Name: 非洲諺語的智慧！ (The Wisdom of African Proverbs)
Uploaded: 2026-02-18T17:27:18.000Z
Duration: 3 min 14 s

Many of humanity's wisest ideas have been expressed in the form of proverbs.

人類許多最睿智的想法都以諺語的形式表達。

The difficulty is that many great proverbs have been weakened by centuries of overexposure.

困難之處在於，許多偉大的諺語都因為幾個世紀的過度曝光而變得遜色。

情態副詞

The homely English saying look before you leap undeniably contains a central nugget of wisdom.

家常的英文俗語「三思而後行」無疑包含了一個核心的智慧精華。

Yet to cite it blithely in its native place, can feel underwhelming.

然而，在它原本的語境中輕率地引用它，可能會讓人覺得不令人印象深刻。

It's simply been said far too often for its truth to prove effective.

它實在是說得太頻繁了，以至於它的真理不再顯得有效。

This is why we stand in great need of proverbs from somewhere else.

這就是為什麼我們非常需要來自其他地方的諺語。

Proverbs whose words can feel fresh and surprising and whose underlying wisdom will seem newly and immediately relevant.

這些諺語的詞句能讓人感覺新鮮又驚喜，其潛藏的智慧也會顯得全新且立即相關。

We are blessed that sub Saharan Africa has an extremely vibrant and long standing tradition of proverbs.

我們很幸運，撒哈拉以南的非洲擁有一個充滿活力且源遠流長的諺語傳統。

Among ethnic groups, including the Yoruba, the Kolanga, 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.

在不同的族群中，包括約魯巴族、科蘭加族、伊博族、豪薩族和馬賽族，智慧透過簡短、常帶有尖酸刻薄或憂鬱色彩的俗語傳承下來，這些俗語談論著人類處境，並能應用於日常各種情境，從選擇職業到承受家庭生活。

We've gathered together some of our favourites.

我們已經收集了一些我們最喜歡的。

When two elephants fight, it's the grass that gets trampled.

兩隻大象打架，遭殃的總是小草。

Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.

風平浪靜的日子，練不出好的水手。

Once you carry your own water, you'll remember every drop.

一旦你得自己提水，就會記得每一滴水的珍貴。

If you assume you're too small to make a difference, spend a night with a mosquito.

如果你覺得自己太渺小而無法有所作為，那就跟蚊子共處一晚試試。

No matter how hot your anger is, it cannot cook yams.

你的怒火再怎麼熾熱，也煮不熟地瓜。

One cannot prepare for the dry season by simply drinking plenty of water.

不能光靠喝很多水來為乾旱季節做準備。

He who offended forgets, but he who suffered from the offense does not.

冒犯別人的人會忘記，但遭受冒犯的人不會。

You can't use your hand to force the sun to set until a lion learns to write.

你無法強迫太陽下山，除非獅子學會寫字。

The child ignored by the village will burn it down just to feel its warmth.

村莊裡被忽視的孩子，會放火燒村來取暖。

螞蟻也會圍繞著奄奄一息的大象。

Even the tongue and the teeth quarrel now and then.

He who excretes in the road will likely meet flies on his return.

在路上排洩的人，回來時很可能會遇到蒼蠅。

An empty sack cannot stand up, a full sack cannot bend.

空麻袋站不直，滿麻袋彎不下腰。

如果你想被責怪，那就去結婚。

When the patient dies, the dances may change, the drums are the same.

病人死了，舞蹈可能會變，但鼓聲還是一樣。

And finally, a proverb about the utility of proverbs.

最後，一個關於諺語用處的諺語。

To go through life without proverbs is like eating a bowl of rice without sauce.

沒有諺語的人生，就像沒醬料的飯一樣。

The power of African proverbs doesn't lie in presenting entirely new ideas, but

非洲諺語的力量不在於提出全新的想法，

而在於為重要的想法注入新生命。

Their role isn't to change our thinking, but

它們的角色不是改變我們的想法，

to remind us of what we know full well already, but

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非洲諺語的智慧！ (The Wisdom of African Proverbs)

relevant

assume

essential

extremely