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Ihò wo lèkúté ńgbé tó ní iṣẹ́ ilé ńdíwọ́?

What sort of hole does the rat live in that makes him say that household work preoccupied it?

Ìjàkùmọ̀ kì í rin ọ̀sán, ẹni a bí ire kì í rin òru.

The wild cat never roams in daylight; a well-bred person does not wander around in the night time.

Ìjàlọ ò lè gbé òkúta.

The brown ant cannot lift a boulder.

Ìjokòó ẹni ní ḿmúni da ewé ẹ̀kọ nù.

How one sits causes one to carry the leaves used to wrap corn-meal to the dump.

Ìjọba ńpè ọ́ o ní ò ḿmu gààrí lọ́wọ́; ta ní ni ọ́, ta ní ni omi tí o fi ḿmu gààrí?

The government summons you and you say you are busy eating cassava grains soaked in water; who owns you, and who owns the water with which you are eating the cassava?

Ilè-ni-mo-wà kì í jẹ̀bi ẹjọ́.

“I-was-in-my-home” is never the guilty party in a dispute.

Ilé kì í jó kí baálé ilé tàkakà.

A house does not burn while the landlord lounges with indifference.

Ilé kì í jó kí oorun kun ojú.

A house does not burn and fill the eyes with sleep.

Ìlù kan ò tó Ègùn jó; bí a bá lù fún un a máa lu àyà.

One drum is not enough for an Ègùn person to dance to; if one drums for him he too will play a rhythm on his chest.

Iná ńjó ògiri ò sá, ó wá ńgbá gẹẹrẹ gẹẹrẹ sómi.

Fire burns and the wall does not run from it; now it moves threateningly towards water.

Inú burúkú làgbà ńní, àgbà kì í ní ojú burúkú.

An unpleasant inside is what a venerable elder should have; a venerable elder should not have an unpleasant mien.

Ipa ọgbẹ́ ní ńsàn; ipa ohùn kì í sàn.

The wound left by a cutlass may heal, but the wound left by speech does not heal.

Ìpàkọ́ onípàkọ́ là ńrí; eniẹlẹ́ni ní ńrí tẹni.

One sees only other peoples' occiputs; only others can see one's own.

Ìpéǹpéjú ò ní enini; àgbàlagbà irùngbọ̀n ò ṣe òlòó.

The eyelashes do not make dew; a venerable old beard does not behave like an ingenue.

Ìrẹ́jẹ ò sí nínúu fọ́tò; bí o bá ṣe jókòó ni o ó bàá ara-à rẹ.

There is no cheating in photography; it is just as you sit that you will find your image.

Irú aṣọ ò tán nínu àṣà.

The likeness of a particular type of cloth is not lacking among those in fashion.

Irú erin ò tán ní Àlọ́.

The likeness of an elephant is not scarce in Alọ.

Ìrùkẹ̀rẹ̀ kì í yan Ifá lódì; oge, dúró o kí mi.

The horse-tail whisk does not shun Ifá; high-fashion maiden, pause awhile and give me a greeting.

Ìsáǹsá ò yọ ẹ̀gún; ìsáǹsá kì í káwo ọbẹ̀.

The fugitive does not stop to pull a thorn “from his/her feet”; the fugitive does not stop to clear dinner dishes.

Ìṣẹ̀ ò ti ibìkan mú ẹni; ìyà ò tibìkan jẹ èèyàn; bí o bá rìnrìn òṣì, bí o bá ojú ìṣẹ́ wọ̀lú, igbá-kúgbá ni wọn ó fi bu omi fún ẹ mu.

Destitution does not attach to one at a particular place; suffering does not attack a person at a particular place; if one walks like a wretch into a town, if one looks like a loser when one enters a town, it is with a miserable calabash that the people will offer one water to drink.

Ìtàkùn tó tó ọ̀pẹ kò tó pé kérin má lọ; ìtàkùn tó pé kérin má lọ Àlọ́, tòun terin ní ńlọ.

A vine as thick as a palm-tree trunk will not stop an elephant; whatever vine attempts to stop an elephant from going to Alọ will go with the elephant instead.

Ìwà ní ńjọ oníwà lójú.

Character is always remarkable (or good) in the opinion of its owner.

Ìwọ̀fà ní ḿmú ìwọ̀fà jó.

A pawned person always dances with a pawned person.

