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Àṣejù baba àṣetẹ́; ẹ̀tẹ́ ní ńgbẹ̀hìn àṣejù; àgbàlagbà tó wẹ̀wù àṣejù ẹ̀tẹ́ ni yó fi rí.

Lack of moderation is the father of disgrace; disgrace comes of immoderation; a grown person who clothes himself in immoderation will find disgrace.

À-sẹ́-kú làgbàlagbà ńsẹ́ ọ̀ràn.

Denying-until-death is the way a venerable person denies a matter.

Àṣẹ̀ṣẹ̀yọ màrìwò, ó ní òun ó kan ọ̀run; àwọn aṣáájúu rẹ̀-ẹ́ ṣe bẹ́ẹ̀ rí?

The newly emerged palm frond says it will touch the sky; did those that came before it do so?

Àṣẹ̀ṣẹ̀yọ ọ̀gọmọ̀ ó ní òun ó kan ọ̀run; àwọn aṣáájú ẹ̀-ẹ́ ṣe bẹ́ẹ̀ rí?

This is a variant of the previous entry, using a different name, ọ̀gọmọ̀, for palm frond.

Aṣiwèrè èèyàn ní ńsọ pé irú òun ò sí; irúu rẹ̀-ẹ́ pọ̀ ó ju ẹgbàágbèje lọ.

Only an imbecile says there is no one else like himself; the likes of him are many more than several thousands.

Aṣọ à-fọ̀-fún ò jẹ́ ká mọ olówó.

Clothes washed clean make identifying the rich person impossible.

Aṣọ tó kuni kù ní ńjẹ́ gọgọwú.

Whatever clothing one is left with is one's best.

A-ṣúra-mú ò tẹ́ bọ̀rọ̀.

A person who is mindful of his/her image is not easily disgraced.

À-tẹ́-ẹ̀-ká ni iyì ọlọ́lá; sálúbàtà ni iyì ọlọ̀tọ̀; bá a bá gbéra lágbèéjù ọba ni wọ́n ńfini íṣe

Spreading-the-mat-without-rolling-it-back-up is the mark of the wealthy; sandals are the mark of the illustrious; if one sings one's praise too loudly one is liable to be made a king.

À-wín-ná-wó ò yẹni; à-gbà-bọ̀-ọ ṣòkòtò ò yẹ ọmọ èèyàn; bí kò fúnni lẹ́sẹ̀ a dòrògí; ohun ẹni ní ńyẹni.

Borrowing-money-to-spend does not speak well of one; borrowed trousers do not become a person; if it is not tight around the legs it is difficult to remove; it is one's thing that fits one.

Àwòrò tí a ò bá lù kì í luni.

A priest one does not hit does not hit one.

A-wọ̀lú-má-tẹ̀ẹ́, ìwọ̀n ara-a rẹ̀ ló mọ̀.

One-who-enters-a-town-and-maintains-his/her-reputation does because he/she knows his/her place.

Àwúrèbeé ní òún lè yẹ̀nà; ta ní jẹ́ tọ ọ̀nà àwúrèbe?

Àwúrebe says it can make a path; who would wish to follow a path it makes?

Àáyá yó níjọ́ kan, ó ní ká ká òun léhín ọ̀kánkán.

The Colobus monkey ate its fill one day, and asked that his front teeth be knocked out.

Aáyán ati eèràá ṣígun, wọ́n ní àwọ́n ńlọ mú adìẹ àlọ la rí, a ò rábọ̀.

Cockroach and ant make ready for war and say they are off to capture chicken; we see their departure, but not their return.

Aáyán fẹ gẹṣin; adìẹ ni ò gbà fún un.

The cockroach would ride a horse; it is the chicken that does not allow.

Aáyán fẹ́ jó; adìẹ ni ò jẹ́.

The cockroach would dance; it is the chicken that does not allow.

Aáyán kì í yán ẹsẹ̀ erin; èèyàn kì í yán ẹsẹ̀ irò.

A cockroach does not trip an elephant; a human being does not trip a chimpanzee.

Ayọ̀ àyọ̀jù làkèré fi ńṣẹ́ nítan.

