A Heritage of wisdom: rich proverbs, and rich allegories.
Qui a de l’eau à la bouche, ne souffle pas dans le feu (Proverbe Ewe – Ghana, Togo). – On ne fait pas deux choses à la fois.
Who has water in the mouth does not blow on the fire (Ewe Proverb – Ghana, Togo). – Do not do two things at once (no multitasking).
Le bonheur des amants est de se voir, leur malheur est d’être séparés (proverbe Maure – Mauritanie, Mali, Niger, Sahara Occidental, Maroc, Algerie, Tunisie).
The happiness of lovers is to see each other, their misfortune is to be separated (Moor proverb – Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia).
Le cadavre d’un oiseau ne pourrit pas en l’air, mais à terre (Proverbe Douala – Cameroun). – Tout revient à son point de départ.
A bird’s corpse does not rot in the air, but on the ground (Duala proverb – Cameroon). – Everything comes back to where it started.
Celui qui croit en Dieu ne se perd pas (proverbe Comorien). – Celui qui a confiance en Dieu n’est jamais perdant.
The one who believes in God does not get lost (Comorian proverb). – The one who trusts in God is never defeated.
Prête du bien, on te le rendra (proverbe Maure – Mauritanie, Algerie, Niger, Mali, Tunisie, Maroc, Sahara Occidental).
Lend good, and it will be returned to you (Moor proverb – Mauritania, Algeria, Niger, Mali, Tunisia, Morocco, Western Sahara).
Même si on ne t’aime pas, tu trouveras toujours quelqu’un pour couper tes cheveux (Proverbe Kikuyu – Kenya). – Dans le malheur on n’est jamais seul!
Even if no one likes you, you will always find someone to cut your hair (Kikuyu proverb – Kenya). – In misfortune, we are never alone!
Si on te vante les pâturages d’un pays, continue à faire paître le tien (proverbe Maure – Mauritanie, Algerie, Mali, Niger, Maroc, Tunisie, Sahara Occidental).
If someone brags about the pastures of a country, continue to graze yours (Moor proverb – Mauritania, Algeria, Mali, Niger, Morocco, Tunisia, Western Sahara).
C’est en voyage qu’on trouve la sagesse (Proverbe Bantou).
It is on a journey that wisdom is found (Bantu proverb).
“We are not racists. We are fundamentally and deeply against any kind of racism. Even when people are subjected to racism we are against racism from those who have been oppressed by it. In our opinion – not from dreaming but from a deep analysis of the real condition of the existence of mankind and the division of societies – racism is a result of certain circumstances. It is not eternal in any latitude in the world. It is the result of historical and economic conditions. And we cannot answer racism with racism. It is not possible. In our country, despite some racist manifestations by the Portuguese, we are not fighting against the Portuguese people or whites. We are fighting for the freedom of our people – to free our people and to allow them to be able to love any kind of human being. You cannot love when you are a slave… In combating racism we don’t make progress if we combat the people themselves. We have to combat the causes of racism. If a bandit comes into my house and I have a gun I cannot shoot the shadow of this bandit. I have to shoot the bandit. Many people lose energy and effort, and make sacrifices combating shadows.”
Amilcar Cabral, 20 October 1972, New York, Pambazuka
L’éléphant naît avec ses chaussures (Proverbe Ambundu – Angola).- Le fils d’un homme riche est riche dès sa naissance.
The elephant is born with his shoes (Ambundu proverb – Angola). – The son of a rich man is born rich from birth.
African Heritage 