Òwe lẹ́ṣin ọ̀rọ̀
A proverb is the horse of speech
If your town says it differently, send a correction — text or voice.
Proverbs
Òwe
Òwe lẹ́ṣin ọ̀rọ̀ — a proverb is the horse of speech. Elders still ride it. If a form is wrong, send a correction.
Yoruba Igbo Hausa Ogu (Egun) Swahili Add one
Ilé là ń kọ́ ẹ̀ṣọ́ ròde
Character is taught at home, then taken outside
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Díẹ̀ díẹ̀ nimú ẹlẹ́dẹ̀ ń wọgbà
Little by little the pig's snout enters the yard
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Kò sí ẹni tó mọ ọ̀la
Nobody knows tomorrow
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Ìwà lẹwà
Character is beauty
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Ilé ọba tó jóná, ẹwà ló bùsi
When the king's palace burns, beauty is added
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Ọbẹ̀ kìí gbé inú àgbà mì
Soup does not slosh in an elder's belly
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Bí a bá sọ òkúta sí ọjà, ará ilé ẹni níí bá
A stone thrown in the market hits one's relative
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Ọmọdé gbọ́n, àgbà gbọ́n, la fi dá Ilé-Ifẹ̀
Child-wisdom and elder-wisdom founded Ile-Ife
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Àgbà kì í wà lọ́jà kórí ọmọ tuntun wó
An elder is not in the market while a child's head is broken
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Gbogbo alángbá lo dánù dẹ̀lẹ̀; a kò mọ èyí tí inú ń rùn
All lizards lie on their bellies; we don't know which has a stomach-ache
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Adìẹ funfun kò mọ ara rẹ̀ lágbà
The white hen does not know she has grown
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Ọwọ́ ọmọdé kò tó pepe, tàgbà kò wọ kèrègbè
A child's hand cannot reach the shelf; an elder's cannot enter the gourd
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Bí òwe bá sọnù, òwe la fi ń wá a
If a proverb is lost, we search with a proverb
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Òkùnkùn kì í pa ọ̀nà
Darkness does not kill the road
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Ẹni tó ṣe rere á rí rere
Who does good will see good
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Ọ̀rọ̀ púpọ̀ kì í yọ ọgbọ́n
Too much talk does not produce wisdom
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Sùúrù ni baba ìwà
Patience is the father of character
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A kì í fi ọwọ́ wé ọ̀ràn ẹnu
You do not settle a mouth-matter with the hand
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Tí a bá ń sọ òwe, ẹni tó mọ̀ á yé e
When we speak in proverbs, the one who knows will understand
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Ẹni tí kò ṣiṣẹ́ kò ní jẹun
Who does not work will not eat
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Bí ọmọdé bá ṣubú á wo iwájú; bí àgbà bá ṣubú á wo ẹ̀yìn
A child looks forward when they fall; an elder looks back
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Ọmọ tí a kò kọ́ ni yóò gbé ilé tí a kọ́ tà
The child we fail to teach will sell the house we built
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Ìyà ńbẹ lẹ́yìn ẹ̀rín
Suffering sits behind laughter
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Àìsí ẹni nílé, ẹlẹ́wù ń yọ̀
When the owner is away, the one in borrowed clothes rejoices
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Ọ̀nà pípẹ́ kì í pa ẹni tí ń rìn
A long road does not kill the one who walks
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Bí a kò bá sùn a kò lè àlá
If we do not sleep we cannot dream
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Ẹni tó bá dá ilé á sùn nínú rẹ̀
Who builds a house will sleep in it
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Ìgbà kan kì í ṣe ọdún
One season is not a year
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Ọ̀tá gidi sàn ju ọ̀rẹ́ èké lọ
A true enemy is better than a false friend
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Ohun tí a bá ṣe lónìí ni ọ̀la
What we do today is tomorrow
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A kì í gbé ọmọ ẹlòmíràn pọn kí ká má tọ́jú tìẹ
Do not carry another's child and neglect your own
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Ẹni tó jí títí kò lè jí ìwà ẹlòmíràn
Waking and waking cannot wake another person's character
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Ìkòkò ńlé ọbẹ̀, ọbẹ̀ ńlé ìkòkò
The pot chases the soup; the soup chases the pot
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Bí ẹyẹ bá ń fò, ilẹ̀ ló ń bọ̀
However a bird flies, it returns to earth
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Ọwọ́ kan kì í ṣán àyà
One hand cannot clap the chest well
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Ẹni tó bá mọ ìwà mọ ọ̀rẹ́
