Amharic proverbs — read closely

Parallel & Proverbs

A weekly literary miscellany

When Spider Webs Unite, They Can Tie a Lion

ሸረሪቶች ሲተባበሩ አንበሳ ያስሩ

sheraritoč si-tetabaru anbesa yasiru

Why Ethiopians say that spider webs, united, can bind a lion — and how Mandarin, Korean, and Aesopic traditions reach the same improbable reversal.

Justice 1,180 wds 6 min

№ 02 Ethiopia

The Egg Walks

ቀስ በቀስ እንቁላል በእግሩ ይሄዳል

qes be qes, enqulal be'egru yihedal

An Amharic proverb watches an egg grow legs and walk — patience not as wearing-down but as transformation. Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Japanese cousins time the same change three other ways.

Patience 1,130 wds 6 min

№ 01 Ethiopia

After the Hyena, the Dog Barks

ጅብ ከሄደ ውሻ ጮኸ።

jǝb kähedä wǝšša č'oḫä

An Ethiopian proverb watches the dog find its voice only once the hyena is safely gone. Spanish, Aesop, and Russian also mock the courage that waits for safety — each with its own contempt.

Boasting 1,253 wds 6 min

Amharic proverbs, at a glance

Courage shows up only once the danger is safely gone.

ጅብ ከሄደ ውሻ ጮኸ።

Jǝb kähedä wǝšša č'oḫä

Literally: When the hyena has left, the dog barks.

Amharic · Ethiopia

Set beside
- Spanish — the great lance-thrust delivered to an already-dead enemy
- Greek (Aesop) — bravery measured by the distance to the danger
- Russian — a hero against sheep, but a sheep against a hero
Given time, the thing with no legs grows the legs to walk on.

ቀስ በቀስ እንቁላል በእግሩ ይሄዳል

Qes be qes, enqulal be'egru yihedal

Literally: Slowly, slowly, an egg walks on its legs.

Amharic · Ethiopia

Set beside
- Vietnamese — grind iron long enough and one day it is a needle; patience that transforms
- Mandarin — when the water arrives, the channel forms itself; ripening, not forcing
- Japanese — peach and chestnut, three years; persimmon, eight; growth keeps its own clock
When spider webs unite, they can tie a lion

ሸረሪቶች ሲተባበሩ አንበሳ ያስሩ

Sheraritoč si-tetabaru anbesa yasiru

Literally: Spiders, when they cooperate, tie a lion

Amharic · Ethiopia

Set beside
- Mandarin — three ordinary people together exceed one genius
- Korean — when many gather, even a tiger can be caught
- Aesop/Greek — bundled sticks cannot be broken; the defensive counterpart