African proverbs teach wisdom, values, and moral lessons for African-Americans and Africans all over the world. They contain lessons and advice on how to live a good and prosperous life and have a successful career or business. African proverbs are highly important tools for the younger Black generations to understand how to conduct themselves successfully in their life journey.
THE SPEECH
“Millions of Black people lived and died without ever knowing freedom. The Atlantic Ocean is lined with the bones of Black people who never survived the Middle Passage. That is tragic! What would be even more tragic is if you did not live your life everyday in a way that honors their sacrifice. Never ever forget that you belong to the strongest race of people that ever walked the face of this Earth. No one has stood what Black people have stood in the heat of the day, and that is still true today! YOUR job, YOUR only job, as a Black person is to advance the ball.”
Alexandria McCorvey Ruth
July 6, 1924 ~ August 28, 2015
“Prefer the leader who comes to you.”
“No matter how the buttocks hurry, they will always remain behind.”
“The person who sees a hen scattering excreta should stop it. Who knows who will eat the leg?”
“You don’t teach the path of the forest to an old gorilla.”
“A coward will sweat even in water.”
“The rabbit that stays in a hole must be ready to face the hunter’s fire.”
“Water that has been begged for does not quench the thirst.”
“An old cat will never learn to dance.”
“No matter how far you urinate, the last drop always falls at your feet.”
“When God cooks, you don’t see smoke.”
“If you hear a madman talking, wait you will soon hear what makes people think he is mad.”
“It is the voyage, not the ship that matters.”
“He who runs alone cannot be outrun.”
“An elephant which kills a rat is not a hero.”
“Laughter is medicine and whoever makes you laugh is your doctor.”
“Truth should be in love and love in truth.”
“The person who has not traveled widely thinks his or her mother is the best cook.”
“Two rams cannot drink from the same bucket at the same time.”
“Only a fool tests the depth of the river with both feet.”
“If A Man Wants To Grow A Long Tooth, He Should Have The Lip To Cover it.”
“Strategy is better than strength.”
“We should put out fire while it is still small.”
“One head cannot carry a roof.”
“If a man swears that he wants to harm you when you’re asleep, you can go to bed. If a woman says the same, stay awake.”
“An army of sheep led by a lion can defeat an army of lions led by a sheep.”
“Even if a log lies in the water for a long time, it does not become a crocodile.”
“Don’t call the forest that shelters you a jungle.”
“A restless foot may walk into a snake pit.”
“A roaring lion kills no game.”
“The day you need a wife, the market is filled with mad people.”
“When the elderly ones in a house travel, the younger ones quickly grow in experience.”
“If you are on the road to nowhere, find another road.”
“The bridge is repaired only after someone falls in the water.”
“We should talk while we are still alive.”
“Don’t despise the nut, one day it will be a palm tree.”
“If the singer is a fool, the listener is also a fool.”
“When brothers fight to the death, a stranger inherits their father’s estate.”
“Nobody is born wise.”
“A wise person doesn’t fall down the same hill twice.”
“To get lost is to learn a new way.”
“A woman is a flower in a garden; her husband is the fence around it.”
“Bread without sauce and a home without a wife are meaningless.”
“No matter how long the neck is, there’s no day it will surpass the head.”
“Water that has been begged for does not quench the thirst.”
“The lead cow gets whipped the most.”
“He who thinks he is leading and has no one following him is only taking a walk.”
“Don’t despise the nut, one day it will be a palm tree.”
“The lion’s power lies in our fear of him.”
“A monkey that eats grass instead of a banana is a goat.”
“The one who swallows a complete coconut have absolute trust in their anus.”
“Only a fool tests the depth of a river with both feet.”
“No matter how good you are to a goat, it will still eat your yam.”
“When you have a lot to do, start with a meal.”
“We will water the thorn for the sake of the rose.”
“A fool will not even find water at the Nile.”
“The tongue is only 3 inches, but it can kill a man that is 6ft tall.”
“Friendship likes distance.”
“The lead cow gets whipped the most.”
“A person who has not secured a place on the floor should not look for a mat.”
“A child is what you put into him.”
“An orphaned calf licks its own back.”
“One who rides the horse of greed at a gallop will pull up at the door of shame”
“One who causes others misfortune also teaches them wisdom.”
“He who refuses to obey cannot command.”
“The archer loves the arrow that flies, as much as he loves the bow that remains constant in his hand.”
“He who fears fire cannot be a leader.”
“A parasite cannot live alone.”
“Only when a tree is big and strong can you tether a cow to it.”
“Confiding a secret to an unworthy person is like carrying grain in a bag with a hole.”
“Lack of knowledge is darker than night.”