Yorùbá proverbs
1501
Orí ẹni ni í fini í jọba, ìwà èyàn ni í yọ èyàn lóyè.
- Literal translation
- Fate may enthrone one a king, but it's character that dethrones.
- Meaning
- Character limits
1502
Orí ẹni nií fini jọba, ìwà èyàn nií yọ èyàn lóyè
- Literal translation
- Fate does enthrone one a king, but it's character that dethrones.
- Meaning
- Character may limit
1503
Orí igi tó wọ́ làá wà táà rí èyí tó tọ́
- Literal translation
- It's while on the crooked tree that one will find the proper one.
- Meaning
- Make the best of where you are
1504
Orí igi tó wọ́ làá wà tí a rí èyí tó tọ́
- Literal translation
- It's while on the crooked tree one would discover the proper one
- Meaning
- Make the best of where you are
1505
Orí igi tó wọ́ làá wà, tí a rí èyí tó tọ́
- Literal translation
- It's while on a crooked tree that one will discover the proper one.
- Meaning
- Don't despise where you are
1506
Orí igi tó wọ́ làá wà, tí àá ti rí èyí tó tọ́.
- Literal translation
- It's while on a crooked tree that one will discover the proper one.
- Meaning
- Don't despise wherever you are; it may well be a stepping stone to greater heights.
1507
Orí igi tó wọ́, làá wà, táà rí èyí tó tọ́.
- Literal translation
- It's while on the crooked tree that one will find the proper one.
- Meaning
- Where we are; quite often, is a stepping stone to where we'd like to be: don't despise where you are.
1508
Orí kan ṣoṣo ni ejò ní tó fi ńtú igba orí ká.
- Literal translation
- The snake has only one single head, yet, with this, routs two hundred other heads.
- Meaning
- Not just the numbers, but the substance behind them that counts; not the quantity, but the quality that matters
1509
Orí ò mọ ibùsùn, ì bá tún ibẹ̀ ṣe láàárọ̀.
- Literal translation
- We do not know our future for certain, else we would have prepared for it, well ahead of time.
- Meaning
- No one knows the future, for certain; man proposes, God disposes.
1510
Orí ò mọ ibùsùn; ìbá tún ibẹ̀ ṣe láàárọ̀.
- Literal translation
- No one knows his or her future for certain; else one would have prepared for it, ahead of time.
- Meaning
- Man proposes, God disposes; no one knows the future for certain: hope absolutely on Him who does.
1511
Orí ò ní kún kún, kí a pa ejò nínú ẹ̀
- Literal translation
- The (hair on a) head can't be so bushy that a snake would be killed in it.
- Meaning
- Limits exist on issues
1512
Orí tí a fi ṣe èwe, ṣì ńbẹ lọ́rùn
- Literal translation
- The head that one has as a youngster, is still on one's neck.
- Meaning
- Some traits persist until old age.
1513
Orí tó máa j'ọba, kò ní ṣàì jẹẹ́.
- Literal translation
- A head destined to be king, can't but be crowned.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive
1514
Oríṣiríṣi ọ̀bẹ là ńrí lọ́jọ́ ikú erin.
- Literal translation
- All manner of knives show up upon the death of the elephant.
- Meaning
- A major setback can be humbling and make one vulnerable to all sorts of situations.
1515
Ọ̀rọ̀ gbogbo kì í sé lórí alábahun.
- Literal translation
- Every issue cannot but involve the tortoise.
- Meaning
- Walk in wisdom: don't be notorious; be even-tempered and unobtrusive.
1516
Ọ̀rọ̀ ìkọ̀kọ̀ ṣì ńbọ̀ ní'gbangba.
- Literal translation
- Whatever is carried out in secret will soon come out in the open.
- Meaning
- Nothing can remain hidden forever
1517
Ọ̀rọ̀ ò dun ọmọ ẹṣin; a mú ìyá a rẹ̀ so, ó ńjẹ oko kiri.
- Literal translation
- The colt has no shame; it's mother mare is tethered down, yet it goes about foraging.
- Meaning
- Prioritise: Handle first things, first; don't major on minors.
1518
Ọ̀rọ̀ ò dun ọmọ ẹṣin: a mú ìyá rẹ̀ so, ó ńjẹ oko kiri.
- Literal translation
- The foal really has no shame: it grazes about indifferently while its mother horse remains tethered down.
- Meaning
- Be perceptive; take responsibility; important matters are not to be treated with levity
1519
Ọ̀rọ̀ òkèèrè, bí kò bá lé kan, yóò dín kan.
- Literal translation
- Words heard from afar, if they are not overstated, they will be understated.
- Meaning
- Quite often, hearsays are unreliable
1520
Ọ̀rọ̀ pọ̀ nínú ìwé kọ́bọ̀.
- Literal translation
- There are exceeding details from a book (insignificantly) priced at 1 kobo.
- Meaning
- Much ado about nothing