African communities are well known for their culture and witty proverbs. Ethiopia is one such country whose proverbs have been common in literature worldwide. While the country is made up of several communities, each one of them has hundreds of proverbs on different aspects of life including wealth, hard work, health, children, and co-existing with others. If you are looking for inspiration or general advice, these Ethiopian proverbs will come in handy.

In ancient times, what made some leaders greater was not just in their lands and titles but how many Ethiopian proverbs they could speak when the situation arises. For them, proverbs were not just words that can convey authority but gifts from nature to guide men on making the best use of their time.

Ethiopian proverbs

The best thing about Ethiopian proverbs is that they are applicable in many different situations and not just the local culture. They provide advice on how to approach different stages of life and solve problems that might leave you in a dilemma. While some of the proverbs may seem obvious, you will be wowed by their deeper meanings once you take a second to think about them.

Famous Ethiopian proverbs

Some of the most famous Ethiopian proverbs have been passed down multiple generations. It’s amazing that the advice they provided back then is still relevant today. They cut across different areas such as religion, co-existence between members of the community, and decision-making.

• A good name is better than a good perfume.
• Cow dung cannot be gathered where no cow has been.
• In the abundance of water, a fool will still be thirsty.
• The leopard's eye is on the goat, and the eye of the goat is on the leaf.
• Do not catch a leopard by its tail, but if you do, then do not let it go.
• It is better to be the cub of a living jackal than that of a dead lion.
• One who learns will eventually teach.
• A house with no woman is like a barn with no cow.
• Counsel and advise him. If he refuses to listen, then let adversity teach him.
• A rat's witness is another rat.
• Move your neck according to the music.
• Those who wish to eat a vulture will call it a guinea fowl.
• Life has no meaning for one without a home.
• The best of humanity is a farmer, and the best type of food is fruit.
• Restless feet may lead you into a snake pit.
• That which is over-inflated will burst into pieces.
• A coward will sweat even in water.
• I've got a cow in the sky but cannot drink her milk.
• The frog wanting to be as large as the elephant ended up bursting.
• Telling a secret to an unworthy person is like carrying grain in a bag with a hole in it.
• No one can know what the new day will bring.
• Regret, like a tail, comes at the end.
• Where there is no shame, there cannot be any honour.

• The skin reacts according to the country it is in.
• Where man is, disagreement follows.
• Termites live beneath the ground.
• One shovel with a shovel
• The fool speaks while the wise man listens.
• One may have two legs, but that does not mean one can climb two trees simultaneously.

Famous Amharic proverbs

Amharic is an ancient language that is widely spoken in Ethiopia. Famous Amharic proverbs are rich in wisdom about life, love, and education. Here is a list of famous Amharic proverbs that you can learn from and share with your loved ones.

• If you are going to a place where corn grows, take a cutting tool with you.
• Better an egg this year than a chicken next year.
• To one who does not know, a garden is a forest.
• When the heart is sad, tears will flow.
• He who knows much does not speak much.
• The slimming of an elephant and the losses of a wealthy man are not noticeable.
• One who runs alone cannot be outrun by another.
• As the wound inflames the finger, so the thought inflames the mind.
• A close friend can also become a close enemy.
• One who has not learned to walk cannot climb a ladder.
• Horns are not too heavy for the cow.
• Great men have big hearts.
• When the hyena is gone, that is when the dog barks.
• The arrogant blind man picks a fight with his guide.
• A single stick may smoke, but it will not burn.
• When the heart overflows, it comes out through the mouth.
• When one walks carefully, thorns hurt only lightly.
• The same water never runs into the same river.
• When one is in love, a mountain top becomes a flat field.
• One does not become fat because he chose to break a fast.
• Slowly by slowly, an egg will walk.
• I have a cow in the sky but cannot drink her milk.
• If one is not in a hurry, even an egg will start walking.
• One is born, one dies, but the land continues to flourish.
• One usually does not take a small piece for oneself.
• Ridicule the palm tree only after the date harvest is finished.
• He who recovers from sickness forgets about God.
• Do not spend the evening in a house where you cannot spend the night.
• Evil enters like the needle but spreads like an oak tree.
• There are no better witnesses than your eyes.
• It is foolish to start a fire to see the flames.

• Clothes put on while running will come off while running.
• A fool will pair an elephant with an ox.
• Love and a cup of coffee taste best when hot.
• One who hides their illness cannot expect to be cured.
• The heart of a fool is in his mouth. The mouth of the wise man is in his heart.
• Anyone who searches too deep for a fish may come out with a serpent.
• The cow knows the shepherd but not the owner.
• The cattle are as good as the grazing land in which it grazes.
• Only eat when the food is ready and speak when the time is right.
• Do not demand that what you write in the Nile will be read in the desert.
• A cactus tastes bitter only to those that taste it.
• A mouse that seeks death will go and sniff a cat's nose.
• A sad face is noticeable but not a sad heart.
• A loose tooth will not rest till it is pulled out.
• A hyena will enter through open spaces left by a dog.

Amharic sayings about life and education

Amharic proverbs translated into English give a deeper meaning for the speakers. These proverbs serve as an effective means of passing knowledge, educating, and inspiring.

• It is foolish for one to be thirsty while he is around water.
• While men fear danger, women only fear the sight of it.
• Only a fool searches for dung in places where the cow never grazed.
• A fool thinks he is being praised while being insulted.
• Some will learn through pain and sorrow, others through joy and laughter, so it is written.
• He who has nothing to do scatters and gathers.
• Even if a son runs, he cannot lead his father.
• Honey is not sweet for a donkey.
• One who plants grapes by the roadside, and one who marries a pretty woman, share the same problem.
• Only God generates. Man only educates.
• A man who is advised and takes it is still a man who acts from his will.
• So long as an ox isn't sla*ghtered, one may not see its fat.
• Whether righteousness and torment do exist or not, generosity is better than iniquity.
• A fool and water will go the way they are diverted.
• Everyone comes back home when the day is on (and) everybody is buried when life is over.
• To come out of someone's house mean you're learning.

• A cat may go to a monastery but still remains a cat.
• By the time the fool has learned the game, the players have dispersed.
• The iron never takes advice from the hammer.
• The old man gives the best advice.
• The person who does not listen to an elder's advice gets their leg broken.
• It is from listening to older men that you learn wisdom.
• Learn politeness from the impolite.
• A fly that has no one to advise it, so it follows the corpse into the grave.
• You can learn a lot about someone by observing him when he is hungry.
• He wanders around by day a lot, learns a lot.

The above Ethiopian proverbs are valuable treasures of wisdom. While some sayings are specific to the Ethiopian culture, others can be applied by anyone anywhere in the world.

Tuko.co.ke published an article about positive quotes for Instagram that inspire and motivate. Many Instagram users love it when their followers like and comment on their photos. Make your Instagram timeline a sight to behold not only with the beautiful pictures but also the great captions.

It does not matter what you post; it could be a building, a flower, or even your favourite selfie – make sure that you accompany the post with some positive quotes for Instagram. The captions should be charming and exciting.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

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