African proverbs, whose community of origin has not (yet) been established. … Feel free to suggest or submit more via the forum, which will then be added to the list.
- Corn cannot expect justice from a court composed of chickens.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - Beware of the naked man who offers you clothes!
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - A child’s fingers are not scalded by a piece of hot yam which his mother puts into his palm.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - Smooth seas do not make a skillful sailor.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - He who who asks questions does not lose his way.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - A tree that is not taller than you cannot give you a shade.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - Looking at a king’s mouth one would never think he sucked his mother’s breast.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - Only a fool tests the depth of water with both feet.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - A borrowed ax does not take long to get broken.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - If a blind man threatens to stone you, he must be having one under his foot.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - To circumcise an elephant is not the problem. The problem is how to open its legs.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - If you eat all your harvest, you will not have seed for tomorrow.
[In your good times, prepare for bad times and in your bad times, prepare for good times.]
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - A big head without big knowledge is a heavy load on the neck.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - Even the biggest cock that crows the loudest was once just an egg.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - Even a friend cannot rescue you from old age.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Kenya - If a snake bites your neighbor, you yourself are also in danger.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - It is not good setting up a trap when the bird to be caught is watching
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - He who talks to you about others will talk to others about you.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - A dog with a bone in its mouth can’t bite.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - A man does not run among thorns for no reason; either he is chasing a snake or a snake is chasing him.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - The rope that hangs a monkey, hangs a baboon as well.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - An anthill that does not want to be trodden on must not grow edible mushrooms.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - He who hides his secrets from his son exposes him to his enemies.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - An empty sack cannot stand.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - If you ever see a rat laughing at a cat, you know there is a hole nearby.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - He who thinks they are too small to make change has never shared a bed with a mosquito.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - Whether the cock crows or not, the day will dawn.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - The quickest way to find long lost friends is to make a fortune.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - When a lion chooses grass over meat at a festival, it’s time to go home.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - The hyena chasing two gazelles at the same will go to bed hungry.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into, but hard to get out of.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - If you run after two hares you will catch none of them.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - Whoever talks unceasingly, talks nonsense.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - The whip that was used to flog the first wife into shape is waiting in the corner to flog the second into better shape.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown - Only a fool tests the depth of the water with both feet.
Community/language of origin: Unknown
Country: Unknown
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- If possible the proverb not only in English but original language as well
- A short explanation of its meaning
- Please include the community or tribe where this proverb is from
- country