Yorùbá proverbs
1141
Kò lè burú títí kó má ku ẹnìkan mọ́'ni, ẹni tí yóò kù la o mọ.
- Literal translation
- Things can never be so bad that one will be left with no one, but who he or she will be is what one may not know.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive; you are never alone: it only seems so
1142
Kò ní burú fún ọlọ́de títí, kó rí ológbò kó lọ yọ ìbọn
- Literal translation
- Things can't be so bad for a hunter that he'd pull his gun on a cat.
- Meaning
- Don't give up
1143
Kò s'óhun tó pọ̀ tí kìí tán, à fọlá Ọlọ́run
- Literal translation
- There's nothing much that won't get exhausted except God's grace
- Meaning
- God's blessing never runs out
1144
Kò sẹ́ni tó lè dá gbọ́n odò tó ńṣàn
- Literal translation
- No one person can completely scoop out a flowing stream.
- Meaning
- We need one another
1145
Kò sẹ́ni tó lè fọwọ́ bo ògo òòrùn.
- Literal translation
- No one can cover up the glory of the sun with his hands.
- Meaning
- Who God has blessed, no one can curse
1146
Kò sẹ́ni tó mọ̀ọ́ pọ̀n bí ọlọ́mọ
- Literal translation
- No one can back a baby like the mother
- Meaning
- One can't claim to know more about an issue than those concerned
1147
Kò sí àyè ìlẹ̀kẹ̀ ní ìdí adìyẹ.
- Literal translation
- There are no rooms for (ornamental) beads on the waist of a hen.
- Meaning
- Some things are simply inappropriate, even if desirable.
1148
Kò sí bi ààrò ṣe gbóná to, yóò tutù kẹ́hìn ni.
- Literal translation
- No matter how hot the hearth is, it will grow cold, ultimately.
- Meaning
- Whatever is hot today, will one day become cold: tough times won't last forever; keep hope alive
1149
Kò sí bí àtùpà ṣe lè lágbára tó, kò lè ríran rí ìdí ara ẹ̀
- Literal translation
- No matter how strong a lamp is, it can't light up it's base
- Meaning
- We need one another
1150
Kò sí bí àtùpà ṣe lè lágbára tó, kò lè ríran rí ìdí ara rẹ̀
- Literal translation
- No matter how bright a lamp is, it can't light up its base.
- Meaning
- We need one another
1151
Kò sí bí àtùpà ṣe lè lágbára tó, kò lè ríran rí ìdí ara rẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- No matter how strong a lamp is, it cannot light up it's base.
- Meaning
- No matter how strong anyone is, he or she will always need the input of others; no one is wholly self-sufficient, nor indeed can be
1152
Kò sí bí èyàn ṣe lè kúrú tó, kò lè nàgà wo sánmà
- Literal translation
- No matter how short anyone is, one needn't stretch to see the sky.
- Meaning
- Tough times have limits
1153
Kò sí bí imú ṣe lè tóbi tó, kó lè gba ọ̀rọ̀ ẹnu sọ.
- Literal translation
- No matter how big the nose is, it can't take over the speaking role of the mouth.
- Meaning
- We all are unique with our different strengths; envy no one: stay in your lane.
1154
Kò sí bí òròmọadìyẹ ṣe gbọ́n tó, kò lè mọ àwòdì bí ìyá a rẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- No matter how smart the chick is, it can't know the (ways of the) hawk as its mother hen.
- Meaning
- Be humble to learn from those ahead; it's risky to assume you know more
1155
Kò sí ewu l'óko, à fi gìrìgìrì àparò
- Literal translation
- There is no danger at the farm except the sound of the patridge's movement.
- Meaning
- A situation with no fear
1156
Kò sí ewu lẹ́gbẹ̀rún ẹ̀kọ, à fi àìdùn ọbẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- To consume a thousand wraps of eko (corn meal) is a breeze, except the soup is not tasty enough.
- Meaning
- Everyone loves good things; remove the stress from anything, make it appealing, and it won't lack patrons.
1157
Kò sí ìgbà tí a d'áṣọ tá ò rí'gbà fi lò
- Literal translation
- There is no time one buys clothes that one won't have opportunity to wear them.
- Meaning
- Contentment is it
1158
Kò sí ìgbà tí a dá aṣọ, tá ò rí ìgbà fi lò.
- Literal translation
- There is no time one buys clothes that one won't have opportunity to wear them.
- Meaning
- Be contented.
1159
Kò sí ìgbà tí a dá aṣọ, tá ò rí ìgbà fi lòó.
- Literal translation
- There is no time one buys clothes that one won't have opportunity to wear them.
- Meaning
- Contentment is it.
1160
Kó sí kekere akàn tí kò nílé lórí
- Literal translation
- You'll never find a diminutive crab without a home of its own.
- Meaning
- Underscoring importance of home ownership