South American Proverbs

South American Proverbs carry wisdom from the Andes to the Amazon, shaped by Inca legacy, colonial crossroads, and many Indigenous nations. They prize community, resourcefulness, and respect for nature’s cycles.

You cannot hide the sun with one hand. (South American Proverb)
A good guitarist will play on one string. View proverb
South American Proverb
Better a devil you know than a hundred strangers. View proverb
South American Proverb
God writes on crooked lines. View proverb
South American Proverb
If you are going to die you will die in the dark even if you have been in the candle business. View proverb
South American Proverb
Laughing wife, crying purse. View proverb
South American Proverb
Light in the streets, shadows in the house. View proverb
South American Proverb
None of us knows who we are. View proverb
South American Proverb
Old love and wood will burn as soon as they get the chance. View proverb
South American Proverb
The baby who doesn't cry isn't nursed. View proverb
South American Proverb
The lazybones must work twice. (South American Proverb)
Widows weep but they look for another husband. View proverb
South American Proverb
Old debts are never paid, and the new ones get old easily. View proverb
South American Proverb
Hens perched on top will shit on those below. View proverb
South American Proverb
He who prays a lot is afraid of something. View proverb
South American Proverb
He who lives on illusions, dies of disillusion. View proverb
South American Proverb
Two cats will not live together in one sack. View proverb
South American Proverb
The daughter-in-law wipes away what the mother-in-law has seen. View proverb
South American Proverb
Such is the fate of the sheep: either shorn or roasted. View proverb
South American Proverb
Become famous, then go to sleep. View proverb
South American Proverb
For our sins God has created three enemies for us: mice in the house, the fox in the mountains, and a priest in our village. (South American Proverb)
That which is a sin in others is a virtue in ourselves. View proverb
South American Proverb
Never give thanks for a favor held back. View proverb
South American Proverb
Speak with a true heart, holding back your evil passions. View proverb
South American Proverb
The little birds have god for their caterer. View proverb
South American Proverb