64.A dog may be mad, but it still knows the fire. There is a limit to everything; this is normally associated with frisky (unruly) children. The concept is that no matter how frisky a child is, that child does not disrespect everyone. There are some people s/he will not dare to disrespect.
65. A fool gets entrapped by the evening, and it has cost him his marriage. The evening is full of many things. Some people are dissuaded and follow the good life at the expense of their marriage. They leave home and forget to perform critical tasks to keep their family together.
66.A fruitless venture leads to shame. Doing meaningless things lead to no good results. It can often at times end up disgracing you.
67.A mother does not abandon her child when s/he has an itching sore. A mother’s love has no boundaries. They cater to and care for their children even in the direst situation. Ideally, our mothers stick with us through thick and thin. Alternatively, it is not proper to neglect a friend when they have problems or are faced with bad situations. A true friend sticks by when things go south.
68.A mother does not throw her baby away with the bath water. No one baths and keeps the water. In a typical Liberian setting, mothers throw the bath water in their yards after they have used it to bath their babies. This also means that no matter what a child turns out to be, a mother tries to protect her own. She does not allow the attitude of the child to make her hate him/her. She never throws away her own as she throws out the bath water.
69. A person whose sheep runs away twice is a fool. It is considered foolish for one to allow oneself to be bitten twice in the same situation or by the same person. We are supposed to learn from our mistakes.
70.A woman having beauty doesn't necessarily understand how to preserve her marriage. Beauty without substance is meaningless in a marriage. Once a man finds that his wife’s only asset is her beauty, he is bound to leave. Such marriages do not last; it takes more than just a pretty face or body to keep a marriage. There are responsibilities that need to be handled and they do not need one to be beautiful to perform. One just has to be capable of doing them,
71.All dogs don't love people, they just love the place where they are fed. We often mistake the attitudes of others to satisfy their needs as love. The truth is people will do what they must do. At times, this may mean deception and backstabbing. Once we are aware of this, we can prepare ourselves and try not to be surprised when it does happen. It is not everyone that we help along the way, will show appreciation for it since some only need us as long as we can provide what they need. Once this stops, they go their ways and leave us to fend for ourselves.
72.Before you ask a man for clothes, look at the clothes that he is wearing. It is not advisable to ask for help from people who are unable to give the help.
73.Being cunning does not last for a year. Everything has a season, a time and a place. No matter how shrew one thinks one is, there is always another who can do it better. More so, a day will come when one will meet their match.
74.Being tired isn't the same as being lazy. It is foolish to confuse a tired person for a lazy one. The tired one needs rest, the lazy one always is resting. When we need rest, we should do so for our bodies to function well. Fear of being consider lazy can push people to over working themselves
75.Bread without sauce and a home without a wife are meaningless. No man is an island. Some things go well only if there are the right compliments for them. In this case, everyman needs a capable and able wife alongside him.
76.Cast your eye down, you will see your nose. Looking in the right direction, will produce the desired results. We should put our efforts to the right use.
77.Chiefs are not chiefs to their women. Women tame even the most powerful men.
78.Children bestow glory on a home. In Liberian culture, as in other African cultures, children are considered a blessing. The thing has been the more, the merrier. This may seem odd to a westerner, but way back, traditional societies were the equivalent of tertiary education institutions, hence, a child did not have to leave their surroundings to get proper education. This enabled families to work together. The more children a man had, he could make larger farms hence, be considered a wealthy person. Such families had enough hands thus they could produce more food to feed themselves and sell.
79.Do not laugh at the snake because it ‘walks’ on its belly. We are not all the same, nor do we all have the same make up. It is unwise to make light of others situations simply by looking from the outside. It is only when we get on the inside of the situation before we know how it truly is.
80.Do not let what you cannot do take from your hands what you can. Sometimes we focus too much on the tasks ahead, we lose sight of the ones we have to complete that would help us achieve the very tasks we are focusing on. It is easy to lose sight of the value of what we have, when we are focusing on getting what we don’t have. We may lose the very best people in life, just by looking too hard at those we do not have.
