Yorùbá proverbs
1241
Ọ̀bẹ kì í mú kó gbẹ́ èkù ara rẹ
- Literal translation
- A knife cannot be so sharp as to carve its handle.
- Meaning
- We need one another
1242
Ọ̀bẹ kì í mú kó gbẹ́ èkù ara rẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- A knife cannot be so sharp as to carve its handle.
- Meaning
- We need one another; no man is an island.
1243
Ọ̀bẹ kì í mú, kó gbẹ́ èkù ara rẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- A knife cannot be so sharp as to carve its handle.
- Meaning
- We do need one another; no one is completely self-sufficient.
1244
Ọ̀bẹ kìí mú kó gbẹ́ èkù ara rẹ
- Literal translation
- A knife can't be so sharp as to be able to cut its handle
- Meaning
- Being willing to accept
1245
Ọbẹ̀ tí kò pọ̀ kì í kan.
- Literal translation
- A moderately-sized soup does not go (or get regarded as) sour.
- Meaning
- Whatever is scarce often gets appreciated
1246
Ọbẹ̀ tí ò pọ̀ kì í kan.
- Literal translation
- A soup that is not much in quantity never goes sour.
- Meaning
- What's not readily available won't suffer negect.
1247
Ọbẹ̀ tó dùn owó ló paá.
- Literal translation
- A tasty soup costs money.
- Meaning
- No free lunch
1248
Obì tó bá f'ara pamọ́, ló máa ńgbó.
- Literal translation
- The kolanut fruit that hides itself is the one that grows to maturity.
- Meaning
- It makes sense to be socially distant or unavailable sometimes; you can't be affected with what you are not exposed to
1249
Obì tó bá fara pamọ́ ló máa ńgbo
- Literal translation
- The kolanut fruit that hides itself is the one that grows to maturity.
- Meaning
- Being modest & unobtrusive
1250
Obì tó bá fara pamọ́ ló máa ńgbo.
- Literal translation
- The kolanut fruit that hides itself is the one that grows to maturity.
- Meaning
- Be modest
1251
Obì tó bá fara pamọ́ ló máa ńgbó.
- Literal translation
- The kolanut fruit that hides itself is the one that grows to maturity.
- Meaning
- Be modest; avoid ostentation
1252
Obì tó bá fara pamọ́, ló máa ńgbó.
- Literal translation
- The kolanut fruit that hides itself is the one that gets to grow to maturity.
- Meaning
- Drawing undue attention to oneself isn't always a smart move; flying under the radar has its merits and can prove beneficial, sometimes.
1253
Obìnrin tí a bá fẹ́ràn kì í ní àléébù.
- Literal translation
- A woman one loves has no blemish (or fault).
- Meaning
- If it is wrong, love will not see it.
1254
Òde ò ní dùn kí onílé má re'lé.
- Literal translation
- An outing can't be so nice that one won't return home.
- Meaning
- No matter where it is, home is the best place to be
1255
Ọdẹ tó bá ṣiyèméjì, òun lẹranko ńpa.
- Literal translation
- An indecisive hunter easily gets killed by an animal (in the forest).
- Meaning
- Be decisive; indecision can come with intolerable risks.
1256
Ọdẹ tó ńbọ́ ṣòkòtò l'ẹ́ẹ̀bá ọ̀nà, ẹ má bawí, ọmọ ìjàlọ ni kí ẹ bi.
- Literal translation
- Don't blame the hunter for pulling his pants in public, but the soldier ants (in the pants).
- Meaning
- Be tolerant; people have their reasons.
1257
Odò tí a bá fi ojú ré ni í gbé'ni í lọ.
- Literal translation
- The river one belittles is the river one drowns in.
- Meaning
- Underestimate nothing and no one; don't be presumptuous: always keep an open mind and a level head.
1258
Odò tó ńṣàn kì í b'ojú w'ẹ̀hìn.
- Literal translation
- A flowing stream never looks (or flows) backward.
- Meaning
- Be forward-looking; be focused: no one drives forward with eyes on the rearview mirror
1259
Odò tó ńṣàn kì í b'ojú wẹ̀hìn.
- Literal translation
- A flowing stream never looks (or flows) backward.
- Meaning
- Be forward-looking.
1260
Odò tó ńṣàn kì í b'ojú wẹ̀yìn.
- Literal translation
- A flowing stream never looks back (never flows backward)
- Meaning
- Keep moving forward