Igbo proverbs
61
Oke ji ọsọ na n'ọnụ agwọ bụ azụ ka ọga eji apụta
- Literal translation
- The rat which runs into a snake's hole with speed, would have to come out with backsteps (without turning)
- Meaning
- When you rush into a bad situation without forethought, you would then have to apply great care to get yourself out of it
62
Oke soro ngwere maa mmiri, mmiri kọọ ngwere ọga akọwa oke?
- Literal translation
- The rat joins the lizard to play in the rain. When the lizard dries up shortly afterwards would the rat also dry?
- Meaning
- Don't do things because others are doing same
63
Okoro etoghi eto wara ọgọdọ, ikuku eburuya ma ọgọdọ ya.
- Literal translation
- When a young man starts wearing clothes before reaching maturity, the wind carries both him and the cloth
- Meaning
- Take life in steps. Don't do things before the right time
64
Ọkụ m jị hụnye jị kam ma, nke na agba achara na agụ ka mụ amaghị
- Literal translation
- The fire I set to roast yam is what I know, the one burning bamboo in the bush I know nothing about
- Meaning
- I am responsible for what I do or say, and not what others make of it
65
Ọkụkọ mmanya na egbu hụ égbé ara na agba isi ajụọ ya oyi
- Literal translation
- When a drunk fowl meets a crazy kite, he calmly calms down
- Meaning
- Every obstinate person has someone or something he fears and respects
66
Okuko na-arọgọrọ ite onu, chetekwe mma gburu ya.
- Literal translation
- The cock twisting its neck in anger at the pot should remember the knife that killed it
- Meaning
- Don't transfer aggression and anger to people who did you no wrong
67
Ọkụkọ na-edowe ahụ na ara na-ayị ya ahụbeghị nkịta mmanya na-egbu
- Literal translation
- The cock acting mad has not met a drunk dog
- Meaning
- Every obstinate person has someone he fears
68
Ọkwụrụ anaghị akarị onye kụrụ ya
- Literal translation
- Okro can never grow too tall for the owner
- Meaning
- A servant/protegee can never surpass his master/mentee
69
Okwụrụ anaghi amiri ote ofe
- Literal translation
- The good cook never gets a good harvest of okro in her farm
- Meaning
- Opportunities often go to those least able to use them
70
Ọnụ ọma ka nwanyi ji anara di ya ihe.
- Literal translation
- A good mouth is what a woman uses to get things from her husband
- Meaning
- Soft words attracts favour
71
Onye anwụ gbara na atụ ogboro ijiji egwụ.
- Literal translation
- He who was bitten by a mosquito dreads the corpse of a housefly
- Meaning
- Bad experience makes people to become paranoid
72
Onye ga-asi na ofe nne ya adịghị ụtọ?
- Literal translation
- Who ever says his mother's soup is not tasty?
- Meaning
- People will always support their own
73
Onye gba bọọlụ, ọ racha oroma
- Literal translation
- Only those who played football would eat oranges
- Meaning
- No pain no gain chai odid ewhg jkkam gwa gi ofu ihe doro anya. Anyi niile agaghi adacha mba na ura
74
Onye kpatara nkụ ahụhụ si ngwere bịara ya ọrụ.
- Literal translation
- He who brought ant infested firewood is inviting lizard to come work for him
- Meaning
- Every action has consequences
75
Onye Kworo ihe oke na eme osuo ụlọ ọkụ
- Literal translation
- If one starts thinking of the atrocities committed by the rat he may be tempted to burn down his own house in anger
- Meaning
- Don't take other people's ill deeds to heart
76
Onye mara asụ, sụọ n'odo. Ma ị maghị asụ, sụo n'ala.
- Literal translation
- He who knows how to pound, should pound in the mortar. He who doesn't, should pound on the floor
- Meaning
- Used after giving someone advice. Implies: if you are wise, you would know how to apply this advice. If you are foolish, you would only use it foolishly to no effect.
77
Onye njem na-aka onye isi awọ ama ihe
- Literal translation
- The traveller is wiser than the grey-haired man
- Meaning
- We learn more by going into the unfamiliar than by spending more time in what we already know. Move beyond your comfort zone
78
Onye nna ya dara ibi ihe ukwu adịghịzị atụ ya egwu
- Literal translation
- The person whose father suffers an enlarged scrotum is no longer afraid of big things
- Meaning
- Tough situations make us tougher
79
Ọọ kwa uche ka eji agba adaka
- Literal translation
- He who is shooting at a baboon has to be smart
- Meaning
- It takes smartness to deal with an equally smart person
80
Ọsọ ugwu abụghị ihe ọhụrụ na ebe mgbada nọ
- Literal translation
- Mountain race is nothing new to the antelope
- Meaning
- Practice makes difficult things easy