Owe Yoruba - Yoruba Proverbs-gctid24538

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í du orí olórí kí àwòdì gbé t÷ni læ.

One does not fight to save another person's head only to have a hawk carry one's own away.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í fi gbèsè sôrùn «ö«ô.


  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.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í fi ìka ro etí, ká fi ro imú, ká wá tún fi ta ehín.

One does not use one's finger to clean one's ear passages, use it to pick one's nose, and then use it to pick one's teeth.
(One should always behave with decorum.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í fini joyè àwòdì ká má lè gbádì÷.

One cannot be given the title "eagle" and yet be incapable of snatching chickens.
(One should be able to live up to expectations.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í pëlú öbæ jáko.

One does not join a monkey in roaming the bush.
(Do not join others in their madness.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A kì í mú oko lônà ká «èmêlê; taját÷ran níí ñ búni.

One does not farm a plot by the road and neglect its care; every dog and animal would ridicule one.
(Never expose yourself to insult by behaving badly in public view.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

A ò lóbìnrin à ñ dá oóyô sí; bí a bá dá oóyô sí ewúrê ni yóò j÷ ê.

Without having a wife a person spares oóyô [7] to grow; if it flourishes it is destined to be food for goats.
(The vegetable is used in stews, and stews are for wives to cook.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

À ñ sunkún Awúgbó, Awúgbó ò sunkún ara-a ë.

We lament Awúgbó's plight; Awúgbó does not lament his own plight.
(The person the proverb is aimed at is too stupid to realize his/her sorry plight.)

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

¿ni t'ó ñ «e rere, k'ó múra sí rere, »ìkà«ìkà k'ó múra síkà rë...àtoore àtìkà, ökan kìí gbé.

A person who does good, let him/her prepare for good, Do-wicked-do-wicked should prepare for his/her wickedness...Goodness and wickedness, neither goes unpaid.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Bí òní «e rí kô ni öla yóò ti rí l'ó jê kí babaláwo dífá l'ójoojúmô.

The way today is like is not how what tomorrow will be like is what makes the Babaláwo divine with Ifá every morning.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Bí òní «e rí kô ni bí öla yóò ti rí l'ó jê kí Babalawo dífá l'ôræærún
 
The way today is like is not how what tomorrow will be like is what makes the Babaláwo divine with Ifá every five days.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Màálù tí kò nírù, Ælôrun l'ó máa ñ bá a lé ÷«in«in.
 
     The cow that doesn't have a tail, Ælôrun helps him/her chase away flies.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

  Kí a fi æwô w÷ æwô ni æwô fi mô.

That the hand washes the (other) hand is how the hands get clean.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

 
   Oorun l'a fi ñ dán ikú wò.

Sleep is what we use to test out what death is like.

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Bí örö bá pê nílë gbígbôn níí gbôn.

If an issue lasts for a long time in the land, wisdom will become wise.