; the tree remembers.
A tree is known by its fruit.
Knowledge without wisdom is like water in the sand.
Unity is strength, division is weakness.
No matter how hot your anger is, it cannot cook yams.
He who does not know the road is likely to lose his way.
The ruin of a nation begins in the homes of its people.
A riddle is like a small axe with which to split a large log of truth.
When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.
The chameleon changes colour to match the earth; the earth doesn't change colours to match the chameleon.
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.
The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.
However long the night, the dawn will break.
A child is a child of everyone.