Here are 100 Yoruba proverbs along with their English translations. Proverbs are a significant part of Yoruba culture, often conveying wisdom, truth, and traditional values in a concise manner.
- A kì í fi ẹsẹ́ kan sọ’lé méjì.
You can’t stand in two places at the same time. - Àìkú là ń jẹ gbígbóná sápẹrẹ́.
Being alive means enduring difficulties. - Òjòjò kì í jé k’éérí kúrò lójú.
Frequent tears make the eyes sore. - Ìgbà tí kò bá lọ, ọ̀rọ̀ kì í wọ́lé.
When time is not right, actions cannot be completed. - A kì í fi èdí bẹ ẹrú.
You cannot force loyalty. - Bí a kò bá kì í kú, a kì í m’ẹ́dà.
If we don’t fall, we won’t know how to rise. - Owó tí a bá fi sára, kì í tan.
Investments in oneself never go to waste. - Bí òpò yíò bà l’ẹní, ẹrú kì í je.
If the bag is big enough, the slave doesn’t carry it. - Ìrísí ló ń jọ orí ẹṣin.
Things often look like what they are associated with. - Àṣìṣe kì í ṣe títí láé.
Mistakes do not last forever. - Ọmọ tó bá mọ ìtórí kò rán’ṣọ́.
A child who knows the history doesn’t spoil things. - Eni t’o bá lókè lẹ́bańtí, kò ní i rí ẹni t’ó gbéja nígbà ibi.
Someone in power often forgets those who helped in tough times. - Agbo to bá foju t’orun, yoo gb’ori.
A flock that turns its face to the sky will get burned. - A kì í jé kó sílé kó tó wà lórí.
You don’t just sit and expect to be successful. - Ọmọ kì í jẹ́ ògèdè mà jẹ́ ọwọ́.
A child does not eat bananas and forget to lick his fingers. - Bí àṣá bá rí’bòkú, kó tún ilé e yà.
When a tradition is no longer beneficial, it should be revisited. - Àìrí l’ẹyìn ń pẹ́.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. - Bí a kò bá mọ ibi tí a ń lọ, a kì í mọ ibi tí a yóò kúrò.
If you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t know where to start. - Ọkàn kì í fọ́rọ jẹ.
The heart does not lie. - Àìwá jẹ kó jẹbi.
Not acting at all is also a fault. - Títí kì í jẹ kó tún jẹbi.
Constant hesitation leads to failure. - Owe l’ẹṣin ọ̀rọ̀, bí ọ̀rọ̀ bá ṣọ̀ṣo, owe ni a fi ń wa.
Proverbs are the horse of speech, when speech is lost, proverbs are used. - Ìrín alárọ̀ kì í tán n’ísá.
The path of a traveler is never clear. - Òwe lẹṣin ọrọ, bí ọrọ bá ṣòṣo, òwe la fi ń wa.
Proverbs are the horses of words, when words fail, proverbs prevail. - Ẹni tó bá lè fẹ́ran ẹranko, ẹranko yóò fẹ́ran.
One who loves animals will be loved by animals. - Ẹni tó bá lè fọwọ́ òwú yóò tọ́jú igi àbìkù.
One who can handle cotton will care for the silk tree. - Bí ẹni náà kò bá fẹ́ran ìgbá, ẹni tó bá gbáá yóò mọ.
If you don’t like the calabash, the one who uses it will know. - Ọmọ ẹni ní yóò pa ẹni lára.
One’s own child will cause one pain. - Agba tó fọmo rẹ́ sí ẹnu òtítọ́, níbá kì í fi ojú rere wo.
An elder who tells the truth to his child often gets frowned upon. - Ẹni tí ó ń dábọ̀ lókè ni ń fẹ́ran òjò.
Those who plant above ground love rain. - Àṣíṣe ni àṣírí ọ̀mọdé.
Mistakes are part of a child’s secret. - Ọkàn rere kò ju ẹnu.
A kind heart speaks louder than words. - Ọmọ tó bá gbọ́ran, ọ̀run rẹ yóò pé.
