Yorùbá proverbs
1081
Ìwà lẹ̀sìn; bí a bá ṣe mọ̀ọ́ hù ni í ṣeé gbe’ni.
- Literal translation
- Character is like religion; how well one practises it, that is how well it favours one.
- Meaning
- Good character pays; it commends favour
1082
Ìwà lọba àwúre.
- Literal translation
- Good character is superior to any goodluck charm.
- Meaning
- Good character promotes
1083
Ìwà ni í jọ oníwà lójú.
- Literal translation
- Every man's character is good in his eyes.
- Meaning
- Objective self-appraisals can be difficult
1084
Ìwà ọ̀lẹ ló ńba ọ̀lẹ lẹ́rù; ọ̀lẹ ṣe tán, ó ní wọn ò fẹ́ràn òun
- Literal translation
- An indolent is preceded by his character, but complains that he or she is not accepted.
- Meaning
- Our character often confronts us with unpleasant consequences; change your character to change any unwanted outcome
1085
Ìwà ọ̀lẹ ló ńba ọ̀lẹ lẹ́rù; ọ̀lẹ ṣe tán, ó ní wọn ò fẹ́ràn òun.
- Literal translation
- An indolent is preceded by his character but at the end complains that he or she is not accepted.
- Meaning
- Our character often confronts us with unpleasant consequences; change your character to change any unwanted outcome.
1086
Ìwà rere lẹ̀ṣọ́ ènìyàn.
- Literal translation
- Good character is man’s adornment.
- Meaning
- Good character beautifies; it is adorable and attractive
1087
Ìwákúùwá là ńwá nǹkan tó sọnù.
- Literal translation
- Lost items are searched for anyhow (and anywhere.)
- Meaning
- Think outside the box; place no limit or boundary in the search for what is not known; exclude no possibility: look everywhere. -19
1088
Ìwákúùwá nií mú'ni rí ìríkúùrí
- Literal translation
- Unconscionable quest exposes one to undesirable (or strange) outcomes.
- Meaning
- Be moderate; tame inordinate desires
1089
Ìwọ̀fà lẹnu; ibi tó bá wu ẹlẹ́nu ló lè ran lọ
- Literal translation
- The mouth is a pawn-servant; it can be sent to wherever the owner pleases.
- Meaning
- Being focused
1090
Ìyànjú l'àgbẹ̀ ńgbìn, elédùà nìkan ló mọ b'íṣu ṣe ńta
- Literal translation
- Farmers merely sow efforts; God alone knows how the yams get formed.
- Meaning
- Man proposes
1091
Ìyànjú l'àgbẹ̀ ńgbìn, Elédùà nìkan ló mọ b'íṣu ṣe ńta.
- Literal translation
- Farmers merely sow efforts; God alone knows how the yams are formed.
- Meaning
- We simply do our best; the ultimate result is from God; whatever is good must be from Him
1092
Ìyànjú l'àgbẹ̀ ńgbìn; elédùà nìkan ló mọ b'íṣu ṣe ńta
- Literal translation
- Farmers merely sow efforts; God alone knows how the yams are formed.
- Meaning
- Man proposes
1093
Ìyànjú là ńgbà; bá ò gbìyànjú, bí ọ̀lẹ là ńrí; ojojúmọ́ ni í rẹ'ni
- Literal translation
- One must make effort; if not, one would seem lazy: everyone gets tired every day.
- Meaning
- We all get tired; making effort regardless is what, oftentimes, makes the difference; always do your best: excuses limit us
1094
Ìyàwó táa fijó fẹ́, ìran ló máa wò lọ
- Literal translation
- A wife married through dancing exploits, would soon elope with a better dancer.
- Meaning
- Choose wisely
1095
Jẹ́ kí nfi ìdí hẹẹ́, lálejò fi ńti onílé sóde.
- Literal translation
- Let me just hang in here is how a guest takes over the house.
- Meaning
- Give an inch and lose a mile
1096
Jẹ́ kí ńfìdí hẹẹ́, làlejò fi ńti onílé sóde
- Literal translation
- Let me just hang in here, is how a guest takes over the house
- Meaning
- Give an inch and lose a mile
1097
Jẹ́ kí ńfìdí hẹẹ́, ni àlejò fi ńti onílé sóde
- Literal translation
- Let me just hang in here, is how the guest takes over the house from the host.
- Meaning
- Think well about that inch you want to give, it may well become a mile: be perceptive, be circumspect
1098
Jẹ́ kí ńfìdí hẹẹ́, ni àlejò fi ńti onílé sóde.
- Literal translation
- Let me just hang in here, is how the guest takes over the house from the host.
- Meaning
- Think well about that inch you want to give, it may well become a mile: be perceptive, be circumspect.
1099
Ká lọ́ aṣọ mọ́ ìdí, ká lọ́ ìdí mọ́ aṣọ, kí ìdí ṣáà má ti gbófo.
- Literal translation
- Whether we tie a wrapper round the waist or tie the waist round a wrapper, to ensure the waist is not naked is what's crucial.
- Meaning
- A focus on goals rather than methods.
1100
Ká panupọ̀ lé ẹlẹ́yọ́rọ́ lọ ná, kí a tó wá fàbọ̀ sí adìyẹ.
- Literal translation
- We ought to come together to chase away the fox first, before reverting to the hen.
- Meaning
- Better to handle the most pressing of two problems first rather than inefficiently attempt the two at once.