The man stepping into the river may fear. The river does not.

What it means

Fear belongs to you, not to the challenge in front of you. The current runs the same whether you are nervous or calm. Feel the fear and wade in anyway.

The source

"The man stepping into the river may fear. The river does not." This Yoruba proverb is recorded in Ellis, The Yoruba-Speaking Peoples (1894), ch. XIII, no. 202. Translated by Ellis, 1894.

"He who goes into a river may fear, but the river does not fear,"

Ellis, 1894, Ellis, The Yoruba-Speaking Peoples (1894), ch. XIII, no. 202. Text read at archive.org.

Who said it

Proverbs of the world (Every age). Sayings from the Latin, Greek, Norse, Japanese, Chinese and more, each traced to an old source in its own language.

Questions

What does "The man stepping into the river may fear. The river does not." mean?

Fear belongs to you, not to the challenge in front of you. The current runs the same whether you are nervous or calm. Feel the fear and wade in anyway.

Who said "The man stepping into the river may fear. The river does not."?

Yoruba proverb. Source: Ellis, The Yoruba-Speaking Peoples (1894), ch. XIII, no. 202.

What is the original wording?

He who goes into a river may fear, but the river does not fear, (Ellis, 1894). Translated by Ellis, 1894.

Is "The man stepping into the river may fear. The river does not." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"The man stepping into the river may fear. The river does not." (Yoruba proverb, Ellis, The Yoruba-Speaking Peoples (1894), ch. XIII, no. 202, trans. Ellis, 1894). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/the-man-stepping-into-the-river-may-fear