An obedient child will live long. - Ẹni tó bá ń lò lóṣù, tó ń ṣeni lára, máa ṣáìbí ẹni tó ń ṣèni lòṣù.
One who spends months with you may not be as kind as the one who spends days. - Ọkàn ṣì bí ayé náà ṣì.
A kind heart is like the world. - Bí ó ti wù kí igi wù, òwúré èèyàn ni ó ń gbá.
No matter how big a tree is, it is cut by a person. - Ẹni tó bá jẹ́ onírúurú ni yóò mọ̀ ọ̀rùn ìrúurú.
One who eats various dishes will know different aromas. - Ẹni tó bá jẹ́un orí kíláàṣì, á kúkú rí’bẹ.
One who eats a king’s food will see the palace. - Ẹni tó bá jẹ́un ọba, á kúkú rí’bẹ.
He who eats the king’s food will see the palace. - Àkùkọ kì í kọ lórí igi aláàárà, kó má ń gbójú lórí.
The rooster doesn’t crow atop the parrot’s tree without respect. - Bí kò sẹ́ni tó mú ilẹ̀kùn, alákàrà kì í ṣàkàrà.
Without someone to close the door, the doughnut seller wouldn’t rest. - Àìsàn ń jẹ́ ká kọ́mọ rere.
Illness prevents one from being a good person. - Ọ̀gá kì í jẹ́ kí obìnrin kúrò nílé.
Pride prevents a woman from leaving home. - Ọmọ tí òun ló ń ṣe, kì í ṣe títí.
A child who thinks he is the best, will not last. - Bí ẹrín ń bọ́ sílẹ̀, arọ ò yè ní.
When laughter falls, sorrow does not rise. - Àṣíṣe níṣòro alágbà.
Mistakes are the elder’s dilemma. - Àìdáwọ́ l’áláwo n’kà.
Not stopping is a soothsayer’s job. - Kò sì ẹni tó bá jẹ́kí afò̩ jẹ oyin.
No one lets the bee eat honey. - Ìwọ̀ntúnwò̩n tí ó tó jẹ kékeré, kò tó kékeré.
Moderation that is enough for the small isn’t enough for the small. - Omi tí ó bá tẹ̀ ẹ́ nìyà òsì.
Water that touches you is the sting of poverty. - Àìrìlẹ̀ là ń jẹ́kí àwọ́n ògáńnì àlààyè.
Unpreparedness makes the elders the leaders. - Ìrìrì kì í fi ọ̀ràn ṣòro.
Experience doesn’t complicate issues. - Ẹnu kò dùn bí ọwọ́ kò fún.
The mouth doesn’t rejoice if the hand doesn’t give. - Ẹni tó bá ń gbé ọmọ ẹ̀yìn ló ń gbọ́ràn ìyàwó.
One who takes care of another’s child listens to the wife. - Ọmọ tó ń gbá ògo òṣè.
A child who cooks bitter leaves. - A kì í fi ara ìlérí d’ájò.
One doesn’t embark on a journey with just promises. - Ẹni tó bá jókòó lójú àgbà, àìfẹ́jú ni.
One who sits with the elders should be cautious. - Àsírí ń jẹ́ alágbà.
Secrets are the elder’s meal. - Bí èèyàn bá dá kòṣò, òfì l’ára wọn.
If someone sets a trap, the feathers remain. - Ọmọ kì í ṣe ọgọ, bí kò bá yọ.
A child doesn’t become valuable if he doesn’t succeed. - Òwe àti ẹ̀gbà kì í ṣe ará ilékan.
Proverbs and beatings aren’t from the same house. - Àjòji kì í jẹ adìe ẹyẹ.
A stranger doesn’t eat the local chicken. - Bí a kò bá ṣàwọn, à ń pèé wá.
If we don’t correct, we won’t be well. - Ọwọ́ bọ́ bọ́ kì í dánù.
Careful hands don’t get wasted. - Bí à ń yá ògiri, à ń tóṣú.
While building a wall, one also shapes the inside. - Ẹni tó bá ń rìn, ó ń kọrin.
