Da biara Abibifoo Mmebusem: Daily Kmtyw Proverb-gctid27316

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Ewe

Agbe nyañe (ðÇe) metia agbetÇ o.

Literal Translation: 'The man with a miserable life is never tired of it'.

Moral Teaching: Appreciate what you have by knowing its real value and do not undervalue it through unhealthy comparison.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Ewe

Lã si le arnegbÇ lã lolo woyÇna net

Literal Translation: 'The game that you miss, i.e. runs away from a hunter, is always a big one'.

Moral Teaching: There is always a tendency to over-value things that we want but we do not have, and so this proverb is warning against the danger of over-valuing the real worth of what we want badly but cannot get. We must rather learn to appreciate whatever we have.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Ewe Proverbs

Fu kple dzidzÇ la nÇviwo wonye.
Literal Translation: 'Suffering and happiness are twins'.
Moral Teaching: Life is a mixture of joy and suffering and so we must learn to accept both, and the acceptance of both is a sign of maturity.


Agalã be ne yele axa dzi zÇm hã menye mÇ yebu o.
Literal Translation: 'The crab says that when you see it walking clumsily it does not mean that it has lost its way'.
Moral Teaching: This proverb can be used by anybody whose actions are misunderstood, to warn those who judge him that he has not forgotten the essential principles that guide his behaviour. The proverb warns against the practice of misjudging the basic principles that guide the behaviour of people.

KÇdzo Dei be yele Blu fiam gakeyeþe ñku le Ewegbe ñu.
Literal Translation: 'Kodzo Dei—the Paramount Chief of Peki—says that he is speaking Twi but he has not forgotten that Ewe is his mother tongue'.
Moral Teaching: As in proverb above.

Baþa medoa kalê ha ða o.
Literal Translation: 'A cripple does not start a war song'.
Explanation: Usually when war songs are sung they arouse a fighting spirit in men or arouse them to do some daring deeds; thus the leader of the song must be strong enough to take part in any war-like activity that may follow the singing. A cripple can lead a war song but cannot take part in the war-like activities that mav follow from it and this will expose his infirmity.
Moral Teaching: 'A Cripple starting a war song means a person who claims certain qualities that he does not have and such people's empty claims are exposed in due time. This proverb is, therefore, a warning against empty boasting and recommending the virtue of humility.

ÚutÇtrÇ ñue wotrÇa ýeðuðu ðo.
Literal Translation: 'You change your steps according to the change in the rhythm of the drum'.
Explanation: During the course of drumming and dancing the rhythm of the leading drum causes the steps of the dancers to change.
Moral Teaching: Adapt yourself and your conduct to changing circumstances and do not be unreasonably rigid in your thinking and behaviour.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Nandi (Kenya)

You cannot use a wild banana leaf to shield yourself from the rains and then tear it to pieces later when the rains come to an end.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Sukuma

Nalukolekejaga sonda (ng'weli) walola lwala.
 
KiSwahili

Nilikuonyesha nyota (mwezi) na uliangalia kidole tu.

I pointed out to you the stars (the moon) and all you saw was the tip of my finger.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Haya

Bahana owo gulimu.

KiSwahili

Aonywaye na kufuata ni yule mwenye roho tulivu.

A person who is not disciplined cannot be cautioned.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Reewalal sa jabar ak sab jaam, te yar sa doom.
 
(translation) You should spoil your wife and your servant, but discipline your child.
(alternate translation) Spare the rod and spoil the child.