Best African Sayings That Will Get You Thinking

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Africa is a continent that is rich in cultural diversity, history, and traditions that have been passed down from one generation to another. One of the most fascinating aspects of African culture is its use of proverbs and sayings. These wise sayings have been used for centuries to teach and pass on important life lessons and values to younger generations. They offer a unique insight into the African way of life, and the beliefs, hopes, and fears of its people. Usually, the African sayings are combination of phrases or short words with the intention of passing a message or brightening ones day with laughter.

Here are some of the best African sayings:

  1. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with a group of friends who can’t keep up with you.
  2. A woman who wants to have her way in marriage should first learn to say “yes, dear.”
  3. A man who is too busy to laugh is like a wagon too heavy to move.
  4. If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito.
  5. The early bird catches the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
  6. He who runs after good fortune runs away from peace.
  7. A person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.
  8. Don’t judge a book by its cover, but you can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat their waiter.
  9. When a man says he will do it, he will do it. There is no need to remind him every six months.
  10. A chicken that is about to be caught by a hawk will sometimes turn around and peck the hawk’s eyes.
  11. He who wants to eat his cake and have it too should go to the bakery.
  12. A bad corn promise is better than a good lawsuit.
  13. You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from passing over your head, but you can prevent them from nesting in your hair.
  14. A clean mouth doesn’t always mean a clean conscience.
  15. The chicken that tries to fly too high will soon find itself in the soup pot.
  16. One who plants grapes by the roadside, and one who marries a pretty woman, share the same problem.
  17. He who takes advice from the rich will have no problem, but he who takes advice from the poor will have no money.
  18. If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.
  19. The one who eats first at a communal meal is not the leader, but the fastest eater.
  20. You cannot run away from a hungry man.
  21. The goat does not eat grass and ask who is the owner.
  22. A wise man once said nothing.
  23. The tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do.
  24. He who rides a tiger cannot dismount.
  25. The axe forgets, but the tree remembers.
  26. Even the lion fears the tick on the buffalo.