The 90 best African Proverbs (and what they mean)

African culture is one of the most traditional and rich in the world, since even today have a great connection to their ancestral beliefs on how to live life, respect the world and embrace the people around you. And with this selection of their best proverbs we can reflect like them.

• We recommend you read: "The 70 best Inca Proverbs (and their meaning)"

Great proverbs of the African lands

Next, we will know some of these important sayings, with which the people of this region live.

1. It is not good that the teeth fight with the tongue.

We should not fight with the people who are part of our environment.

2. Happiness requires something to do, something to love, and something to look forward to.

Happiness is found in every moment that we live.

3. Until lions have their own historians, hunting stories will always glorify the hunter.

Both versions of things must be heard.

4. The footprints of the people who walked together are never erased.

Being accompanied makes the path easier.

5. The hunter chasing an elephant does not stop to throw stones at the birds.

Dreams must be followed, without looking sideways.

6. Growing up means seeing things.

We have to have confidence in our judgment.

7. A roaring lion does not kill any game.

Aggression has no qualms.

8. Those who reach the river earlier find the cleanest water.

Punctuality is a virtue that we must all cultivate.

9. If you want to go fast, he walks alone, if you want to go far, go together.

There are times in life when we need to be in company to move forward.

10. When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.

In any discussion there is always an innocent victim.

11. Rams are admired where bulls are lacking.

This refers to the fact that when there is mediocrity, excellence is not seen.

12. When an old man passes away, a library burns down.

Elderly people are sources of wisdom.

13. The hunter does not rub himself with grease and goes to sleep by the fire.

Laziness is not a good counselor.

14. A goat cannot carry the tail of another goat.

Each person is unique and should not be an imitation of anyone.

15. Marriage is like a peanut, you have to break the shell to see what is inside.

You have to love the other, not for their physical appearance, but for what they carry inside.

16. Whoever follows the bees does not lack honey.

When we decide to follow another person, we are exposed to endless situations.

17. The rain hits the leopard's skin, but does not wash away the spots.

The experiences lived do not take away what has been learned.

18. The dog owner does not obey his dog.

We must all follow our ideals.

19. The drums of war are drums of hunger.

Wars destroy peace and therefore bring scarcity and hunger.

20. The river continues its course without waiting for the thirsty.

Our destiny is there always present.

21. The lie can last a year, the truth reaches it in a day.

The truth always shines through at all times.

22. The family is like the forest, if you are outside of it you only see its density, if you are inside you see that each tree has its own position.

Family is all we have, whether full of strengths or weaknesses.

23. Whoever wants the rain, also has to accept the mud.

If you love a person, you have to love him with his virtues and his mistakes.

24. The woman whose child has been eaten by a witch is the one who knows best the evils of witchcraft.

Nobody learns from the experiences of others.

25. Remember, if there is a storm there will be rainbows.

After a difficult situation, calm comes.

26. Whoever wants the rain, also has to accept the mud.

Life comes with beautiful things, but also with bitter moments.

27. Wood already touched by fire is not difficult to ignite.

He refers to the different moments of life.

28. The bridge is only repaired when someone falls into the water.

We always focus on something, when we already have it in front of us.

29. Before asking a man for clothes, look at the clothes he is wearing.

We should not ask without first knowing.

30. If you have a lot of some of your possessions; if you have little; give something of your heart.

Helping the needy does not always refer to something material.

31. You don't want to applaud the dancer too much, because he may take a wrong step.

Praise is not always convenient.

32. A man does not wander far from where he is roasting his corn.

We always have a path that brings us back.

33. Not everyone who chased the zebra caught it, but whoever caught it, chased it.

Sometimes we don't make it to the finish line, but you never have to give up.

34. The elephant feels strong thanks to his muscles.

Physical appearance is not always what counts.

35. In crisis, trust your own feet.

We must always get ahead on our own.

36. You don't teach an old gorilla the ways of the forest.

We must not let arrogance take over.

37. Whoever has diarrhea hits the door.

When he is sick, you have to go to the doctor.

38. You don't need a big stick to break a rooster's head.

Great solutions are not always what we need.

39. The jailer is just another prisoner.

There are many ways to feel captive.

40. Whoever tells the truth is never wrong.

The truth is something as big and bright as the Sun.

41. If you don't plug the holes, you will have to rebuild the walls.

Solve problems no matter how small they seem, before they turn into something bigger.

42. If crocodiles eat their own eggs, what would they do with the meat of a frog?

If we are bad with those who know us, how not to be bad with strangers.

43. Who asks questions is not stupid.

The wise men came to that, by asking in time.

44. The land is not ours, it is a treasure that we preserve for future generations.

We must not destroy nature, our children will not forgive us.

