“The shine is not always so fine.”
Outward brilliance can hide a lack of real substance underneath.
— Traditional Eritrea Wisdom, Eritrea
Source: Traditional Eritrea (Tigrinya) proverb, public-domain oral tradition
More Proverbs from Eritrea
The beauty of a tree is its leaves; the beauty of a person is patience.
What truly makes a person admirable is patience, just as leaves are what make a tree beautiful.
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One who does not use proverbs is unintelligent, and one that does not chew the cud is a donkey.
Skillful use of proverbs is treated as a mark of wisdom and eloquence in speech.
Traditional Eritrea Wisdom
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Time and the dog come without being called.
Certain things, like time passing, arrive on their own whether or not you summon them.
Traditional Eritrea Wisdom
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It is better to suffer with your own people than to eat porridge by yourself.
Belonging to a community matters more than private comfort enjoyed alone.
Traditional Eritrea Wisdom
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He who has not fought in battle thinks he knows it all.
Inexperience often breeds false overconfidence.
Traditional Eritrea Wisdom
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They say it is for the baby, but they eat it themselves.
A saying that exposes hypocrisy — claiming to act for others while really serving oneself.
Traditional Eritrea Wisdom
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