African proverbs have always been full of deep meanings, and wisdom, and something that you can always look to for inspiration, and motivation.
Wisdom is wealth! One thing I respect deeply about Africa is the treasure of wisdom our ancestors have handed down to us. While some of our leaders may have forgotten them, the rest of us don’t need to. From prudent sayings on wisdom itself to judicious encouragements, warnings, and even quirky advice on learning, patience, unity, wealth, poverty, community, family, love, and marriage, these African proverbs will inspire you to be the best you can possibly be.
African Proverbs on Wisdom
1. Wisdom is wealth. ~ Swahili
2. Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it. ~ Akan proverb
3. The fool speaks, the wise man listens. ~ Ethiopian proverb
4. Wisdom does not come overnight. ~ Somali proverb
5. The heart of the wise man lies quiet like limpid water. ~ Cameroon proverb
6. Wisdom is like fire. People take it from others. ~ Hema (DRC) proverb
7. Only a wise person can solve a difficult problem. ~ Akan proverb
8. Knowledge without wisdom is like water in the sand. ~ Guinean proverb
9. In the moment of crisis, the wise build bridges, and the foolish build dams. ~ Nigerian proverb
10. If you are filled with pride, then you will have no room for wisdom. ~ African proverb
11. A wise person will always find a way. ~ Tanzanian proverb
12. Nobody is born wise. ~ African proverb
13. A man who uses force is afraid of reasoning. ~ Kenyan proverb
14. Wisdom is not like money to be tied up and hidden. ~ Akan proverb
African Proverbs on Learning
15. Learning expands great souls. ~ Namibian proverb
16. To get lost is to learn the way. ~ African proverb
17. By crawling a child learns to stand. ~ African proverb
18. If you close your eyes to facts, you will learn through accidents. ~ African proverb
19. He who learns, teaches. ~ Ethiopian proverb
20. Wealth, if you use it, comes to an end; learning, if you use it, increases. ~ Swahili proverb
21. By trying often, the monkey learns to jump from the tree. ~ Buganda proverb
22. You always learn a lot more when you lose than when you win. ~ African proverb
23. You learn how to cut down trees by cutting them down. ~ Bateke proverb
24. The wise create proverbs for fools to learn, not to repeat. ~ African proverb
25. What you help a child to love can be more important than what you help him to learn. ~ African proverb
26. By the time the fool has learned the game, the players have dispersed. ~ Ashanti proverb
27. One who causes others misfortune also teaches them wisdom. ~ African proverb
28. You do not teach the paths of the forest to an old gorilla. ~ Congolese proverb
29. What you learn is what you die with. ~ African proverb
30. Instruction in youth is like engraving in stone. ~ Moroccan Proverb
31. When you follow in the path of your father, you learn to walk like him. ~ Ashanti Proverb
32. Ears that do not listen to advice, accompany the head when it is chopped off. ~ African Proverb
33. Advice is a stranger; if he’s welcome he stays for the night; if not, he leaves the same day. ~ Malagasy Proverb
34. Traveling is learning. ~ Kenyan Proverb
35. Where there are experts there will be no lack of learners. ~ Swahili Proverb
Related: African Astrology – The Most Interesting And Accurate One
African Proverbs on Peace and Leadership
36. Peace is costly but it is worth the expense. ~ Kenyan proverb
37. War has no eyes ~ Swahili saying
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