Yorùbá proverbs
481
Bí ọkọ̀ kan ò re Ejìnrìn, ẹgbẹgbẹ̀rún ẹ̀ á lọ.
- Literal translation
- If one bus won't go to Ejinrin town, thousands others will go.
- Meaning
- No one (and nothing) is irreplaceable; there's always a way out; keep hope alive.
482
Bí ọkọ̀ kan ò re Ejìnrìn, ẹgbẹgbẹ̀rún rẹ̀ á lọ.
- Literal translation
- If one bus won't go to Ejinrin (a town), thousands others will go.
- Meaning
- Alternative courses of action exist; no one (and nothing) is irreplaceable.
483
Bí ológìnní bá gun àjà, ojú u rẹ̀ á tó ilé, á tó oko.
- Literal translation
- If the cat can climb unto the attic, it will have a view of both the home and the farm.
- Meaning
- Aspire to go up, to be more: if you go up, you will see more; remaining on the ground limits our vision.
484
Bí Ọlọ́run bá ńṣe rere, à á ló ńṣe ibi.
- Literal translation
- When God is doing good, we often misconstrue Him (in our limited view and understanding) as doing evil.
- Meaning
- God works in mysterious ways: a disappointment may well be a stepping stone; don't give up hope: hang in there
485
Bí omi bá ńbẹ lẹ́hín ẹja àrọ̀, á jayé pẹ́.
- Literal translation
- If water continues to back the cat fish, it will live long.
- Meaning
- Good support or network matters
486
Bí ọmọdé bá fẹ́ ṣe bí àgbà, ọjọ́ orí i rẹ̀ ò ní jẹ́.
- Literal translation
- A youngster who wants to act matured, is quite often betrayed by his or her age (or narrow life experience).
- Meaning
- Inexperience often distorts youngsters' views of what count as maturity; modesty to learn is crucial
487
Bí ọmọdé bá ṣubú á wo iwájú; bí àgbà bá ṣubú á wo ẹ̀hìn.
- Literal translation
- Upon falling, a youngster looks ahead (for help); an elder looks back (for the cause).
- Meaning
- Prevention is better than cure; It's good to seek help after a fall, but better to prevent a recurrence.
488
Bí ọ́mọdé bá ṣubú á wo iwájú; bí àgbà bá ṣubú á wo ẹ̀hìn.
- Literal translation
- Upon falling, a youngster looks ahead (for help); an elder looks back (for the cause).
- Meaning
- Prevention is better than cure; it's good to seek help after a fall, but better to prevent a recurrence
489
Bí onírèsé bá kọ tí ò fín igbá mọ, èyí tó ti fín ò leè parun.
- Literal translation
- Even if the calabash carver no longer carves calabashes, those already carved would remain.
- Meaning
- We are outlived by our legacy.
490
Bí onírèsé bá kọ̀ tí ò fín igbá mọ́, èyí tó ti fín ò leè parun.
- Literal translation
- Even if the calabash carver stops carving calabashes, those already carved will remain.
- Meaning
- Even if we refrain from kind acts, which we shouldn't, those rendered remain; keep sowing kindness: the harvest will come.
491
Bí onírèsé bá kọ̀ tí ò fín'gbá mọ́, èyí tó ti fín ò leè parun
- Literal translation
- Even if the calabash carver stops carving calabashes, those already carved will remain.
- Meaning
- Even if we refrain from kind acts, those rendered still live on; keep up the kindness: they are never wasted or lost
492
Bí onírèsé bá kọ̀ tí ò fín'gbá mọ́, èyí tó ti fín ò leè parun.
- Literal translation
- Even if the calabash carver no longer carves calabashes, those already carved will remain.
- Meaning
- We are outlived by our legacy; the effect of what we do, good or bad, lives on
493
Bí oore bá pọ̀ lápọ̀jù, ibi laráyé fi í su'ni í san
- Literal translation
- If kindness is excessive, it is reciprocated with evil.
- Meaning
- Moderation is critical
494
Bí oore bá pọ̀ lápọ̀jù, ibi laráyé fi í sú'ni í san
- Literal translation
- Uncontrolled kindness is often reciprocated with wickedness.
- Meaning
- Be moderate
495
Bí oore bá pọ̀ lápọ̀jù, ibi laráyé fi í su'ni í san.
- Literal translation
- If kindness is excessive, it is reciprocated with evil.
- Meaning
- Moderation is critical
496
Bí orí bá ti mọ, là ńdá fìlà fún un.
- Literal translation
- As a head is (in size), so caps are made for it.
- Meaning
- Cut your clothes according to your size
497
Bí orí bá ti rù, ó di dandan kí ẹnu ó jẹ
- Literal translation
- Once the head has carried, the mouth must need eat.
- Meaning
- Reaping follows sowing Happy Workers Day!
498
Bí orí kan bá sunwọ̀n á ran'gba.
- Literal translation
- If one head is blessed, it will positively impact two hundred others.
- Meaning
- Success can be contagious; a well-targeted intervention can positively affect several others
499
Bí orí ṣe tó ló ṣe ńfọ́ olórí
- Literal translation
- As a head is in size, so it aches the owner.
- Meaning
- Challenges are not unusual; everyone has it
500
Bí orí ṣe tó ló ṣe ńfọ́ olórí.
- Literal translation
- As a head is in size, so it aches its owner.
- Meaning
- As a man is, so are his challenges