Yoruba Proverbs

[Bravebold]

Tọ́rọ́ tó ńṣiṣẹ́ sàn ju ṣílè kan tó jókòó sí ojú kan lọ

A three pence coin that is busy working is better than one shilling that sits in one place (doing nothing.

)A busy dwarf is better than a loafing giant; better to be busy doing something than be idle doing nothing)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Ẹni tó ḿbẹ Ọlọ́run kì í bẹ èyàn

Whoever pleads (his case) with God, does not need to plead with man.

(Those who know their way with God hadly need to beg any man; seek God: nothing is beyond Him.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Orí bíbẹ́ kọ́ ni oògùn orí fífọ́.

Decapitation is not the antidote for headache.

(Be moderate; radical responses should be applied with caution.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

A kò lè tìtorí pé òjò ò rọ̀, kí a ní kí omi òkun ya wọ ìlú.

No one ought to wish that the sea floods the city simply because it has not rained for a while.

(Be temperate in all things: exercise self-control; adopt extreme measures with caution.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Bí a ra aṣọ ẹgbẹ̀fà, tí a nà á han eèyàn ẹgbẹ̀fà, aṣọ ọ̀hún ò níyì mọ́.

If we buy an expensive item of clothing and show it to lots of people, the clothes no longer command respect.

(Familiarity breeds contempt; what is unduly exposed hardly commands respect.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Ẹni tó ṣu tí ò nù'dí, ẹni tó bá fi ìdí hàn ló máa mọ̀.

The deeds of a person who defecated and did not clean up would be exposed only to those he or she tells.
 
(Not every issue should be thrown into the public space; keep private matters private.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Adìyẹ ńjẹ yangan, ó ńmu omi ó ńgbé ókúta mì, ó tún ńsunkún àìléyín; ṣé òbúkọ tó léyín ńjẹ irin ni?

Hens eat corns, drink water and swallow stones, yet lament lacking teeth; do goats that have teeth chew pieces of iron (with them)?

(Contentment is it; greed breeds stress.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Àtùpà kì í níyì lọ́ọ̀sán, ṣugbọ̀n a máa gba'yì lọ́jọ́ alẹ́.

Lamps are not valued in the afternoons, but do get appreciated at night.

(There's always a right time and place for everything; solutions are most appreciated during tough times.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Ẹní tó làná, tó lòní, kò leè ni ọ̀la; Ọlọ́run nìkan ló lọjọ́ gbogbo.

Whoever called the shots yesterday and calls the shots today, cannot call the shots tomorrow; only God calls the shots at all times.

(Nothing lasts forever: change is certain; keep hope alive.)

[Bravebold]

Elédùà ti mọ ohun tí eṣinṣin máa dà, kó tó dà aṣọ rẹ̀ ní péńpé.

God knows what the fly will later become, which is why He created it with diminutive overcoat.

(Our talents and endowments are pointers to our destiny.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀ dúdú ò yá á bùṣán; ọmọ burúkú ò yá lùpa.

As it is tough to take a bite of an unripe banana, so it is tough to beat a stubborn child to death.

(Complex situations can hardly be resolved with unduly radical actions.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Mo gbọ́n tán, mo mọ̀ ọ́ tán, l'agbọ́n ò ṣe l'óró bí oyin.

Wasps' claim to be the wisest and the best is why they have less potent venom than bees.


)Pride and arrogance weaken us; recognise that no one knows it all; always maintain a humble disposition.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Ibi gbogbo là ńdá iná alẹ́; ọbẹ̀ ló kàn dùn ju ara wọn lọ.

Supper is prepared in every home; some stews are simply tastier than others.

(We are all blessed, albeit in different ways and to different extents; keep hope alive and remain grateful.)

[Bravebold]

A ní kí ẹ jẹ ẹ́, ẹ léegun lásán ni; a ní kí ẹ gbé e sọnù ẹ lẹ́ran díẹ́ wà ńbẹ̀

Asked to eat it, you said it is a mere bone; then when asked to throw it away, you insisted it still has some meat.

(Greed spurs indecision & discontentment; the greedy is seldom contented)

[Bravebold]

Ọlọ́run ò dá kainkain kó tóbi: àtapa ni ì bá máa ta èèyàn.

It's for a reason that God did not create the ant big: it would have been stinging people to death.

(Often, our characters place limits on us; when things don't go as planned, some quiet introspection can help.)

[Bravebold]