Who First Said, No One Will Screw You Like Family

Read our selection of 200 of the best known and inspiring African proverbs beneath.

What's a saying?

A proverb is a brief, elementary, traditional maxim that gives advice based on practical experience, often in the grade of a metaphor or allegory Proverbs are popular in spoken linguistic communication, and grade part of the sociology of a culture, passing down the generations.

Many African proverbs reference nature – the earth and animals – giving pearls of wisdom through the metaphors of everyday activities and objects. The selection beneath come from correct across the African continent – whilst nigh of the proverbs are specific to countries or ethnic groups, there are a number that are of unknown source, and are simply 'African proverbs'. Read on below for 200 of the nearly inspiring and thought-provoking African proverbs.

"A rooster is not expected to crow for the whole globe."

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"A woman is never quondam when it comes to the trip the light fantastic toe she knows."

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"All errors are amendable."

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"Birds sing not because they have answers but considering they accept songs"

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"By itch a kid learns to stand."

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"Discord betwixt the powerful is a fortune for the poor."

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"Ears that do not listen to advice, accompany the head when information technology is chopped off."

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"Fifty-fifty the best dancer on the stage must retire sometime."

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"Family names are similar flowers, they blossom in clusters."

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"Fearfulness no forest because it is dense."

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"Gold should be sold to the one who knows the value of it."

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"He who doesn't clean his oral cavity earlier breakfast always complains that the food is sour."

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"He who loves the vase loves also what is inside."

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"He who runs later on good fortune runs abroad from peace."

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"If while climbing a tree y'all insist on going across the top, the earth will be waiting for you."

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"If you are filled with pride, then you lot will have no room for wisdom."

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"If you close your optics to facts, y'all will learn through accidents."

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"Milk and honey have different colors, but they share the aforementioned house peacefully."

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"No matter how big a child is, he cannot deny that he was one time carried on the dorsum of a woman."

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"Nobody is born wise."

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"One who causes others misfortune also teaches them wisdom."

"Pretend you are dead and you will see who really loves you."

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"Rising early makes the road curt."

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"Speak softly and bear a large stick; you will make it."

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"The wise create proverbs for fools to learn, not to echo."

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"To get lost is to learn the way."

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"What you help a kid to love can be more than important than what you assistance him to learn."

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"What you learn is what you dice with."

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"When a king reigns, it is thanks to the people when a river sings, it is thanks to the stones."

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"Y'all always acquire a lot more when y'all lose than when you lot win."

Cameroonian Proverbs

"A man'southward wealth may be superior to him."

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"Better piddling than too little."

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"If dear is a sickness, patience is the remedy."

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"Rain does not fall on one roof alone. "

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"There are no shortcuts to the meridian of the palm tree."

Congolese Proverbs

"You lot learn how to cut downwards trees by cutting them down."

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"A single bracelet does not jingle."

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"A tree cannot stand without roots."

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"Children are the reward of life."

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"Footling by piddling grow the bananas."

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"Honey is like a baby: information technology needs to be treated tenderly."

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"No matter how full the river, it still wants to abound."

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"Prepare now for the solutions of tomorrow."

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"The bee is the doc of flowers."

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"The friends of our friends are our friends."

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"Those who are absent are ever wrong."

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"You exercise non teach the paths of the forest to an old gorilla."

Ethiopian Proverbs

"Coffee and love sense of taste best when hot."

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"Eat when the food is set speak when the time is right."

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"He who learns, teaches."

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"If you pick up one end of the stick you also pick up the other."

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"The elephant does non limp when walking on thorns."

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"The fool speaks, the wise human being listens."

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"When a strong human being sends a message, he sends it with a weak man"

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"When the shepherd comes home in peace, the milk is sweet."

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"Where a woman rules, stream run uphill."

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"Where at that place is no shame, at that place is no honor."

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Ghanaian Proverbs

"Ingratitude is sooner or later fatal to its author."

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"Only a wise person can solve a difficult problem."

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"The good mother knows what her children will eat."

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"Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one private can embrace it."

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"Wisdom is not similar money to exist tied upwardly and subconscious."

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"What is bad luck for i man is skilful luck for another."

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"When a king has good counselors, his reign is peaceful."

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"When you follow in the path of your father, you learn to walk like him."

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"Past the time the fool has learned the game, the players have dispersed."

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"He is a fool whose sheep runs away twice."

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"He who cannot dance volition say, 'The drum is bad!'"

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"A kid does non laugh at the ugliness of his mother."

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"All heads are the same, but not all thoughts are the same."

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"An ground forces of sheep led by a panthera leo can defeat an army of lions led by a sheep."

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"If a blind man says he will throw a stone at you, he probably has his pes on one."

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"If there were no elephant in the jungle, the buffalo would be a great animate being."

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"If we put a hammer in every person'due south manus, could they all become blacksmiths?"

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"If an pointer has not entered securely, so its removal is not difficult."

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"If y'all educate a man you educate one individual, but if you educate a woman you educate a family unit."

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"It is non the cook's fault when the cassava turns out to be difficult and tasteless."

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"One camel does not make fun of the other camel'south hump."

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"One head solitary does not go into council"

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"So many little things makes a man love a woman in a big manner."

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"The elders of the hamlet are the boundaries."

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"Those who are built-in on top of the anthill take a curt time to grow tall."

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"When a fish rots, the head stinks first"

Kenyan Proverbs

"A flea tin problem a lion more than a lion tin trouble a flea."

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"A fully grown tree cannot exist aptitude into a walking stick."

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"A leader who does not take advice is non a leader."

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"A human who uses forcefulness is afraid of reasoning."

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"All monkeys cannot hang on the aforementioned co-operative."

