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jeudi 30 octobre 2014

AFRICAN PROVERBS   

At a coward's home there is no mourning
An Ndebele proverb from Zimbabwe sent by Mercy Changwesha, Minneapolis, US
 A lizard in the village can never be a crocodile in the city
Sent by Ntazana Sindano, Lusaka, Zambia
Whoever is left under the scorching sun will find a way to the shade
Sent by Ofentse Bev Moraka, Botswana
If you are in hiding, don't light a fire
An Ashanti proverb sent by Frank Osei Kwabena Asamoah, Obuasi, Ghana
A bird flies with what it has swallowed
A Gichuka proverb sent by Mwenda wa Micheni, Chuka, Kenya
For news of the heart, ask the face
A Guinean proverb sent by Adji Diop, US

 Someone not going with you on a long journey will pack ripe bananas for you to eat along the way
A Luganda proverb sent by Alex Barigye Kabuto, Kayonza, Rwanda

A Ugandan proverb sent by Nuhu Hamidu, Kumasi, Ghana
The torture of the grave is known only to the dead
A Swahili proverb sent by Layla in Pretoria, South Africa
A cow may refuse to give to the milking jar but it cannot refuse to contribute to the cooking pot
An Oromo proverb from Ethiopia sent by Tesfaye Regassa, Munich, Germany
A good action reaps another
A Kikuyu proverb sent by Jesuis John, Kenya
Even the big baboon curls its tail to win the respect of the little ones
A Shona proverb sent by Beth Chitekwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
When there is peace in the country, the chief does not carry a shield
Sent by Kasozi George, Kampala, Uganda
If you want to catch a monkey, behave like one
Sent by Nd Osemeke and Motunde Badmos, both in Nigeria
Only a true friend will tell you that your breath smells
Sent by Moses Ebil Wang'koko, Mukono, Uganda
Pretty calabashes sour the beer
A Shona proverb sent by Givemore Matanda in Johannesburg, South Africa
Maize matures for people without teeth
A Lugbara proverb sent by Martin Ajobe, Arua, Uganda
When you don't get along with a hunter in town, don't follow him to the bush
A Krio proverb sent by Jimissa Koroma, Freetown, Sierra Leone
A mother who is a thief doesn't trust her child
An Amharic proverb sent by Alemnew Mekonnen, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
You cannot insult the whole village and exempt the village chief
A Fula proverb sent by Malick J Bah, The Gambia
The aggressive man ultimately encounters an even more aggressive man
A Somali proverb sent by M. Yusus, London, UK
A blind person knows his environment better than a sighted stranger
Sent by Silvester Katawala in Phalombe, Malawi
When a goat gives birth where there are people it is seeking their support to keep the dogs away
A proverb from Zimbabwe sent by Vukile Bhila in Gloucester, UK
A camel can tolerate a heavy load, but not a crooked rope
Sent by Ismail Adam, Mogadishu, Somalia
The guinea fowl never abandons its feathers
A Luo proverb sent by Kenyatta Otieno, Nairobi, Kenya
Slipperiness knows no king
Sent by Martin Mbeja, Mbale, Kenya.
A blow which is inevitably yours, when earlier encountered, will extricate you from further hostilities
A proverb from Ghana sent by Joseph Ware, New York, US
If you know how to pound, use the mortar; if not use the floor
Sent by Lucy Jones in Kaduna, Nigeria and Trust Odama in Abuja, Nigeria
Hold a true friend with both hands
A Nigerian proverb sent by J Savage in the US
Old sheep’s eyes see the sky only after it is slaughtered
A Somali proverb sent by Hashi Y Osman in Dallikon, Switzerland
A monkey that eats with both hands will sooner or later fall from the tree
Sent by Isaac T Payedoe, Gbarnga, Liberia, and Bartholomew Bropleh, Providence, Rhode Island, US
When a tortoise embarks on a journey he does not ask for directions, because he does not want his enemies to know where he is going
Sent by Sylvester, Nigeria
You will never be successful without going through troubles
A Chagga proverb sent by Felician, Moshi, Tanzania
Only a fool carrying an elephant on his head joins people hunting crickets
Sent by David Adeshiyan, from Ibadan, Nigeria, living in the US, and Barka Mamman, from Kaduna, Nigeria 
He who looks for honey must have the courage to face the bees
A Congolese proverb sent by Henri Kyalu, Cape Town, South Africa

If you fear a potential thief, then entrust him with your property
Sent by Omar Samba Bah, Banjul, The Gambia, and Ayuba Buba Mindala, Yola, Nigeria
The child of the Blue Nile River went thirsty
An Amharic proverb sent by Fikre Gebrekidan, Mekele, Ethiopia
A wise person adapts to his surroundings but a fool expects his surroundings to adapt to him
A South African proverb sent by Melissa Wood in Bridgetown, Barbados  
Before leaving home, a child must be taught how to behave
A Bemba proverb sent by Chile B Bloomberg, Lusaka, Zambia
What is in the heart is in a cave
A Shona proverb sent by Nigel Tapiwa Mabvuure in Glasgow, UK
Tears are best dried with your own hand
Sent by James Owich, Gulu, Uganda
A fighting bull is recognised by the scars on its body
A Shona proverb from Zimbabwe sent by Chenjerai Hove in Stavanger, Norway

When the frog in front falls into a pit, those behind take care
A Nigerian proverb sent by Sablah Laud, Accra, Ghana

When a hyena wants to eat its offspring, it says they smell like a goat
Sent by Misheck Muchatuta, Harare, Zimbabwe
A monkey cannot judge a case involving a forest
Sent by Kinalwa Michael and Kayongo Daniel, both in Kampala, Uganda
A speech without a proverb is like a stew without salt
An Oromo proverb sent by Dula, Hawassa, Ethiopia, and Habtamu S Tolla, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

When a ripe fruit sees an honest man, it drops
Sent by Sphazze Machinne, Nigeria
Respect cannot be built with a stick
A Xhosa proverb sent by Henry in Nelspruit, South Africa 
The fool speaks; the wise man listens
Sent by Elias Hajj Raw Bahh, Moyale, Ethiopia

 The bad dancer blames the drummer 
 A Swahili proverb
Patience is the mother of a beautiful child
A Bantu proverb sent by Armel Kom, New York, US
There are no shortcuts to the top of a palm tree
Sent by Popoola Bolaji Ismail, Lagos, Nigeria

Look at your own hands when you're eating the hand of a monkey
An Akan proverb sent by Kai Musa, Houston, US

The horns of the snail are not enough for it to challenge the bull for a fight
 
Sent by Emeka Amadi, Sydney, Australia, and Charles Akunnor, Granada, Spain
The one who walks alone by the stream can easily be swept away 
A Tonga proverb sent by Peter Malekwa
 
Problems have no manners 

No matter how small an idol, it is carried with two hands

An Igbo proverb sent by Matthew Chibuike, Kaduna, Nigeria
  
If you are patient, you can dissect an ant and see its intestines

A Twi proverb from Ghana sent by Rosemond Offei-Awuku, Tunis, Tunisia


Don’t expect a dove from a snake’s egg
Sent by Mella Ejigu, Assosa Ethiopia


Fight the elephant and not his shadow
Sent by Mohamed Ibrahim, Khartoum, Sudan

The cow does not know the value of its tail until it is cut off

An Igbo proverb sent by Musa Camara, The Gambia, and Smoden Chimbau, Lilongwe, Malawi

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