Thirty-eight Yorùbá proverbs in which kinship is argued through the body, blood as substance and as evidence, bone and marrow as the limit of what can be extracted, flesh and the breast, and resemblance as the proof of descent, each with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation it is spoken in.
The Yorùbá wey dem quote, the proverbs, oríkì, ẹsẹ Ifá, word list headwords, Odù names and citations dey exactly as the corpus record dem, for every language.
Yorùbá proverb dem about family matter hard make dem use law or feeling argue; na di body dem dey use argue. To show say people relate, dem dey talk say dem share blood, say dem be hand from di same arm, say na milk from di same breast dem suck, or say one person face resemble another person face, and how strong di claim be depend on how close di metaphor dey to di body. Na wetin dis file gather be dat: no be family relation in general, wey dey for owe-family-lineage-compound and owe-children-parenthood-inheritance, but di special way wey dem dey take use flesh, blood, bone, and womb take talk who and who relate and wetin dat one mean for dem.
Thirty-eight proverb dem dey here inside five group: blood as substance and as proof, bone and marrow as di limit of wetin dey inside something, flesh and di body wey dem chop, breast and womb, and resemblance as proof say person originate from di lineage. Dis set make sense to read side by side with di family file dem, because e show say dis collection dey do wetin di family file dem no do: e take idea wey person fit talk for social way and insist to talk am through physical body, na why e hard to translate many of dis proverb without di body following dem come.
Dem give di proverb dem inside Owomoyela text and translation dem . Di usage note dem inside bracket wey Owomoyela put na im dem take form di Used when line dem; anywhere wey di word dem na im own, dem put quotation mark for am. Anything wey dem mark say na di compiler own na dis collection own and person no fit too sure of am like di rest.
Owomoyela write complete standard spelling with tone mark and under-dot, and dem reproduce im text dem here just as e print dem . E no attach any informant to any proverb, as e hold say proverb na property wey belong to everybody , so di text dem confirm say dem exist but dem no attach dem to particular place or date.
Dem need explain some vocabulary before di entry dem. Ẹ̀jẹ̀ na blood. Egungun na bone, and di word eégún or egúngún wey look like am na masquerade for ancestor, separate word wey person fit separate for speech by tone and length; di two no relate and di collection no play with di word dem. Ìyèkan na sibling wey get di same mama, category wey Yorùbá mark and English no mark, and Owomoyela explain am as "sibling by the same mother." Ìtan mean thigh and e still mean di family history wey dem dey recite, and entry 34 rely on di second meaning while entry 35 rely on di first one.
Literal: Fi ẹ̀jẹ̀ sínú put blood inside, tu itọ́ funfun jáde spit white saliva out.
Idiomatic: "Keep your red blood inside and spit out clear saliva."
Meaning: Wetin dey inside and wetin come outside na different substance, and dem suppose stay like dat.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Never show your hand to your enemy or let your words or action reveal your intentions"
Notes: Di proverb assume say di body already dey do dis separation, since blood dey stay inside and saliva dey come outside, so e no dey recommend anything wey di body no dey do naturally; di instruction na just to extend di same discipline to speech. Owomoyela record say dem still dey use di proverb as criticism, inside di form Ọmọ aráyé fẹ̀jẹ̀ sínú tutọ́ funfun jáde, "Human beings keep their blood inside and spit out clear saliva," wey dem dey talk about people wey look like say dem friendly but get bad mind for belly . Entry 2 na di same image wey dem change to warning.
Literal: A kì í fi ẹ̀jẹ̀ dúdú sínú one does-not keep dark blood inside tutọ́ funfun jáde and-spit white saliva out.
Idiomatic: "One does not leave red blood inside and spit out white saliva."
Meaning: Wetin dey inside and wetin dey show for outside must match.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Never let people think you love them when in fact you wish them ill"
Notes: Di same sentence wey be advice for entry 1 turn to warning here, and di collection print di two without comment, wey be di clearest example for dis file of di general Yorùbá principle say dem dey choose proverb based on di occasion instead of to hold am like doctrine. Ẹ̀jẹ̀ dúdú literally mean dark blood; Owomoyela translate am as "red," wey correct for wetin e dey refer to, since Yorùbá dúdú cover di dark end of colour spectrum including deep red, but dat change dey make person lose di colour contrast wey dem use build di sentence.