It is excessive rejoicing that breaks the frog's thigh.

Àyọ̀-yó ni bàtá à-jó-fẹ-ehín.

Dancing to bàtá music and exposing one's teeth is excessive happiness.

Ó bọ́ lọ́wọ́ iyọ̀ ó dòbu.

Salt loses its good quality and becomes like saltpeter.

Ó bọ́ lọ́wọ́ oṣù ó dàràn-mọ́jú.

The moon loses its esteem and shines all night long.

O dájú dánu, o ò mọ ẹ̀sán mẹ́sàn-án.

Your eyes flinch not and your mouth is unstoppable, but you do not know nine times nine.

Ó di àwùjọ ṣòkòtò kí ládugbó tó mọ ara rẹ̀ Lábèṣè.

Not until the gathering of trousers will Ládugbo know itself as a miscreant.

Ó di ọjọ́ alẹ́ kábuké tó mọ̀ pé iké kì í ṣọmọ.

It will not be until the end of days before the humpback realizes that a hump is not a child.

O kò mọ ẹ̀wà lóńjẹ à-jẹ-sùn.

You do not know what black eyed peas are like for dinner.

Ò ńjàgbọ̀nrín èṣín lọ́bẹ̀, o ní o ti tó tán.

You are reduced to eating last year's antelope in your stew, and yet you claim to have attained the height of good fortune.

O ru ládugbó ò ńrerá; kí ni ká sọ fẹ́ni tó ru Òrìṣà-a Yemọja?

Because you are carrying a huge pot you strut; what would one say to the person carrying the divinity Yemoja?

Ó tọ́ kí eégún léni lóko àgbàdo, èwo ni ti Pákọ̀kọ̀ láàrin ìlú?

It might be seemly for a masquerader to chase one off a corn farm, but it is not seemly for Pákọ̀kọ̀ to chase one in the middle of town.

Ó yẹ ẹni gbogbo kó sọ pé iṣu ò jiná, kò yẹ alubàtá.

Everybody has a right to say the yams are not well cooked, but not the bàtá drummer.

Ó yẹ ẹni gbogbo kó dínwó aró, kò yẹ atọ̀ọ́lé.

It is fitting for everybody to bargain to reduce the cost of dyeing clothes, but not the bed wetter.

Ó yẹ ẹni gbogbo kó sọ pé “Ọlọ́run a-ṣèkan-má-kù,” kò yẹ akúkó.

Everyone can justifiably say, “God, who has left nothing undone,” but not a eunuch.

Odò kékeré lalákàn-án ti lè fọ́ epo; bó bá di àgàdàm̀gbá tán, odò a gbé alákàn lọ.

It is only in a small stream that the crab can make its oil; when it becomes huge and swift the river sweeps the crab away.

Òfin ni yó sọ ara ẹ̀; ìyàwó tí ńna ọmọ ìyálé.

The law will assert itself, “as in the case of” a junior wife flogging the child of the senior wife.

Ogun tí olójúméjìí rí sá ni olójúkan-án ní òún ńlọ jà.

The war that the two-eyed person saw and fled is the same the one-eyed person vows he will join.

Ohun méjì ló yẹ Ẹ̀ṣọ́: Ẹ̀ṣọ́ jà, ó lé ogun; Ẹ̀ṣọ́ jà ó kú sógun.

Only two things are proper for a warrior: the warrior goes to war and drives the enemy off; the warrior goes to war and dies in battle.

Ohun tí à ńtà là ńjẹ; kì í ṣe ọ̀rọ̀ oní-kẹrosíìnì.

What one sells is what one eats; that does not apply to the kerosene seller.

Ohun tí eèrá bá lè gbé ní ńpè ní ìgànnìkó.

Whatever the ant is able to carry is what it says is its full measure.

Ohun tí ìrẹ̀-ẹ́ ṣe tó fi kán lápá, aláàńtèté ní kí wọ́n jẹ́ kí òun ó ṣe è.

That which the cricket attempted and broke a thigh, the aláàńtètè asks to be permitted to attempt.