81.Don't cut a kenja for a child before it is born. The Kenya/kenja is a carrier used in many traditional communities of Liberia. Its main purpose was to safely transport load. Often, mothers placed their young ones in this basket-like carrier and strapped it to their backs or front thus enabling them to carry firewood, water or some other items with the child safely tucked away. Over time, Kenya came to represent load of any kind. It is also used to mean trouble; come take your Kenya from here…
82.Don't try to scare a monkey with a dead baboon. It is useless scaring a monkey when the baboon id dead. The monkey doesn’t feel threatened if it sees the baboon is dead. Some efforts are worthless to carry out because they don’t work.
83.Even the lion does not eat its own cubs. There is love or some good in every one. The lion may be a danger for other animals, but not to its young. We have to look hard at time, but when we do, we will find some admirable traits in everyone even those considered as bad.
84.Even the mightiest eagle comes down to the treetops to rest. No situation is permanent. Some people think so highly of themselves or less of others, but the truth is we are all equal as humans.
85.Fowls will not spare a cockroach that falls in their mist. A person that goes looking for trouble has himself/herself to blame. If you deliberately provoke others, when they react, you can’t claim to be a victim.
The concept of God in African tradition transcends the Judeo-Christian one; it can mean the ancestral spirits, a particular deity, several deities, nature, the supra natural etc. at other times, it can mean simply the Judeo-Christian God or Allah for Muslims.
86.God is never in a hurry; but He is always there at the proper time. It is believed that things happen when they are supposed to happen, not a moment sooner or later, but just the right time. Now this may not seem to be the case at times when a person is suffering through some things, but holds true. It is mostly during the through times that God seems to be slow.
87. God is sharper than a razor. In this case, it is better to understand this as revenge or fate. When life comes back to a person in full circle for some bad deeds they did, then this parable is used.
88.God knows the things of tomorrow. Believers tend to accept that God authors (hence knows) their fates. This is usually to encourage people to hold on and have faith, for better days are ahead.
89.God will butter my bread. A simple interpretation is that God will provide one’s needs. In trying times, this can be understood to mean that God will take one through them and make a way even when there seems to be none.
90. God, who gave man scabies, also gave him hands to scratch them. Regardless of one’s situation, there is always a solution to it. God may allow certain things to happen, but He always gives one the right tools to get through them.
91. Greed loses what it has gained. A greedy person pays more attention on getting more that s/he loses those things s/he has gotten. Instead of guarding the ones s/he has attained, s/he lets down his/her guard and they get away.
92.Having a good discussion is like having riches. Wise discussions are priceless. They hold knowledge that could get one the very riches others are fighting to get. A wise person engages in fruitful discussions that may teach life’s important lessons.
93. He that has never traveled thinks that his mother is the only good cook in the world. An inexperience person is limited to the extent of their knowledge. The world is small to such people unlike those that open up for new experiences. Such people never get to appreciate the greater world outside of the limited area they know.
94. He who doesn't like crabby women must remain a bachelor. It is better to avoid situations that one knows they are uncomfortable with or do not like. A man who gets married has to settle for the fact that a woman will be a woman; this means she would get moods and act crabby at times. If this is too much, it is better to stay alone.
95.He who eats alone, dies alone. A person determined to be alone ends up alone. By eating alone here, it is assumed that if there is no sharing, there is no caring. If the food is bad, such person gets to go alone because they did eat alone. Sharing is a huge part of the Liberian community. Especially when it comes to food. Kids share food all the time. They eat at each other’s home when they are really close, neighbors distribute food to others on holidays and special occasions. Even when there is no occasion, if there is enough or they believe that other family is in need, they will share
96. He who eats with dirty hands should expect to get sick. Hygiene-wise, this is simple and strait forward. However, it is also used to warn others about keeping bad company. If one surrounds oneself with bad people and trouble comes, it affects him/her as well.
97. He who finds the occasion to hurt others, will be hurt by someone else tomorrow. Simply put, consider the golden rule. Treat others in a way you expect to be treated. Ill-treating people is a guarantee that others will do the same to you some day. Likewise, being good means that others will be good to you someday.
98. He who has been bitten by a snake becomes scared by the sight of a coiled rope. People who learn from their previous experiences, are extra cautious not to repeat them. In fact, anything that resembles such, they treat suspiciously or take preventive measures.
