50 insightful proverbs from the indigenous yoruba ethnic group native to the present-day western part of Nigeria.
- Ile oba t'o jo, ewa lo busi
Translation: When a king's palace burns down, the re-built palace is more beautiful.
Meaning: Necessity is mother of invention, creativity is often achieved after overcoming many difficulties.
- Gbogbo alangba lo d'anu dele, a ko mo eyi t'inu nrun
Translation: All lizards lie flat on their stomach and it is difficult to determine which has a stomach ache
Meaning: Everyone looks the same on the outside but everyone has problems that are invisible to outsiders.
- Ile la ti n ko eso re ode
Translation: Charity begins at Home
Meaning: A man cannot give what he does not have good or bad behavior is a reflection of one’s background.
- A pę ko to jęun, ki ję ibaję
Translation: The person that eat late, will not eat spoiled food
Meaning: It is more profitable to exercise patience while seeking a durable solution, in difficult situations than to hastily accept an ill-conceived/prepared solution.
- Eewu bę loko Longę, Longę fun ara rę eewu ni
Translation: There is danger at Longę's farm (Longę is a name of a Yoruba Legend), Longę himself is danger
Meaning: You should be extremely careful of situations that have a past history of danger
- Bi Ēēgun nla ba ni ohùn o ri gontò, gontò na a ni ohùn o ri Ēēgun nla
Translation: If a big masquerade claims it doesn't see the smaller masquerade, the small masquerade will also claim it doesn't see the big masqueraeaning: If an important man does not respect those less important than himself, less important men will in turn refuse to give him his due.
- Kò sí ęni tí ó ma gùn ęşin tí kò ní ju ìpàkó. Bí kò fę ju ìpàkó, ęşin tí ó ngùn á ję kojū.
Translation: No one rides a horse without moving his head, voluntarily or involuntarily.
Meaning: Your status in life dictates your attitude towards your peers
- Bí abá so òkò sójà ará ilé eni ní bá;
Translation: He who throws a stone in the market will hit his relative
Meaning: Be careful what you do unto others it may return towards you or someone close to you
- Agba ki wa loja, ki ori omo titun o wo.
Translation: Do not go crazy, do not let the new baby look.
Meaning: Behave in a mature manner so avoid bad reputation.
- Adìẹ funfun kò mọ ara rẹ̀lágbà
Translation: The white chicken does not realize its age
Meaning: Respect yourself
- Ọbẹ̀ kìí gbé inú àgbà mì
Translation: The soup does not move round in an elder’s belly
Meaning: You should be able to keep secrets
- À ń pe gbẹ́nàgbẹ́nà ẹyẹ àkókó ń yọjú
Translation: A sculptor is summoned and the woodpecker shows up
Meaning: Never think too highly of yourself
- Díẹ̀ díẹ̀ nimú ẹlẹ́dẹ̀ẹ́ fi ń wọgbà
Translation: Little by little is how the pig’s nose enters the yard
Meaning: Attend to a small problem before it becomes uncontrollable
- Ilé ọba tójó ẹwà ló bùsi
Translation: The king’s palace that got burnt added beauty to it
Meaning: Every cloud has a silver lining
- A ti kekee e ti p’eitan u’oko i, do ba d’agba tan e i du ka ma
Trim the branches of an iroko tree while it is young, if it matures completely it cannot be bent again.
