Wisdom and knowledge are like a baobab tree; no one can contain them with their hands

“Wisdom and knowledge are like a baobab tree; no one can contain them with their hands.”

African Proverb

Wisdom and knowledge are like a baobab tree; no one can contain them with their hands. This African proverb attempts to convey the concept that no one is capable of retaining, controlling, or possessing all of the world’s information, knowledge, or wisdom. It goes on to humanize the matter by comparing the size of human hands to that of a huge baobab tree. No matter how hard you try, no one can hold a whole baobab tree in their hands.

The baobab tree, famed for its ability to hold water in its vast trunks, is also referred to as the “tree of life”. These trees are unique because of their massive trunks, long life span and ability to thrive in arid climates. The baobab tree, like knowledge and wisdom, is too large to fully contain and can withstand the test of time.

Furthermore, many of us strive to be experts in numerous aspects of our lives and society, but we sometimes fail to recognize that it is impossible to know everything about a specific topic or area of life. It is human instinct to want to control and display expertise on a topic. Simply put, we want to know all of the answers and control everything, but it is impossible.

These are the sole views and opinions of Afroluent.com. There can be and are numerous interpretations for this African proverb. The most important point to convey is that no single person can hold all wisdom and knowledge.