45. He who is bitten by a snake fears a lizard.

Fears are always in our life.

46. There is nowhere to hide on the surface of the water.

If we do wrong, there is no place where we can take refuge.

47. A person who changes clothes is always hidden while he is changing.

Honesty is a virtue that very few have.

48. Don't ask the hunter about hunting him if he comes back with mushrooms.

We must not get into the problems of others.

49. An army of sheep led by a lion will defeat an army of lions led by a sheep.

A leader has to have the ability to do his job well.

50. Evil penetrates like a needle and then is like an oak.

Evil spreads quickly.

51. Many births mean many burials.

Death is part of life.

52. The river fills with small streams.

To be successful, we must win small battles.

53. He who has traveled a lot knows as much as he who has studied a lot.

Knowledge is not only achieved through books, but also by learning from experiences.

54. Wisdom is like a baobab tree; No one can hug him.

To gain wisdom, you have to walk a long way.

55. Educating a child requires the entire tribe.

Children need the knowledge and direction of the whole family.

56. Working the fields is hard, but hunger is tougher.

Sowing is essential to combat hunger in the world.

57. Even if you go hunting elephants, don't despise the snail.

The little opportunities that come our way along the way must also be taken advantage of.

58. The homeowner knows where his roof leaks.

Nobody knows the problems of others.

59. You can't hide the smoke if you started a fire.

Negative feelings, even when trying to hide, always show up.

60. The important things are in the drawer.

Nice memories must be treasured.

61. A friend works in the sunlight, an enemy in the dark.

True friends are the ones who always tell you the truth.

62. Who has not passed it, do not make fun of the one who drowned.

No one should be criticized while their path has not been traveled.

63. Do not call the forest that shelters you a jungle.

We must call things by their name.

64. If we train a boy, we train a man. If we train one woman, we train the whole village.

The female figure is of vital importance in society.

65. If a monkey is among the dogs, why won't he learn to bark?

Each person is different.

66. The eye does not bear loads, but it knows the load that the head can bear.

Every individual knows what value is.

67. Illness and disasters come and go like rain, but health is like the sun that illuminates the entire town.

Who has health, he is a millionaire. Since with health, we can do whatever we want in our life.

68. Passion and hatred are children of intoxicating drinks.

If feelings are not controlled, whether good or bad, they will bring us problems.

69. The tasks of an elephant are never too heavy for him.

Each one knows how far he can go.

70. A youth that does not cultivate friendship with the elderly is like a tree without roots.

Elderly people are a great source of wisdom from which we must all draw.

71. To be wrong is to learn to know the way.

Mistake is a way of learning.

72. If you can walk, you can dance. If you can talk, you can sing.

We can always do what we set out to do.

73. Copying everyone else all the time, the monkey one day slit his own throat.

We should not be a copy of anyone, it is best to look for the best version of ourselves.

74. After having traveled the whole world in search of happiness, you realize that he was at the door of your house.

Happiness does not depend on others, but on ourselves.

75. Why do we complain about a crooked tree when there are crooked people on our streets?

Regretting everything does not lead to anything.

76. Who hears the voice of the old man is like a strong tree; who covers their ears is like a branch in the wind.

Listening to advice makes us wiser.

77. Evil penetrates like a needle and ends up being like an oak tree.

You have to stay away from problems and toxic people.

78. The big eaters may not have food to eat, and the heavy drinker has nothing to drink.

Things are not always what they seem.

79. Evil penetrates like a needle and ends up being like an oak tree.

You have to stay away from problems and toxic people.

80. No matter how long a log spends in the water, it will never become a crocodile.

We are not going to become what we are not.

81. Many small people, in small places, doing little things, can change the world.

Little by little important things are achieved.

82. There are those who have a head, but do not have a cap to wear, and there are those who have a cap, but do not have a head.

Do not envy what others have.

83. A child's lie is like a dead fish, it always comes to the surface.

The lie can never be hidden for long.

84. Sit on the bank of the river and you will see the corpse of your enemy go by.

In life you have to be patient and calm at all times.

85. Wealth has a jacket of many colors.

Having wealth does not always mean being happy.

86. What the old man sees by sitting, the young man standing does not perceive.

Patience is a virtue that we must practice.

87. When the full moon loves you, why worry about the stars?

If we have what we need, why waste time on what we don't have?

88. A disease that can be cured does not need many fortune-tellers.

We must not be influenced by the opinions of others.

89. A tiger does not have to proclaim his fierceness.

It is not necessary to show off our strengths, only to demonstrate them when necessary.

90. It takes a village to raise a child.

A popular saying that cites the importance of society in raising children.