Literal: Ọwọ́ epo a-hand of-palm-oil layé ḿbá ni lá the-world joins one in-licking, ayé kì í bá ni láwọ́ ẹ̀jẹ̀ the-world does-not join one in-licking a-hand of-blood.
Idiomatic: "The world will join one in licking fingers dripping with palm oil but not in licking fingers dripping with blood."
Meaning: People go share wetin sweet for your hand, but dem no go share wetin dey terrible.
Used when: Owomoyela: "People will share your good fortune with you, but not your misfortune"
Notes: Palm oil and blood na di standard pair of red liquid inside di collection, one dey give life and di other one na disaster, and di way dem look like each other na im make di comparison work: di two hand look alike but people dey treat dem differently. Di proverb follow di file later entry dem about flesh, because e put fellowship inside di specific act of eating from di same hand, and e still follow owe-secrets-gossip-rumour about who go stay when wahala come.
Literal: Ojú kì í pọ́n ni hardship never presses one ká mu ìṣápá so-that-one drinks red-sorrel; òùngbẹ kì í gbẹ ni thirst never dries one ká mu ẹ̀jẹ̀ so-that-one drinks blood.
Idiomatic: "One is never so desperate that one drinks red sorrel juice; one is never so thirsty that one drinks blood."
Meaning: Level dey wey condition no suppose push person pass, and to drink blood dey below dat level.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Desperation must never push one beyond the bounds of acceptable behavior"
Notes: Di two part of di sentence get levels, since ìṣápá, di red sorrel or roselle, just no sweet to drink while blood na tabu, and di proverb put di two on top di same scale so dat di small matter go set up di absolute one. Na di structure wey dem note for entry 33 of owe-beauty-ugliness-appearance be dis, where di corpus set boundary by mentioning di point wey no excuse fit cover again.
Literal: Ìyì lọba fi orí bíbẹ́ ṣe it-is honour the-king makes of head-cutting; ọba kì í mu ẹ̀jẹ̀ the-king does-not drink blood.
Idiomatic: "A king derives only awe from beheading people; the king does not drink blood."
Meaning: Na di execution dey bring respect for di king position, no be say na hungry dey catch am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person dey do some things because na duty, no be say na wetin im body dey find"
Notes: Di way di proverb take deny am dey do real work, because di power wey Yorùbá king get over life carry accusation say im like blood, wey di proverb dey answer, and di answer na say wetin di position dey gain na ìyì, honour or awe, wey purely na social good. Na dis be di most political proverb for di file and na di only one where blood dey talk about official position instead of family matter.
Literal: Olóòlà kì í wọ̀lú the-circumciser does-not enter-a-town kó má fọwọ́ kan ẹ̀jẹ̀ without touching blood with-his-hand.
Idiomatic: "A circumciser does not enter a town and not get his fingers bloody."
Meaning: Di work must cause contact; clean version no dey.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person no fit escape wetin dey follow im work"
Notes: Di olóòlà na specialist practitioner wey also dey cut di lineage facial marks wey dem discuss for entry 14 of owe-beauty-ugliness-appearance, so di person for di proverb na di one person for Yorùbá life wey dem know say im work na to comot blood from other people pikin. Di proverb no condemn am and e no defend am, wey be di way di corpus dey usually treat specialists, and dat same neutrality appear for 3273 where wetin circumciser talk end one discussion.
Literal: Ohun gbogbo là ń diyelé everything we put-a-price-on; ṣùgbọ́n kò sẹ́ni tó moye ara-a rẹ̀ but no-one knows the-value of-his-own body; ẹ̀jẹ̀ ò fojú rere jáde blood does-not come-out on-a-good-occasion.
Idiomatic: "Everything has its price, but no one knows his or her own worth; bloodshed never has a good cause."
Meaning: Na di body be di one thing wey no get market price, and make blood comot from am no be good sign at all.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Make people no reduce di value of dia life by putting demselves for danger wey no necessary"
Notes: Ara for here na di body and, by extension, di self, and di argument wey di proverb dey make na economic one: everything get price except dis one, so person no fit evaluate any exchange for am. Di third clause make blood di visible measure of wetin dey spend, na why di proverb belong to dis file instead of di wealth files where di first clause for put am.
