309+ African Proverbs [Love, Life, Family, Success & More]

African proverbs are a rich and diverse cultural treasure, with countless examples from across the continent.

While there is a wide variety of themes and subjects covered in African proverbs, they share some common characteristics. Here are some of the key features of African proverbs:

• Conciseness: African proverbs are typically short and to the point. They express complex ideas in a concise and memorable way, using few words.
• Metaphor: Many African proverbs use metaphorical language to convey their message. They draw comparisons between two seemingly different things to highlight a particular point.
• Oral Tradition: African proverbs are typically passed down orally from generation to generation. They are an important part of the oral tradition and are often used to teach important values and lessons to children.
• Universal Themes: African proverbs often deal with universal themes such as love, friendship, honesty, wisdom, and respect.
• Cultural Specificity: Despite their universal themes, African proverbs are also deeply rooted in specific cultural contexts. They reflect the beliefs, values, and customs of the societies from which they originate.
• Poetic Language: African proverbs often use poetic language to create a sense of rhythm and beauty. They are often memorable and easy to remember because of their poetic quality.
• Practicality: Many African proverbs have a practical focus. They offer advice on how to navigate life’s challenges and make good decisions.

Overall, African proverbs are a unique and valuable form of cultural expression that offer insights into the wisdom and worldview of African societies.

We have hundreds to share in this article.

So, let’s take a look.

African Proverbs

Here are some African proverbs:

1. If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. (African proverb)
2. A bird does not change its feathers because the weather is bad. (Ghanaian proverb)
3. Unity is strength, division is weakness. (Swahili proverb)
4. You cannot climb a tree with one hand. (Igbo proverb)
5. The fool speaks, the wise man listens. (Ethiopian proverb)
6. Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors. (African proverb)
7. When the music changes, so does the dance. (African proverb)
8. A single bracelet does not jingle. (Congolese proverb)
9. A crocodile does not give birth to a bird. (Nigerian proverb)
10. It is not what you are called, but what you answer to. (West African proverb)
11. Where there is no shame, there is no honor. (Ethiopian proverb)
12. The one who loves an unsightly person is the one who makes him beautiful. (Ganda proverb)
13. Only a fool tests the depth of a river with both feet. (African proverb)
14. A person is a person because of other persons. (Zulu proverb)
15. A wise man never knows all, only fools know everything. (African proverb)
16. A village without elders will burn. (African proverb)
17. When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. (Swahili proverb)
18. If you want to eat honey, don’t kick over the beehive. (African proverb)
19. A person who runs alone cannot be outrun by another. (Kenyan proverb)
20. A wise man’s ears are in his head, a fool’s ears are in his mouth. (Ethiopian proverb)
21. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. (African proverb)
22. One who loves you, warns you. (Ugandan proverb)
23. Patience can cook a stone. (Congolese proverb)
24. The rain does not recognize borders. (Kenyan proverb)
25. A wise man never knows all, only fools know everything. (Zimbabwean proverb)
26. A cow that has no tail should not try to chase away flies. (Sierra Leonean proverb)
27. He who cannot dance says the drum is bad. (Ghanaian proverb)
28. To get lost is to learn the way. (African proverb)
29. If the sun claims superiority over the moon, let it shine at night. (Cameroonian proverb)
30. A person who forgives gains more than the one who is forgiven. (African proverb)
31. When a king has good counselors, his reign is peaceful. (African proverb)
32. He who refuses to obey cannot command. (African proverb)
33. It takes a village to raise a child. (African proverb)
34. You cannot build a house for last year’s summer. (Ethiopian proverb)
35. Even the lion, the king of the forest, protects himself against flies. (Ghanaian proverb)
36. The one who loves you is the one who sees the pain in your eyes, while everyone else believes the smile on your face. (Ghanaian proverb)
37. A tree cannot stand without roots. (African proverb)
38. The sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them. (African proverb)
39. A man who pays respect to the great, paves the way for his own greatness. (African proverb)
40. If you think you are too small to make a difference, you haven’t spent a night with a mosquito. (African proverb)
41. A child who is carried on the back will not know how far the journey is. (African proverb)
42. He who eats alone chokes alone. (Ugandan proverb)
43. To be without a friend is to be poor indeed. (Tanzanian proverb)
44. When the mouse laughs at the cat, there is a hole nearby. (Nigerian proverb)
45. A dog that follows you home is not necessarily yours. (African proverb)
46. The way a donkey expresses gratitude is by giving someone a bunch of kicks. (Ugandan proverb)
47. If you close your eyes to facts, you will learn through accidents. (African proverb)
48. A wise man is like a chess player; he thinks before he moves. (African proverb)
49. He who is unable to dance says the drum is bad. (Nigerian proverb)
50. Don’t set sail using someone else’s star. (Congolese proverb)
51. When a leopard dies, it leaves its skin behind. (Nigerian proverb)
52. If you want to know the end, look at the beginning. (Sierra Leonean proverb)
53. A person with too much ambition cannot sleep in peace. (Kenyan proverb)
54. A child is a leader of tomorrow. (Sudanese proverb)
55. It’s better to fall from a tree and break a leg than to fall in love and break a heart. (African proverb)
56. A person who is not grateful for what he has will never be satisfied with what he gets. (African proverb)
57. A wise man will not inspect the teeth of a gift horse. (Zimbabwean proverb)
58. An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. So when life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means that it’s going to launch you into something great. (African proverb)
59. Only a fool tests the depth of the river with both feet. (African proverb)
60. If you want to know the value of money, try borrowing some. (Nigerian proverb)
61. A leopard cannot change its spots. (African proverb)
62. The strong do not need clubs. (Senegalese proverb)

