Proverbs are usually concise phrases that give advice or state a truism. Proverbs can sound deep and wise, but it is the cultural context of proverbs that lend them meaning. Without context, these proverbs must be interpreted in light of your own personal experience.
Proverbs have been part of human culture for thousands of years. Some of those from China, Africa, and the Middle East, for example, were first coined long before the Roman Empire.
Some proverbs from other countries may sound familiar to you. It is common for countries to have their own versions of a proverb. For example, the Dutch proverb “Do not wake sleeping dogs” appears in the U.S. as “Let sleeping dogs lie.” They mean the same thing. Here is a collection of famous proverbs from around the world.
African Proverbs
“A king’s child is a slave elsewhere.”
“What forgets is the ax, but the tree that has been axed will never forget.”
“It is no shame at all to work for money.”
“A loose tooth will not rest until it’s pulled out.”
“He who digs too deep for a fish may come out with a snake.”
“The path is made by walking.”
Australian Proverbs
“None are so deaf as those who would not hear.”
“Once bitten, twice shy.”
“Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.”
“A bad worker blames his tools.”
“In the planting season, visitors come singly, and in harvest time they come in crowds.”