Ohun tí kò tó okòó kì í jẹ àgbà níyà.

A thing that is not worth the least amount of money should not prove a hardship for an elder.

Ohun tí wèré fi ńse ara ẹ̀, ó pọ̀ ju ohun tó fi ńṣẹ ọmọ ẹlòmíràn lọ.

What the imbecile does to himself is far worse than what he does to others.

Ohun tó ṣeé faga là ńfaga sí; èwo ni,“Ìwòyí àná mo ti na ànaà mi fága-fàga”?

One boasts only about things proper to boast about; whoever heard of the boast, “By this time yesterday I had given my parent-in-law the beating of his life.”?

Ohun tó yẹni ló yẹni; okùn ọrùn ò yẹ adìẹ.

Whatever is becoming for a person is what is becoming; a noose is not becoming for a chicken.

Ojú àlejò la ti ńjẹ gbèsè; ẹ̀hìn-in ẹ̀ là ńsan án.

It is in a visitor's presence that one gets into debt; it is in her absence that one repays the debt.

Ojú baba ara; awọ́n bí ojú; aṣòró dà bí àgbà.

The eye, father of the body; nothing is as valuable as the eye; nothing is as difficult to achieve as the status of elder.

Ojú iná kọ́ lewùrà ńhurun.

It is not in the presence of the flame that water-yam grows hair.

Ojú kì í pọ́n ẹdun kó dẹni ilẹ̀; ìṣẹ́ kì í ṣẹ́ igún kó di ojúgbà adìẹ.

The colobus monkey is never so reduced in circumstances that it becomes a land-hugging creature; the vulture is never so badly off that it becomes the equal of a chicken.

Ojú kì í pọ́n baálé ilé kó fọwọ́ gbálẹ̀ ilé ẹ̀.

A head of a household is never so hard up that he sweeps his compound with his bare hands.

Ojú kì í pọ́n babaláwo kó bèrè ẹbọ àná.

An Ifá diviner-priest is never so hard up that he asks for yesterday's sacrifice.

Ojú kì í pọ́n òkú ọ̀run kó ní kí ará ayé gba òun.

A dead person cannot be so desperate as to appeal to a living person for deliverance.

Ojú kì í pọ́nni ká fàbúrò ẹni ṣaya.

One should not become so desperate that one takes one's younger sister as wife.

Ojú kì í pọnni ká fàkísà bora.

One should never be so benighted that one covers oneself in rags.

Ojú kì í pọ́nni ká pọ́n léhín.

One's circumstances do not so deteriorate that one becomes red in teeth.

Ojú ò rọ́lá rí; ó bímọ ẹ̀ ó sọ ọ́ ní Ọláníyọnu.

A person only newly acquainted with wealth; he has a son and names him Ọlaniyọnu.

Ojú ò ti oníṣègùn, ó ní àna òun ńkú lọ.

The medicine man lacks all shame, he announces that his parent-in-law is dying.

Ojú ti agbọ́ń agbọ́n láfà kò léro.

Shame upon the wasp; the wasp has a nest but no honey.

Òkété pẹ̀lú ọmọ ẹ̀-ẹ́ di ọgbọọgba sínú ihò; nígba tí ìyá ńfehín pàkùrọ́, ọmọ náà ńfehín pa pẹ̀lú.

The giant bush rat and its child become equals in their hole; the mother cracks palm-nuts with its teeth, and the child does the same thing.

Òkùnkùn ò mẹni ọ̀wọ̀; ó dÍfá fún “Ìwọ́ tá nìyẹn”?

Darkness does not know who deserves deference; it consulted the oracle Ifá for “Who might you be?”

Olóbìnrin kan kì í pagbo ìja.

A person who has only one wife does not form a circle for a fight.

Olójúkan kì í tàkìtì òró.

A one-eyed person does not attempt standing somersaults.

Olómele kì í sọ pé igi yó dàá lóde lọ́la.

The omele drummer does not vow that there will be an earth-shaking performance on the morrow.

Olówó jẹun jẹ́jẹ́; òtòṣì jẹun tìpà-tìjàn; òtòṣì tí ḿbá ọlọ́rọ̀ rìn, akọ ojú ló ńyá.