Ìwọ̀n eku nìwọ̀n ìtẹ́; olongo kì í gbé tìmùtìmù.

The measure of the rat is the measure of the nest; a robin does not live on a cushion.

Ìwọ̀sí ní

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Ìyàwó tó na ọmọ ọbàkan, ọ̀rọ̀ ló fẹ́ gbọ́.

The wife who whips a relative of her husband is asking for stern rebuke.

“Ta ní ḿbẹ níbẹ̀?” làgbẹ́ fi ńsán ìbàǹtẹ́ wọ̀lú.

“Who is there whose opinion matters?” is the attitude that makes the farmer come into town dressed only in a loin cloth.

Ta ní mọ Òkolo lÓyọ̀ọ́?

Who knows O'kolo in Ọ̀yọ́?

Ta ní ńjájá ní mọ́ṣáláṣí?

What would a dog be doing in a mosque?

Ta ní ńjẹun tájá ńjùrù?

At whose dinner table is the dog wagging its tail?

Tẹ̀tẹ̀ kì í tẹ́.

Spinach is never disgraced.

Tòlótòló mọ ẹni tó ńyìnbọn ìdí sí.

The turkey knows towards whom it farts.

Ká ríni lóde ò dàbí-i ká báni délé.

To see a person in the streets is not the same as going home with the person.

Ká ríni sọ̀rọ̀ fúnni ò dàbí-i ká sọ̀rọ̀ fúnni ká gbà.

Having people to advise one is nothing like knowing how to take advice.

Ká wí fún ẹni ká gbọ́; ká sọ̀rọ̀ fúnni ká gbà; kà bèrè ọnà lọ́wọ́ èrò tó kù lẹ́hìn kàyè baà lè yẹni.

If one is spoken to one should listen; if one is advised one should heed the advice; one should seek direction from straggling wayfarers in order than one's life might be pleasant.

Ká wí fúnni ká gbọ́; ká sọ̀rọ̀ fúnni ká gbà; à-wí-ìgbọ́, à-gbọ́-ìgbà ní ńfi igbá àdánù bu omi mu.

If one is spoken to one should listen; if one is advised one should accept the advice; refusal to listen to speech and refusal to accept advice leads to using the calabash of deprivation as a drinking cup.

Ká wí ká gbà ló yẹ ọmọ èèyàn.

To heed advice is what best becomes a human being.

Ká wí ogún, ká wí ọgbọ̀n, “Ng ò fẹ́, ng ò gbà” laṣiwèré fi ńpẹ̀kun ọ̀ràn.

Whether one speaks twenty times or speaks thirty times, “I do not like it, and I will not accept it” is how the imbecile ends the discussion.

Kàkà ká dọ̀bálẹ̀ fún Gàm̀bàrí, ká rọ́jú ká kú.

Rather than prostrate oneself in homage or obeisance to a Hausa person, one should rather die.

Kàkà kí àgbò ké, àgbò a kú.

Rather than cry out, the ram will die.

Kàkà kí bàbá ran ọmọ ní àdá bọ oko, oníkálukú a gbé tiẹ̀.

Rather than the father carrying the son's cutlass home from the farm, each will carry his own.

Kàkà kí iga akàn ó padà sẹhìn, a kán.

Rather than bend backwards, the crab's claws will break.

Kàkà kí kìnìún ṣe akápò ẹkùn, ọlọ́dẹ a mú ọdẹ ẹ̀ ṣe.

Rather than the lion serving as carrier for the leopard, each will hunt separately.

Kékeré lọ̀pọ̀lọ́ fi ga ju ilẹ̀ lọ.

The toad is only slightly taller than the earth.

Kí ẹrú mọ ara ẹ̀ lẹ́rú; kí ìwọ̀fà mọ ara ẹ̀ níwọ̀fà; kí ọmọlúwàbí mọ ara ẹ̀ lẹ́rú Ọlọ́run ọba.

Let the slave know him/herself as a slave; let the pawn know him/herself as a pawn; let the well born person know him/herself as the child of God.

Kì í dọwọ́-ọ baba kó ló di ọwọ́ ọmọ.

Responsibility does not devolve on the father only for him to say it is his son's duty.

Kí ni àǹfàníi kẹ̀tẹ̀kẹ̀tẹ̀ lára kẹ́tẹ́kẹ́tẹ́ à-gùn-fẹsẹ̀-wọ́lẹ̀?