Literal: A pa ìgbín we kill a-snail a ò bá ẹ̀pọ́n we do-not meet red-matter; a pa ìrẹ̀ we kill a-cricket a ò kan ẹ̀jẹ̀ we do-not touch blood.
Idiomatic: "We kill a snail but find no red matter; we kill a cricket and find no blood."
Meaning: Some creatures simply no get wetin you dey find inside dem.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person no fit expect to get blood from turnip; all creatures no be di same"
Notes: Di explanation wey Owomoyela give use one English idiom, blood from a turnip, wey come flatten di second half of im own note; di Yorùbá dey make taxonomic point, say creatures differ for wetin dem take make dem, and na after dat one e come talk about expectation. Dem dey chop snail and cricket for Yorùbá cooking and di two truly no get blood, so di proverb na accurate natural history before e even turn figure of speech, and e prepare ground for di bone group wey dey under, where dem make di same argument about marrow.
Literal: Ẹ̀jẹ̀ ahun the-blood of-the-tortoise ò kún ni lọ́wọ́ does-not fill one's hand.
Idiomatic: "The blood of the tortoise does not fill one's palm."
Meaning: No matter how you take kill am reach, wetin dey inside am no plenty.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Wetin person fit expect from stingy person small well well"
Notes: Di proverb depend on how di tone of ahun (tortoise) almost match ahun (miser or stingy person), wey be genuine Yorùbá pun and na di reason why na dis animal, instead of another one, be di subject. English fit only pick one of di two, so Owomoyela translate di animal and explain di miser, and di joke wey tie di two together come lost. Dem treat tortoise as trickster for owe-tortoise-ijapa-trickster.
Literal: Eṣinṣin tí ḿbá ọdẹ rìn the-fly that walks with a-hunter á mu ẹ̀jẹ̀ yó will drink blood to-satiety.
Idiomatic: "A fly that keeps a hunter company will drink blood to its fill."
Meaning: Attach yourself to person wey im work dey produce wetin you want, and you go get am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Di good luck and bad luck of person associate go surely touch di person"
Notes: Di explanation wey Owomoyela give balance good luck and bad luck equally, but di Yorùbá dey clearly about gain: di fly belle come full for di end. Di proverb belong to entry 3, where blood for hand dey drive people away, and di pair show say blood dey function as both di thing wey nobody go share and di thing wey person wey depend on you go follow you for, depending on whose blood e be.
Literal: Agbárí the-skull ò ní mùdùn-múdùn has-no marrow.
Idiomatic: "The skull has no marrow."
Meaning: Di bone wey look like say na im rich pass na im nothing dey inside.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person no fit comot blood from turnip"
Notes: Mùdùn-múdùn na bone marrow, na double word wey dey name di soft part wey dey inside, and di proverb accurate according to anatomy: long bones dey carry marrow but skull bone no dey carry. Na dis be di standard way inside di corpus to talk say e impossible to bring something comot, and di English idiom wey Owomoyela use for di explanation na di same one wey e use for entry 8, wey make sense to note because di Yorùbá corpus make di point two times with two different bodies.
Literal: Ẹ̀rú kọ́ lórí the-hoe-shaft has a-head; kò ní mùdùn-múdùn it-has-no marrow.
Idiomatic: "The hoe shaft has a head but no marrow."
Meaning: Say something get di shape of another thing no mean say e get wetin dey inside am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person no fit get something from where nothing dey, just as person no fit get marrow from skull"
Notes: Di proverb extend entry 11 from real skull go wooden object wey get part wey dem dey call head, and dis extension depend on how Yorùbá dey call di top of tools orí freely just as e dey call di head of people, na habit wey dem treat for owe-head-face-ori. Owomoyela own explanation bring di skull comparison, wey confirm say e read di two proverbs as pair.
Literal: Eegun àjànàkú an-elephant's bone: ó há ìkokò lẹ́nu it sticks in-the-wolf's mouth.
Idiomatic: "An elephant's bone: it sticks in the wolf's mouth."
Meaning: Di scavenger animal carry bone wey fit bigger animal and e no fit deal with am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person don do pass im power and e dey pay for im foolishness"
Notes: Bone size na di instrument wey di proverb dey take measure, since e dey show di exact animal wey e comot from, so dem dey compare wolf mouth to elephant body through one single piece of skeleton. Àjànàkú na di praise name for elephant instead of di ordinary erin, wey raise di level of language and make di mismatch big pass.
