Yorùbá proverbs
1421
Ọlọ́run tó ńse'bẹ̀, kò tí ì kúrò ní ìdí ààrò.
- Literal translation
- God who is cooking the soup, has not left the kitchen.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive; never give up
1422
Ọlọ́run tó ńsebẹ̀, ò kúrò ní ìdí ààrò.
- Literal translation
- God who is cooking the soup, has not left the kitchen.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive; Never give up!
1423
Olúkálùkù ló mọ bó ṣe ńrìn tí ilẹ̀ fi ńṣú u.
- Literal translation
- Everyone knows how he or she walks until the night falls.
- Meaning
- To each their own; people have (and are entitled to) their choices, and have their reasons: let them be; be hesitant to play the expert in another's matter.
1424
Olúkálùkù ló mọ bó ṣe ńrìn tí ilẹ̀ fi ńṣúu
- Literal translation
- Each person knows how he moves until night falls on him
- Meaning
- Different strokes for different folks
1425
Omi adágún a b'èérí lójú, èyí tó ńlọ tó nbọ ló ńmo
- Literal translation
- Stagnant water is replete with dirt; the flowing stream remains clean.
- Meaning
- Keep moving
1426
Omi adágún a b'èérí lójú, èyí tó ńlọ tó nbọ ló ńmọ́.
- Literal translation
- Stagnant water is replete with dirt; it's the flowing stream that remains clean.
- Meaning
- Keep moving; inactivity can be risky.
1427
Omi gbígbóná kì í pẹ́ lẹ́nu.
- Literal translation
- Hot water cannot be long in the mouth.
- Meaning
- Stressful
1428
Omi kì í korò lẹ́nu láì ní ìdí.
- Literal translation
- Water does not taste bitter in the mouth without a reason.
- Meaning
- There is a reason for every seeming anomaly
1429
Omi kìí korò lẹ́nu láì níìdí
- Literal translation
- Water never tastes bitter in the mouth without a reason.
- Meaning
- No smoke without fire;unusual occurrences are caused
1430
Omi ńṣàn ní ìdí ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀, ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀ ńsunkún omi
- Literal translation
- Water is flowing at the base of plantain plant, yet it weeps for water
- Meaning
- Lack amidst plenty
1431
Omi ńṣàn ní ìdí ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀, ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀ ńsunkún omi.
- Literal translation
- Water flows at the base of plantain plant, yet it weeps for water.
- Meaning
- Lack amidst plenty
1432
Omi tí èyàn máa mu kò ní ṣàn kọjá rẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- A stream from which one will drink will not flow beyond one's reach.
- Meaning
- Be patient!
1433
Omi tí èyàn máa mu ò ní ṣàn kọjá rẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- A stream from which one will drink won't flow beyond one's reach.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive
1434
Omi tí èyàn máa mu, kò ní ṣàn kọjá rẹ̀
- Literal translation
- A stream from which one would drink won't flow beyond one's reach.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive; don't give up
1435
Omi tí èyàn máa mu, kò ní ṣàn kọjá rẹ̀.
- Literal translation
- A stream from which one will drink will not flow beyond one's reach.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive; never give up
1436
Omi tó tán lẹ́hìn ẹja ló sọọ́ di èrò ìṣasùn
- Literal translation
- Absence of water's backing is what made the fish an item in a cooking pot.
- Meaning
- Good support is it
1437
Omi tó tán lẹ́hìn ẹja ló sọọ́ di èrò ìṣasùn.
- Literal translation
- Absence of water's backing is what made the fish an item in a cooking pot.
- Meaning
- Good support matters; seek and cultivate it; one may be helpless, without it
1438
Omidan tó lóun yóò jẹ oyè abọ́bakú, òwe burúkù ló ńpa fún Olorì l'áàfin
- Literal translation
- A young lady who insists she'd like to die with the king, is really sending the queen a lousy message.
- Meaning
- Not all positive gestures are noble: look beyond the surface; don't be naive.
1439
Omidan tó lóun yóò jẹ oyè abọ́bakú, òwe burúkù ló ńpa fún Olorì láàfin
- Literal translation
- A maiden, who insists she'd take up the title reserved for those to be buried with the king when he dies, is really sending a nasty message to the queen.
- Meaning
- Not all positive gestures are noble; be perceptive
1440
Omidan tó lóun yóò jẹ oyè abọ́bakú, òwe burúkù ló ńpa fún Olorì láàfin.
- Literal translation
- A maiden who says she's prepared to die with the king is actually sending the queen a nasty proverbial message.
- Meaning
- Not all positive gestures are noble; be perceptive.