“The canoe does not know who is king; when it turns over, everyone gets wet.”
Misfortune does not respect rank or status — when disaster strikes, everyone suffers alike regardless of position.
— Traditional Angola Wisdom, Angola
Source: Traditional Angola proverb, public-domain oral tradition
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The body is easily satisfied, but not the heart.
Material needs are simple to fulfill, but emotional and spiritual longing is never fully satisfied.
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Early corn is best, so the firstborn is the one to delight in.
Being first carries special worth and brings particular joy, as with the earliest ripening corn.
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It is the destiny of the donkey to carry the heavy burden.
Some must bear the hardest tasks; duty and role in life are not always chosen.
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The mouse does not talk back to the lion.
The weak do not openly challenge the powerful; know your position.
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The real journey of discovery begins in old age.
True understanding of life often arrives only with the wisdom of later years.
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Do not despise the nut; one day it will be a palm tree.
Do not underestimate something small — it holds the potential to grow into something great.
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