Literal: Ọ̀nà ọ̀fun the-passage of-the-throat ò gba egungun ẹja does-not admit fish bones.
Idiomatic: "The throat cannot accommodate fish bones."
Meaning: Way wey dey swallow almost everything get one thing wey e no go gree take.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Everybody and everything get limitation"
Notes: Di choice of fish bone correct well well, because na di one thing inside normal Yorùbá food wey dey always hook for throat, so di proverb pick di only one failure case for organ wey normally fit do work. Compare am with entry 15, where different animal do di same calculation beforehand.
Literal: Bí ìdí ìkokò kò bá dá a lójú if the-wolf's hindquarters do-not reassure it, kì í gbé egungun mì it does-not swallow bone.
Idiomatic: "If the wolf does not have faith in its anus, it does not swallow bones."
Meaning: Di animal calculate how e go comot before e commit to enter.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person no suppose try wetin e no go fit bear di consequence"
Notes: Di proverb raw on purpose and di roughness na di main point: e insist say make dem look di consequence for di most direct and least respectable way. Dis na di same rhetorical style as di way dem bring down pride for entry 5 of owe-beauty-ugliness-appearance, where na di least respectable fact about body dem pick to make di point complete.
Literal: Eegun tí a bá so mọ́ ajá lọ́rùn a-bone tied around a-dog's neck, kì í ṣán an it does-not chew it.
Idiomatic: "A dog does not eat a bone tied to its neck."
Meaning: Di exact thing wey dem give you make you keep na im you no fit chop.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person no fit take advantage of person or thing wey dem put for im care"
Notes: Di proverb talk wetin be rule for human beings as if na true fact about dogs, wey be di corpus normal way for claims wey e want make people accept without argument, and di claim no even solid in real life, but di proverb no talk dat one. Na dis item dem quote pass for di whole file on top matter of trust, and dem dey always cite am for guardians, pawn-holders, and anybody wey dem leave make e manage wetin e dey desire.
Literal: Wọ́n ní kíni wọ́n sọnù they-were-asked what they lost, wọ́n ní ẹran they said meat; wọ́n ní kíni wọ́n ń jẹ they-were-asked what they are-eating, wọ́n ní eegun they said bones.
Idiomatic: "When asked what they lost, they said meat; when asked what they were eating, they said bones."
Meaning: Dem lose di main meat and dey survive on top wetin remain attached to am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "When wahala show, person go manage wetin e get"
Notes: Di question-and-answer format, two questions and two answers, give di proverb di shape of small interrogation, and dem arrange di answers so dat di second one go expose di first one. Bone against meat na di corpus standard pair for wetin remain against di main substance, wey dem use again for entry 20 where di elders take di heart.
Literal: Ajá kú the-dog dies ó fi eegun sílé ayé it leaves bones on-the-earth; adìẹ funfun-ún kú the-white chicken dies ó tu ìhùùhù gbugbu it scatters its-down entirely; ìgbín kú the-snail dies ó gbàgbé ìkaraun it forgets its-shell.
Idiomatic: "The dog dies and leaves bones on earth; the white chicken dies and loses its down; the snail dies and forgets about its shell."
Meaning: Every creature dey leave behind di hardest thing and di main mark of wetin e hold.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person no fit carry anything follow body go heaven"
Notes: Di three leftover things dey arranged from di one wey dey last pass go reach di one wey no too attach, bone first, then feather, then shell, and di verb dey change with each one, from to leave behind go reach to scatter, reach to forget, so di Yorùbá dey show di way hand dey release grip wey English must explain in words. Make you compare entry 48 of owe-clothing-nakedness, where dem make di same point about human being and di only thing wey dey follow di body na cloth.
Literal: Àtàrí wo ọ̀run mọmọ the-crown-of-the-head stares at-the-sky fixedly bí ẹni pé kò ní ibẹ̀-ẹ́ rè as-though it will-not go there; oye ojú tó wo ayé however-many eyes have-looked-on the-world ni yó wo ọ̀run that-many will look-on heaven.
Idiomatic: "The skull stares at the sky as though it would not wind up there; every eye that looks upon the earth will also see heaven."
