Culture
Proverbs
CC BY-SA 4.0
Amharic proverb: Dir biyabir anbessa yasir
Iconic Amharic proverb on collective action: united spider webs can tie up a lion.
Country:Ethiopia
Language:Amharic; English
Published:2025-08-30
Audience:Language learners, cultural studies
Amharic (romanised): "Dir biyabir anbessa yasir."
English literal: "When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion."
Meaning: Many small efforts combined can defeat what looks unbeatable. Most cited Amharic proverb on the power of collective action.
Keywords
Amharic proverb
unity
collective action
Ethiopia
Source & licence
Source: Wikipedia
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
No Wikiquote page exists for Amharic proverbs at this time; the proverb is widely documented in academic and folkloric literature on Amharic. The Wikipedia article on Amharic is cited as the canonical source for the language itself under CC BY-SA 4.0; the proverb text itself is oral tradition.
Disclaimer: This content is provided for general information. Health, legal, financial and government-service items should be verified with a qualified professional or the official authority before action. AfricanGPT does not represent itself as a substitute for licensed advice.
More in Culture
Naɣ'so ŋun ka zuli (Dagbani Proverb)
This Dagbani proverb teaches that even when you feel hopeless, faith in God will help you overcome problems. It encourages perseverance and trust.
Dabiɛm kani kabo n zibiyuŋ (Dagbani Proverb)
A Dagbani proverb implying that fear often arises from ignorance rather than real danger.
Those who are absent are always wrong (Ghanaian Proverb)
This proverb suggests that absent people can’t defend themselves and are easily blamed.