Wise African Proverbs And Sayings | Deep African Wisdom

Nigerian Phrases

Here are various Nigerian phrases:

1. How you dey? – How are you?
2. I dey fine – I’m fine
3. Wetin dey happen? – What’s happening?
4. Na so – That’s it
5. Ehen – Okay
6. Abeg – Please
7. No wahala – No problem
8. I no sabi – I don’t know
9. Na true – That’s true
10. Oya – Let’s go
11. Chai – Wow
12. Nawa – Wow, I’m amazed
13. Shebi – Right?
14. E don happen – It has happened
15. Akwaaba – Welcome
16. Omo – Child
17. Oga – Boss
18. Naija – Nigeria
19. Una sabi – Do you understand?
20. I wan chop – I want to eat
21. Make we go – Let’s go
22. Jare – Please, or hurry up
23. E don red – It has turned red (meaning: it’s getting serious)
24. Shakara – Showing off
25. Yawa – Trouble or problem
26. Wahala dey – There’s a problem
27. Una well done – Good job, well done
28. No vex – Sorry, don’t be offended
29. How market? – How’s business?
30. Soro soke – Speak up (a popular Nigerian protest chant)
31. Amebo – Gossip
32. Ko si wahala – No problem (in Yoruba)
33. Oya come chop – Come and eat.

Nigerian Sayings

Below are some Nigerian sayings:

1. A child who washes his hands clean will eat with kings.
2. A person who climbs a good tree always gets a push.
3. When the moon is shining, the cripple becomes hungry for a walk.
4. A mother’s prayer is more effective than a doctor’s prescription.
5. It is the calm and silent waters that drown a man.
6. One person’s meat is another person’s poison.
7. The eye that will cry is born to cry.
8. He who refuses to obey cannot command.
9. A person who is being carried on a horseback cannot determine the distance covered.
10. No matter how dark the night, morning always comes.
11. A person who runs away from the enemy will still have to face him.
12. A child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.
13. A toad does not run in the daytime for nothing.
14. The frown on the face of the goat will not stop it from being taken to the market.
15. A wise man’s tongue is his sword.
16. No matter how long the night, dawn will break.
17. The person who is not patient cannot eat well-cooked food.
18. The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.
19. He who is impatient to become rich quickly will never become wealthy.
20. The chicken that crows before dawn will be struck by the morning light.
21. When a man tells you that you are ugly, he either wants to marry you or he wants to fight you.
22. The one who loves you is the one who sees the pain in your eyes while everyone else believes the smile on your face.
23. A person who is too big to accept correction is too small to be a leader.
24. The horse that is afraid of its shadow should not go to war.
25. The wise bird builds its nest in a tree with the strongest branches.
26. A patient dog eats the fattest bone.
27. A person who tries to please everyone will end up pleasing no one.
28. A tree cannot make a forest.
29. A person who asks questions does not lose his way.
30. The bird that has eaten will not tell the one that is hungry where the food is.
31. The person who is in a hurry to become rich will end up becoming poor.

These Nigerian sayings reflect the wisdom, humor, and cultural identity of the Nigerian people.

