Yoruba proverbs and their meaning
Translation: The head of an old man is bald because he has taken on so much trouble on his head in his lifetime.
Proverb: Ile oba t’o jo, ewa lo busi
Translation: When a king’s palace burns down, the re-built palace turns out even to be more beautiful.
Meaning: Necessity is the mother of invention; great feats are achieved after overcoming many difficulties.
Proverb: Gbogbo alangba lo d’anu dele, a ko mo eyi t’inu nrun
Meaning: Everyone looks the same on the outside but all have different problems they are dealing with that you do not know about
Proverb: Ile la ti n ko eso re ode
Translation: Charity begins at home
Meaning: Good manners, ethics, character and behaviour are learnt from the home; therefore you can trace a man’s behaviours (good or bad) to his/her background.
Proverb: A pę ko to jęun, ki ję ibaję
Translation: The person who eats late, will not eat spoilt or rotten food
Proverb: Bí a bá ro dídùn ifọ̀n á ó ọ’ra déegun
Translation: If a person thinks of the pleasure gotten while having an itch on the body he or she is likely to keep scratching out the skin till it gets to the bone
Meaning: There are limits and boundaries to everything in life and it is important one bears this in mind so as to avoid calamities’
Proverb: Akìí rí ẹfọ̀n ta lẹ́ẹ̀ mejì
Translation:
Meaning: This proverb is often used when advising a person who is about to make a decision to be careful and make the right one. Opportunities come but once
Proverb: Ọmọdé kìí mọ Ori jẹ kí ó mà ràa lọ́wọ́
Translation: A Child does not know how to eat pap without making a stain on his hand.
Meaning: The way we know a child is how he or she eats; staining his hands and wasteful of food. This proverb is used when one is apologizing on behalf of a younger one who has offended or has been rude to an adult, emphasizing that the child was only being childish and should be forgiven.
Meaning: The pot cannot contain both the palm fruit and water at the same time
Meaning: Two masters cannot ride one boat/ Two incompatible people cannot live or work together
Proverb: Òkú ò mọ iye aa ra agọ̀
Translation: The dead does not know how much casket is bought
Meaning: This proverb is used when addressing a person who good things without care, mostly because he is not the one who paid the price for it
Meaning: If a Horse fell someone, what we do is to re-climb it
Translation: When a plan falls out, you should not give up but keep trying
Translation: There was a witch cry yesterday and a child died today. Who wouldn’t know it is the witch who is responsible for the child’s death
Meaning: There was a threat yesterday and a tragedy struck today, who wouldn’t know it is the one who threatened to strike yesterday that is responsible for the tragedy
Proverb: Bí kò fę ju ìpàkó, ęşin tí ó ngùn á ję kojū
Translation: No one rides a horse without voluntarily or involuntarily moving his head,
Proverb: Bí abá so òkò sójà ará ilé eni ní bá
Translation: He who throws a stone in the market will hit someone he knows
Meaning: Just as the market place is often crowded, so is life and people’s paths cross easily, so be careful of your deeds because it may bounce back on you
Meaning: Whenever an older one is present, he is able to correct things that are not in place because he or she is more experienced and wiser
Proverb: Adìẹ funfun kò mọ ara rẹ̀lágbà
Translation: The white chicken does not realize its age
Proverb: Ọbẹ̀ kìí gbé inú àgbà mì
Translation: The soup does not move round in an elder’s belly
Meaning: One should be able to keep secrets
Translation: A sculptor is summoned but it is the woodpecker that shows up
Proverb: Eni bama m’obo akoko se bi lagido
Translation: To catch a monkey, you must act one
Meaning: In some situations, you have to act the part in order to get what you want
Proverb: Díẹ̀ díẹ̀ nimú ẹlẹ́dẹ̀ẹ́ fi ń wọgbà
Meaning: Catch the little foxes before they destroy the vineyard. Attend to a small problem before it becomes bigger and more difficult to handle
Proverb: Iy’o wu mi e wue, oun e, ni mu omo iya meji jeun ototo
Translation: It is differences in likes and dislikes that make two brothers eat separately