Yorùbá proverbs
361
Báa gún iyán, táa ro ọkà fún kòfẹ́kògbà, kò ní fẹ́, kò ní gbà, náà ni
- Literal translation
- Even if one pounds yam and prepares yam flour meal for a difficult fellow, he'll yet remain difficult.
- Meaning
- Regardless of what you do or say, a difficult fellow can't but be irrational; do your best & move on
362
Báa gún iyán, táa ro ọkà fún kòfẹkògbà, kò ní fẹ, kò ní gbà, náà ni.
- Literal translation
- Even if you pound yam and prepare yam flour meal for a cantankerous person, he or she will yet remain cantankerous.
- Meaning
- Be forward-looking, be positive; do your best and keep moving.
363
Báa gún iyán, táa ro ọkà fún kòfẹ́kògbà, kò ní fẹ́, kò ní gbà, náà ni.
- Literal translation
- Even if you pound yam and prepare yam flour meal for a cantankerous person, he or she will yet remain cantankerous.
- Meaning
- Be forward-looking, be positive; do your best and keep moving.
364
Báa pẹ́ láyé àá d'ìtàn, bá ò pẹ́ láyé àá d'ìtàn.
- Literal translation
- If we live long, we'll become history; if we don't live long, we'll become history.
- Meaning
- Regardless of our station in life, we all have one destination: no one is getting out of this world alive.
365
Bàtà orí àkìtàn náà re òde ìyàwó rí.
- Literal translation
- Those pair of shoes, now on the refuse dump, was once worn to a wedding.
- Meaning
- Change is inevitable: a season must need go and another must need come; nothing lasts forever.
366
Bàtà orí àkìtàn náà re òde ìyàwò rí.
- Literal translation
- Those pair of shoes on the refuse dump was once worn to a wedding.
- Meaning
- Life is turn by turn; a season goes, another comes; nothing lasts forever; humility is it.
367
Bàtà orí àkìtàn náà ròde ìyàwò rí
- Literal translation
- Those pair of shoes on a refuse dump was once worn to a wedding.
- Meaning
- A season goes, another comes
368
Bí a bá dé ìlú táà léèyàn, ìwà rere làá ní
- Literal translation
- If one is a complete stranger in a town, one ought to be of good character.
- Meaning
- Good character pays
369
Bí a bá dé ìlú táà léèyàn, ìwà rere làá ní.
- Literal translation
- If one is a complete stranger in a town, one ought to simply be of good character.
- Meaning
- Good character pays: it attracts favour
370
Bí a bá di'jú tẹ àbàtà mọ́'lẹ̀, yóò bá'ni l'áṣọ jẹ́.
- Literal translation
- If one steps on the marshy place with closed eyes, the marsh will soil one's clothes.
- Meaning
- Handle complex situations with care and caution; carelessness can be risky.
371
Bí a bá lágbára bí òmìrán, kò yẹ kí a jà bí òmìrán.
- Literal translation
- Even if one is as powerful as a giant, one shouldn't fight like one.
- Meaning
- Be tempered
372
Bí a bá ní sùúrù, ohun tí kò tó, ṣì ńbọ̀ wá ṣẹ́kù.
- Literal translation
- If we are patient, whatever is insufficient would be excessive, soon enough.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive; the best is yet to come.
373
Bí a bá ní sùúrù, ohun tí ò tó, ṣì ńbọ̀ wá ṣẹ́kù
- Literal translation
- If we are patient, what is not sufficient would be in excess soon enough.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive
374
Bí a bá ní sùúrù, ohun tí ò tó, ṣì ńbọ̀ wá ṣẹ́kù.
- Literal translation
- If we are patient, whatever is insufficient will be in excess soon enough.
- Meaning
- With patience, virtually nothing is impossible.
375
Bí a bá pẹ́ láyé, àá jẹ ẹran tó ju erin lọ.
- Literal translation
- If we live long enough, we will eat such an amount of meat (cumulatively) larger than an elephant.
- Meaning
- Patience is it: virtually nothing is impossible, if we are patient
376
Bí a bá pẹ́ lórí imí, eṣinkéṣin a máa bá’ni níbẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- Whoever takes unduly long in open defecation, may well play host to strange flies.
- Meaning
- Undue tardiness often results in unexpected outcomes; make hay while the sun shines
377
Bí a bá pẹ́ ní ààtàn a máa rí abuké eṣinṣin.
- Literal translation
- If we can tarry long at the refuse dump, we will get to see a humpy housefly.
- Meaning
- Be patient: with time and patience, virtually nothing is impossible; whatever seems unresolvable may well need a bit more time.
378
Bí a bá ránni níṣẹ́ ẹrú, a sì fi jẹ́ ti ọmọ.
- Literal translation
- If one is sent on a questionable errand, one should handle it with wisdom.
- Meaning
- Walk in wisdom
379
Bí a bá ṣe'ni lóore, ọpẹ́ là ńdá
- Literal translation
- One ought to give thanks when favoured with kindness.
- Meaning
- Kindness calls for gratitude
380
Bí a bá ṣe'ni lóore, ọpẹ́ là ńdá.
- Literal translation
- If one has been favoured with kindness, one ought to give thanks.
- Meaning
- Attitude of gratitude is it.