Yoruba Proverb Treasury-gctid23042

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A pè o[ch769][ch803] lo[ch769][ch803]m[ch7885] erín-màgb[ch7885]n ò [ch324]yo[ch768][ch803]; ìw[ch7885] pàápàá ló mì í?

You are described as the child of the elephant that swallows coconuts, and you rejoice; are you the one who swallows coconuts?
(The description honors the father, not the person being addressed.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A rí èyí rí ni tonílé; a ò rí èyí rí ni tàlejò; bónílé bá ní ká j[ch7865] é[ch803] tán, àlejò a ní ká j[ch7865] é[ch803] kù.

"Its likes have been seen before," is what the host says; "No one has ever seen its likes before," is what the guest says; if the host says that we should empty the plate, the guest should argue for leaving a little.
(A host might minimize his hospitality, but the guest should praise it; if the host is lavish, the guest should not be greedy.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A rígi lóko ká tó fi o[ch768][ch803]mo[ch768][ch803] gbé[ch803] ìlù.

We saw other trees in the bush before we settled on o[ch768][ch803]mo[ch768][ch803] [9] for making drums.
(One should never presume to be the only possible answer to every challenge.) [10]

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A sìnkú tán, alugbá ò lo[ch769][ch803] ó fé[ch803] [ch7779]úpó ni?

The funeral is over, but the calabash beater does not take his leave; does he want to inherit a wife?
(This proverb has the same import as, A kúnlè[ch803], a pàgbò . . . ) [11]

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Àbá ni ikán [ch324]dá; ikán ò lè mu òkúta.

The termite is only striving; it can never eat a rock.
(Termites may make their tunnels on a rock; the rock will be safe.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A-báni-gbé kì í yáná; a-bo[ch768][ch803]rì[ch7779]à kì í sun òtútù; [ch7865]yin gé[ch803]gé[ch803] kì í gbé àwùjo[ch769][ch803]; ilé kannáà ni wo[ch769][ch803]n ko[ch769][ch803] fún àw[ch7885]n mé[ch803]tè[ch803]è[ch803]ta.

A guest does not warm himself by the fire; a priest or priestess does not sleep in the cold; a delicate egg does not live in a crowd; the same house was built for all three.
(Know yourself and your place.) [12]

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A-bánij[ch7865]un-bí-aláìm[ch7885]ra, ó bu òkèlè bí è[ch803]gbo[ch769][ch803]n ìyá è[ch803].

He-who-eats-with-one-without-self-restraint; he breaks off morsels like his mother's senior.
(When eating in company one should be restrained. A man eating with the child of his younger sister need show no such restraint.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A-bèèrè kì í [ch7779]ìnà.

He who asks the way does not lose his way.
(One should admit one's weaknesses.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

À-bí-ì-ko[ch769][ch803]; à-ko[ch769][ch803]-ì-gbà; òde ló ti [ch324]ko[ch769][ch803]gbo[ch769][ch803]n wálé.

A-child-that-was-never-taught-how-to-behave; a-child-that-was-taught-but-that-refused-to-heed-instruction; it is from outside the home that he will learn wisdom.
(Look well to your child's upbringing.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A-bínú-fùfù ní [ch324]wá oúnj[ch7865] fún a-bínú-wé[ch803]ré[ch803]-wé[ch803]ré[ch803].

A volatile-tempered person secures food for a mild-tempered person.
(Whatever good fortune might have been meant for the volatile person will wind up in the lot of the mild-mannered person.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Aboyún kì í jó bè[ch803]m[ch768]bé[ch803]; a-bodò-ikùn-kè[ch803]rè[ch803]bè[ch803]tè[ch803].

A pregnant woman does not dance to bè[ch803]m[ch768]bé[ch803] music; pendulous-stomached woman.
(One should match one's actions to one's circumstances.) [13]

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Ààbo[ch768][ch803] ejò kì í gbé isà.

Half a snake does not live in a burrow.
(One should act according to one's circumstances.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Abùlàn[ch768]gà kì í [ch7779]asán; bíyàá ò lo[ch769][ch803]ro[ch768][ch803], baba á lówó lo[ch769][ch803]wo[ch769][ch803].

The arrogant person is not arrogant for nothing; if his mother is not wealthy, his father must be rich.
(There is, or should be, some basis for one's strutting.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Abùléra o[ch768][ch803]fo[ch769][ch803]n-o[ch768][ch803]n; ó ní [ch7885]jo[ch769][ch803] tí ológbò-ó ti bí òun ò ìtí-ì dá a ní báríkà.

Mouse-that-does-not-know-its-place; it says that since the day the cat delivered (a baby) it has not gone to offer congratulations.
(Never forget your vulnerabilities and limitations.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Àbúrò kì í pa è[ch803]gbo[ch769][ch803]n nítàn.

The younger person does not give the older person history lectures.
(One should not exceed one's station.)