African Proverbs About Love

African Proverbs About Love:

1. “Love is like a baby; it needs to be treated tenderly.” – Congolese Proverb
2. “A heart that loves is always young.” – Sudanese Proverb
3. “Love and a cough cannot be concealed.” – African Proverb
4. “Love is not about how much you say ‘I love you’, but how much you can prove that it’s true.” – Kenyan Proverb
5. “A loveless life is a living death.” – Swahili Proverb
6. “Where love is, there God is also.” – Ugandan Proverb
7. “He who loves, loves you with your dirt.” – Ugandan Proverb
8. “If you love someone, you accept their baggage too.” – Nigerian Proverb
9. “The depth of love is measured by the strength of forgiveness.” – African Proverb
10. “Love is like a river that flows forever.” – Kenyan Proverb
11. “When love is in excess, it brings a man no honor, nor worthiness.” – Egyptian Proverb
12. “Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness.” – Sudanese Proverb
13. “The heart that loves is always young.” – Kenyan Proverb
14. “Love has its own language.” – Ghanaian Proverb
15. “Love is not a disease but a cure.” – Nigerian Proverb
16. “Love is the only game never postponed due to darkness.” – African Proverb
17. “He who marries for love alone will have bad days but good nights.” – Egyptian Proverb
18. “Where there is love there is no darkness.” – Burundian Proverb
19. “Love makes the world go round.” – Senegalese Proverb
20. “Love is a despot who spares no one.” – Namibian Proverb

African Proverbs About Life

African Proverbs About Family

African Proverbs About Family:

1. “A family is like a forest, when you are outside it is dense, when you are inside you see that each tree has its place.” – Ghanaian Proverb
2. “A family tie is like a tree, it can bend but it cannot break.” – African Proverb
3. “A family without a child is like a body without a soul.” – Egyptian Proverb
4. “A child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.” – African Proverb
5. “The old woman looks after the child to grow its teeth and the young one in turn looks after the old woman when she loses her teeth.” – Akan Proverb
6. “If you educate a man you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman you educate a family.” – African Proverb
7. “The family is the pillar of the nation.” – Ghanaian Proverb
8. “The family is like the forest: if you are outside, it is dense; if you are inside, you see that each tree has its place.” – African Proverb
9. “A united family eats from the same dish.” – Ethiopian Proverb
10. “A happy family is but an earlier heaven.” – African Proverb
11. “A family’s love is like a circle; it has no beginning and no end.” – Ghanaian Proverb
12. “It is the habit that a child forms at home that follows them to the outside world.” – Nigerian Proverb
13. “A child who washes his hands clean will eat with kings.” – African Proverb
14. “The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.” – African Proverb
15. “When brothers fight to the death, a stranger inherits their father’s estate.” – Ibo Proverb
16. “A family’s heritage is its children.” – Somali Proverb
17. “A family without a mother is like a home without a heart.” – Burundian Proverb
18. “A family is a haven of rest, a sanctuary of peace and most of all a harbor of love.” – African Proverb
19. “A family tie is like a strong tree, it only bends but does not break.” – African Proverb
20. “The family bond is stronger than any other bond.” – Somali Proverb

African Proverbs About Success

African Proverbs About Success:

1. “Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” – African Proverb
2. “The path to success is not a straight line.” – Kenyan Proverb
3. “One step at a time is what makes a journey.” – Nigerian Proverb
4. “Those who are patient in the face of adversity will emerge victorious in the end.” – Ghanaian Proverb
5. “To get lost is to learn the way.” – African Proverb
6. “Success is not something you achieve, it’s something you become.” – Ghanaian Proverb
7. “Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped.” – Kenyan Proverb
8. “The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.” – African Proverb
9. “To be successful, you must first believe you can.” – South African Proverb
10. “A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.” – Ghanaian Proverb
11. “You have to learn to walk before you can run.” – Tanzanian Proverb
12. “Success is not measured by money alone.” – African Proverb
13. “You cannot build a house for last year’s summer.” – Ethiopian Proverb
14. “When you pray, move your feet.” – African Proverb
15. “The bird who tries to fly without wings will fall.” – African Proverb
16. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African Proverb
17. “The key to success is to focus on goals, not obstacles.” – Ghanaian Proverb
18. “A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.” – African Proverb
19. “The antelope runs faster when it is alone.” – Ugandan Proverb
20. “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.” – South African Proverb

African Proverbs About Community

Yoruba Sayings

Yoruba Sayings:

