Àkókò kò dúró de ẹnìkan. /
Time waits for no one.
[Make hay while the sun shines; promptly exploit opportunities: there is nothing in doing nothing.]
Àkókò kò dúró de ẹnìkan
Showing posts with label proverb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label proverb. Show all posts
Friday, June 30, 2023
Tí ẹṣin bá dá'ni
Tí ẹṣin bá dá'ni, a máa ńtun ùn gùn ni. /
If one is thrown by a horse, one ought to remount it again.
[If you try and fail, try again: if you don't try and keep trying, you can't win; it's not how many times you fall that counts, but how many times you get up.]
Àjànàkú kọjá a mo rí nǹkan fìrí
Àjànàkú kọjá a mo rí nǹkan fìrí; báa bá rí erin ká wí. /
An elephant is beyond what can be said to be seen in a jiffy (its presence is unmistakable); if we've seen one, we should admit it.
[Give credit where credit is due; recognise the contributions of others.]
Àjùmọ̀bí ò kan t'àánú
Àjùmọ̀bí ò kan t'àánú; ẹni orí rán sí'ni ló ńṣe'ni lóore /
To be related to someone by blood does not guarantee receiving his or her support; help comes only from those divinely sent to one.
[Help, when it comes, may not necessarily be from expected sources; keep an open mind]
Ẹ̀sọ̀ ẹ̀sọ̀ ni ìgbín fi ńgun igi
Ẹ̀sọ̀ ẹ̀sọ̀ ni ìgbín fi ńgun igi. /
Slowly and steadily is how snails climb trees.
[Patience and persistence are crucial for success.]
Gbogbo ẹni tó di ojú kọ́ ló ńsùn
Gbogbo ẹni tó di ojú kọ́ ló ńsùn; gbogbo ojú tí a là sílẹ̀ kọ́ ló ńríran. /
Not all those who closed their eyes are sleeping; not all eyes that are wide open are seeing.
[Appearance can be deceptive; look beyond the obvious, always.]
Ọmọ ọ̀lẹ làyè ò lè gbà
Ọmọ ọ̀lẹ làyè ò lè gbà, ibi gbogbo ló gba alágbára. /
Only a lazy person has issues coping, every situation suits a diligent fellow, just fine.
[Diligence pays; often a diligent, 'can do' attitude does make a way, where it seems none exists.]
Bí kùkùté ṣé kéré tó
Bí kùkùté ṣé kéré tó, kò sí ẹni tó lè fi ẹsẹ̀ fà á tu. /
As small as the tree stump is, no one can uproot it with the foot.
[Judge nothing by its appearance; underestimate nothing; what we deem inconsequential may well pack a hefty punch.]
Olójú kan kì í mọ'yì Ọlọ́run
Olójú kan kì í mọ'yì Ọlọ́run à fi tí nǹkan bá gbọ̀n si. /
A person with a bad eye is seldom thankful to God, until a speck enters the good one.
[Attitude of gratitude is it; we must remain ever grateful.]
A kì í fura sí ẹni tí a ńbá rìn
A kì í fura sí ẹni tí a ńbá rìn; ẹni tí a bá ńfura sí, a kì í bá irú wọn rìn. /
Do not be suspicious of those you associate with; those you'd be suspicious of, should not be your close associates.
[Build trust; avoid paranoia; be positive and forward-looking.]
Ọ̀rẹ́ ọdún mẹ́ta ò tó ẹni tí à ńgbára á lé
Ọ̀rẹ́ ọdún mẹ́ta ò tó ẹni tí à ńgbára á lé; ọ̀tá oṣù mẹ́fà ò tó ẹni tí à ńsà lóògùn. /
A friend of three year is not one to be fully trusted; an enemy of six months is not one to be attacked with charms.
[Be perceptive and be measured; avoid jumping to.hasty conclusions]
Bí imú asín bá gùn
Bí imú asín bá gùn, ẹnu ẹlẹ́dẹ̀ kọ́ ló yẹ ká ti gbọ́. /
Even if the moonrat has a long nose, it is not the place of the pig to point it out.
[Don't meddle: mind your own business; don't criticise others with far less issues than you are grappling with.]
Ojú tó rí ibi tí kò fọ́
Ojú tó rí ibi tí kò fọ́, ire ló ńdúró de. /
The eyes that saw evil and did not go blind are waiting to see good.
[The best is yet to come; keep hope alive.]
Ìbàjẹ́ ènìyàn
Ìbàjẹ́ ènìyàn, kò lè dá iṣẹ́ Olúwa dúró. /
The nefarious acts of man cannot scuttle the plan and purpose of God.
[Keep hope alive; man cannot be more than man, yet God remains God; keep moving forward, undeterred.] #
Ẹni a fẹ́ la mọ̀,
Ẹni a fẹ́ la mọ̀, a ò mọ ẹni tó fẹ́'ni. /
You do know who you love for sure, but you cannot be certain of who really loves you.
[Be perceptive; things are often not as they appear.]
Tí a bá ní ká tì í kó dúró
Tí a bá ní ká tì í kó dúró; tí a bá tì í tó bá ṣubú, ńkọ́? /
If we intend to push it to stand; what if we push it and it falls?
[Think well before you act; don't be presumptuous; things often have the propensity not to go as planned: why moderation is crucial in everything.]
Ìgbà tí ijó bá yẹ'ni
Ìgbà tí ijó bá yẹ'ni là ńkúrò lójú agbo. /
When the ovation is loudest is the time one quits the dance floor.
[There is a right time for everything: know the signs of the times; know when to quit: never overstay your welcome.]
Ìwà rere
Ìwà rere lẹ̀ṣọ́ ènìyàn. /
Good character is what adorns a man.
[Good character beautifies; it is adorable and attractive; bad character is repulsive.]
Àkàbà tó l'óun ò gun ilé mọ́
Àkàbà tó l'óun ò gun ilé mọ́, ló sọ ara rẹ̀ di igi ìdáná. /
A wooden ladder that insisted, it would no longer mount walls was the one that turned itself into firewood.
[Choices come with inviolable consequences.] #
Nítorí ogun àtẹ̀yìnjà
Nítorí ogun àtẹ̀yìnjà, ni pẹ́pẹ́yẹ ṣe ńkó ọmọ rẹ̀ sí iwájú. /
Because of wars (or mishaps) which may proceed from the back is why the duck keeps her ducklings ahead of her.
[Be strategic: anticipate the future and plan ahead,]
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