Yorùbá proverbs
1361
Ojú tó ti rí òkun, ò lè bẹ̀rù ọ̀sà mọ́.
- Literal translation
- Whoever had experienced the seas would no longer be moved by the lagoons.
- Meaning
- Challenges do empower
1362
Ojúbọ̀rọ̀ kò ṣeé gba ọmọ lọ́wọ́ èkùrọ́.
- Literal translation
- Extricating the kernel from the palm kernel nut is not an easy task.
- Meaning
- Good things don't always come easy: be willing to pay the price; looking for the easy way can be inefficient: give it what it takes.
1363
Ọkàn ríran ju ojú lọ.
- Literal translation
- The heart can see farther than the eyes.
- Meaning
- The heart can often see beyond the obvious
1364
Ọ̀kàndínlógún tó lóun ò bá oókan ṣe, à ti di ogun rẹ̀ á nira
- Literal translation
- The number 19 that refused to be added to 1 will find it tough to become 20.
- Meaning
- Build bridges and foster collaboration; we need one another: together each achieves more.
1365
Òkè lọwọ́ afún'ni ńgbé; ìsàlẹ̀ lọwọ́ ẹni tó ńgbà á ńwà.
- Literal translation
- The hands of a giver always reside above; those of the receiver must need stay below.
- Meaning
- Giving elevates; generosity pays.
1366
Òkè lọwọ́ afunni ńgbé
- Literal translation
- A hand that gives is always at the top.
- Meaning
- A generous person (or a giver) won't depreciate
1367
Òkè lọwọ́ afúnni ńgbé; ìsàlẹ̀ lọwọ́ ẹni tó ńgbà á ńwà.
- Literal translation
- The hand of a giver is always at the top; the hand of the receiver stays underneath.
- Meaning
- Giving elevates; generosity pays.
1368
Òkè lọwọ́ afúnni ńgbé; ìsàlẹ̀ lọwọ́ ẹni tó ńgbàá ńwà.
- Literal translation
- A hand that gives is always at the top; the one that receives stays underneath.
- Meaning
- Generosity pays.
1369
Òkè lọwọ́ afunni ńgbé.
- Literal translation
- A hand that gives is always at the top.
- Meaning
- A generous person cannot depreciate
1370
Òkèlè gbígbẹ pẹ́lù ìrọ̀rùn sàn ju wàrà tó kún fún ìyọnu lọ
- Literal translation
- Dry morsel with peace is better than milk that is full of stress.
- Meaning
- Pursue peace
1371
Òkèlè gbígbẹ pẹlu irọrun, ó sàn ju wàrà tó kún fún ìyọnu lọ
- Literal translation
- Dry morsel with peace is better than milk that is full of stress.
- Meaning
- Pursue peace
1372
Òkèlè gbígbẹ pẹlu irọrun, ó sàn ju wàrà tó kún fún ìyọnu lọ.
- Literal translation
- Dry morsel with peace is better than milk that is full of stress.
- Meaning
- Pursue peace over wealth.
1373
Òkèlè gbòǹgbò máa ńfẹ ọmọ lójú ni
- Literal translation
- A large morsel (of food to be swallowed) puts a child under stress
- Meaning
- Greed can be choking (or stressful)
1374
Ọ̀kẹ́rẹ́ tí yóò gun igi ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀, èékánná rẹ̀ yóò mú ṣáṣá.
- Literal translation
- A squirrel that hopes to climb the plantain tree must have sharp claw nails.
- Meaning
- Success comes, not by accident, but by careful preparation and right subsequent steps: success doesn't just happen, it is caused.
1375
Òkété gbàgbé ìbòsí, ó dé igbá alátẹ ó ká'wọ́ lérí.
- Literal translation
- The rat, unmindful of the noise (of those stalking it), raised its paws in regret later, when offered for sale (dried and roasted).
- Meaning
- A stitch in time saves nine; forewarned is forearmed.
1376
Òkìtì tí ọ̀bọ ta tí kò nílárí, ni eégún ta tó ńgba owó rẹpẹtẹ.
- Literal translation
- The same somersaulting that does not profit the monkey is the one that nets the masquerade lots of money.
- Meaning
- Different strokes for different folks; what works for one may not necessarily work for another.
1377
Oko dùn ńro làgbẹ̀dẹ ṣe ńr'ọkọ́.
- Literal translation
- If farming were that easy, blacksmiths won't opt to make hoes.
- Meaning
- There's often more than meets the eyes
1378
Oko dùn ńro, l'agbẹdẹ ṣe ńrọ ọkọ́!
- Literal translation
- Farming is so great, which is why blacksmiths opt to make hoes (for others)!
- Meaning
- Be perceptive to read between the lines; the proverb employs sarcasm to indicate that actions generally speak louder than words.
1379
Oko dùn ún ro l'àgbẹ̀dẹ ṣe ńrọ ọkọ́.
- Literal translation
- If farming were that fantastic, would blacksmiths opt to make hoes (for others)?
- Meaning
- Look beyond the surface: think critically; don't be naive or simplistic; things are often not quite as they appear.
1380
Oko dún ùn ro, l'àgbẹ̀dẹ ṣe ńr'ọkọ́.
- Literal translation
- Farming is so nice, yet blacksmiths choose to make hoes.
- Meaning
- Actions speak better and louder than words