Many of humanity's wisest ideas have been expressed in the form of proverbs.
The difficulty is that many great proverbs have been weakened by centuries of overexposure.
The homely English saying, "Look before you leap, " undeniably contains a central nugget of wisdom.
Yet to cite it blithely in its native place can feel underwhelming.
It's simply been said far too often for its truth to prove effective.
This is why we stand in great need of proverbs from somewhere else, proverbs whose words can feel fresh and surprising, and whose underlying wisdom will seem newly and immediately relevant.
We are blessed that Sub-Saharan Africa has an extremely vibrant and long-standing tradition of proverbs.
Among ethnic groups, including the Yoruba, the Kalanga, the Igbo, the Hausa, and the Maasai, wisdom is handed down in the form of short, often acerbic or melancholy sayings about the human condition that can be put to use in everyday situations, ranging from choosing a career to enduring family life.
We've gathered together some of our favorites: When two elephants fight, it's the grass that gets trampled.
The ax forgets, the tree remembers.