1. Àgbà ara orò lọ́jà, ọjọ́ tíí ṣẹ̀yìn kò ní fi ìgbàgbọ́ rọ́. (The elder’s words in the marketplace are not uttered in vain; the day that his words come to pass is not the day he starts speaking.)
2. Àjẹ́lẹ̀ kì í pa ẹkùn ọrùn ní ńtà ọ̀pẹ̀. (The squirrel does not kill the heavenly leopard with a single bite.)
3. Ẹni bá bá igbó, kì í rí ohùn bí ohùn ọlọ́run. (If you go into the forest, you will see things you’ve never seen before.)
4. Adìẹ́ bọ̀ láti bí ìlú, báa kú ló báa fi ńmọ́. (The chicken comes home to roost, whether it dies or not.)
5. Àrẹ̀rẹ̀ kì í dá aṣọ lóde kí í gbàgbé ẹni tó ti pọ̀n. (The tailor does not sew a garment without remembering the person who provided the material.)
6. Àìdákẹ́jọ́ kì í ṣeè bó ńlá, bó bá ńlá àìdákẹ́jọ́ kì í ṣeè bó nísín. (The second fiddle is never the first; if it becomes the first, it’s still not the first.)
7. Àgbàlagbà lọ́wọ́ erù, káṣékéṣé kì í gbé ẹrù ní pọ̀. (An elder carries a sheep, but he does not carry it by its ear.)
8. Àgbàlagbà lọ́run lèyìn, ẹni bíì bá fẹ́rẹ́ ṣe ní àkàrà ní oòrùn ńlá. (The heavens are behind the elders; if a person wants to use beans to make cakes, he uses it in the biggest pot.)
9. Àìyé kì í pa ìṣekùṣe, èyí kì í pa ọ̀kánjú. (The world does not kill with worries; only anger kills.)
10. Ọ̀ṣì ńbẹ̀ lọwọ́ ẹlòmíràn, òótó ńbẹ̀ lọwọ́ òjó ẹlòmíràn. (Cheating is found out by a friend; lies are found out by a day.)
11. Àkàlàmàgbo kò ní mọ́ni lọ́run lọ, tí ó bá ńjé ẹni, kì í bọ̀ọ́ láì ṣẹ̀tà. (The tortoise does not have a house in heaven; if it wants to eat someone, it does not invite him to a feast.)
12. Ẹyẹ kan kì í mọ́ fìlà fún òpó ìlú, kí ṣe bí èyí tó ńjẹ òpó ìlú náà. (One bird does not know the hat of another town crier, even if it is the same bird that eats the town crier’s hat.)
13. Adìẹ́ kì í ṣeè gbé èyí tí ó lóde, ó fi ìsọ̀kún ńgbà ẹsìn. (A chicken does not carry the thing it stole and at the same time scratch the ground.)
14. Ìdí táa bá ẹ́ mú ni kò bá ẹ́ lọ. (What you get by deceit will not take you far.)
15. Àpòyìnrín ńdílẹ̀ ìkọ́, kó má ṣeè bá kí eré lọ ọ̀run. (A lazy woman is like a spoilt hoe, it cannot be used to farm in heaven.)
16. Àkùtù là ńrìn lèrè, òrò ńrìn ọ̀ṣà. (The parrot imitates the sound of a bird, but the talk of the diviner is not the talk of the bird.)
17. Aṣínwín bùsi ìdí kékeré ní oòrùn, kí ó mọ ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ àgbáyé dá. (The small hand of the clock rules in heaven, so that the world may know order.)
18. Ẹni bá gúnyẹ̀ línu ìdí irin, á níí ṣe àpónlẹ̀. (If one neglects to straighten the metal wire, it will pierce him or her.)
19. Àìníyàn kì í ṣeè ìyá, àdìẹ́ kì í ṣeè àrùn. (A human being does not become a mother hen, and a chicken does not become a disease.)

Egyptian Proverbs

Egyptian Proverbs:

1. “Knowledge is not what you memorize, but what you understand.”
2. “A good deed is a tree of life.”
3. “A man’s worth is measured by his words.”
4. “If you want to know the end, look at the beginning.”
5. “A heart that loves is always young.”
6. “He who knows himself knows his Lord.”
7. “Time is like a sword, if you don’t cut it, it will cut you.”
8. “A good name is more precious than riches.”
9. “A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”
10. “An empty sack cannot stand upright.”
11. “The tongue is mightier than the blade.”
12. “Do not let yesterday use up too much of today.”
13. “Patience is the key to paradise.”
14. “The greatest wealth is contentment with a little.”
15. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
16. “To be wrong is nothing unless you continue remembering it.”
17. “Be true to your word, your work, and your friend.”
18. “The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.”
19. “A single bracelet does not jingle.”
20. “A man grows most tired while standing still.”