Meaning: Di head wey dey look sky dey go there, and everybody wey don see this world go see di other place.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person no fit dodge im destiny"
Notes: Àtàrí na di crown or top of di head, no be di whole skull, and di "skull" wey Owomoyela use dey bring cemetery feeling wey di Yorùbá no get: dem use di word for living head throughout, like for entry 21. Ọ̀run, wey dem translate as "heaven," na sky for di first part and di spirit world for di second part, and di proverb need di two meanings at once, wey be ambiguity wey English must separate.
Literal: Àtàrí ni ò jẹ́ it-is the-crown-of-the-head that does-not allow kó òòrùn ó pa àgbọ̀nìsàlẹ̀ the-sun to strike the-lower-jaw.
Idiomatic: "It is the skull that keeps the sun off the chin below."
Meaning: Di upper part of di same body dey give shade to di lower part without person asking.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Just as chin dey owe skull, na so person dey owe di person wey help am"
Notes: Na dis proverb be di file clearest statement on how body dey serve as model for obligation: two parts of one head, one dey shade di other just by simple geometry, and di debt dey follow di arrangement instead of any action wey dem do. Owomoyela print di grateful version for 3932, Ọpẹ́lọpẹ́ àtàrí tí ò jẹ́ kí oòrùn ó pa àgbọ̀nìsàlẹ̀, "Person suppose thank di skull well well wey protect chin under am from sun," wey e explain as advice make person dey grateful for small mercies inside trouble , and e cross-reference di two .
Literal: Orí lẹ̀gbọ́n ara the-head is-the-senior-sibling of-the-body.
Idiomatic: "The head is an elder sibling to the body."
Meaning: Inside one body, head hold di rank wey firstborn hold inside one family.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Certain entities dey superior pass their mates without doubt"
Notes: Na dis be di turning point of di file, because e apply family words in di opposite direction from everything else here: instead of using body take explain family relation, e use family relation take explain body. Ẹ̀gbọ́n, senior sibling, na real and serious Yorùbá status wey carry rights of precedence, so di sentence no be just decoration. Orí for im other meaning, personal destiny, dey treated throughout owe-head-face-ori, and di power of di proverb dey increase as di reader dey hear di two meanings.
Literal: Ìgbà ara ḿbẹ lára when there-is flesh on-the-body là ḿbùú tà is-when we cut-some to-sell.
Idiomatic: "It is when there is a surfeit of flesh on the body that one cuts some of it for sale."
Meaning: Wetin dem give out dey come commot from body wey get pass wetin e need.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Na only surplus person dey give as gift"
Notes: Di picture wey e paint dey deliberately alarming, and yet dem dey use di proverb without fear, for ordinary generosity, wey be di point: e insist say every gift na something wey dem cut commot from body. Ara na both flesh and self, so di sentence dey talk at di same time say person dey sell im meat and say person dey sell part of imself, and no single English word carry di two meanings together.
Literal: Ṣàkì ń ṣe bí ọ̀rá tripe behaves-as-though it-were fat, egungun ń ṣe bí ẹran bone behaves-as-though it-were meat.
Idiomatic: "The tripe presents itself as fat; the bone presents itself as meat."
Meaning: Two lower parts of di animal meat dey pretend say dem be di parts wey people want.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Make person no pretend to be wetin e no be"
Notes: Yorùbá butchery dey give names to each cut of meat carefully and dey put different price for dem, so di proverb depend on real market hierarchy where ọ̀rá, fat, and ẹran, flesh, dey higher pass ṣàkì, tripe, and bone. Di pretending na possible thing because di lower parts still come from di same animal, wey make dis one di file exact counterpart to di resemblance proverbs for entries 33 to 38: na shared origin be di exact thing wey make false claim make sense to believe.
Literal: Àgbà ní ń jẹ ọkàn it-is elders who eat the-heart; ọmọdé ní ń jẹ ara ẹran it-is the-young who eat the-flesh of-the-animal.
Idiomatic: "Only elders eat the heart; the youth eat the flesh."
