Yorùbá Proverbs come as axioms or sayings that have been shaped by experience and passed through generations to teach historical lessons, highlight good morals, and instil social values.
The use of a Yorùbá Proverb by a younger person is prohibited in the presence of an older person, without prior permission to do so.
Here are a few that would interest you as it applies to the daily lives of people.
1. Èpè ìbínú kò bá òdí
Translation: Cursing a deaf person has no effect.
2. Etí bàbá n’ìlé, etí bàbá l’ókò; ènìyàn ni í jé bè.
Translation: Father knows what is happening at home and at the farm; it is someone that informs him.
3. Èwúrè tí ń jé alùbọ́sà, ojú ni í n kàn. Kí ni wọ́n yóò fi se?
Translation: A goat that eats onions, its eyes will smart. What else can one expect?
4. Ìkú ń pa alágẹ́mọ tó yọ́lé nrìn, kàmbèlẹ̀tẹ̀ opóló tó ń gbé arẹ̀ rẹ ṣónlẹ̀.
Translation: A chameleon that approaches with caution dies, talk more of a toad that slams its body with every step.
5. A kì í bọ̀ òrìṣà lójú àfọ̀n-án; bí ó bá dálé á máa tú pẹpẹ.
Translation: One does not sacrifice to a god in the presence of a house rat; otherwise, when night falls it invades the rafter shelves.
Moral: Do not do things that might constitute temptation to others.
6. A ń sọ̀rọ̀ ọ̀lẹ, àbóyún ń dáhùn; òdìdí ènìyàn ló gbé pamọ́.
Translation: We speak of stealing and a pregnant woman intervenes; she herself is concealing a whole person.
Moral: Her condition makes her guilty of concealment.
7. A pè é l’ọmọ erín-màgbon ó nyọ̀; ìwọ pàápàá ló mì í?
Translation: You are described as the child of the elephant that swallows coconuts, and you rejoice; are you the one who swallows coconuts?
Moral: The description honors the father, not the person being addressed.
8. À-bí-ì-kò; à-kò-ì-gbà; òdé ló ti ń kọ́gbón wá l’ẹ.
Translation: 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.
Moral: Look well to your child’s upbringing.
9. Àbùléerà ọ̀fọ̀n-án; ó ní ọ̀jọ́ tí ọ̀lọ́gọ́-bí-ó ti bì í òun ò tí-í dà á nì bàáríkà.
Translation: 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.
Moral: Never forget your vulnerabilities and limitations.
10. Adìgbónrankùn ń fìkú ṣeé.
Translation: Death-feigning-beetle flirts with death.
Moral: If one persists in flirting with disaster, disaster is liable to befall one.
11. Afọ̀pìna tó fẹ́ pan-a sùyà: ẹran pò sí i.
Translation: The moth (that) tries to put out the barbecue fire: the meat becomes more plentiful.
Moral: A person who foolishly attempts dangerous tasks courts destruction.
Proverbs outlive many generations;they are the unseen immortals that teach others how to apply their feet to the path of life. There will be more to come in this series.
Stay keen on it.