What is the point of bragging on account of an ass which when one rides on it one's feet drag on the ground?

Kí ni apárí ńwá ní ìsọ̀ onígbàjámọ̀?

What does a bald man want in the stall of the barber?

Kí ni Dáàró ní kó tó sọ pé olè-é kó òun?

What did Dáàró own before he claimed he was robbed?

Kí ni eléwé-e-gbégbé ńtà tí ó ńsọ pé ọjà ò tà?

What is it that the seller of gbégbé leaves has to sell that she complains that the market is slow?

Kí ni ìbá mú igún dé ọ̀dọ̀-ọ onídìrí?

What would take the vulture to the stall of the hair dresser?

Kí ni ó yá àpọ́n lórí tó fiṣu síná tó ńsúfèé pé “bí a ti ńṣe ni inú ḿbí wọn”?

What has the bachelor to feel superior about, such that while he is roasting yams he is whistling the song, “What one does fills them with jealousy”?

Kí ni onígbá ńṣe tí aláwo ò lè ṣe?

What is the calabash owner doing that the china plate owner cannot do?

Kí ni orí ńṣe tí èjìká ò lè ṣe? Èjìká ru ẹrù ó gba ọ̀ọ́dúnrún; orí ta tiẹ̀ ní ogúnlúgba.

What can the head do that the shoulder cannot do? The shoulder carried a load and earned three hundred cowries; the head sold its own for two hundred and twenty cowries.

Kí ni wọ́n ti ńṣe Àmọ́dù nÍlọrin? Ewúrẹ́ ńjẹ́ bẹ́ẹ̀.

What use do the people of Ilorin have for Ahmadu? Even goats are so named.

Kíjìpá laṣọ ọ̀lẹ; òfì laṣọ àgbà; àgbà tí ò ní tòfì a rọ́jú ra kíjìpá.

Durable hand-woven cloth is the material for shiftless people; loom-woven cloth is the material for the elders; whichever elder cannot afford loom-woven cloth should strive for durable hand-woven cloth.

Kò rà, kò lówó lọ́wọ́, ó ńwú tutu níwájú onítumpulu.

He does not buy, he has no money, yet he sits sulkily before the seller of bean fritters.

Kò sí ẹni tó dùn mọ́ àfi orí ẹni.

There is no one pleased “by one's success” except one's head.

Kò sí mi lájọ àjọ ò kún: ara ẹ̀ ló tàn jẹ.

Without-me-in-an-assembly-the-assembly-is-not-complete deceives only himself/herself.

Kò sí ohun tí Ṣàngó lè ṣe kó jà lẹ́ẹ̀rùn.

There is nothing Ṣango can do to enable itself to rage in a drought.

Kò-sí-nílé kì í jagun ẹnu tì.

He-was-not-at-home never fails to prove his valor with his mouth.

Kó-tán-kó-tán lajá ńlá omi.

Swiftly-consumed-swiftly-consumed is the way a dog laps up water.

Jẹ́jẹ́ leégún àgbà ńjó.

Sedately is the way an elderly masquerader dances.

Jòkùmọ̀-ọ́ ṣe bí ẹ̀lú, aró la bẹ̀ lọ́wẹ̀.

The jòkùmọ̀ plant looks like the indigo plant; it is the indigo dye, though, we have use for.

Wèrè èèyàn ní ńwípé irú òun ò sí; irú ẹ̀ẹ́ pọ̀ ó ju ẹgbàágbèje lọ.

Only an imbecile asserts that there is none like him or her; his or her likes are numerous, numbering more than millions.

Wọ́n ńpe gbẹ́nàgbẹ́nà ẹyẹ àkókó ńyọjú.

The call goes out for a carpenter and the woodpecker presents itself.

“Yan àkàrà fún mi wá ká jìjọ jẹ ẹ́”: àìtó èèyàn-án rán níṣẹ́ ní ńjẹ́ bẹ́ẹ̀.

“Go buy bean fritters for me so we can eat them together”: that spells uncertainly about one's right to send the person concerned on an errand.

Yíyẹ́ là ńyẹ́ Òkóró sí tí à ńpè é nígi obì; obì tí ì bá so lórí ẹ̀ ní ńya abidún.

It is only a mark of respect when one calls Òkóró a kolanut tree; any kolanut that might grow on his head would turn out to be slimy.