Yorùbá proverbs
1701
Tí orí bá pẹ́ ní'lẹ̀ ó ńlá ti di ire ni
- Literal translation
- A person who remains unengaged for long, will eventually be favoured.
- Meaning
- The best is yet to come
1702
Tí orí bá pẹ́ ní'lẹ̀ ó ńlá ti di ire ni.
- Literal translation
- A person who remains unengaged for long, will eventually be favoured.
- Meaning
- The best is yet to come
1703
Tí orí kan bá sunwọ̀n á ran'gba
- Literal translation
- If one head is blessed, it positively impacts two hundred others
- Meaning
- Success is contagious
1704
Tí orí kan bá sunwọ̀n á ran'gba.
- Literal translation
- If one head is blessed it will positively impact two hundred others.
- Meaning
- Success can be contagious.
1705
Tí orí kan bá sunwọ̀n, á ran igba.
- Literal translation
- If one head is blessed, it positively impacts two hundred others.
- Meaning
- Success can be contagious
1706
Tí ọ̀rọ̀ ba pẹ́ á d'ìtàn.
- Literal translation
- When a matter tarries, it eventually becomes history.
- Meaning
- No matter how long, every issue will one day expire.
1707
Tí ọ̀rọ̀ bá pẹ́ á dìtàn
- Literal translation
- When an issue tarries, it will eventually become history.
- Meaning
- No matter how long an issue endures, it'll one day end
1708
Tí ọ̀rọ̀ bá pẹ́, á dìtàn
- Literal translation
- When a matter tarries, it'll eventually become history
- Meaning
- no matter how long an issue endures, it will one day end
1709
Tí ọ̀rọ̀ bá pẹ́, á dìtàn.
- Literal translation
- When an issue tarries, it will eventually become history.
- Meaning
- No matter how long an issue takes, it will one day come to an end; regardless of how it looks, certainly has an expiry date; keep hope alive: nothing lasts forever
1710
Tí ọ̀rọ̀ bá pọ̀jù ìsọkúsọ lẹ̀dá yóò máa sọ.
- Literal translation
- If a person talks too much, he will talk out of turn.
- Meaning
- Moderation and tact in speech
1711
Tí owó ò bá tí ì dé ọwọ̀ èyàn, ìwà oníwà ló máa máa hù.
- Literal translation
- You will never know who anyone really is until he or she becomes wealthy.
- Meaning
- Be perceptive; never presume to really know who anyone is until he or she is financially independent.
1712
Timú yé'mú tímú fi ńfọn.
- Literal translation
- The nose has its reasons for being noisy when blown.
- Meaning
- Tolerance is it; people have their reasons.
1713
Tó bá kù díẹ̀ kí ọmọ olóore jìn sí kòtò, mànàmáná á ṣiṣẹ́ ìmọ́lẹ̀ fún un
- Literal translation
- Even if it's just a little before a kind person stumbles into a ditch, the lightning will strike to light up his or her path.
- Meaning
- Kindness pays; help always abounds for a good person
1714
Tó bá kù díẹ̀ kí ọmọ olóore jìn sí kòtò, mànàmáná á ṣiṣẹ́ imole fún un.
- Literal translation
- Just before a kind person would stumble into a ditch (in darkness), the lightning would light up his or her path.
- Meaning
- A kind person will always abound in help; sow good seeds and harvest good fruits.
1715
Tó bá kù díẹ̀ kí ọmọ olóore jìn sí kòtò, mànàmáná á ṣiṣẹ́ ìmọ́lẹ̀ fún un.
- Literal translation
- Just before a kind person would stumble into a ditch (in darkness), the lightning would light up his or her path to save the day.
- Meaning
- Kindness pays: it's good to be good; kind acts are never lost.
1716
Tojú tìyẹ́ l'àparò fi ńríran.
- Literal translation
- It is with both its eyes and feathers that a patridge, sees.
- Meaning
- Be extra-vigilant
1717
Tútù ní ńtẹnu ẹja wá.
- Literal translation
- It's cold things that come out of the mouth of a fish.
- Meaning
- One's words should be comely
1718
Wàrà ò sí loni, wàrà ńbẹ lọla.
- Literal translation
- There may not be milk today, but there'll be milk tommorrow.
- Meaning
- Keep hope alive!
1719
Wọ́n fi ẹ́ ṣe ẹẹ̀kẹrin ìlú, ò ńbínú, ṣé ẹ̀yin mẹ́rin lẹ̀ wà ní ìlú ni?
- Literal translation
- You were displeased when designated the fourth (to the throne) in a town; are there only four of you in the town?
- Meaning
- Lack of contentment can be self-limiting
1720
Wọ́n ní kí olókùnrùn ṣe 'tó' ó lóun ò lè ṣe 'tó tò tó'.
- Literal translation
- A sick man, asked to merely say 'to', profusely insisted he could not say 'to to to'.
- Meaning
- Wisdom is it; don't make a fuss to reject what could have been accepted with just mild, less onerous, concessions.