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A di gàárì sílẹ̀ ewúrẹ́ ńyọjú; ẹrù ìran rẹ̀ ni? | We prepare the saddle, and the goat presents itself; is it a burden for the lineage of goats? |
A fi ọ́ jọba ò ńṣàwúre o fẹ́ jẹ Ọlọ́run ni? | You have been crowned a king, and yet you make good-luck charms; would you be crowned God? |
A fijó gba Awà; a fìjà gba Awà; bí a ò bá jó, bí a ò bá jà, bí a bá ti gba Awà, kò tán bí? | By dancing we take possession of Awà; through fighting we take possession of Awà; if we neither dance nor fight, but take possession of Awà anyway, is the result not the same? |
A gbé gàárì ọmọ ewurẹ ńrojú; kì í ṣe ẹrù àgùntàn. | We lift a saddle and the goat (kin) scowls; it is no burden for a sheep. |
A kì í bá ọba pàlà kí ọkọ́ ọba má ṣàn-ánni lẹ́sẹ̀. | One does not share a farm boundary with a king without getting one's feet gashed by the king's hoe. |
A kì í bínú ààtàn ká dalẹ̀ sígbẹ̀ẹ́. | One does not get angry with the rubbish dump and discard one's rubbish into the bush. |
A kì í bínú orí ká fi fìlà dé ìbàdí. | One does not get angry with one's head and therefore use one's cap to cover one's buttocks. |
A kì í bẹ̀rù ikú bẹ̀rù àrùn ká ní kí ọmọ ó kú sinni. | One does not so fear death and disease that one asks that one's child die before one. |
A kì í bọ òrìṣà lójú ọ̀fọ́n-ọ̀n; bó bá dalẹ́ a máa tú pẹpẹ. | One does not sacrifice to a god in the presence of a house rat; otherwise, when night falls it invades the rafter shelves. |
A kì í dàgbà má làáyà; ibi ayé bá báni là ńjẹ ẹ́. | One does not become an adult and yet lack courage; one lives life as it finds one. |
A kì í dá ọwọ́ lé ohun tí a ò lè gbé. | One does not lay one's hands on a load one cannot lift. |
A kì í dájọ́ orò ká yẹ̀ ẹ́. | One does not set the day for an orò rite and then ignore it. |
A kì í dákẹ́ ká ṣìwí; a kì í wò sùn-ùn ká dáràn. | One does not keep quiet and yet misspeak; one does not silently contemplate the world and yet get into trouble. |
A kì í dé Màrọ́kọ́ sin ẹlẹ́jọ́. | One does not arrive at Màrọ́kọ́ ahead of the litigant. |
A kì í fi gbèsè sọ́rùn ṣọ̀ṣọ́. | One does not carry debt around one's neck and live like a dandy. |
A kì í fi ìka ro etí, ká fi ro imú, ká wá tún fi ta ehín. | One does not use one's finger to clean one's ear passages, use it to pick one's nose, and then use it to pick one's teeth. |
A kì í fi orí wé oríi Mokúṣiré; bí Mokú kú láàárọ̀ a jí lálẹ́. | One does not liken one's fortune to Mokúṣiré's; if Mokú dies in the morning. he resurrects at night. |
A kì í fi pàtàkì bẹ́ èlùbọ́; ẹní bá níṣu ló ḿbẹ́ ẹ. | One does not come by yam-flour because of one's importance; only people who have yams can make yam flour. |
A kì í fini joyè àwòdì ká má lè gbádìẹ. | One cannot be given the title “eagle” and yet be incapable of snatching chickens. |
A kì í gbé sàráà kọjá-a mọ́ṣáláṣí. | One does not carry alms beyond the mosque. |
A kì í gbọ́ “Lù ú” lẹ́nu àgbà. | One never hears “Beat him/her up” in the mouth of an elder. |
A kì í gbọ́n ju ẹni tí a máa dÍfá fún. | One cannot be wiser than the person for whom one will consult the Ifá oracle. |
A kì í gbọ́n tó “Èmi-lóni-í.” | One cannot be as wise as “I-am-the-owner.” |
A kì í gbọ́n tó ẹni tí ńtannijẹ. | One is never as wise as the person deceiving one. |
A kì í gbọ́n tó Báyìí-ni-ngó-ṣe-ǹkan-àn-mi. | One cannot be as wise as “Thus-will-I-do-my-thing.” |
A kì í jayé ọba ká ṣu sára. | One does not so luxuriate in one's majesty that one shits on oneself. |
