“One cannot be at the mouth of a river and use saliva to wash his hands.”
It is foolish to be needlessly stingy with a scarce substitute when real abundance is right in front of you.
— Traditional Liberia Wisdom, Liberia
Source: Traditional Liberia proverb, public-domain oral tradition
More Proverbs from Liberia
One single finger cannot pick a louse.
Unity is necessary — no one person can accomplish everything working alone.
Traditional Liberia Wisdom
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One tree cannot make a forest.
Individual effort alone cannot build what a whole community builds together.
Traditional Liberia Wisdom
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It is better to fall while sitting than to fall while standing.
A person who starts from humility risks far less than one who falls from a position of pride.
Traditional Liberia Wisdom
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Whenever you play with oil, some will remain on your fingers.
Involvement with something, good or bad, inevitably leaves its mark on you.
Traditional Liberia Wisdom
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Teeth and tongue can fight but they will never stop working together to eat.
Even those who quarrel must keep cooperating because they depend on one another.
Traditional Liberia Wisdom
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Drop by drop fill a gourd.
Small, steady contributions accumulate into something substantial over time.
Traditional Liberia Wisdom
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