"He who speaks first at the palaver does ..." - Congolese Proverb

“He who speaks first at the palaver does not always speak best.”

- Congoleseleadership

Meaning

Being first to speak is not the same as being most wise; listen before contributing.

Kongo palavers (community meetings) value deliberation. Speaking too quickly shows impatience; listening before speaking demonstrates leadership.

Origin

Congolese

Language

Kikongo

“The fool speaks, the wise man listens.”

Ethiopian

“A chief who listens to the wind before speaking will never mislead his people.”

Kenyan

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