A kì í jẹ oyè ẹnu ọ̀nà kalẹ́. | One does not bear the title of gatekeeper even until night time. |
A kì í kó èlé ṣẹ̀ṣọ́. | One does not live fashionably on borrowed money. |
A kì í kórira ọ̀fọ́n-ọ̀n ká finá bọ ahéré. | One does not so hate the bush rat that one sets one's farm hut alight. |
A kì í kọ́ àgbàlagbà pé bó bá rún kó rún. | One does not teach an elder that what has been crushed should remain crushed. |
A kì í kọ ẹlẹ́ṣin ká tún lọ fẹ́ ẹlẹ́sẹ̀. | One does not divorce a horse rider and go marry a pedestrian. |
A kì í lé èkúté ilé ẹni ká fọwọ́ ṣẹ́. | One does not shoosh the mouse in one's house and break one's hand. |
A kì í mọ́ egbò fúnra ẹni ká sunkún. | One does not treat one's own sore and yet cry from the pain. |
A kì í mọ ìyá Òjó ju Òjó lọ. | One does not presume to know Òjó's mother better than Òjó himself does. |
A kì í mọ ọ̀nà ọgbà ju ọlọ́gbà lọ; ẹní múni wá là ńtẹ̀lé. | One does not presume to know the way to or around a garden better than the owner of the garden; one always follows the person who brought one. |
A kì í mọ̀-ọ́ rò bí ẹlẹ́jọ́. | One never knows how to present it like the owner of the case. |
A kì í mú oko lọ́nà ká ṣèmẹ́lẹ́; tajá tẹran ní ḿbúni. | One does not farm a plot by the road and neglect its care; every dog and goat would ridicule one. |
A kì í ní agbára kékeré ṣe èkejì. | One does not offer to second a combatant in spite of one's negligible strength. |
A kì í ní ọ̀kánjúwà ká mọ̀; ará ilé ẹni ní ńsọ fúnni. | One does not know that one has covetousness; it is one's kin who so inform one. |
A kì í pe ìyàwó kó kan alárẹnà. | One does not summon the wife and so involve the go-between. |
A kì í peni lákọ ẹran ká ṣorí bòró. | One does not enjoy the designation “He Goat” and yet sport a smooth (horn-less) head. |
A kì í pẹ̀lú ọ̀bọ jáko. | One does not join a monkey in roaming the bush. |
A kì í ṣíwájú ẹlẹ́èẹ́dẹ́. | One does not conclude for the person who says “Ẹ̀ẹ́dẹ́ . . .” |
A kì í yàgò fún “Mo gun ẹṣin rí o!” | One does not get out of the way for “I used to ride a horse!” |
A kì í yàgò fún ẹlẹ́ṣin àná. | One does not get out of the way for a person who rode a horse yesterday. |
A léṣu sílẹ̀ páńdọ̀rọ̀-ọ́ já lù ú; èlé mbénì? | We group yams in lots and the fruit of the sausage tree drops among them; does it count as complement to a lot, or as gratuity? |
À ḿbáni mú adìẹ à ńforúnkún bó; bọ́wọ́ bá ba òkókó, a ò ní fún aládìẹ? | One helps to catch a chicken and scrapes one's knees; having laid one's hands on the chick will one not hand it over to the owner? |
À ḿbẹ̀rù alájá, ajá ṣebí òun là ḿbẹ̀rù. | One shows deference to the dog's owner, and the dog thinks the deference is to it. |
À ńgé e lọ́wọ́, ó ḿbọ òrùka. | His hand is being severed, yet he is slipping on a ring. |
A ní ká wá ẹni tó lẹ́hìn ká fọmọ fún, abuké ní òun rèé; ti gànnàkù ẹ̀hìn-in rẹ̀ là ńwí? | One seeks a person with a prominent back as suitor for one's daughter, and the humpback presents himself; who spoke of protruding back? |
A ní Tanlúkú ò mọ̀-ọ́ jó, Tàǹlukú wá gbè é lẹ́sẹ̀. | People say that Tanlúkú is a poor dancer, and Tanlùkù comes to his aid. |
À ńjá ìbàǹtẹ́ ẹ̀ lẹ́hìn, ó ńjá tará iwájú. | His loincloth is being stripped from behind, yet he is stripping those of the people ahead of him. |
À ńsọ̀rọ̀ olè, aboyún ńdáhùń; odiidi èèyàn ló gbé pamọ́. | We speak of stealing and a pregnant woman intervenes; she herself is concealing a whole person. |
