Yoruba proverbs
Òwe lẹṣin ọ̀rọ̀ — “proverbs are the horses of speech”: when words get lost, proverbs carry the meaning home.
FamilyAwaiting linguist review
A kì í fi ọwọ́ òsì júwe ilé bàbá ẹni.“One does not point to one's father's house with the left hand.”Meaning: Show respect for your heritage and origins.WisdomAwaiting linguist reviewBí ọmọdé bá ṣubú, á wo iwájú; bí àgbà bá ṣubú, á wo ẹ̀yìn.“When a child falls, it looks ahead; when an elder falls, they look back.”Meaning: Experience teaches us to look for the cause of our mistakes.FamilyAwaiting linguist reviewIlé la ti ń kẹ́ṣọ̀ ròde.“It is from home that one dresses properly before going out.”Meaning: Good conduct starts at home; charity begins at home.CharacterAwaiting linguist reviewSùúrù ni baba ìwà.“Patience is the father of character.”Meaning: Patience is the foundation of every other virtue.LeadershipAwaiting linguist reviewÀgbà kì í wà lọ́jà kí orí ọmọ títún wọ́.“An elder is not present in the market while a baby's head is left lolling awkwardly.”Meaning: When responsible elders are present, things should not go wrong.CommunityAwaiting linguist reviewÀgbájọ ọwọ́ la fi ń sọ̀yà.“It is with all the fingers together that we beat the chest.”Meaning: Unity gives strength; no one achieves great things alone.WisdomAwaiting linguist reviewÌgbà kan ń lọ, ìgbà kan ń bọ̀.“One season is going, another is coming.”Meaning: Circumstances change; hard times and good times both pass.CharacterAwaiting linguist reviewÌwà lẹwà.“Character is beauty.”Meaning: Good character matters more than looks.EducationAwaiting linguist reviewỌmọ tí a kò kọ́ ni yóò gbé ilé tí a kọ́ tà.“The child we fail to train is the one who will sell the house we built.”Meaning: Neglecting a child's upbringing destroys what the family has built.RelationshipsAwaiting linguist reviewỌwọ́ ọmọdé kò tó pẹpẹ, tàgbàlagbà kò wọ akèrègbè.“A child's hand cannot reach the high shelf; an elder's hand cannot fit into the gourd.”Meaning: Young and old need each other; each generation has what the other lacks.WisdomAwaiting linguist reviewỌ̀nà kan ò wọ ọjà.“No single road leads into the market.”Meaning: There is more than one way to reach a goal.WisdomAwaiting linguist reviewỌ̀rọ̀ púpọ̀ kò kún agbọ̀n.“Many words do not fill a basket.”Meaning: Talk is no substitute for action.