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65. Ku mënul dara, du def dara. (4)<br />
He who can do nothing, does nothing.<br />
Complaints<br />
66. Fekkee waral jàmbat. (14,18)<br />
Being present at an event gives one the right to complain or comment about it.<br />
67. Toog di jàmbat te defoo dara du maye dara. (7)<br />
To sit and complain without doing anything will not achieve anything,<br />
“Don't curse the darkness, light a candle!”<br />
See also Proverb 18.<br />
Confidence<br />
68. Fii, kekk la, golo du fi raweeb xaj. (2,3,6)<br />
Here the ground is hard, a monkey cannot escape a dog.<br />
At an animal market, a Peul wants to sell a sheep at any price to Abdou. He speaks highly<br />
of the qualities of the sheep and goes so far as to propose easy payments. Ngalandou,<br />
Abdou's companion, whispers to him to let it drop, as he is suspicious that the<br />
relentlessness of the Peul is hiding something. Abdou responds with this proverb as his<br />
way of saying that he is sure that he is not being had.<br />
[raweeb = rawe ab]<br />
69. Gannaaw ay, jàmm. (2,3,6,7,8)<br />
After a conflict comes peace.<br />
Conflict<br />
70. Ay du yem ci boppub boroom. (2,7,9,12,14)<br />
Ay du yem ci boppu boroomam. (11,15)<br />
Musiba du yem ci boppu boroom. (20)<br />
A conflict is not confined to the one from whom it originates.<br />
71. Bëre reenu ñàmbi la, kenn xamul fa muy damme. (12)<br />
Bëre, reenu ñàmbi la ; fa nga ko foogewul lay damme. (6)<br />
A wrestling match is like a cassava root which breaks where you do not expect.<br />
It is better to solve a problem between people through informal means at the source rather<br />
than through official means as you never know how the court/king will decide the matter.<br />
“I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the<br />
battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or<br />
favour to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11<br />
NIV)<br />
72. Kuuy dawul ; dafa wuti doole. (20)<br />
Xar dawul ; dafa wuti doole. (2)<br />
Mbër dawul, dafa wuti doole. (7)<br />
If a ram backs up, it is not to flee but in order to charge with greater force.<br />
In a dispute, the fact that one of the combatants is no longer visible doesn't necessarily<br />
mean he has given up the fight. It could simply be that he is off finding the means to more<br />
effectively attack.<br />
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