Yorùbá proverbs
61
A kì í ní kí ọ́mọ ẹni máà d'ẹ́tẹ̀, tó bá ti lè dá'gbó gbé.
- Literal translation
- Never restrain your child from becoming leprous, as long as he or she can live in the forest alone.
- Meaning
- Live and let live: let people be; everyone is entitled to his or her choices and the consequences thereof.
62
A kì í pẹ̀lú ọ̀bọ já'ko.
- Literal translation
- Do not join the monkey to roam the forest.
- Meaning
- Maintain the high ground; never descend to join anyone do despicable things.s
63
A kì í ra ẹ̀kọ ní ibi agbọ̀n ti ga.
- Literal translation
- One does not buy the corn meal, where the basket is high.
- Meaning
- Live within your means
64
A kì í rí ẹran lọ́bẹ́ ká pòṣé
- Literal translation
- No one hisses at seeing (pieces of) meat in a (plate of) soup
- Meaning
- No one frowns at good things or improvements
65
A kì í ṣe fáàrí ẹ̀ṣẹ́ dídì, si ọmọ adẹ́tẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- Do not brag about fists in the presence of a leper.
- Meaning
- Don't show off: be considerate, courteous and tactful.
66
A kì í so ẹran mọ́ ẹran kí ìkan kan ìkan pa.
- Literal translation
- That two rams were tethered together is no reason for one to butt the other to death.
- Meaning
- Respect and give people their space; never abuse privileges granted.
67
A kì í sọ òkò sí ẹyẹ tó ńwá ọ̀nà àti fò.
- Literal translation
- Do not throw stones at a bird that wants to fly away.
- Meaning
- Wisdom is it: do not pre-empt or worsen an already deplorable situation.
68
A kì í ta eyín lójú ẹni tí ebi ńpa.
- Literal translation
- Do not pick your teeth in the presence of a hungry person.
- Meaning
- Be courteous, considerate and tactful; be sensitive to the effect of your choices on others.
69
A kì í tojú oníka mẹ́ẹ̀sán kàá.
- Literal translation
- Never openly count the toes of someone with nine toes.
- Meaning
- Be considerate, courteous, and tactful; never deliberately and pointlessly embarass anyone.
70
A kì í wo ago aláago ṣiṣẹ́
- Literal translation
- One should not do one's work with another person's time piece
- Meaning
- Don't run your life in line with others' agenda
71
A kì í wo ago aláago ṣiṣẹ́.
- Literal translation
- Never carry out your duties using someone else's time piece.
- Meaning
- Never compare your life with anyone's; stay in your lane and be focused.
72
A kì í wo ìyẹ́ adìyẹ nílẹ̀, kí a wá fi ìrù àkèekèé rin etí.
- Literal translation
- No one has a hen's feather within reach and opt to scratch his or her inner ear with a scorpion's stinger.
- Meaning
- Avoid needless exposures to high risks.
73
A kì í yàgò fún ẹlẹ́ṣin àná.
- Literal translation
- No one gives way (or defers) to someone who owned a horse, in the past.
- Meaning
- Don't live in the past: past glories are not as crucial as the present and future ones; have a strategic-mindset and focus.
74
A kì í yangan bàtà lójú ẹni tí kò lẹ́sẹ̀
- Literal translation
- Don't brag about shoes around someone who has no legs.
- Meaning
- Be considerate; be courteous; be tactful.
75
A kì í yangan bàtà lójú ẹni tí kò lẹ́sẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- Don't brag about shoes around someone who has no legs.
- Meaning
- Be courteous, considerate and tactful.
76
A kì í yangan bàtà, lójú ẹni tí kò lẹ́sẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- Do not brag about shoes around someone who has no legs.
- Meaning
- Be courteous, considerate and tactful; do not deliberately expose anyone to embarrassments
77
A kì í yí ìkòkò bí ẹni yí odó.
- Literal translation
- A pot ought not to be handled as a mortar.
- Meaning
- Different situations call for different approaches
78
A kìí bérè lọ́wọ́ adélébọ̀ pé ńbo ló ti róyún
- Literal translation
- No one asks a married woman where she's got her pregnancy
- Meaning
- Some questions have obvious answers
79
A kìí fi ojú ọwọ́ ṣiṣẹ́ tán, ká wá fẹ̀hìn ọwọ̀ dàánù
- Literal translation
- We shouldn't discard with our backhand what our open hand had achieved
- Meaning
- Avoid rashness
80
A kìí gbọ́ kúkù òjò da omi agbada nù
- Literal translation
- No one throws away the water in the trough simply because the cloud rumbles.
- Meaning
- Don't be presumptuous.