Yorùbá proverbs
1621
Tí ajá bá lẹ́ni lẹ́yìn yóò pa ọ̀bọ.
- Literal translation
- If a dog gets good backing it'll easily kill a monkey.
- Meaning
- Good backing often makes the difference
1622
Tí ajá ò bá rí, kì í gbó.
- Literal translation
- Dogs do not just bark for no reason.
- Meaning
- Every effect has an associated cause
1623
Tí àkàrà bá dé eyín akáyín á di egungun ni.
- Literal translation
- When the bean fritters get to the mouth of a toothless person, they'll seem like bones.
- Meaning
- A simple task is always complex to anyone ill-prepared for it.
1624
Tí àkàrà bá dé eyín akáyín, á di egungun ni.
- Literal translation
- When the bean fritter gets to the mouth of a toothless person, it would seem like bone.
- Meaning
- Preparation is crucial; a simple task is always complex to anyone ill-prepared for it
1625
Tí alẹ́ bá lẹ́, à á fi ọmọ ayò fún ayò.
- Literal translation
- When night falls the pieces of the "ayo" game are packed up.
- Meaning
- Doing things at their proper time
1626
Tí apá kò bá ṣe ṣán, a ńma a ka lórí ni.
- Literal translation
- If the arms cannot be swung, they are simply folded on the head.
- Meaning
- There is always a way out!
1627
Tí apá ò bá ṣe ṣán, a ńma a ka lórí ni
- Literal translation
- If the arms can't be swung, they are folded on the head.
- Meaning
- If plan A is impossible, pursue plan B
1628
Tí apá ò bá ṣeé ṣán, a máa ka lórí ni.
- Literal translation
- If the arms cannot be swung, they are simply folded on the head.
- Meaning
- An alternative way out exists
1629
Tí ayé bá wà lẹhìn aáyán, yóò pa adìyẹ.
- Literal translation
- If the world would back the cockroach, it woud kill the hen.
- Meaning
- Good backing empowers
1630
Tí ayé bá wà lẹyìn aáyán, yóò pa adìyẹ.
- Literal translation
- If the world backs the cockroach, it will kill the hen.
- Meaning
- Good backing often makes the difference
1631
Tí ẹ̀dá bá mọ iṣẹ́ àṣelà ni, ìwọ̀nba ni làálàá máa mọ
- Literal translation
- If man knows his destined path to success for sure, he'll hustle less
- Meaning
- Man proposes
1632
Tí ẹ̀dá bá mọ iṣẹ́ àṣelà ni, ìwọ̀nba ni làálàá máa mọ.
- Literal translation
- If we know our destined path to success for sure, we will hustle less.
- Meaning
- Man proposes, God disposes
1633
Tí ẹja bá sùn, ẹja á fi ẹja jẹ.
- Literal translation
- If a fish sleeps, it will be eaten up by another fish.
- Meaning
- Keep moving; be diligent; complacency is risky
1634
Tí ẹrú bá pẹ́ n'ílé á bú alájọbí.
- Literal translation
- If a slave dwells long with one, he will insult one's forebears.
- Meaning
- Familiarity breeds contempt
1635
Tí ẹrù bá pọ̀ lórí ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀, ó ńpa ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀ lara ni
- Literal translation
- If a plantain plant bears excessive burden, it will be detrimental to it.
- Meaning
- Be moderate
1636
Tí ẹṣin bá dá'ni a máa ńtun gùn ni.
- Literal translation
- If one is thrown by a horse, one ought to re-mount it again.
- Meaning
- Never give up!
1637
Tí ẹṣin bá dá'ni, a máa ńtun ùn gùn ni.
- Literal translation
- If one is thrown by a horse, one ought to remount it again.
- Meaning
- If you try and fail, try again; it's not how many times you fall that counts, but how many times you get up: if you won't give up, you will win, eventually.
1638
Tí ẹṣin bá dáni a máa ńtún un gùn ni
- Literal translation
- If one is thrown by a horse, one remounts it again.
- Meaning
- If you've failed at first; try again, and again
1639
Tí ẹṣin bá dáni a máa ńtún un gùn ni.
- Literal translation
- If one is thrown by a horse, one ought to persist in remounting it.
- Meaning
- Persist! Try again, and again,
1640
Tí ẹṣin bá dáni, a máa ńtun gùn ni
- Literal translation
- If one is thrown by a horse, one ought to remount the horse again.
- Meaning
- Be persistent; try again, and again