Category: Great Wisdom

A Heritage of wisdom: rich proverbs, and rich allegories.

Proverbe Arabe sur la paresse / Arabic Proverb on Laziness

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Ostrich1L’autruche, quand il faut voler, dit: “Je suis chameau”; et quand il faut porter un fardeau, elle dit: “je suis oiseau” (Proverbe Arabe – Mauritanie, Maroc, Algerie, Tunisie, Libye, Soudan). – Un paresseux avance toujours des raisons pour fuir le travail.  

camelThe ostrich, when it is time to fly, says: “I am a camel”; and when it is time to carry a burden, she says, “I am a bird” (Arabic proverb – Mauritania, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan). A lazy person always gives reasons for fleeing work.Bird_1

 

Proverbe sur les personnes ignobles / Proverb on Despicable People

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Centipede1
Mille-pattes / Centipede

Un tronc d’arbre avec un mille-pattes dedans (Proverbe Zulu – Afrique du Sud). – Se dit de quelqu’un qui est haineux.

A tree trunk with a centipede in it (Zulu proverb – South Africa). – Said of someone who is hateful.

Proverbe Kikuyu sur la femme mariée / Kikuyu Proverb on the Married Woman

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La trompe de l'elephant
La trompe de l’elephant / Elephant tusk

La femme mariée est comme une défense d’élèphant, n’y touches pas (Proverbe Kikuyu – Kenya).

The married woman is like an elephant tusk, do not touch it (Kikuyu proverb – Kenya).

Serpent (Cobra)

Proverbe Bamiléké sur la paresse / Bamileke Proverb on Laziness

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Serpent (Cobra)
Serpent (Cobra)

Le serpent dit qu’il arrangera ses pattes quand it sera grand (Proverbe Bamiléké – Cameroun). – Une occasion manquée ne revient plus (pour le paresseux).

The snake says that it will arrange its legs when it gets big (Bamileke proverb – Cameroon). – An opportunity missed does not come back (for the lazy one).

Proverbe Bamiléké / Bamileke Proverb

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Thorny_bushL’épine sortira par où elle est entrée (Proverbe Bamiléké – Cameroun). – Cela finira de la même manière que ça a commencé.

The thorn will go out the way it entered (Bamileke proverb – Cameroon). – It will end the same way it started.

Proverbe Burkinabé sur l’amour de la patrie / Burkinabe Proverb on Patriotism

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cowUn enfant qui aime la culture et l’élevage, voilà un enfant parfait (Proverbe Mossi – Burkina Faso). – Amour du pays, aider à la construction nationale.

A child who loves agriculture and breeding, that is a perfect child (Mossi proverb – Burkina Faso). – Love of one’s country, help on the nation’s building.

Note: This proverb refers to the fact that in the olden days (and even some to this day), Mossi people were well-versed in animal husbandry. 

Proverbe sur les tâches multiples / Proverb on Multi-tasking

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Hyena
Hyene

L’hyène qui chasse deux gazelles en même temps ira au lit affamé (proverbe Malien).

The hyena chasing two gazelles at the same time will go to bed hungry (Malian proverb).

Impala3
Gazelles/ Impala ewes

Proverbe Africain sur la non-Interférence et la place de chacun/ African Proverb on Non-Interference and Everyone’s Place

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Barbe3
Barbe / Beard

La barbe ne raconte pas de vieilles histoires au cils (Proverbe Ehwe – Ghana, Togo).

The beard does not tell old stories to the eyelashes (Ewe proverb – Ghana, Togo).

cils1
Cils / Eyelashes

 

Comorian Proverb on Beauty / Proverbe Comorien sur la beaute

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20170627_143645Il faut souffrir pour être belle (proverbe Comorien – Comores).

Nyanga no di hurt (Cameroonian say in pidgin).

You must suffer to be beautiful (Comorian proverb – Comoros).

 

Proverbe Angolais sur la tâche journalière / Angolan Proverb on the Daily Task

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Soleil
Le soleil / The sun

Il n’y a pas qu’un jour, demain aussi le soleil brillera (Proverbe Andonga – Angola). – Ne pas vouloir faire tout en un jour.

There is not only one day, tomorrow too the sun will shine (Andonga proverb – Angola). Do not try to do everything in one day.

Não há apenas um dèia, amanhã também o sol vai brilhar (provérbio Andonga – Angola). Não quero fazer tudo em um dia.