African Proverbs

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 quotes will inspire you to be the best you can possibly be.

Wisdom is wealth. ~ Swahili
Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it. ~ Akan proverb
The fool speaks, the wise man listens. ~ Ethiopian proverb
Knowledge without wisdom is like water in the sand. ~ Guinean proverb
If you are filled with pride, then you will have no room for wisdom. ~ African proverb
Nobody is born wise. ~ African proverb
A leader who does not take advice is not a leader. ~ Kenyan proverb

Unity is strength, division is weakness. ~ Swahili proverb
It takes a village to raise a child. ~ African proverb
Cross the river in a crowd and the crocodile won’t eat you. ~ African proverb
Where there are many, nothing goes wrong. ~ Swahili proverb
If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. ~ African proverb

It’s much easier to fall in love than to stay in love. ~ African proverb
If you are ugly you must either learn to dance or make love. ~ Zimbabwean Proverb
A happy man marries the girl he loves, but a happier man loves the girl he marries. ~ African proverb
If you marry a monkey for his wealth, the money goes and the monkey remains as is. ~ Egyptian proverb
Love never gets lost it’s only kept. ~ African proverb
Love has to be shown by deeds not words. ~ Swahili proverb

One who plants grapes by the road side, and one who marries a pretty woman, share the same problem. ~Ethiopian Proverb
Ugliness with a good character is better than beauty. ~Nigerian proverb
If there is character, ugliness becomes beauty; if there is none, beauty becomes ugliness. ~Nigerian Proverb
You are beautiful, but learn to work, for you cannot eat your beauty. ~Congolese Proverb
The one who loves an unsightly person is the one who makes him beautiful. ~Ganda Proverb
Having beauty doesn’t mean understanding the perseverance of marriage. ~African Proverb
A beautiful thing is never perfect. ~Egyptian Proverb
Judge not your beauty by the number of people who look at you, but rather by the number of people who smile at you. ~African Proverb