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AfricanProverbs
When East meets West in an Africa academic library! A canoe does not know who the leader is; when it turns over, everyone gets wet A chief is like a rubbish heap; everything comes to him A large stone is not carried by the river water A leader is a donkey for others to ride A person with too much ambition cannot sleep in peace A powerful leader adorns his followers A proverb is the mirror of the community A village without a leader is destroyed by a single enemy A rooster is not expected to crow for the whole world A strong man𠏋 head is full of scars A wrong step by a leader is a warning to the followers An elephant does not die from one broken rib Big fish eat little fish Dialogue protects life Happiness is openness to all people Greatness is not achieved through violence Equality is difficult but superiority is painful Even the best dancer on the stage must retire sometime Every fame has a foundation Fear no forest because it is dense He who breaks consensus is a witch His horns have grown long through cunning Hope is the pillar of the world Hope resides in togetherness No person is born great; great people become great when others are sleeping If the goat roars and the lion bleats, bring out your spears If while climbing a tree you insist on going beyond the top, the earth will be waiting for you If you fail to be a lizard in your own land, you will fail to be a crocodile in another land If you want to carry the world, do not tie it with a rope, otherwise the rope will break and the world will crush you If you want to walk fast, walk alone; if you want to walk far, walk with others It is easier to demolish a house than to build it Not all winds propel the boat One is not great just because one says one is The camel and its driver each has his own plan The leader who leads by pointing the way leaves no footprints for his followers The leader𠏋 head is never completely empty of a potent idea The sheep that wants to grow a long horn must have a strong skull The success of a person is through the soles of his feet The tail does not lead the head The wise aim at boundaries beyond the present; they transcend the parameters of their origins To every horse a stumble and to every sage a lapse To manage yourself, use your head to manage others, use your heart Too many clever people do not make many successes When a king reigns, it is thanks to the people; when a river sings, it is thanks to the stones When the lion goes astray, all the other animals are king of the jungle Where there is a head, one does not put a hat on the knee Where trust breaks down, peace breaks down Where water is the boss there the land must obey Wisdom is wealth BurundianA king cannot reign without the support of the elders CameroonianAn elephant which kills a rat is not a hero An elephant will reach the roof of the house If the owner of the calabash calls it worthless, then the others will join him to pack it with rubbish If you show off your strength, you will start a battle No matter how powerful one is, one can never make the rain fall only on his own home The bigger the head the bigger the headaches The sound of a drum is not determined by its size nor the skills of a drummer but by his strength There are no shortcuts to the top of the palm tree Congolese A needle can overcome a chief If you are a leader, be like the moon, not like the sun No matter how full the river it still wants to swell more Prepare now for the solutions of tomorrow The art of negotiating is acquired form childhood The bee is the doctor of flowers The chief𠏋 wealth is his subjects The footprint of one person is narrow The throne upon which the chief is seated does not shake There is no cock without a comb EthiopianA bull does not bellow in a foreign country A donkey which goes to grow horns returns with its ears cut off A wise man cannot save a decaying country as manure cannot save an eroding land An elephant with a bad leg limps along Because he lost his reputation, he lost a kingdom Better a single decision maker than a thousand advisors Elephants do not beat each other Great men have big hearts He who does not know the extent of his power falls and is bruised He who has power and falls will be bruised In the house he is a leaf; outside, a camel Listening accumulates power Madness does not govern a country; discussion does One does not cut the tusks of an elephant One person alone cannot rule the country One who runs alone cannot be outrun One𠏋 strength in conflict comes from one𠏋 verbal skills The elephant does not limp when walking on thorns The foot disdains the head and the head, the foot The voice of a strong person is obeyed immediately The sheep with a strong master sleeps with his tail outside the house The strong bull is overcome when it limps The weaver must be patient because the weak threads break easily To kill a lion is to be ready for war What is inflated too much will burst into fragments Where a woman rules, stream run uphill When a strong man sends a message, he sends it with a weak man When the shepherd comes home in peace, the milk is sweet GambianA smart opportunist can be an intellectual moron Even in old age the lion lives with power and with strength If you only tool is a hammer, you will see every problem as a nail The law is a spider𠏋 web; only the little insects get caught in it GhanaianA crazy chief is more noted than ten normal people A leader does not listen to rumours A leader goes to war when he is insulted A people without a leader ruin the town An army of sheep led by a lion can defeat an army of lions led by a sheep Even the lion, the king of the forest, protects himself against flies Every dog is a lion at his own gate If there were no elephant in the jungle, the buffalo would be a great animal It is better to be a lion for a day than a sheep all your life No man rules forever on the throne of time One head alone does not go into council One head does not contain all the wisdom The elders of the village are the boundaries The poorest person in the world is not the one without money but one without vision Those who are born on top of the anthill take a short time to grow tall True power comes through cooperation and silence