Yorùbá proverbs
1221
Ní tútù là ńká ẹja kò; ẹja gbígbẹ ò ṣeé ká.
- Literal translation
- Fish may be bent (and formed into shapes) only while fresh; dried fish cannot be bent.
- Meaning
- Address issues promptly to forestall complications; once complicated, issues can be tough to resolve
1222
Nínú ìkòkò dúdú ni ẹ̀kọ funfun ti ńjáde.
- Literal translation
- The pot may be black, yet out of it comes the white corn meal.
- Meaning
- Write-off no one
1223
Nínú ìkòkò dúdú, ni ẹ̀kọ funfun ti ńjáde.
- Literal translation
- Out of the black pot nonetheless comes the white pap (corn meal).
- Meaning
- Write-off no one.
1224
Nínú òfíì, nínú ọ̀láà ni ọmọ páńdọ̀rọ̀ ńdàgbà.
- Literal translation
- It is in the midst of their being blown here and there, that the pendulous fruits of the sausage tree mature, eventually.
- Meaning
- Quitting is the bane of success: it makes losing certain; don't quit and you can't but win, eventually
1225
Nínú oore loore wà.
- Literal translation
- Kindness begets kindness.
- Meaning
- Kindness pays.
1226
Nínú òròmọ adìyẹ àti ẹyin rẹ̀, ọ̀kan lèyàn máa fọwọ́ mú
- Literal translation
- One must choose between the chick and the egg.
- Meaning
- You can't eat your cake & have it
1227
Nínú òròmọ adìyẹ àti ẹyin rẹ̀, ọ̀kan lèyàn máa fọwọ́ mú.
- Literal translation
- One must choose between the chick and the egg.
- Meaning
- You can't eat your cake & have it
1228
Nítorí kí a má jìyà, la ṣe yá Májìyà lọ́fà.
- Literal translation
- We lent out our arrow to Majiya, so that we would not suffer.
- Meaning
- Being proactive
1229
Nítorí ọ̀dá la ṣe ńlóko lákùrọ̀.
- Literal translation
- It's because of the time of drought that one maintains a farm close to a river.
- Meaning
- Plan for the future
1230
Nítorí ọ̀la la ṣe ńṣ'òní lóore.
- Literal translation
- It's because of tomorrow that today is shown some kindness.
- Meaning
- We reap what we sow
1231
Nǹkan tí èyàn ò ní í jẹ, kì í fi run imú.
- Literal translation
- Don't sniff, what you won't eat.
- Meaning
- Don't start what you won't finish; finish whatever you start.
1232
Nǹkan tí èyàn ò ní jẹ, kì í fi run imú.
- Literal translation
- Don't sniff, what you won't eat.
- Meaning
- Don't start what you can't finish; finish whatever you start.
1233
O gbọ́ ìró ìbọn, o ńfọ ìṣasùn; o mọ̀ bọ́lọ́dẹ pa ẹran, tàbí kò pa ẹran?
- Literal translation
- You heard gun shots and hurriedly washed your cooking pot; do you know whether or not the hunter caught any game?
- Meaning
- Don't be presumptuous.
1234
Ò kàn ńṣe ọmọ olóòkú bẹ́ẹ̀ ni, a ò ní sin ín pẹ̀lú òkú rẹ̀
- Literal translation
- The bereaved is simply hurting, he won't go with the deceased.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive
1235
Ó lóhun tí àgùntàn rí, kó tó dákẹ́ jẹ́jẹ́.
- Literal translation
- The sheep has its reasons for being noticeably quiet.
- Meaning
- People have their reasons; be tolerant.
1236
Ó lóhun tí ojú rí, kó tó máa ṣoje.
- Literal translation
- The tearful eyes have their reasons for being tearful.
- Meaning
- Be tolerant; people have their reasons.
1237
Ò ńlọ si Ọ̀yọ́ ò ńkánjú, Aláàfin ò re ibi kan
- Literal translation
- You are going to Ọ̀yo town and you are in haste; the king is going nowhere
- Meaning
- Don't be in haste
1238
Ó sú mi ó rẹ̀ mí kì í ṣe ọdẹ erin.
- Literal translation
- I'm tired and fed up" can't be coming from someone hunting an elephant.
- Meaning
- Being persistent
1239
Ò yẹ kí ìdí gbé àtàrí wò, kó mọ iṣẹ tí eṣinṣin ńṣe.
- Literal translation
- The buttocks should trade places with the head, to appreciate what flies do (to it).
- Meaning
- Be hesitant to criticise: you can't be too sure of what others are going through, if you've never been in their shoes.
1240
Ọba tí kì í fẹ́ gba ìmọ̀ràn, irú wọn kì í pẹ́ fi ẹsẹ̀ kọ.
- Literal translation
- Any king who despises counsels, hardly takes long before stumbling.
- Meaning
- It's smart to be open to and treasure good counsels: those who spurn them needlessly expose themselves to avoidable errors