À ńsunkún Awúgbó, Awúgbó ò sunkún ara-a ẹ̀. | We lament Awúgbó's plight; Awúgbó does not lament his own plight. |
À ńwá ẹni tí a ó fọmọ fún, olòṣì ńyọjú. | We seek a person to give a child to (in marriage) and a worthless person presents himself. |
À ńwọ́nà àti fi aṣiwèrè sílẹ̀, ó ní bí a bá dé òkè odò ká dúró de òun. | People are scheming to shake an imbecile from their company, and he asks that they wait for him on reaching the bank of the river. |
A ò lóbìnrin à ńdá oóyọ́ sí; bí a bá dá oóyọ́ sí ewúrẹ́ ni yó jẹ ẹ́. | Without having a wife a person spares oóyọ́ |
A ò mọ ohun tí eléwé-e gbégbé ńtà kó tó sọ pé ọjà ò tà. | One does not know what the seller of gbégbé leaves was selling before she started complaining about the slow market. |
A ò mọ ohun tí Dárò-ó ní kó tó wí pé olè-é kó òun. | One does not know what Dárò owned before he claimed to have been robbed. |
A pè ọ́ lọ́mọ erín-màgbọn ò ńyọ̀; ìwọ pàápàá ló mì í? | You are described as the child of the elephant that swallows coconuts, and you rejoice; are you the one who swallows coconuts? |
A rí èyí rí ni tonílé; a ò rí èyí rí ni tàlejò; bónílé bá ní ká jẹ ẹ́ tán, àlejò a ní ká jẹ ẹ́ kù. | “Its likes have been seen before,” is what the host says; “No one has ever seen its likes before,” is what the guest says; if the host says that we should empty the plate, the guest should argue for leaving a little. |
A rígi lóko ká tó fi ọ̀mọ̀ gbẹ́ ìlù. | We saw other trees in the bush before we settled on ọ̀mọ̀ |
A sìnkú tán, alugbá ò lọ́ ó fẹ́ ṣúpó ni? | The funeral is over, but the calabash beater does not take his leave; does he want to inherit a wife? |
Àbá ni ikán ńdá; ikán ò lè mu òkúta. | The termite is only striving; it can never eat a rock. |
A-báni-gbé kì í yáná; a-bọ̀rìṣà kì í sun òtútù; ẹyin gẹ́gẹ́ kì í gbé àwùjọ́; ilé kannáà ni wọ́n kọ́ fún àwọn mẹ́tẹ̀ẹ̀ta. | A guest does not warm himself by the fire; a priest or priestess does not sleep in the cold; a delicate egg does not live in a crowd; the same house was built for all three. |
A-bánijẹun-bí-aláìmọra, ó bu òkèlè bí ẹ̀gbọ́n ìyá ẹ̀. | He-who-eats-with-one-without-self-restraint; he breaks off morsels like his mother's senior. |
A-bèèrè kì í ṣìnà. | He who asks the way does not lose his way. |
À-bí-ì-kọ́; à-kọ́-ì-gbà; òde ló ti ńkọ́gbọ́n wálé. | A-child-that-was-never-taught-how-to-behave; a-child-that-was-taught-but-that-refused-to-heed-instruction; it is from outside the home that he will learn wisdom. |
A-binú-fùfù ní ńwá oúnjẹ fún a-binú-wẹ́rẹ́-wẹ́rẹ́. | A volatile-tempered person secures food for a mild-tempered person. |
Aboyún kì í jó bẹ̀m̀bẹ́; a-bodò-ikùn-kẹ̀rẹ̀bẹ̀tẹ̀. | A pregnant woman does not dance to bẹ̀m̀bẹ́ music; pendulous-stomached woman. |
Àbọ̀ ejò kì í gbé isà. | Half a snake does not live in a burrow. |
Abùlàǹgà kì í ṣasán; bíyàá ò lọ́rọ̀, baba a lówó lọ́wọ́. | The arrogant person is not arrogant for nothing; if his mother is not wealthy, his father must be rich. |
Abùléra ọ̀fọ́n-ọ̀n; ó ní ọjọ́ tí ológbò-ó ti bí òun ò ìtí-ì dá a ní báríkà. | Mouse-that-does-not-know-its-place; it says that since the day the cat delivered (a baby) it has not gone to offer congratulations. |
Àbúrò kì í pa ẹ̀gbọ́n nítàn. | The younger person does not give the older person history lectures. |
Àbúrò rẹ ńdáṣọ fún ọ, o ní o ò lo elékuru; ta ní ńlo alákàrà? | Your junior brother (or sister) buys clothing for you, and you say you will not wear anything with bean-grits patterns; who has the right to opt for clothing with a bean-fritter patterns? |