When a fish rots, the head stinks first When a king has good counsellors, his reign is peaceful. GuineanAround a flowering tree there are many insects Knowledge of leadership is not plucked from the air; one is born with it Knowledge without wisdom is like water in the sand IvorianToo much discussion leads to a quarrel KenyanA big goat does not snort without reason A flea can trouble a lion more than a lion can trouble a flea A fool𠏋 walking stick helps the wise man to stand An elder is a healer An elephant is not overpowered by its tusks A house cannot be repaired when the owner is destroying it A judge is himself under judgement A leader does not wish for war A leader who does not take advice is not a leader A lion cannot hide in the grass A man who uses force is afraid of reasoning A nation is never exulted by disunity A nose alone does not lead A person who carries responsibility also receives blame A slippery person is not a king A thread follows the path of the needle An elder can be advised but never insulted An elephant fears attack from several sides Avoid singing a song without a soloist Bad leaders are elected by poor citizens who do not vote Consensus does not lead to easy decision making Crookedness does not lead cattle Do not respond to a mosquito with a hammer because you will miss and hurt yourself Do not show wisdom, where there is wisdom Do not use your spear to separate cattle Elders choose their words Force is not profitable He who has not reached his destination never gets tired He whose refuses to obey cannot command If a leader limps, all the others start limping, too In times of danger it is important that people act together Knowledge is power Leadership comes from God One arrow can knock down an elephant Reason is wealth The cattle cannot all have bells The elders� meeting is the sharpening stone of men The elephant eats from many trees The foolish cannot be leaders The leader knows the reality The medicine man has no fame in his village The elephant can trip over a creeping plant The powerful should mind their own power. The remedies of several medicine men weaken one another To lead is not to run roughshod over people Too much fear creates slavery Too much tolerance paves the way for trouble Two bulls fighting must disengage their heads before one is defeated Two lions cannot rule in one valley Two noisy waterfalls do not agree Those exercising good habits and truth are leaders That which has been mutually agreed upon does not bring about disputes The cow that bellows does so for all cows Unity is the real thing We speak in proverbs; he who is intelligent will understand. What has defeated the elders� court, take to the public When the leading animal is lame, the herd fails to get to the pasture Wisdom breaks a taut bow LiberianIt is not only giants that do great things Only when a tree is big and strong can you tether a cow to it MalawianA big river is enlarged by its tributaries A bird with a tail is heard when squawking A chief is like a potato vine; in straightening it, you break it. A chief is like a swamp where fire ceases to burn A great leader is an ordinary person with extraordinary wisdom A quarrelsome chief does not hold a village together Accumulation got the giant rat killed Cooperation pulled the goat from the hyena Do not put a stone to block your promise Even the fiercest leader in the world is overcome by sleep He beats the drum for himself He who thinks he is leading and has no one following him is only taking a walk Making a decision is like putting a roof on a hut Obstinacy does not redeem anyone One head cannot carry a roof The chief does not eat from two sides The owl merely sitting on a tree stump is not exercising chieftainship The words of the elders become sweet some day When a monkey climbs a tree, its bottom becomes more exposed the higher it goes When a wealthy leader runs out of words, it is money that does the talking When the village chief himself goes around inviting people to a meeting, know there is something wrong with the system When you are shrewd, you are not influential MalianHe who has a leader is not the master of his burden Those who accomplish great things pay attention to little ones When the baobab tree has fallen, the goats start climbing on it Whether a chief is good or bad, people unify around someone MozambicanA community without elders does not prosper NamibianLeadership does not depend on age Where the chief walks there disputes are settled NigerianA bird can drink much but an elephant can drink more A chief is a reward of God A doctor who invoked a storm on his people cannot prevent his house form destruction A leader in the community without a pot belly is a stingy man A leader who understands proverbs reconciles difficulties A shepherd does not strike his sheep Being happy is better than being king If a man wants to grow a long tooth, he should have the lip to cover it If the sun claims that it has power over the moon, let it shine in the night If you think you have someone eating out of your hands, it is a good idea to count your fingers In the moment of crisis, the wise build bridges and foolish build dams Other people𠏋 wisdom prevents the king from being called a fool Strategy is better than strength The elephant𠏋 tracks cover the camel𠏋 tracks The king who shuts his eyes during famine in the land will soon see ancestors The lion𠏋 power lies in our fear of him The roaring lion kills no prey The shepherd of a herd of toads must be very patient with his rod With a little seed of imagination you can grow a field full of hope North AfricanA tyrant is only a slave turned inside out Discord between the powerful is a fortune for the poor Every cock is a town crier in his own dung heap He who wants to be famous will have many sleepless nights If you fear something you give it power over you In its own nest the beetle is king The multitude is stronger than a king Those in power never give way and admit defeat; they plot and scheme to regain their lost power and privilege Who is brave enough to tell the lion that his breath smells? Senegalese The strong do not need clubs Sierra LeoneanA big fish is caught with big bait A clear thinking leader is a sign of stability and an agent for change in