Yorùbá proverbs
501
Bí òrónró ṣe sún mọ́ ẹran tó ló ṣe ńba ẹran jẹ́.
- Literal translation
- As the gall bladder is close to meat parts, so it messes them up.
- Meaning
- Be perceptive.
502
Bí ọrùn àgbáǹréré ti gùn tó, kò lè rí ọjọ́ ọ̀la.
- Literal translation
- Despite how long the neck of a giraffe is, it cannot see into the next day.
- Meaning
- No one knows the future, for certain.
503
Bí ọsàn bá dúdú, ó ńpadà bọ̀ wá pọ́n ni
- Literal translation
- An unripe orange will certainly become ripe, eventually.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive; the best is yet to come
504
Bí ọsàn bá dúdú, ó ńpadà bọ̀ wá pọ́n ni.
- Literal translation
- An unripe orange will most assuredly become ripe, eventually.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive; tough times will not last forever.
505
Bí túlàsì bá di méjì, ọ̀kan là ńmú.
- Literal translation
- If there are two (competing) obligations, one ought to simply pick one.
- Meaning
- Be decisive and focused
506
Bí yóò ti dára, lọ́wọ́ Elédùmarè ló wà.
- Literal translation
- How things will get better is in God's hands.
- Meaning
- Man proposes, God disposes
507
Bíbíire kò ṣeé fi owó rà.
- Literal translation
- Good pedigrees cannot be bought with money.
- Meaning
- Money isn't everything; it's not everything that wealth can confer.
508
Bíbíre kò kan tàìmọ̀ ìwà ńwù.
- Literal translation
- Good pedigree does not imply being well-mannered.
- Meaning
- Good character can be cultivated
509
Bíbíre kò ṣeé fi owó rà
- Literal translation
- A good pedigree can't be acquired with money.
- Meaning
- Money isn't everything; it's not everything that wealth can confer
510
Bíbíre kò ṣeé fi owó rà.
- Literal translation
- A good pedigree cannot be bought with money.
- Meaning
- It's not everything that wealth can confer.
511
Bíńtín lèkùrọ́, ṣùgbọ́n apá ọ̀bẹ ò ka.
- Literal translation
- The palm kernel is truly small, but it is beyond what the knife can handle.
- Meaning
- Underestimate no one.
512
Bó bá ku ọwọ́ kan àdán, yóò fi rọ igi
- Literal translation
- Even if a bat is left with just one paw, it'll still hang on to a tree branch.
- Meaning
- Dogged determination
513
Bó lé lógún ọdún táa ti fi adẹ́mun jọba kò ní yé ọrùn ọ̀pẹ wò.
- Literal translation
- Even after 20 years as a king, the palmwine tapper won't cease his nostalgic gaze at the palm tree.
- Meaning
- Old habits die hard.
514
Bó lé lógún ọdún táa ti fi adẹ́mun jọba, kò ní yé ọrùn ọ̀pẹ ẹ́ wò.
- Literal translation
- Even after 20 years of being crowned a king, the palmwine tapper won't cease gazing at the palm tree with nostalgia.
- Meaning
- Old habits die hard
515
Bó pẹ́ bó yá, agogo tó lu méjìlá, ńbọ̀ wá lù kan.
- Literal translation
- Eventually, a clock that struck 12 o'clock will strike 1 o'clock.
- Meaning
- Nothing lasts forever
516
Bó pẹ́ bó yá, agogo tó lu méjìlá, ńbọ̀ wá lù'kan.
- Literal translation
- Eventually, a clock that struck 12 O'clock would strike 1 O'clock.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive
517
Bó pẹ́ bó yá, akólòlò á pe 'baba'.
- Literal translation
- It may take long, but a stammerer would eventually pronounce 'father'.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive; don't give up.
518
Bó pẹ́ bó yá, akọ̀pẹ yóò wá'lẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- No matter how long, the palmwine tapper will come down (from the palm tree).
- Meaning
- Nothing lasts forever
519
Bó pẹ́ bó yá, akọ̀pẹ yóò wálẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- No matter how long, the palmwine-tapper will dismount, eventually.
- Meaning
- Be patient, be hopeful; always take the long view: absolutely nothing lasts forever
520
Bó pẹ́ bó yá, ogún ọdún ńbọ̀ wá k'ọ̀la
- Literal translation
- No matter how long, twenty years time will one day be referred to as 'tomorrow'.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive