Rodgers Dictionary of Proverbs
A child brought up where there is always
dancing cannot fail to dance. (people
inherits parent’s characteristics)
A child does not die because the mother’s
breasts are dry.
A child does not laugh at the ugliness of his
mother.
A child doesn’t belong to the father or
mother; a child belongs to the ancestors.
A child doesn’t breast-feed from a
stepmother if its mother is still alive.
A child is a bridge to heaven.
A child is a certain sorrow and uncertain
joy.
A child is a child of everyone.
A child is an axe; when it cuts you, you still
pick it up and put it on your shoulder.
A child is like an axe; even if it hurts, you
stil carry them on your shoulders.
A child is what you put into him.
A child left unrestrained brings shame on
his family.
A child may have too much of his mother’s
blessing.
A child must creep until it learns to walk.
A child of a year old sucks milk from the
heel.
A child one does not instruct on return, one
instructs him when going.
A child to visitors but a sage to the owners
to the village. (a person should not be
judged by his physical appearance)
A child unwilling to be taught must learn
to dig trenches.
A child while bathing only scrubs its
stomach.
A child who cannot be told let us wait and
see. (experience is the best teacher)
A child who does not listen grew a beard at
the back of the head.
A child who eats too much shouldn’t blame
his buttock.
A child who fears beating, would never ad-
mit that he played with a missing knife.
A child who has no mother will not have
scars to show on his back.
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A child who is carried on the back will not
know how far the journey is.
A child who is fearless is going to bring
tears to his mother’s eyes.
A child who is loved has many names.
A child who is to be successful is not reared
exclusively on a bed of down.
A child who knows how to wash his hands
will eat with the chiefs.
A child who protested when being stripped
on the back by its mother, it’s humbled
by the scorching sun when left to walk.
A child without a mother is like a fish in
shallow water.
A child without education, is like a bird
without wings.
A child, a drunkard and a fool tell the truth.
A child’s back must be bent early.
A child’s face is his mirror.
A child’s fingers are not scalded by a piece
of hot yam which his mother puts into
his palm.
A child’s lie is like a dead fish in a pond
that in the end, always comes to the sur-
face, explains his mother.
A child’s life is like a piece of paper on
which every passerby leaves a mark.
A child’s service is little, yet he is no little
fool that despises it.
A child’s sorrow is short-lived.
A child’s tear rends the heavens.
A child’s words have no guile.
A childless old lady is obsessed with sea
shells.
A child's life is like a piece of paper on
which every person leaves a mark.
A chip off the old block.
A chip on the shoulder indicates wood
higher up.
A Christian forgives, an idiot forgets.
A Christian is more of a scoundrel than a
rascal of a non-believer.
A Christmas of games, an Easter by the fire.
A church stone drops gold.
A church without a leader is prey for the
devil.