“Lower your head modestly while passing, and you will harvest bananas.”
Humility and quiet respect open doors that pride and boldness cannot.
— Traditional Congo Wisdom, DR Congo
Source: Traditional Congolese proverb, public-domain oral tradition
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The nuts from a palm tree do not fall without dragging a few leaves with them.
Every significant action causes some collateral effect; nothing important happens without consequences.
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No matter how full the river is, it still wants to grow.
Ambition and desire for more have no natural limit, even for those who already have plenty.
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Do not cut off the monkey's tail before it is dead.
Do not act on an outcome before it is certain; finish the task fully before celebrating or moving on.
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Pride goes only as far as one can spit.
Arrogance has real limits; boasting cannot carry a person further than their true ability.
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The iron never takes advice from the hammer.
Those who are constantly struck down by hardship rarely trust the one causing it, however well-meant the lesson.
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Little by little, the bananas grow.
Patience and steady effort over time bring results that cannot be rushed.
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