The rich man eats slowly and at leisure; the poor person eats fast and with anxiety; the poor man who keeps company with a wealthy man is exceeding his station.

Olówó ní ḿbá ọlọ́rọ̀-ọ́ rìn; ẹgbẹ́ ní ḿbá ẹgbẹ́ ṣeré.

It is a rich person that keeps company with a wealthy person; only people of equal standing play together.

Olówó ní ńjẹ iyán ẹgbàá.

It is a rich person that eats pounded yams worth two thousand cowries.

Olóyè kékeré kì í ṣe fáàárí níwájú ọba.

A minor chief should not act garrulously in the presence of a king.

Òní, ẹtú jìnfìn, ọ̀la, ẹtú jìnfìn; ẹtu nìkan lẹran tó wà nígbó?

Today, the antelope falls into the ditch; tomorrow, the antelope falls into the ditch; is the antelope the only animal in the forest?

Oníbàjẹ́ ò mọra; oníbàjẹ́ ńlọ sóko olè ó mú obìnrin lọ; ọkọ́ kó akọṣu, ìyàwó kó ewùrà.

The shameless person does not know what is fitting; the shameless person is off to raid a farm, and he takes his wife along; the husband steals staple yams, the wife steals wateryams.

Oníbàtá kì í wọ mọ́ṣáláṣí kó ní “Lèmámù ńkọ́?”

The bàtá drummer does not enter a mosque and ask “Where is the Imam?”

Onífunra àlejò tí ńtètè ṣe onílé pẹ̀lẹ́.

The excessively attentive visitor “who” extends hospitality greetings to the host.

Onígẹ̀gẹ́ fìlẹ̀kẹ̀ dọ́pọ̀; onílẹ̀kẹ̀ ìbá gbowo, ko rọ́rùn fìlẹ̀kẹ̀ so.

The person with goitre offers a ridiculously low price for beads; were the beads seller to accept her offer she would have no neck to string the beads around.

Onílé ńjẹ èso gbìngbindò; alèjò-ó ní kí wọ́n ṣe òun lọ́wọ́ kan ẹ̀wà.

The host is eating the fruits of the gbìngbindo tree; the visitor asks to be treated to some black-eyed peas.

OníṢàngó tó jó tí kò gbọn yẹ̀rì: àbùkù-u Ṣàngó kọ́; àbùkù ara ẹ̀ ni.

The Ṣàngó worshipper who dances and does not shake his skirt: he does not disgrace Ṣàngó but himself.

OníṢàngó tó jó tí kò tàpá, àbùkù ara ẹ̀.

The Ṣàngó worshipper who dances and does nor kick his legs disgraces himself.

On-íṣẹ̀ẹ́pẹ́-igí bímọ ó sọ ọ́ ní Ayọ̀-ọ́-kúnlé; ayọ̀ wo ló wà lára ìṣẹ́pẹ́ igi?

The seller of twigs for firewood has a child and names him Ayọ̀ọ́kúnle[Joy fills this home]; what sort of joy is to be found in firewood twigs?

Oǹpè ní ńfa ọlá; òjípè kì í fa ọlá.

It is the person who does the summoning that assumes airs; the person subject to summons does not assume airs.

Orí àgbà-á níyì, ó sàn ju orí àgbà-á fọ́ lọ.

The-elderly-person's-head-deserves-respect is better than The-elderly-person's-head-is-damaged.

Orí awọ là ḿbágbà.

It is on the hide that one finds the elder.

Orí-i kí ní ńyá àpọ́n tó ńsúfèé? Nítorí pé yó gùn-ún-yán fúnra ẹ̀ yó nìkan jẹ́?

What is the cause of the bachelor's elation that makes him whistle? That he will make pounded yams for himself and eat it by himself?

Orogún ìyá ẹ-ẹ́ dáṣọ fún ọ o ní kò balẹ̀; mélòó nìyá ẹ-ẹ́ dá fún ọ tó fi kú?