Ghanian Proverbs

Ghanian Proverbs:

1. “A crab does not give birth to a bird.”
2. “The death of an elder is like the burning of a library.”
3. “A family tie is like a tree, it can bend but it cannot break.”
4. “The frown on the face of the goat will not stop it from being taken to the market.”
5. “One does not go to a funeral without preparing a shroud.”
6. “A person who sells eggs should not start a fight in the market.”
7. “If you are filled with pride, you will have no room for wisdom.”
8. “A wise person is one who listens to advice.”
9. “What you give you get back.”
10. “The world is a pot, and all people are its soup.”
11. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
12. “You cannot force water up a hill.”
13. “A child who does not know what happened yesterday will not know what to do tomorrow.”
14. “A person who cannot take advice is like a boat that cannot be steered.”
15. “One who plants grapes by the road side, and one who marries a pretty woman, share the same problem.”
16. “A child who washes his hands clean, eats with elders.”
17. “Words are like spears: Once they leave your lips they can never come back.”
18. “If a man is going to eat a toad, he should eat a fat one.”
19. “A monkey cannot be a king in his homeland.”
20. “He who wants a clean shirt must wash it himself.”

Zulu Proverbs

Zulu Proverbs:

1. “A person is a person because of other people.”
2. “You cannot take away a man’s shadow.”
3. “A person who does not know where he comes from will never know where he is going.”
4. “The one who loves an unsightly person is the one who makes him beautiful.”
5. “The one who receives a gift does not measure.”
6. “He who runs alone cannot be outrun by another.”
7. “A person who does not bathe with others will have a body that is not soaped.”
8. “One cannot clap with one hand.”
9. “A man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness.”
10. “A stick that is too long becomes a burden to carry.”
11. “You should never look down on a person unless you are helping them up.”
12. “The ear is a less trustworthy witness than the eye.”
13. “He who is patient in the world will escape from its harm.”
14. “A person who loves you will never let you go, no matter how hard the situation is.”
15. “The moon moves slowly but it crosses the town.”
16. “The mouth is not a store.”
17. “Do not follow a person who is running away.”
18. “He who refuses to obey cannot command.”
19. “A fire that burns a house also warms it.”

FAQs – African Proverbs

What is the meaning of the proverb “the axe forgets but the tree remembers”?

Meaning of the proverb “the axe forgets but the tree remembers”:

The proverb “the axe forgets but the tree remembers” is often used to describe a situation where one party has been hurt or wronged, but the other party has moved on and forgotten about it.

The metaphorical meaning is that the person who was wronged remembers the harm done to them, while the person who caused the harm has moved on and forgotten about it.

The proverb is often used to encourage people to be mindful of the impact of their actions on others and to be careful not to cause harm that will be remembered long after they have moved on.

What are some African love quotes?

African Love Quotes:

1. “The way to love someone is to lightly run your fingers over that person’s soul until you find a crack, and then gently pour your love into that crack.” – Hafez (Persian poet)
2. “Love is like a baby; it needs to be treated tenderly and with care.” – Congolese proverb
3. “Love is a sweet ingredient that brings out the best flavor in life.” – Nigerian proverb
4. “The way to a person’s heart is through their stomach.” – Kenyan proverb
5. “Love is not about how much you say ‘I love you’, but how much you can prove that it’s true.” – South African proverb
6. “Where there is love, there is no darkness.” – Burundian proverb
7. “The heart that loves is always young.” – Sudanese proverb
8. “Love is a friendship set to music.” – Eritrean proverb
9. “Love is a journey, not a destination.” – Ghanaian proverb
10. “When two hearts beat together, they create a rhythm of love.” – Ethiopian proverb
11. “The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.” – Zimbabwean proverb
12. “Love is not just about finding the right person, but creating the right relationship.” – Tanzanian proverb
13. “A heart in love is always young.” – Moroccan proverb
14. “Love is a flame that can never be quenched.” – Somali proverb
15. “Love is like a river; it flows endlessly and carries us on its journey.” – Algerian proverb
16. “Love is the key to all doors.” – Tunisian proverb
17. “True love is like a diamond; rare, beautiful, and timeless.” – Malawian proverb
18. “Love is the answer to all questions.” – Zambian proverb
19. “A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge.” – Liberian proverb
20. “Love is like a rose; it needs to be nurtured, cared for, and protected.” – Ugandan proverb

Related

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• African Last Names