Afrikan proverbs

• The snake may change its skin but stays a snake.
• Dama

Some smile with hared in their hearts. Sudan

• Do you want to harvest corn without cultivating
• corn? Sudan

• You lit the fire, now the smoke hurts your eyes.
• Tetela

• If you want to get rid of the flies, throw the
• bad meat away. Zambia

• The mole travels underground, safe from people’s
• feet. Zambia

• Do not put your goat out to graze in the field
• of the leopards. Congo

• Children speak only words they have heard.
• Yaunde

• A fine cradle will not always ensure a fine
• character. Ghana

• As you bring your child up, so it will grow up.
• Uganda

One man cannot collect the crops. Angola

Teeth without gaps chew the meat. Buganda

• If you are in one boat, you have to row
• together. South Africa

One finger cannot wash your face. Congo

• Only a lonely fool tries to do the work of many.
• Kikuyu

• If the fingers of one hand quarrel, they cannot
• pick up the food. East Africa

• Two strong men will move a heavy stone. Two
• bright lawyers will not agree about the meaning of a word. North Africa

A single bracelet does not jingle. Tetela

• If you cut down the big tree, the small trees
• will fall down by themselves. Zulu

• The tree cannot stand up without its roots.
• Zaire

If the trunk dies, the branches die too. Swahili

When father comes back, hunger ceases. Congo