“The chameleon changes its color to match the earth; the earth does not change its color to match the chameleon.”
The individual must adapt to the world around them, since the world will not bend itself to fit any one person.
— Traditional Senegal Wisdom, Senegal
Source: Traditional Senegal proverb, public-domain oral tradition
More Proverbs from Senegal
He who knows how to swim does not die in the water.
Skill and preparation protect a person from the dangers they are equipped to face.
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The voice of truth is easily known.
Honesty carries a recognizable ring that falsehood cannot truly imitate.
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A shepherd does not strike his own sheep.
Those entrusted with the care of others act gently toward them, not with cruelty.
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'Go' is better than 'don't go.'
Taking action, even imperfectly, is worth more than refusing to act at all.
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A razor cannot shave itself.
No one can fully correct their own faults alone; everyone needs an outside perspective.
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To bring the dead back to life is easy for God.
Nothing is too difficult for divine power, however impossible it may appear to people.
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