Who knows character knows a friend
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Kì í ṣe gbogbo yìyọ̀ ló jẹ́ ẹ̀rín
Not every showing of teeth is laughter
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Iná kì í jóná dání kí a má fọwọ́ bò ó
Fire does not burn a person so they cannot cover it
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Bí a bá ń jà, bí a kò bá kú, a ó tún jọ ṣeré
If we quarrel and do not die, we will play together again
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Adìẹ ńlágun, ìyẹ́ ara rẹ̀ ló bò ó
The hen sweats; its feathers hide it
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Ẹni tí kò ní sùúrù kò le ṣiṣẹ́ ńlá
Who has no patience cannot do great work
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Òjò pa ẹyẹ, ẹyẹ kò kú
Rain beats the bird; the bird does not die
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Ohun tí ó ṣe é tọ́jú kì í ṣe é tà
What is worth keeping is not for selling
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A kì í fi òwú san ọ̀ràn aṣọ
Do not settle a cloth-matter with cotton alone
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Bí òtí bá kún, a kì í sọ pé kì í dà
When the wine is full we do not say it will not spill
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Ẹni tó bá rí ìjà ńlẹ̀ kì í wọ̀ ọ́
Who sees a fight on the ground does not enter it
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Ìlú tí a gbé là ń ṣe é
The town we live in is the one we serve
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Ọmọ tó dáyé lánàá ló ń pè agba lónìí
The child born yesterday is calling elders today
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Kò sí ẹni tí ó mọ ibi tí ayé ń lọ
Nobody knows where the world is going
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Ẹni tó bá fẹ́ ọ̀rẹ́ á fara rọ
Who wants friendship must be patient
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A kì í ṣe ẹlẹ́rìí ìjà kí a má jẹ̀rè
Do not witness a fight and expect no share
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Bí ọwọ́ ẹni kò bá tẹ́lẹ̀, a kì í sọ̀rọ̀ ọ̀ràn ńlá
If your hand is not in it, do not speak a great matter
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Ìgbín ń rìn, ìkarahun rẹ̀ ń tẹ̀lé e
The snail walks; its shell follows
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Ẹni tó bá gbin ìwà rere á kórè rere
Who plants good character will harvest good
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Ọjà kì í kún kí a má rí ẹnìkan
The market is not so full that we see no one
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Bí a bá ń sùn, ẹni tó ń ṣọ́ wa kò sùn
While we sleep, the one who watches us does not
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A kì í fi ọmọ ọ̀dọ̀ ṣeré pẹ̀lú iná
Do not let a servant-child play with fire
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Ẹ̀rín ẹni là ń fi mọ ìwà ẹni
A person's laugh is how we know their character
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Ohun tí kò ṣe é fọ́, a kì í fi ọwọ́ kàn án
What cannot be washed, do not put a hand on
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Bí ìlú bá ń dárù, àgbà ló ń mú un dákẹ́
When a town is in uproar, an elder stills it
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Ẹni tó mọ ọ̀nà kì í sọnù
Who knows the road does not get lost
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A kì í gbé odò kí a má mọ orúkọ ẹja
Do not live by the river and not know the fish
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Ìtìjú ni baba ìwà
Shame is a father of character
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Ọ̀rọ̀ díẹ̀, ọgbọ́n púpọ̀
Few words, much wisdom
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Bí a kò bá gbin, a kò lè kórè
If we do not plant, we cannot harvest
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Ẹni tó bá fẹ́ ọlá á ṣiṣẹ́
Who wants honour must work
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Kì í ṣe gbogbo aṣọ ló yẹ ẹni
Not every cloth suits a person
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Inú ẹni là ń fi mọ ẹni
A person's inside is how we know them
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A kì í pe ajá lólùkúlùkù orúkọ
Do not call a dog by every name
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Bí ọjọ́ bá pẹ́, òtítọ́ á yọ
If the day lasts, truth will come out
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Ẹni tó ń sá kò ní í dúró dè ìjà
Who is running will not wait for a fight
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Ọwọ́ tó ṣeun là ń fi tẹ́ ẹni
The hand that did good is the one we honour
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A kì í fi ìbínú ṣe ìdájọ́
Do not judge in anger
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Ìrìn pípẹ́ ni ìrìn àjò
