Category: Great Wisdom

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

Courage, Resilience, and Strength to All

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With the recent events in Morocco and Libya, we would like to wish courage and strength to all. Our hearts go out to our Moroccan and Libyan brothers and sisters. We, as Africans, are ONE, and we can all feel their pains. This message of courage and strength is not only for Moroccans or Libyans, it is for all Africans. A friend from the Caribbeans told me something which has stayed with me: “We may bend” under the weight of whatever life throws at us, “but we do not break!” The baobab tree, present in so many countries of Africa, is a symbol of courage, resilience, and strength. May your feet be planted like the baobab tree and not bend under events.

Baobab forest in Madagascar
Baobab forest in Madagascar

Proverbe sur un piège? / Proverb on a Trap ?

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Elephant

Un piège qui prend le rat, n’attrape pas l’éléphant (Proverbe Pygmées, Fang – Cameroun, Gabon, Centrafrique, Congo). – Une petite palabre ne cause pas de tort au grand chef.

A trap that captures a rat, cannot catch an elephant (Pygmy, Fang proverb – Cameroon, Gabon, Central African Republic, Congo). – A little quarrel does not harm the great chief.

Diriger n’est pas facile / Leadership is not Easy

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Vaches / Cows

La vache qui est à la tête du troupeau est celle qui est le plus fouettée (proverbe Zulu – Afrique du Sud, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini).

The lead cow (the one in front) gets whipped the most (Zulu proverb – South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini).

Proverbe sur les secrets / Proverb on No Secrets

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Silence

Tout ce qui arrive dans le haut pays, sera connu dans la vallée (Proverbe Peul – Niger, Nigeria, Sénégal, Guinée, Cameroun, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritanie, Bénin, Guinée-Bissau, Gambie, Tchad, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire).

Everything that happens in the high country, will be known in the valley (Fulani Proverb – Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Guinea, Cameroon, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Benin, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Chad, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Ivory Coast).

Début d’amitié? / Beginning of Friendship ?

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Amitie / Friendship

Dire bonjour à quelqu’un n’est pas encore signe d’amitié (Proverbe Ngbandi – Centrafrique, République Démocratique du Congo (DRC)).

Saying Hello to someone is not yet sign of friendship (Ngbandi proverb – Central African Republic (CAR), Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC))

Semblable engendre semblable / Similar begets Similar

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Leopard

Un léopard ne met pas au monde une chèvre (proverbe Libinza – République Démocratique du Congo (RDC)).

Une Chèvre / A Goat

A leopard does not give birth to a goat (Libinza proverb – Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)).

Être paré à toutes les éventualités / Be Prepared for all Eventualities

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Un buisson epineux / thorny bush

Celui qui porte des souliers ne craint pas les épines (proverbe Ehwe – Ghana, Togo).

He who wears shoes does not fear thorns (Ewe proverb – Ghana, Togo).

Proverbe Congolais sur les paroles blessantes/ Congolese Proverb on Hurtful Words

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Silence

La blessure d’une parole ne guérit pas (proverbe Mongo – République Démocratique du Congo). – Quand on fait de la peine à quelqu’un, on ne l’oublie pas.

The wound from a word does not heal (Mongo proverb – Democratic Republic of Congo). – When one hurts someone, one does not forget.

Tout le monde passe par des difficultés / Everyboy goes through Difficulties

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Pluie / Rain

La pluie ne tombe pas seulement sur un seul toit (proverbe Efik – Nigeria, Cameroun; proverbe Mongo – République Démocratique du Congo (RDC)). – Tout le monde a ses difficultés dans la vie.

Rain does not fall only on one roof (Efik proverb – Nigeria, Cameroon; Mongo proverb – Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)). – Everyone has difficulties in life.

On ne peut servir 2 maîtres (Matthieu 6:24) / No one can serve 2 masters (Matthew 6:24)

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Un homme menant une pirogue / Man leading one canoe

Nul ne peut mener deux pirogues à la fois (Proverbe Douala – Cameroun). – On ne sert pas deux maîtres ; un seul homme, une seule femme.

No one can lead two canoes at the same time (Duala proverb – Cameroon). – One cannot serve two masters; one man, one woman.