📝 Archive

Tiv Proverbs

Ancient wisdom passed down through generations

📄 Download all proverbs as PDF

📝

“Wan hungwaja u fan kwagh pin ngô na ihyuugh ki un a ya …”

A wise cricket does not ask its mother which leaf to eat to stay alive.

📝

“Wanye u asember ken ityev lanen pe i yer ijembe ga.”

A child who leaves the farm late knows where the axe is kept.

📝

“Wanye u ate ahungwa kor yô, bua sar un.”

A child who ties a grasshopper with a rope is dreaming of owning a cow.

📝

“Ka we a tunan bar u kpeher sanger.”

When you deny having salt, you open your storehouse.

📝

“Annyon u a lu vinen amar hen gbenda, ka a yer ior mba i…”

A bird that dances by the roadside keeps its drummers in the bush.

📝

“Annyon u a tem imiongo sha kor, lanen amar a korogh ga.”

A bird that perches on a rope knows the dance of the rope.

📝

“Ortato u aver ishima u yan iyouv mbihyev sha inyam begh…”

A hunter who wishes to eat new yam with lion meat dies young.

📝

“Wanye u a hende igyacor a dugh a mi sha tembe, shagba u…”

A child who rides a raffia branch home dreams of owning a horse.

📝

“Akpa u kenden sha yange m-ande u ihyev ga.”

The raising of sticks does not stop a rat from running out.

📝

“Ka me vine amar shin mnger kpa ior ve vaa er mo mngu er…”

Even when I dance in the water, people still complain that I am raising dust.

📝

“Mtsuwa anyi mer me yange ityô yam igboghahi i kahan ga.”

I have removed my teeth, but not to stop my people from farming bambara nuts.

📝

“Wan ua ker ter na a ver sha tyo er un a ta nya yô, ake …”

A child who lifts his father to throw him to the ground will have his father's t