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"An empty pot makes the loudest dissonance."

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"Baboons exercise not go far from the place of their birth."

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"Do not allow the abdomen to make you useless."

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"Don't fight a lion with a stick."

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"Every door has its own central."

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"Glory does not come by calling."

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"He who refuses to obey cannot command."

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"However much it rains on yous, no wild assistant tree will abound on your caput."

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"It is the belly which daily gives thanks."

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"Lonely is 1."

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"1 arrow can knock downwards an elephant."

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"Ane whose seeds have non sprouted does not requite upwardly planting."

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"Merely a medicine human gets rich by sleeping."

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"Only someone else tin scratch your back."

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"Peace is plush but it is worth the expense."

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"Rich people sometimes eat bad food."

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"Teeth do not run across poverty."

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"The moo-cow that bellows does and then for all cows."

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"The night has ears."

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"The stick in the hand kills the snake."

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"There is not such a thing in the world as a sheep of many colours."

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"There's no rainy season without mosquitoes."

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"To lead is non to run vicious over people"

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"Traveling is learning."

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"Unity is the real thing"

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"We should put out burn down while it is still modest."

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"When the food is cooked there is no need to look before eating it."

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"When the lion cannot find meat, it eats grass."

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"You lot cannot force water up a loma."

Madagascan Proverbs

"A canoe does not know who the leader is – when information technology turns over everyone gets wet."

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"A little pelting each 24-hour interval will fill the rivers to overflowing."

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"Advice is a stranger; if he's welcome he stays for the dark; if not, he leaves the same day."

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"Wealth is like pilus in the nose: it hurts to be separated whether from a little or from a lot."

Malawian Proverbs

"Even the fiercest leader in the earth is overcome by slumber."

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"He who thinks he is leading and has no one following him is only taking a walk."

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"Obstinacy does not redeem anyone."

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"The betrothed of good is evil, the betrothed of life is death, the betrothed of dear is divorce."

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"The words of the elders become sweet some 24-hour interval."

Mozambican Proverbs

"A snake that you tin see does not bite."

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"An ox shits more than a hundred mosquitoes "

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"Never marry a woman who has bigger anxiety than you."

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"No tattoo is made without blood."

Namibian Proverbs

"If you do not take patience you cannot brand beer."

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"Leadership does non depend on historic period."

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"Learning expands neat souls."

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"Dearest is a despot who spares no one."

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"'Supposing' doesn't fill up the grain basket, 'if' doesn't fill up the larder."

Nigerian Proverbs

"A bird that flies from the footing onto an anthill does non know that it is still on the ground."

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"A person who has children does non die."

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"A tree does not move unless there is wind."

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"An intelligent enemy is better than a stupid friend."

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"Being happy is better than existence male monarch."

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"Even the Niger river must flow around an isle."

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"If y'all damage the character of some other, you lot damage your own."

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"If you remember you have someone eating out of your easily, it is a good idea to count your fingers."

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"In the moment of crisis, the wise build bridges and the foolish build dams."

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"Niggling by footling the bird builds its nest."

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"Other people'south wisdom prevents the king from being called a fool."

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"The big game frequently appears when the hunter has given up the chase for the day."

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"The pelting does not recognize anyone as a friend, it drenches all equally."

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"The rhinoceros never dances with the monkey."

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"The roaring lion kills no casualty"

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"Time destroys all things."

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"When the mother goat breaks into the yam shop her kid watches her."

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"When your neighbour's horse falls into a pit, y'all should not rejoice at information technology, for your own kid may fall into it too."

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"Where y'all volition sit when you are old shows where y'all stood in youth."

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"Words are sweet, but they never take the place of food."

Senegalese Proverbs

"Haste and hurry can simply bear children with many regrets along the way."

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"The chameleon changes colour to match the globe, the earth doesn't change colour to friction match the chameleon."

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"The strong do not demand clubs."

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"There can be no peace without agreement."

Somali Proverbs

"A brave man dies once, a coward a thousand times."

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"A bridge is repaired only when someone falls into the h2o."

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"He who does not seize opportunity today, will be unable to seize tomorrow's opportunity."

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"The central to a healthy trunk is a practiced head."

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"Wisdom does not come overnight."

South African Proverbs

"A clever king is the brother of peace."

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"A crowd can easily overpower a bull."

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"Even an ant tin injure an elephant."

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"The jungle is stronger than the elephant."

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"The sun never sets without fresh news."

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"Copying everyone else all the time, the monkey one day cut his throat."

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"What has horns must not be hid in a sack."

Tanzanian Proverbs

"A boat cannot become forward if each rows his own way."

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"Practice non forget what is to exist a sailor because of being a helm yourself."

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"If you are filled with pride, then you will have no room for wisdom."

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"The apprehensive pay for the mistakes of their leaders."

Ugandan Proverbs

"Past trying often, the monkey learns to spring from the tree."

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"He who fears the sun will not become master."

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"He who is destined for power does not have to fight for it."

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"If a leader loves yous, he makes sure y'all build your house on rock"

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"The chameleon looks in all directions before moving"

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"The one nearest to the enemy is the real leader"

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"Water that has been begged for does not quench the thirst."

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"When the powerful sit down, they are none the weaker."

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"When at that place is peace in the country, the principal does not carry a shield."

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"When you befriend a chief call up that he sits on a rope."

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"Without a leader, black ants are confused."

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"Y'all cannot climb to the mountain top without crushing some weeds with your anxiety"

That'southward your lot for African proverbs. What do you think – whatsoever great ones that nosotros're missing? Driblet us a line in the comments section below.

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Source: https://nosweatshakespeare.com/quotes/literature/african-proverbs/

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