Home › Afrikaans proverbs › Perseverance
These Afrikaans (Afrikaans) proverbs speak to endurance, patience under hardship and the refusal to give up. Here are 6 of them, each with its literal translation and a clear explanation of its meaning, drawn from documented Afrikaans usage.
Aanhouer wen.
Literally: “The one who persists wins.”
Meaning: Persistence and perseverance lead to success; if you keep trying you will eventually succeed.
Soek en jy sal vind.
Literally: “Seek and you shall find.”
Meaning: A Biblical maxim (from Matthew 7:7) meaning that those who seek will find what they are looking for; used to encourage active searching or, lightheartedly, when someone turns up what they sought.
Klein begin is aanhou wen.
Literally: “A small beginning is to keep on winning.”
Meaning: Great achievements grow from modest starts when one perseveres.
Waar 'n wil is, is 'n weg.
Literally: “Where there is a will, there is a way.”
Meaning: Determination will find a means to achieve a goal.
As die nood op die hoogste is, is die redding naby.
Literally: “When the need is at its highest, salvation is near.”
Meaning: Help often comes when things are at their most desperate.
Oefening baar kuns.
Literally: “Practice gives birth to skill.”
Meaning: Practice makes perfect; skill comes from repeated effort.