He who walks sings. - Ọmọ kì í ṣàṣìṣe kó má jẹ́kí wọlé.
A child doesn’t err without being brought in. - Àdàpé kì í ṣe ọkàn ṣeṣé.
Addition isn’t one’s doing. - Bí a kò bá ṣàjọ, ẹnu kì í ṣó.
If one doesn’t converse, the mouth won’t open. - Àjòjò kì í ṣe aṣáájú.
Frequent journeys don’t make one a leader. - Ọ̀ràn tó bá tó ọjọ́ pẹ́, ó di arákùnrin.
A prolonged issue becomes a brother. - Àgbà kì í ṣì bí ọ̀ràn kì í ṣòṣo.
An elder doesn’t falter if a matter isn’t one-sided. - Ọmọ tí ó mọ ìyá, ó mọ bàbá.
A child who knows his mother, knows his father. - Àìní kò jẹ́ k’ọ̀mọdé mọ ọkàn.
Poverty prevents a child from understanding. - Ẹni tó bá ń jẹ́un ọ̀ràn, ó gbàgbọ́dọ̀ mọ ọ̀ràn.
One who eats matters must understand matters. - Bí a bá dé ibi tí ọ̀ràn, ọ̀ràn ni yóò pa wá.
When we reach a place of trouble, trouble will kill us. - Ọ̀ràn tí ó ń tán n’áìṣe ni.
A resolved issue is a sign of non-doing. - Ìwọ́ l’ọ́wó, àìní ni àìsí.
You have money, lack means poverty. - Àìrìn kì í dà bí ọ̀ràn.
Not walking isn’t the same as trouble. - Ìrìn kì í jẹ k’ẹní ńṣí.
Walking doesn’t let one lose. - Àìsàn kì í jẹ k’ẹní ńṣe.
Illness prevents action. - Ọkàn kì í jẹ́ k’ẹní jẹ́un.
A troubled heart prevents eating. - Ọràn kò ní í jẹ́ k’ẹní ńwọlé.
Trouble doesn’t let one rest. - Àìtórí kì í jẹ́ k’ẹní ńṣàwá.
Lack of care prevents cleanliness. - Ọwó tí a kò fi sára kì í tan.
Money not spent on oneself doesn’t get exhausted. - Ọkàn ní í fọkàn ṣe.
The heart does what the heart desires. - Àìló kì í jẹ́ k’ẹní kó tan.
Not walking prevents full harvest. - Ọwó tí a kò fi tán kì í jẹ́ k’ẹní ńrìn.
Money not spent fully doesn’t allow movement. - Ọkàn tó bá ń dárí, ọkàn ni yóò pa.
A troubled heart kills a person. - Àìtórí kì í jẹ́ k’ẹní jẹ́un.
Lack of care prevents eating. - Ọwó tí a kò fi fún kì í tan.
Money not given doesn’t get exhausted. - Ọkàn tó bá ń dá lọ́ràn, ọkàn ni yóò pa.
A troubled heart will cause trouble. - Àìrìn kì í jẹ́ k’ẹní ńṣe.
Not walking prevents action. - Ọwó tí a kò fi fún kì í jẹ́ k’ẹní ńrìn.
Money not given prevents movement. - Ọkàn ní í fọkàn ṣe.
The heart does what the heart wishes. - Àìló kì í jẹ́ k’ẹní tan.
Not walking prevents completion. - Ọwó tí a kò fi tán kì í jẹ́ k’ẹní kó tan.
Money not fully spent prevents total harvest. - Ọkàn tó bá ń dárí, ọkàn ni yóò pa.
A troubled heart will kill. - Àìtórí kì í jẹ́ k’ẹní jẹ́un.
Lack of care prevents eating. - Ọwó tí a kò fi tán kì í tan.
Money not fully spent doesn’t get exhausted.
These proverbs offer a glimpse into the rich wisdom and culture of the Yoruba people. For professional translation services from English to Yoruba and vice versa, Translingua.ng is here to assist you with expert translators who ensure your content is not only translated accurately but also resonates with the intended audience. Visit Translingua.ng to get started with your translation needs today!
Share the Fun!