Yorùbá proverbs
41
A kì í gba àkàtà lọ́wọ́ akítì; a kì í gba ilé baba ọmọ lọ́wọ́ ọmọ.
- Literal translation
- No one can stop monkeys from squatting; no one should deprive a child of his or her patrimony.
- Meaning
- Be fair; deprive no one of what is rightly his or hers.
42
A kì í gbé inú ilé ẹni ká fi ọrùn rọ́.
- Literal translation
- One cannot stay in one's home and strain one's neck.
- Meaning
- You cannot suffer from a risk you are not exposed to: you'll never and get into trouble; avoid needless exposure to high risks: -19 is real
43
A kì í gbọ́ 'Lùú!' lẹ́nu àgbà
- Literal translation
- We shouldn't hear ''Beat him up!' from an elderly person
- Meaning
- Matured minds resolve rather than compound issues
44
A kì í gbọ́ kúkù òjò da omi agbada nù.
- Literal translation
- Never pour away the water (you have) in the trough, simply because you heard the rumbling of the cloud.
- Meaning
- Don't be presumptuous; never jump the gun; it's never wise to count one's chickens before they are hatched
45
A kì í gbọ kúkù òjò da omi agbada nù.*
- Literal translation
- Never pour away the water in your trough on the rumbling of the cloud.
- Meaning
- Don't be presumptuous; never count your chickens before they are hatched.
46
A kì í gbọ́ Ọ̀yọ́ ju ọlỌ́yọ̀ọ́ lọ.
- Literal translation
- One should not claim to be more proficient at Oyo dialect than an Oyo indigene.
- Meaning
- Humility is it; to claim to know more about an issue, than those in the thick of it, is to end up making an open show of one's ignorance
47
A kì í júbà afìmọ̀sínúkú.
- Literal translation
- There is no honour for anyone who died with his or her knowledge.
- Meaning
- To bless others with one's endowments is honourable and ultimately rewarding; make your knowledge
48
A kì í kánjú tu olú ọrán; igba a rẹ̀ kò tó ó sè lọ́bẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- The oran mushroom is not to be harvested in haste; two hundred pieces of it are not sufficient for (a pot of) soup.
- Meaning
- Handle complex issues calmly and methodically; hurried actions are prone to errors.
49
A kì í kọ́'ni ká mọ ti'nú ẹni
- Literal translation
- You can teach a person but you can't know his thoughts or decisions.
- Meaning
- No one knows it all
50
A kì í láhun k’á ní'yì.
- Literal translation
- One cannot be tight-fisted and have honour (or be respected).
- Meaning
- Being generous is crucial
51
A kì í láhun ká níyì.
- Literal translation
- You can't be stingy and be honoured.
- Meaning
- No honour for a stingy person; choose to be generous
52
A kì í mọ ibi tí à ńlọ kí ọrùn ó wọ'ni.
- Literal translation
- One can't be certain of one's destination and yet be weighed down by the load carried.
- Meaning
- Clear definition of goals makes their achievement less stressful: seek and foster clarity.
53
A kì í mọ iyì wúrà tí kò bá sọnù.
- Literal translation
- A piece of gold (ornament) is seldom appreciated until it gets lost.
- Meaning
- We seldom appreciate what we have, until we lose it; the available is easily taken for granted
54
A kì í mọ orúkọ Ọlọ́run kí ìyà ó jẹ'ni.
- Literal translation
- One can't know God's name (or really know God for sure) and suffer.
- Meaning
- God is a present help.
55
A kì í mọ orúkọ Ọlọ́run, kí ìyà ó jẹ'ni.
- Literal translation
- One cannot really know God's name (or know God for sure) and suffer.
- Meaning
- God is dependable; He is a present help, for those who trust in Him.
56
A kì í mọ̀ọ́ gún mọ̀ọ́ tẹ̀ kí iyán ewùrà má lọ́mọ.
- Literal translation
- No one can be so good at pounding water yam and not have it lumpy.
- Meaning
- No one is perfect.
57
A kì í mọ̀ọ́ gún mọ̀ọ́ tẹ̀, kí iyán ewùrà má lọ́mọ.
- Literal translation
- One cannot be so adept at pounding and stirring water yam that it won't have lumps.
- Meaning
- No one is perfect; tolerance is crucial.
58
A kì í mọ̀ọ́ rìn mọ̀ọ́ yan kí orí má mì l'ọ́rùn.
- Literal translation
- One cannot be so good at walking and marching that the head won't shake.
- Meaning
- Tolerance is it; no one is perfect
59
A kì í mọ̀ọ́ rìn, mọ̀ọ́ yan, kí orí má mì l'ọ́rùn.
- Literal translation
- No one is so adept at walking and marching that the head won't shake on the neck.
- Meaning
- No one is perfect; mistakes do happen: be tolerant.
60
A kì í ní k'ọ́mọ ẹni má d'ẹ́tẹ̀, tó bá ti lè dá'gbó gbé.
- Literal translation
- You never restrain your child from becoming leprous, as long as he can live in the forest alone.
- Meaning
- Everyone bears the consequences of his or her choices.