Meaning: Di way dem dey share animal meat dey follow di way rank and position dey.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Every position get im own special duties"
Notes: To share meat according to seniority na real Yorùbá practice and di proverb dey report rule instead of to invent figure of speech, na why Owomoyela explanation dey talk about duty instead of privilege: to receive di heart dey mark person as someone wey go answer for matter. Ọkàn na both di heart organ and di heart as di place where courage and mind dey stay, di meaning wey dem use throughout owe-stomach-appetite-inner-person, so di elders dey chop di part wey dem name after di power wey dem suppose use.
Literal: Ọ̀ràn ò bá ojúgun trouble has-not met the-shin, ó ní òun ò lẹ́ran it says it has-no flesh.
Idiomatic: "The shin has not yet got into trouble, and therefore it says it has no flesh."
Meaning: Di part wey get small flesh dey claim say nothing dey affect am sake of say e no get anything to lose, and trouble never test am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Until person enter trouble, e dey always tink say nothing fit touch am"
Notes: Di shinbone na di bone wey get least flesh for body and na e dey pain pass if dem hit am, so e claim say e no get flesh na both true and useless talk, na dat one be di joke. Owomoyela print 4252, Iwájú lojúgun ń gbé, "Na front part shinbone dey stay," wey dem explain say na for person wey e leadership quality put ahead of everybody , and di two proverb show how one body fact fit serve as both bragging and foolish thinking.
Literal: Òjòwú the-jealous-woman ò lẹ́ran láyà has-no flesh on-the-chest.
Idiomatic: "The jealous woman lacks flesh on her chest."
Meaning: Jealousy dey chop di body of di person wey hold am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Too much jealousy dey chop di person wey dey jealous"
Notes: Di proverb talk wetin e mean for emotion like say na physical fact, wey be di normal style of di collection, and e put di dry-up for chest because àyà, chest, na di seat of dat emotion for Yorùbá idiom. Òjòwú na specifically rival wife wey dey jealous, so di proverb dey stay inside di polygamous household wey dem describe for owe-family-lineage-compound, and di hard mouth face woman wey di collection get plenty harsh words for.
Literal: Aláàárù tí ń jẹran the-hired-carrier who eats meat ń jẹ awọ orí-i rẹ̀ is-eating the-skin of-his-own head.
Idiomatic: "A hired carrier who eats meat eats skin off his skull."
Meaning: Di meat wey load-carrier dey chop, na di head wey e take carry load dey pay for am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Di worker dey chop from e sweat; di worker wey want enjoy life dey pay for am with e sweat"
Notes: Di picture dey talk direct about di work, because carrier load dey stay on top e head and dey scratch di skin for there, so di meat wey e take e pay buy, na dat exact skin buy am. Owomoyela print di butcher own for 4499, Alápatà tí ń jẹran, ẹran orí-i rẹ̀ ló ń jẹ, "Di butcher wey dey chop meat dey chop di skin from e head," wey e explain say "Person dey chop from e work," and e cross-reference di two . Di pair put di same sentence on top two men wey dey touch meat take make living.
Literal: Ọ̀já kan ò dàbí ọ̀já òróòro no sash is-like the-red sash; òkè kan ò dàbí Òkè e Gbadi no hill is-like Gbadi Hill; ọmú kan ò dùn bí ọmú ìyá ẹni no breast-milk is-as-sweet-as one's own mother's.
Idiomatic: "No sash compares with the red sash; no hill compares with Gbadi Hill; no breast milk is as delicious as one's mother's breast milk."
Meaning: Inside each group one member pass all, and for di group of mothers na person own mother pass.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Some things no get rival for value"
Notes: Di proverb build reach di mother through two smaller things wey pass others, cloth and landmark, so dat di final claim go land after di hearer don already agree with two things. Ọmú na both breast and breast milk, and di double meaning work well here: di sentence dey talk say no other milk sweet like e own and say no other body be e own. Compare entry 30, where di same word mean duty instead of preference.
Literal: Ọlọ́mú the-owner-of-the-breast, that-is the-suckling dá ọmú ìyá ẹ̀ gbé alone lifts its mother's breast.
Idiomatic: "Each child must lift its mother's breast by itself."
Meaning: To suck breast no be wetin person fit do for pikin behalf.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Every person to e own power"
Notes: Di proverb na di earliest example for di collection wey dey talk say make person depend on body, since e put di first work wey person no fit give another person do for breast, and dem dey use am for adults precisely because nobody fit argue di baby case. Ọlọ́mú, owner of di breast, dey call di pikin instead of di mother, wey reverse di ownership wey English go expect and na wetin make di translation must say "each child."
