Yoruba Proverbs

[Bravebold]

Ìwà rere lẹ̀ṣọ́ ènìyàn.

Good character is man's adornment.
 
(Good character beautifies; it is adorable and attractive; bad character is repulsive.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Ogún ọmọdé ò lè ṣeré fún ogún ọdún; ọgbọ̀n àgbà ò lè ṣe àṣàrò fún ọgbọ̀n oṣù.

Twenty youngsters can't play together for twenty years; thirty elders can't discuss for thirty months.

(Not all relationships last forever, nor indeed can: people and situations change.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Bí ẹ̀dá bá fẹ́ gba àwìn ẹ̀bà ni wọ́n máa ńṣe ojú àánú; tí wọ́n bá yó tán, wọ́n á di ọkọ olúwa wọn

People present a facade of humility when seeking favour, but easily lord it over their benefactors, once satisfied.

(Be perceptive; naivety can be costly)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Ọmọ tó ní bàbá òun ò là, tó ní bàbá òun ò lówó lọ́wọ́, ẹnu ẹ̀ ló wà yẹn.


A child who derides his (or her) father as not wealthy, as not having money, is on the path to appreciating why

(when grown and have to face life's challenges, as well).

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Àìdúpẹ́ oore àná a máa mú oore sú'ni í ṣe.

Lack of gratitude for yesterday's kindness makes further acts of kindness tiresome.

(Attitude of gratitude encourages further acts of kindness; it's the essential first step at reciprocating kindness received.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Ọgbọ́n ọlọ́gbọ́n ni kì í jẹ́ kí a pe àgbà ní wèrè.


By tapping into the wisdom displayed by others, elderly persons generally avoid looking foolish.

(We can learn from anyone and in all circumstances; it's what matured people do.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Ọgbọ́n ọlọ́gbọ́n ni kì í jẹ́ kí a pe àgbà ní wèrè.

By tapping into the wisdom displayed by others, elderly persons generally avoid looking foolish.

(We can learn from anyone and in all circumstances; it's what matured people do.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Ìhòhò dodo làgbàdo ńwọ ilẹ̀; tó bá jáde tán ló ńdi onígba aṣọ.

The maize seed actually goes into the soil absolutely naked; only after sprouting is it dressed in multiple peelings.

(There is yet light at the end of the tunnel: the best is yet to come;  keep hope alive.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Gbogbo àlùwàlá ológbò, kò kọjá à ti kẹ́ran jẹ

All the ablutions of the cat are not beyond mere ploys to make away with some meat.

(A show of excessive piety and servility, quite often, can be self-serving and manipulative; look beyond the obvious, always)

[Bravebold]

Ìhòhò là ńse ẹyẹ kòwéè; òru là ńjẹ ẹyẹ kòwéè, a kì í jẹ ẹ́ lọ́ọ̀sán; apá ọ̀tún ẹyẹ kòwéè ni wọ́n ńjẹ, wọn kì í jẹ apá òsì; wàhálà ṣe wá pọ̀ tó báyìí, lórí ẹyẹ  kòwéè tí kò tóbi tó adìyẹ?


One must be naked when cooking the kowee bird; the kowee bird must be eaten in the middle of the night, not during the day; only the right side of the  bird may be eaten not the left side; why are there so much hassles about this kowee bird that's not even as big as a hen?

(The cost of any solution should not exceed its benefit; always be sensitive to the cost-benefit implication of any course of action.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Àìsanra tó ajá ológìnní kì í ṣe ti àìjẹun ká'nú; bí ìran rẹ̀ ṣe mọ ni.

Cats' smaller frame relative to dogs isn't for lack of food to eat; that's how cats are, genetically.

(Appearance can be deceptive; often, there is more than is immediately obvious.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Ẹní bá rọra pa èèrà, á rí ìfun inú u rẹ̀.

Whoever would calmly and patiently dismember an ant would get to see its intestines.

(Be calm and be patient: not a few tough nuts will get cracked; virtually nothing is impossible to the patient person.)

[Bravebold]

[Bravebold]

Ẹni gbé ìbọn lọ oko ọdẹ tí kò pa ẹran, ọ̀tá èèyàn, ọ̀tá ẹranko

Whoever went hunting with a gun and brought no games is hated both by the animals (in the forest, who were stressed out) and the people (at home, who had no game to share).

(Be result-oriented; focus right)

[Bravebold]

Bí Ọlọ́run bá ńṣe rere, à á ló ńṣe ibi.

When God is doing good, we often misconstrue Him (in our limited understanding) as doing evil.

(God works in mysterious and tough-to-understand ways: disappointments could become major appointments; don't give up hope: hang in there.)

[Bravebold]

Èyí wù mí, ò wù ọ́, lọmọ ìyá méjì ṣe ńfẹ́ ìyàwó ọ̀tọ̀ọ̀tọ̀.

What appeals to me does not necessarily appeal to you is why two maternal brothers have different wives.

(Different strokes for different folks; people are entitled to their choices: live and let live.)

[Bravebold]