West African Proverbs Part 2 – Proverbs from around West Africa, including Ghana, Ivory Coast, Niger, Benin, Burkina Farso, Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Mauritania … Use the page links at the bottom to navigate.

Mixed Proverbs from West Africa

Ivorian Proverbs

  1. When the head is present, the knee should not pretend to wear the hat.
    Community/language of origin: Baoule
    Country: Ivory Coast
  2. Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river.
    Community/language of origin: Baoulés
    Country: Ivory Coast

Niger Proverbs

  1. The same sun that melts the wax, hardens the clay.
    Community/language of origin: Unknown
    Country: Niger
  2. If you do not have enough water for a bath, just wash your face and feet.
    In original language: Unknown
    Community/language of origin: Unknown
    Country: Niger

Benin Proverbs

  1. Before you ask a man for clothes, look at the clothes he is wearing.
    Community/language of origin: Unknown
    Country: Benin

Burkina  Farso Proverbs

  1. When you see an old woman hunting an antelope, she certainly must be used to hunting them.
    Community/language of origin: Unknown
    Country: Burkina Farso

Guinean Proverbs

  1. A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
    Community/language of origin: Unknown
    Country: Guinea – Conakry
  2. It is better to come to a destination in three jumps that to try with one and break your leg in the process.
    Community/language of origin: Unknown
    Country: Guinea
  3. A child can play with its mother’s breasts, but not with the father’s testicles.
    Community/language of origin: Unknown
    Country: Guinea

Senegalese Proverbs

  1. A journey of a 1000 miles begins with a step.
    Community/language of origin: Wolof
    Country: Senegal

Malian Proverbs

  1. The hyena chasing two antelopes at the same time will go to bed hungry.
    Community/language of origin: Unknown
    Country: Mali
  2. If you kill time, you will bury opportunities.
    Community/language of origin: Unknown
    Country: Mauritania

Mauritenian Proverbs

  1. If you kill time, you will bury opportunities.
    Community/language of origin: Unknown
    Country: Mauritania

West African Proverbs of unknown origin

  1. Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.
    Community/language of origin: Unknown
    Country: Unknown
  2.  It is only a male elephant that can lift another one from a pit.
    Community/language of origin: Unknown
    Country: Unknown
  3. Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.
    Community/language of origin: Unknown
    Country: Unknown
  4.  Time is like a river, you cannot touch the same water twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again.
    Community/language of origin: Unknown

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  • If possible the proverb not only in English but original language as well
  • A short explanation of its meaning
  • Please include the community or tribe where this proverb is from
  • country