Yorùbá proverbs
621
Ẹni gbé adé ọba fún ẹrú fẹ́ pa ayé run ni.
- Literal translation
- Whoever enthrones a slave wants to wreck the world.
- Meaning
- Inexperience can be risky
622
Ẹní gbé ọba mì kì í ní ìsinmi.
- Literal translation
- Whoever gets crowned a king cannot have rest.
- Meaning
- Positions of responsibilities can be demanding.
623
Ẹni gbé ọkàn lé Olúwa kò ní jogún òfo.
- Literal translation
- Whoever places his or her hope on God won't hope in vain.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive; absolutely nothing is too difficult for God.
624
Ẹni gbé ọkàn lé Olúwa, kò ní jogún òfo.
- Literal translation
- Whoever places his hope in God won't hope in vain.
- Meaning
- No impossibility with God.
625
Ẹní gbé òkú àparò gbé aápọn.
- Literal translation
- Whoever picked up a dead patridge, picked up hassles.
- Meaning
- Some opportunities are liabilities in disguise.
626
Ẹni gbin igi yẹ kó lè gbádùn ibòju rẹ̀
- Literal translation
- Whoever planted a tree ought to be able to enjoy its shade
- Meaning
- Reaping should result from sowing
627
Ẹni gbọ́kàn l'Ólúwa ò ní jogún òfo.
- Literal translation
- Whoever places his hope in God won't hope in vain.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive
628
Ẹni gbọ́kàn lé Olúwa ò ní jogún òfo.
- Literal translation
- Whoever places his hope in God won't hope in vain.
- Meaning
- God never fails
629
Ẹni í bá rọra pa èèrà, á rí ìfun inú u rẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- Whoever carefully dismembers an ant will see its intestines.
- Meaning
- Be patient: patience can achieve the impossible.
630
Ẹni kan kì í gbọ́n tán.
- Literal translation
- No one knows it all (or possesses all wisdom).
- Meaning
- Maintain a teachable mindset
631
Ẹni lẹ́ni lẹ́hìn kì í ṣẹ̀sín ilu.
- Literal translation
- A person with good backing won't be easily exposed to shame.
- Meaning
- Human networks provide good cover
632
Ẹni má a mú ọ̀bọ á ṣe bí ọ̀bọ.
- Literal translation
- Whoever wants to catch a monkey would have to act like one.
- Meaning
- Willingness to pay the price
633
Ẹni máa fi ara yí ọlá, onítòhún á fi ara yí ẹ̀gbin; inú ẹ̀gbin lọlá ńgbé.
- Literal translation
- Whoever desires to be wealthy must be prepared to be inconvenienced, as wealth resides right inside of ‘filth’.
- Meaning
- Nothing ventured, nothing gained; no free lunch.
634
Ẹni máa jẹ oyin inú àpáta, kì í wo ẹnu àáke
- Literal translation
- Whoever wants to eat the honey embedded in a mountain will not fret about the axe.
- Meaning
- Persist!
635
Ẹni máa jẹ oyin inú àpáta, kì í wo ẹnu àáke.
- Literal translation
- Whoever desires to eat the honey embedded in a mountain won't fret about the axe.
- Meaning
- Be focused
636
Ẹni máa jẹ oyin inú àpáta, kìí wo ẹnu àáke
- Literal translation
- Whoever wants to extract honey embedded in a mountain won't fret about the axe.
- Meaning
- Be focused.
637
Ẹni máa jẹ oyin inú àpáta, kìí wo ẹnu àáke.
- Literal translation
- Whoever wants to eat the honey embedded in a mountain won't fret about the axe.
- Meaning
- Persist!
638
Ẹni ńsọ̀kò sádìyẹ igba, òkò ló máa sọ tílẹ̀ á fi ṣú
- Literal translation
- Whoever is throwing stones at 200 hens, will throw them until the evening
- Meaning
- Be focused
639
Ẹni òjò pa tí àrá kó pa kó máa dúpẹ́
- Literal translation
- Whoever got beaten by rain, but wasn't struck by lightning should be thankful
- Meaning
- Attitude of gratitude
640
Ẹni òjò pa, tí àrá kó pa kó má a dúpẹ́
- Literal translation
- Anyone who got beaten by rain, yet wasn't struck by lightning should be thankful.
- Meaning
- Be ever grateful