A long walk is still a journey
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Ẹni tó bá mọ ìyà á mọ ayọ̀
Who knows suffering knows joy
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Bí òwe bá kọjá, òwe la fi ń tẹ̀lé e
If a proverb goes past, we follow it with a proverb
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Ilé ńlá kì í kún fún ìdàrúdàpọ̀
A great house should not be full of confusion
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A kì í sọ pé kò sí oúnjẹ nílé kí ọmọ ṣe ọ̀fọ́
Do not say there is no food and let the child mourn
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Ẹni tó bá tọ́jú ọ̀nà á rí ilé
Who tends the road will see home
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Òtítọ́ kì í ṣe ọ̀tá ẹnìkan
Truth is nobody's enemy
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Bí a bá fẹ́ ìbàjẹ́, a kì í tọ́jú ìwà
If we want ruin, we neglect character
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Ọmọ ẹni kì í ṣe àjòjì nílée ẹni
One's child is not a stranger in one's house
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A kì í gbọ́ ìró ìlù kí a má jó
Do not hear the drum and refuse to dance
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Ẹni tó ń gbin ìbínú á kórè ìjà
Who plants anger harvests a fight
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Ìgbà tí òjò bá ń rọ̀, a kì í sọ pé kì í dá
When rain is falling we do not say it will not stop
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Ọ̀rẹ́ tó dára sàn ju ìbátan burúkú lọ
A good friend is better than a bad relative
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A kì í fi ojú ìwọ̀n wò ọ̀ràn ẹlòmíràn
Do not measure another's trouble with your own eyes
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Ẹni tó bá ṣọ́ ẹnu rẹ̀ á ṣọ́ ìwà rẹ̀
Who guards their mouth guards their character
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Bí ìlẹ̀kẹ̀ bá já, a tún un so
If the beads break, we string them again
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Kò sí ohun tó ń ṣe ara rẹ̀ lásán
Nothing happens to itself for nothing
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A kì í dákẹ́ kí ọ̀ràn tòó
Do not stay silent and let a matter rot
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Ẹni tó mọ òwe mọ ọ̀rọ̀
Who knows proverbs knows speech
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Ìyá ni wúrà, baba ni dìígí
Mother is gold; father is a mirror
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Bí ọmọdé kò bá kú, ọjọ́ rẹ̀ kò pé
If a child does not die, their days are not complete
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A kì í fi ọwọ́ ọ̀tún nà ọmọ, ká fi tòsì fà á mọ́ra
Do not strike a child with the right hand and draw them with the left
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Ẹni tó bá fẹ́ àlàáfíà á jìnnà sí ìjà
Who wants peace stays far from a fight
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Òkun kì í gbẹ títí kí a má rí omi
The sea does not dry so far that we see no water
If your town says it differently, send a correction — text or voice.
A kì í pe ẹyẹ àkókó ní gbẹ́nàgbẹ́nà
Do not call the woodpecker a carver
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Ìṣẹ́ kì í pa ẹni tí ń ṣiṣẹ́
Poverty does not kill the one who keeps working
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Bí a bá ń rìn pẹ̀lú òtítọ́, a kì í sọnù
If we walk with truth we do not get lost
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Ẹni tó bá gbé ìtàn á gbé òwe
Who carries story carries proverb
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A kì í fi ìgbà ìyà ṣe ẹ̀sín
Do not make a joke of a time of suffering
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Ọjọ́ iwájú ló nítumọ̀ ọjọ́ ìwọ̀nyí
The days ahead give meaning to today
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Ẹni tó ń fẹ́ràn ìlú á fẹ́ràn ènìyàn
Who loves the town loves its people
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Bí ẹnu bá ṣí, òwe á wọ̀
When the mouth opens, a proverb may enter
If your town says it differently, send a correction — text or voice.
A kì í sọ òwe fún òpè
Do not speak a proverb to the unhearing
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Ìrònú pípẹ́ ni bàbá ọgbọ́n
Long thought is the father of wisdom
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Ẹni tó bá tẹ́lé ọ̀nà àgbà kì í ṣubú
Who follows an elder's path does not fall
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Ohun tí ó ṣeé ṣe lónìí, má fi sí ọ̀la
What can be done today, do not leave for tomorrow
If your town says it differently, send a correction — text or voice.
A kì í gbé ìlú kí a má mọ òwe rẹ̀
Do not live in a town and not know its proverbs
If your town says it differently, send a correction — text or voice.