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Hausa Proverbs (201-274)

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He who neglects his farm won't see a bright eye in his house.

A lazy man does not know he is lazy till
he drives a tortoise away and it escapes.

If the bucket has been long in the well,
it ought to come out with water.

Choose your fellow traveler before you start on your journey.

Only a gadfly can sit on an elephant's back.

He who looks for what cannot be obtained
will endure much trouble.

Hunger makes a youngster old,
repletion makes an old man young.

A lazy man will not bring a hare to market.

He who likes frogs does not like fish.

The good looking man is king, if there is no rich man near.

The meat close to the fire is best cooked.

Each end of the fire has its smoke.

One man's gain is another's loss.

Every man thinks well of his own abilities.

One pebble doesn't make a floor.

It is the owner of the farm who drives off a leopard, not another man.

He who does not know a famous person surely will hear of him.

One tells a dog there's a feast at your home,
it says let me see it on the ground.

Property is the remedy for disgrace.

There is no rest for the poor man.

A man's face shows what is in his heart.

Character comes before the teacher.

Where the runner goes the walker will go with patience.

Ugliness with a good character is better than beauty.

It is the occupant who knows where the house leaks.

Self control excels control of a beast.

Whatever accomplishment you boast of in the world,
there is someone better than you.

Where an elephant is being killed,
none notices the death of a monkey.

Being thin is not death.

A blind man does not worry over the loss of a looking glass.

Loving one who loves another is a bellyful of trouble.

ts the bud that makes the gourd.

The place to get top speed out of a horse
is not the place where you can get top speed out of a canoe.

Pride brings curses.

He who has a pup as good as has a dog.

When the treasure house is full desire ceases.

However foolish the monkey it will not play with the thorn tree.

He who owns something knows all about begging.

To the joyless man death is a blessing.

It's the mother who can cure her child's tears.

The patient man cooks a stone till he drinks broth from it.

A hawk doesn't swoop on a stone ball
unless there's a piece of meat on it.

Choose your neighbor before you buy your house.

A misfortune borne patiently is as though it had not been.

Escaping with your reputation is better
than escaping with your property.

Before one comes out of water one does not squeeze.

Sleeping in a shed is better than sleeping
in a two-storey house with no money.

A prisoner does not choose his task.

Let anyone who despises the position of the moon get up and correct it.

The remedy for dislike is separation.

Accomplishment of purpose is better than making a profit.

One tells a dog there’s a feast at your home,
it says let me see it on the ground.

Anyone who sees a leopard knows it is not a dog.

A lie even after a year is a lie, truth has its abiding place.

Stone will not become water.

A sick man despises not medicine.

Desperate search doesn't cause finding.

Seeing is not eating.

The rope strong enough to bind the free man is hard to find.

Evil counsel is the root of misfortune.

One day with the prosperous man
is better than a year with the poor man.

One does not give a hyena meat to look after.

One does not dive onto a rock.

A large animal is nice but difficult to feed.

Plenty to eat and company is the feast.

Avoiding a quarrel is better than asking forgiveness.

He who skirts a town doesn't know what is inside.

One twig will not sweep.

Eating a mouthful is better than waiting for a helping.

A libel hurts worse than a spear thrust.

The hyena is the cure for the biting dog.

Where talk is abundant, it is easy for a lie to slip in.

Talk without authority is useless talk.

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Hausa Proverbs 001-100

Hausa Proverbs 101-200