99. He who has doesn't want, he who wants doesn't have. Life often seems to play a number on us. A person who has enough, doesn’t want or at times appreciate it; but he who has not, is the one who wants it badly or appreciates it.
100. He who has running stomach (diarrhea) knows the location of all the toilets. A person, who has a serious problem, makes an extra effort to know where to get help. In this case, this person searches around for all the options because s/he never knows when it might hit them and they would need to solve it immediately.
101. He who loves you, loves you with your dirt. True Love does not care about the baggage that comes along with a person. It accepts us as we are. When a person really loves you, they ignore the noise and accept you truly.
102. He who marries a beautiful woman marries trouble. It is so common for everyone to want a pretty maiden. A man who marries one, has to contend with the many stares and advances from others who would wish to have what he already has, his wife. Hence, he brings upon himself this ‘trouble’ and there is very little he can do about it.
103. He who trades with God never loses. God considered just, is the best person to bargain with, He always gives one what they deserve in the least. It is believed that God gives even more than we deserve at times, hence dealing with Him is a win-win.
104. Hearts cannot be borrowed. There are things in life that are priceless. Our hearts or love is amongst those things. In this case, one can’t give out his/her heart/love to another person for their use.
105. Heaven never dies, only men do. There is an association of eternity with deity/deities who are often regarded to dwell in heaven (up in the skies). This is part of the appeal of religion to men, it offers up eternity-immortality.
106. His opinions are like water in the bottom of a canoe, going from side to side. This is often an insult. It means that a person is weak minded. They can’t hold firm to anything for any length of time. They go with the wind; they follow the next idea, hence, very unreliable. The canoe is a solid object, but the water at its base is never settled or stable once at sea.
107. Houses built close together burn together. The associations we form help make or break us. If they are bad, then we eventually turn bad or when the trouble comes, we get involved. It is best if we avoided it.
108. However black a cow is, the milk is always white. Appearance may be misleading a times, but a person’s true nature always shows. No matter how hard someone tries to take something that belongs to you, it always finds its way back to you. Some things are just meant to be, they may appear not to be working out but they eventually do.
109. However kind a man is, he would never give his wife to his friend as a present. There is a limit to everything. Do not take advantage of others or the kindness and love they show you.
110. Hunger does not have favorites; it visits the elder, the chief, and the child the same. Life treats everyone the same. It may give us different hands, but we are all the same. Some things we all must experience equally.
111.Hunger strikes the adult as much as the child. Some things in life affect us all equally. As humans, we should be conscious of this fact and treat others, as we would wish them to treat us.
112. Hurry, hurry, burst trousers. A person who rushes to do things end up failing or not achieving it. It is best to plan well before execution. A poorly laid plan can only lead to trouble.
113. If a blind man says I will stone you, be assured that he is holding one already. A hint to the wise is sufficient is a good way to understand this parable. Serious minded people don’t say things they don’t mean. If they say it, then they are fixing to do it or will do it.
114. If a child's hands are clean, he can eat with elders. A well prepared person can achieve far more; they can be accepted into circles that ordinarily would be inaccessible to them. Preparation is a key to success. Eating with the elders or chiefs has always been a thing of importance in Liberian culture. Firstly, only people of good standing and or high status eat with the chief. They discuss important matters; hence, one is likely to be a decision maker of importance to dine. In addition, the food is often the best. It is well prepared and has lots of meat and it is plentiful.
115. If a donkey kicks you and you kick back, you are both donkeys. It is unwise to respond in the same foolish manner as a fool and then thing of yourself as better than the fool. Responding in kind to a fool, can only mean you are one. After all, it takes one to know another.
116. If a monkey lives amongst dogs, why won't it start barking? We learn from and are influenced by our surroundings. The company we keep has strong bearings on who we turn out to be. Therefore, it is wise to mingle with those that you would rather be like for such company can only benefit you the way you wish to be benefited.
117. If a woman doesn't love you, she calls you brother. It is often a painful thing, but it is common for girls to pass of a guy’s serious attempts with the line that she sees him as a brother. There are clear lines drawn, hence as a brother, there can be no relationship of sorts between you two. In this case, she is just being nice and wants to keep you around as a friend.
