Yoruba Proverb Treasury-gctid23042

[Kala Kambon]

A di gàárì sílè[ch61481] ewúré[ch61481] [ch324] y[ch7885]jú; [ch7865]rù ìran rè[ch61481] ni?

We prepare the saddle, and the goat presents itself; is it a burden for the lineage of goats?

(Goats that know their place do not offer their backs to be saddled.)
This is a variant of A gbé gàárì [ch7885]m[ch7885] ewúré[ch61481] [ch324] rojú . . .

http://libtextcenter.unl.edu/yoruba/index.html

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A fi ó[ch61470] j[ch7885]ba ò [ch324] [ch7779]àwúre o fé[ch803] j[ch7865] [ch7884]ló[ch61470]run ni?

You have been crowned a king, and yet you make good-luck charms; do you want to be crowned [ch7884]ló[ch61470]run?
(Being crowned a king is about the best fortune a mortal could hope for.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A fijó gba Awà; a fìjà gba Awà; bí a ò bá jó, bí a ò bá jà, bí a bá ti gba Awà, kò tán bí?

By dancing we take possession of Awà; through fighting we take possession of Awà; if we neither dance nor fight, but take possession of Awà anyway, is the result not the same?
(Why make a huge production of a matter that is easily taken care of?)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A gbé gàárì [ch7885]m[ch7885] ewúré[ch61481] [ch324] rojú; kì í [ch7779]e [ch7865]rù àgùntàn.

We lift a saddle and the goat (kin) scowls; it is no burden for a sheep.
(The goat has no cause to scowl, because no one will condescend to ride it anyway.)
This is a variant of A di gàárì sílè[ch803] . .

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í bá [ch7885]ba pààlà kí [ch7885]kó[ch61470] [ch7885]ba má [ch7779]àn-án 'ni lé[ch61481]sè[ch61481].

One does not share a farm boundary with a king without getting one's feet gashed by the king's hoe.
(One should be cautious in dealing with people in authority.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í bínú ààtàn ká dalè[ch61481] sígbè[ch61481][ch803]é.

One does not get angry with the trash heap to the point that one discards one's trash into the woods.
(One should not act in unreasonable and harmful ways because of anger.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í bínú orí ká fi fìlà dé ìbàdí.

One does not get angry with one's head and therefore use one's cap to cover one's buttocks.
(Do not cut your nose to spite your face.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í bè[ch61481]rù ikú bè[ch61481]rù àrùn ká ní kí [ch7885]m[ch7885] ó kú sin 'ni.

One does not so fear death and disease that one asks that one's child die before one.
(One should not be more concerned with saving oneself than with saving one's dependents.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í b[ch7885] òrì[ch7779]à lójú ò[ch61481]fó[ch61481]n-ò[ch61481]n; bó bá dalé[ch61481] á máa tú p[ch7865]p[ch7865].

One does not sacrifice to an òrì[ch7779]à in the presence of a house rat; otherwise, when night falls it invades the rafter shelves.
(Do not do things that might constitute temptation to others.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í dàgbà má làáyà; ibi ayé bá báni là [ch324] j[ch7865] é[ch61481].

One does not become an adult and yet lack courage; one lives life as it finds one.
(One should do what is fitting for one's station in life.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í dá [ch7885]wó[ch61481] lé ohun tí a ò lè gbé.

One does not lay one's hands on a load one cannot lift.
(One should not overreach.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í dájó[ch61481] orò ká yè[ch61481] é[ch61481].

One does not set the day for an orò rite and then ignore it.
(One must not let important matters slide.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í dáké[ch61481] ká [ch7779]ìwí; a kì í wò sùn-ùn ká dáràn.

One does not keep quiet and yet misspeak; one does not silently contemplate the world and yet get into trouble.
(A careful and cautious person seldom gets into trouble.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í dé Màró[ch61481]kó[ch61481]* sin [ch7865]lé[ch61481]jó[ch61481].

One does not arrive at Màró[ch61481]kó[ch61481] ahead of the litigant.
(One should not take charge of other people's business.)

*Màró[ch61481]kó[ch61481] is a place name and the site of a court.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í fi gbèsè só[ch61481]rùn [ch7779]ò[ch61481][ch7779]ó[ch61481].

One does not carry debt around one's neck as a medallion.
(One should not buy extravagant things that will only lead to debt just to show off.)