society If the cockroach wants to rule over the chicken, then it must hire the fox as a body-guard The palm tree that encourages birds to nest in it should not cry over shattered leaves SomaliA bridge is repaired only when someone falls into the water A cat in its castle has lion𠏋 teeth A string is needed to gather scattered beads Be a mountain or lean on one Even the king needs to be taught He who dictates separates himself from others The key to a healthy body is a good head To agree to have dialogue is the beginning of a peaceful resolution To destroy the bones of an elephant, strike them against other elephant bones Wisdom does not come overnight South African A chief is a chief because of a nation A chief is a hornless cow A chief𠏋 hands are long A clever king is the brother of peace A crowd can easily overpower a bull A kraal is built around a chief𠏋 voice A man who takes away another man𠏋 freedom is a prisoner of hatred Do not call a dog with a whip in your hand Even an ant can hurt an elephant Good behaviour must come from the top Horns which are put on do not stick properly It takes a long time to unite an entire village hunting group The house of a leader who negotiates survives The jungle is stronger than the elephant The power of the crocodile is in the water Kings have no friends When the chief speaks, the people listen SudaneseA large chair does not make a king He is like a drum which makes a lot of noise but is hollow inside Patience is the key which solves all problems The elephant needs noise SwahiliWe do not suffer illness when the doctor is around Tanzanian A boat cannot go forward if each rows his own way A small thing can cause the downfall of a powerful person A wise person will always find a way Bribery is the enemy of justice Do not forget what is to be a sailor because of being a captain yourself For the sake of peace, hard decisions must be made If you are filled with pride, then you will have no room for wisdom The humble pay for the mistakes of their leaders The ship that is wrecking has no pilot What is famous does not last Ugandan A cock fears a cock which removes its feathers A deputy chief settles only small cases A generous chief makes you thankful A joyful leader is not ignored A leader𠏋 handbag is never completely empty A ruler who is weak puts a load on his head Arrogance burned the chief𠏋 compound Being a leader is like a borrowed garment Being a small chief is better than being second in command Better a poor hut than a palace of a tyrant Cheekiness does not make a good leader Climbing up is easier than climbing down Curses do not fell a buffalo Do not be a leader and use it to your own advantage Even a hired shepherd sings epics about his cattle For lack of criticism, the trunk of the elephant grew very long He who fears the sun will not become chief He who is destined for power does not have to fight for it He who walks in front gives you wisdom Horn blowers, blow in unison If a leader loves you, he makes sure you build your house on rock If birds travel without coordination, they beat each other� wings If the man in front falls into a hole, do not follow him If the owner of the land leads you, you cannot get lost If those with horns cannot manage, what about those without them? If you overtake a leader, you break your neck Jealousy eats the two chiefs Kingship is like buffalo hunting; everyone joins in the kill Lack of cooperation between water and papyrus lets fire destroy the common swamp Leadership is best taught by a leader Lightning does not strike cows whose master is in their midst Mere strength does not denote chieftainship, otherwise the hornbill would be king of the birds Much talking does not make you a leader One blind man cannot lead another One does not like to be under a strict leader One who possesses much wisdom has it in the heart, not on the lips Patience puts a crown on the head Prefer the leader who comes to you Rulers are like hills; when darkness falls, they all speak alike That which gains the attention of a leader will be solved The bull defending his own head breaks his horns The chameleon looks in all directions before moving The chief has a clever messenger The chief kills the life of the village, not the trader The chief is a fist; whether closed or open, the nearest get the most The chief is fire; keep your distance when warming yourself The chief who bullies the landowner starts by breaking his sugarcane The cleverness of one alone is a shallow well that soon dries up The king does not kill; it is his hangers-on who kill The king is like a sea which drowns the most experienced sailor The fate that befalls the lowly will befall the leader The food of the master of the house does not break the cooking pot The forehead of the buffalo is hard and lofty The one nearest to the enemy is the real leader The way a chief acts affects the entire village Two leaders do not fight in one house Who ever suggested that rats should become chiefs? When a leader changes mood, followers change the place of their abode When the master of the house lacks wisdom, the doctor𠏋 work is useless When the master is absent, the grogs hope into the house When the moon is not full, the stars shine more brightly When the powerful sit, they are none the weaker When there is peace in the country, the chief does not carry a shield When you befriend a chief, remember that he sits on a rope Where two rivers meet, the waters are never calm Without a leader, black ants are confused You cannot climb to the mountain top without crushing some weeds with your feet ZambianA tree is strong because of its roots Build the bridge first If two wise men always agree, then there is no need for one of them Teamwork without coordination brings confusion The more feathers a chicken has, the bigger it looks The wise continues while the fool is always beginning The worlds of the elders do not lock all the doors; they leave the right door open Threats and insults never rule a country To protect an individual is to protect society Too many cocks crowing at the same time make the dawn take too long When the head is too big, it cannot dodge blows ZimbabweA clever bird builds its nest with other birds� feathers 
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