118. If all seeds that fall were to grow, then no one could follow the path under the trees. It is impossible for us to do all the things we wish to do. Notwithstanding, it is not bad to have a wish, but it is better to fulfil them. It is not everything we want to do, we accomplish.
119. If crocodiles eat their own eggs, what would they do to the frog? Some people are just not to be messed around with. They are so strait; in this case, if they do not spare their own, imagine what would happen to one who is actually in the wrong or considered to be an enemy?
120. If God dishes you rice in a basket, do not wish to eat soup! We should be content with what we get. Contentm
ent is not the same as complacency. One has to consider the items used in this parable. A basket is usually woven from parts of the bamboo. It has many uses, but it is porous. It allows air and water in and out easily. Thus, it is suitable to hold rice but not soup. Anyone who puts soup in it will end up wasting it all over. The basket can’t contain it like it would the rice. Hence, this implies that the Divine, or a provider (which is normally our parents or elders) know better than we do. They would give us what is best for us.
121. If God fills your cup and an evil-minded person kicks it over, He fills it up for you again. If a thing is for you, it is for you. people may stand in the way, but they can only delay or postpone it. In the long run, it comes to you. good prevails over evil.
122. If money where to be found up in the trees, most people would be married to monkeys. If life was easy, even the lazy fool would be wealthy or successful.
123. If nothing touches the palm-leaves they do not rustle. Things often do not happen without a reason. People react when provoked. It is not normal for people to react to others in a way that they did not encourage.
124. If one wants to be truly successful, one must not follow the path; instead, one must go where there is no path to begin a new path. One has to do things differently if one wants to achieve new or dramatic results. By doing the same things over and over, we never get new results.
125. If pepper is so delicious, rub it in your sore. A man who as the pepper is delicious should first try rubbing it in his eye. If he is serious then this is what he should do. One should be ready to try out anything that one wishes others to try.
126. No one can bless you without the acceptance of his own head. Some things can never happen to you unless you agree for them to happen. It goes to say that the way you treat yourself will encourage others to treat you that same way.
127. Play the fool to gain wisdom. At times, it becomes necessary to humble oneself in order to learn the necessary things one needs to learn. It is easy for others to consider humility as being foolish, but this is far from the case.
128. The feces are the food of flies. Everything has a value in life to someone. The very thing we consider a waste, is food for other animals to survive on. Hence, we should treat people with respect because to someone else, that person we have low regard for, means the world.
129. The head that came to carry the stone, instead stone carry it. An ill-prepared person can only expect defeat. The very problem that such a person undertakes to resolve ends up consuming them.
130. The huge silk cotton trees grow out of very tiny seeds. The smallest of things can bear great fruits. It is not good to underestimate people or their hard work. It may seem meaningless, but with time and dedication, they can turn that venture into success.
131. The life we have is the same life that animals have. Often times, we tend to think highly of ourselves and far less of others. The fact is we are all equal as humans. Similarly, some people think animals are less valuable, but they also have life and we should learn to respect and treat them properly as we would any other living creature.
132.The marriage life gently glides away, when partners respect and obey each other. A happy marriage involves both parties making effort to keep it. When they do, time flies and there is much happiness. When they don’t things go south and time seems to crawl.
133. The thing that makes the dog cook well, is the same thing that made the pig por-tor-por-tor (cooked extremely soft - more like overcooking rice until it is sticky). There is not one major fix for all problems, each problems has a unique solution. Rice is a staple food in Liberia, and it is often cooked grainy, this makes eating with soup/stew easy. A rice that is por-tor-por-tor means the rice is sticky, making eating with stew/soup difficult. Most people do not like it that way. Rice cooked that way is also an insult to a cook since it tells badly on the one who prepared it. An aspect of this is that, por-tor-por-tor rice is often used for babies or very ill people; even then, it is mixed with milk and sugar to make eating it enjoyable. Thus, a healthy person doesn’t take kindly to eating food like that.
134. The vulture doesn't have a barber, but his head is always shiny. Certain things will work out naturally, there is no need to worry about them. Doing so does not make them work out any differently than they will do by themselves.
135. When a cattle is born, it is with its ears; the horns grow later. With practice, we grow to mastery. It is best to listen well and understand before attempting to act.
136. When you see animals paly and licking each other, it is because they know each other.
Section III