Yorùbá proverbs
441
Bí ẹyẹ oko ò mọ bíntín lọ, eré e kó kọ́lé ló máa máa bá kiri.
- Literal translation
- No matter how tiny a bird is, its attention will be riveted on building its home (or nest).
- Meaning
- Focus on tangibles not trivialities; don't major on minor things
442
Bí ìgbà ba kọ́'ni lẹ́sẹ̀ téèyan ṣubú, tí ìgbà míràn bá dé, èèyà á dìde.
- Literal translation
- If a season causes one to trip and fall, when another season comes, one will rise.
- Meaning
- It is never over; tough times are not forever; keep hope alive.
443
Bí ìgbà ba kọ́'ni lẹ́sẹ̀ téèyan ṣubú, tí ìgbà míràn bá dé, èèyàn á dìde.
- Literal translation
- If a season causes one to trip and fall, when another season comes, one will rise.
- Meaning
- It is never over; tough times are not forever; keep hope alive.
444
Bí ìgbà bá ńgbá'ni ká máa rọ́'jú; bó pẹ́ bó yà ìgbà ńbọ̀ wá gba'ni.
- Literal translation
- If a season afflicts, we ought to persevere; the good times will soon come.
- Meaning
- Persevere and keep hope alive; tough times won't last forever; change is inevitable.
445
Bí ìgbà bá ńgbáni ká máa rọ́jú, bó pẹ́ bó yà ìgbà ńbọ̀ wá gbani.
- Literal translation
- If a season is not so good, persevere; the good season would soon come.
- Meaning
- Persevere and keep hope alive; tough times won't last forever.
446
Bí igi bá rorò, ó níláti bá igbó gbé.
- Literal translation
- Even if a tree is ferocious, it must still cohabit with the forest.
- Meaning
- Peace is crucial and better pursued at all times.
447
Bí igi bá rorò, ó ńláti bá igbó gbé
- Literal translation
- Even if a tree is fearsome, it must still cohabit with the others in the forest.
- Meaning
- Pursuing peace, is it
448
Bí ikú ilé ò pa'ni, t'òde ò leè pa'ni.
- Literal translation
- If there is no enemy within, the ones outside can do us no harm. If there is no enemy within, the one outside can do us no harm.
- Meaning
- Choose your friends wisely; worry less about the enemies without
449
Bí ikú ilé ò pa'ni, tòde ò leè pa'ni.
- Literal translation
- If there is no enemy within, the one outside can do us no harm.
- Meaning
- Choose your friends wisely; worry less about the enemy without.
450
Bí ilé ńjó, tí òjò ńrọ̀, ẹni ebi ńpa ò leè dákẹ́.
- Literal translation
- Even if the house is on fire and the rain is pouring, a hungry man cannot be quiet.
- Meaning
- No one ignores a pressing or an existential issue; it's wise to expect those deeply affected by an issue to take steps to address it.
451
Bí ilé ò bá kan ilé, wọn kì í jó àjóràn.
- Literal translation
- If houses are not in close proximity, they cannot be engulfed with fire together.
- Meaning
- makes sense: if you are not physically close to someone with -19, you cannot be infected with this killer. and
452
Bí ìlú bá ńdàrú, ààfin lórí ti máa ńfọ́ wọn.
- Literal translation
- When a town is in turmoil, the resulting headache is borne by those in the palace.
- Meaning
- Positions of responsibilities can be demanding.
453
Bi iná ba ńjó lóko, màjàlá a ṣe òfófó.
- Literal translation
- When a farm goes aflame, the flakes (fly home to) bear the tale.
- Meaning
- Nothing can be covered up, permanently; the truth has a way of showing up, eventually.
454
Bí iná ò bá tán l'áṣọ, ẹ̀jẹ̀ kìí tan léèkánná
- Literal translation
- As long as lice remain on one's clothes, blood can't cease from the finger nails.
- Meaning
- Don't quit
455
Bí inú ṣe kéré tó, ó fi ààyè gba ọmọ.
- Literal translation
- As small as the belly is, it has room for the baby (the foetus).
- Meaning
- We always make room for what is important to us
456
Bí inú ṣe lè bí àjànàkú, ló ṣe lè bí èèrà
- Literal translation
- If the elephant can be angry, so can the ant.
- Meaning
- What is good for one, should be good for another
457
Bí inú ṣe lè bí àjànàkú, ló ṣe lè bí èèrà.
- Literal translation
- If the elephant can be angry, so can the ant.
- Meaning
- What's good for one, should be good for another
458
Bí irọ́ bá lọ lógún ọdún, ọjọ́ kan ṣoṣo ni òótọ́ máa bá a.
- Literal translation
- Even, if a lie has gone for twenty years, the truth will catch up with it in just one day.
- Meaning
- Regardless of how long, the truth always prevails; dishonesty does not pay: it always disappoints
459
Bí irọ́ bá lọ lógún ọdún, ọjọ́ kan ṣoṣo ni òótọ́ yóò ba.
- Literal translation
- If a lie has gone for twenty years, the truth will catch up with it in just one day.
- Meaning
- Regardless of how long, truth ultimately prevails
460
Bí irùngbọ̀n alágbàṣe bá gùn títí tó ńwọ́lẹ̀, ẹni gbé oko fún un lọ̀gá a rẹ̀
- Literal translation
- Even if the beard of a hired hand is so long as to sweep the floor, his hirer remains his boss.
- Meaning
- Humility is it; recognise and honour those ahead of you; give honour to whom it is due.