Your mother's co-wife made a garment for you and you complain that it is not long enough; how many did your mother make for you before she died?

“Òru ò molówó” nIfá tí à ńdá fún “Ìwọ ta nìyẹn?”

“The dark of night knows not who is a wealthy person” is the oracle one delivers to “Who might that be?”

Oòrùn, kó tìẹ wọ̀ ká má bàá Ọlọ́jọ́ wí.

Sun, go set so one does not blame the owner of the day.

Òtòlò-ó jẹ, òtòlò-ó mu, òtòlò-ó fẹsẹ̀ wé ẹsẹ̀ erin.

The water-buck ate, the water-buck drank, the water-buck compared its limbs to an elephant's.

Oúnjẹ ọmọ kékeré a máa wọ àgbà nínú; òrùka ọmọ kékeré ni kì í wọ ágbá lọ́wọ́.

A youth's food can enter the stomach of an elder; it is only a youth's ring that cannot slip unto an elder's finger.

Owó ẹ̀yẹ ò sú ẹni-í san; tọ̀ràn ni ò súnwọ̀n.

People have no difficulty paying the money for glorious events; it is the money for trouble that is unpleasant to pay.

Babaaláwo kì í bèrè ẹbọ àná.

The diviner does not ask for yesterday's sacrifice.

Bẹbẹlúbẹ ò ì tíì débẹ̀; ibẹ̀ ló ḿbọ̀.

The busybody is not there yet; but he is on his way.

Bí a bá dàgbà à yé ogun-ún jà.

When one becomes old, one stops warring.

Bí a bá fi inú wénú; iwọ là ńjẹ.

If we compare notes with others, we wind up eating bile.

Bí a bá ḿbá ọmọdé jẹun lóko, gànmùganmu imú ẹni ní ńwò.

If one eats with a youth on the farm he stares at the protrusion of one's nose.

Bí a bá ńgúnyán, kòmẹsẹ̀ á yọ.

If one prepares pounded yams, the uninvited should depart.

Bí a bá ti lè ṣe là ńwí; a kì í yan àna ẹni lódì.

One admits to one's limits; one does not cease speaking to one's relatives-in-law.

Bí a bá ti mọ là ńdé; a-láì-lẹ́ṣin kì í dé wọ̀nwọ̀n.

One arrives according to one's worth; a horseless person does not arrive with the noise of hoofs and stirrups.

Bí a bá ti mọ là ńkú; olongo kì í kú tìyàntìyàn.

One dies according to one's weight; the robin does not die and make a resounding noise “on hitting the ground.”

Bí a bá tọ̀ sílé, onípò a mọ ipò.

If someone wets the bed, each person should know where he or she slept.

Bí a bá wí pé ó dọwọ́-ọ babaláwo, babaláwo a ló dọwọ́ Ifá; bí a bá ní ó dọwọ́ àgbà ìṣègùn, àgbà ìṣègùn a ló dọwọ́ Ọ̀sanyìn; bí a bá ní ó dọwọ́ ààfáà tó gbójú, a ní ó dọwọ́ Ọlọ́run ọ̀gá ògo.

If one says that a matter now lies in the hands of the Ifá priest the Ifá priest says it lies in the hands of Ifá; if one says that it lies in the hands of the venerable medicine man the venerable medicine man says it rests in the hands of the god of herbs; if one says it rests in the hands of the formidable moslem priest he says it is in the hands of God the most glorious.

Bí a kò bá dáṣọ lé aṣọ, a kì í pe ọ̀kan lákìísà.

If one has not acquired one garment after another, one does not call one a rag.

Bí a kò bá lè dá Tápà, Tápà kì í dáni.

If one cannot throw a Nupe man in a wrestling match, he should not throw one.

Bí a kò bá lọ sóko irọ́, a kì í pa á mọ́ni.

If one does not go to the farm of lies, lies are not told against one.

Bí a kò bá ṣèké, a kì í fi ẹ̀tẹ́ kú.

If one has not been false, one does not die in disgrace.

Bí a kò bá tíì jókòó, a kì í nasẹ̀.

If one has not yet sat down, one does not stretch one's legs out.