A-dá-má-lè-ṣe àdàbà tí ńdún bẹ̀m̀bẹ̀. | Start-something-it-cannot-finish dove that makes bombastic noises. |
Adìẹ funfun ò mọ ara ẹ̀ lágbà. | The white chicken does not recognize itself as an elder. |
Adìẹ ò bí yọyọ kú yọ̀. | A chicken does not give birth to a multitude of chicks and die of the exertion. |
Adìẹ́ tó ṣu tí kò tọ̀, ara-a rẹ̀ ló kù sí.; | The chicken that shits and does not piss retains the rest in its body. |
A-dìtan-mọ́ èsúó; ó ní èkùlù ló bí ìyá òun. | The red-flanked duiker, desperate to claim relationship, says that its mother was born of a crested duiker. |
Adígbọ́nránkú ńfikú ṣeré. | Death-feigning-beetle flirts with death. |
Adẹ́tẹ̀ẹ́ ní òun ò lè fún wàrà, ṣùgbọ́n òún lè yí i dànù. | The leper says he may not be able to squeeze out milk, but he can spill it. |
Adẹ́tẹ̀-ẹ́ rí wèrè, ó kán lùgbẹ́. | The leper sees a mad person and dashes into the bush. |
Adẹ́tẹ̀-ẹ́ sọ̀rọ̀ méjì, ọ́ fìkan purọ́; ó ní nígbàtí òún lu ọmọ òun lábàrá, òún já a léèékánná pàtì. | The leper said two things, one of them being a lie; he said after he had struck his child with his palm, he also pinched him severely with his nails. |
Adití ò gbọ́, “Yàgò!” | The deaf does not hear,“Make way!” |
À-fà-tiiri ni tìyàwó; bí a bá fà á tí kò tiiri, ó ní ohun tó ńṣe é. | Resisting-while-being-pulled is the proper behavior for a bride; if she is pulled and she does not resist, something is the matter with her. |
Àfi ohun tí a kì í tà lọ́jà lẹrú kì í jẹ. | The only thing a slave cannot eat is something not available in the market. |
Afínjúu Ààré; ó fi àkísà dí orùbà; ó ńwá ẹniire-é bá sú epo. | Fashionable woman of Ààre, she cocks her oil jar with a rag, and she expects good people to buy oil from her. |
Afínjú ní ńjẹ iwọ; ọ̀mọ̀ràn ní ńjẹ obì; màrí-màjẹ ní ńjẹ awùsá. | It is a finicky person that eats iwọ; |
Afínjú-u póńpólà, ogé kun osùn láìwẹ. | Unusual-fashionable-person, the preener anoints herself with camwood without taking a bath. |
Afínjú wọ ọjà ó rìn gbẹndẹ́kẹ ọ̀bún wọ ọjà ó rìn ṣùẹ̀ṣùẹ̀; ọ̀bùn ní ó ru ẹrù afínjú relé. | The fashionable person enters the market and walks in a leisurely manner; the filthy person enters the market and walks in a sluggish manner; it is the filthy person that will carry the fashionable person's load to the house for him or her. |
Àfòpiná tó fẹ́ paná-a súyà: ẹrán pọ̀ sí i. | The moth (that) tries to put out the barbecue fire: the meat becomes more plentiful. |
Àfòpiná tó ní òun ó pa fìtílà, ara ẹ̀ ni yó pa. | The moth that attempts to kill (put out) the oil lamp will kill itself. |
Afọ́jú tó dijú, tó ní òún sùn, ìgbàtí kò sùn ta ló rí? | The blind person who shuts his eyes and says he is asleep, when he was not asleep whom did he see? |
A-fọ́nú-fọ́ra ní ńfi òṣì jó bàtá. | It is a person who is both incapable of thought and shameless that dances to bàtá music while in poverty. |
Àgó tó gbó ṣáṣá, ẹ̀bìtí pa á, áḿbọ̀sì olóósè a-bara-kùọ̀kùọ̀. | The nimble, sprightly rat fell victim to the trap, how much more the sluggish, sickly mouse. |
Àgùnbánirọ̀ ní ńfojúdini. | It is the person taller than another who shows no respect for the other. |
Àgbà ajá kì í bàwọ̀jẹ́. | A grown dog does not deface its skin. |
Àgbà ìmàle kì í káṣọ kọ́rùn. | A muslim elder does not throw a sheet over his shoulder for clothing. |
Àgbà kán ṣe bẹ́ẹ̀ lÓgùn; Yemaja ló gbé e lọ. | An elderly person tried it “something” in the river Ògùn; the river goddess carried him away. |