Literal: Fi ọmú fọ́mọ take the-breast to-the-child, fi ọmọ fọ́mú take the-child to-the-breast; bí ọmọ́ bá ti mu ọmú if the-child has-nursed, kò bù ṣe is-that not enough?
Idiomatic: "Take the breast to the child, take the child to the breast; as long as the child is nursed, is that not all that matters?"
Meaning: Two way dey reach di same result, so di argument about which one to follow no necessary.
Used when: Owomoyela: "No need to dey argue over small small thing"
Notes: Di Yorùbá state di two choice with di exact same words but swap di nouns, wey make di balance clear for di page in a way wey English no fit copy, and di question for di end dey act like person wey shrug shoulder. Dis na one of di few proverbs for di collection about dispute on how to do things, and e settle dem by naming di final result, wey be di same method dem use for entry 44 of owe-ears-hearing-mouth.
Literal: Bí òkété bá dàgbà when the-giant-rat grows-old, ọmú ọmọ-ọ rẹ̀ ni ḿmu it-is its child's breast it-nurses-from.
Idiomatic: "When the giant rat becomes old, it sucks from its child's breast."
Meaning: Di direction of feeding dey reverse as person dey old.
Used when: Owomoyela: "For person old age, na im pikin dem im dey depend on"
Notes: Na dis be di Yorùbá statement of reciprocity wey dey make pikin dem serve as old-age provision, and e make am for di strongest form wey dey by putting di parent back for breast, wey pass ordinary dependence: na return to infant position. Dem choose di òkété, di African giant pouched rat, because na animal wey people know well say e dey born plenty pikin, and e no carry any trickster meaning wey go complicate di interpretation.
Literal: Ọmọ kì í forí pẹkàn a-child does-not come head-first kó mú bàbá ẹ̀ dání and-bring its father with-it; iye ọmọ lọmọ ḿmú lọ it-is the-child's own self the-child takes along.
Idiomatic: "A child does not emerge from a womb with its father in tow; the child emerges all by itself."
Meaning: Birth na arrival wey person dey do alone and e no dey establish company.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Pikin wey enter trouble no fit depend on im papa to carry di consequence"
Notes: Di proverb na di file argument say di body wey create kinship no dey automatically create liability, and dem make dis point for di exact moment wey parent and pikin hard to separate pass. Di image na something wey dey deliberately absurd, man wey dem deliver alongside im son, and dat absurdity na di proof. Compare entry 21 of owe-children-parenthood-inheritance about wetin parent owe and wetin dem no owe.
Literal: Ìbí-ìrẹ-ẹ́ sẹ̀nù your pregnancy is-lost ò ń yọ̀ you are-rejoicing; o ò mọ̀ pé irú ẹ ló ń rá you do-not know that it-is your-own kind that is-perishing.
Idiomatic: "Your pregnancy aborts and you rejoice; you are not aware that it is your kind that is perishing."
Meaning: Di loss wey give you relief na minus from your own lineage.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Wetin look like blessing for short run fit turn to disaster for long run"
Notes: Irú ẹ, your kind or your sort, na di term wey di proverb use instead of kinship word, wey make di argument dey about type and continuation instead of one particular pikin, and na in dat sense dis proverb belong to body-and-kinship file instead of file about pikin dem. Di corpus no dey moralise about di relief wey di woman feel, and di proverb dey correct her arithmetic instead of her feeling.
Literal: Àbíjọ being-born-alike là ḿmọ ìtan is-how we know the-lineage-history.
Idiomatic: "It is through resemblance that one knows those who are related."
Meaning: Na face be di evidence wey dem take dey read descent.
Used when: Owomoyela: "People dey show their connection through similar behavior or appearance"
Notes: Ìtan na di lineage history wey dem dey recite, di narrative wey family hold about themselves, and di proverb talk say dem dey check dat narrative against faces, so dem treat oral record and di body as two sources for di same claim. Di word sound di same way as ìtan, thigh, wey entry 35 use, and di corpus no seem to dey pun on di two words. Àbíjọ join bí, to give birth, and jọ, to resemble, together into single nominal wey English need whole clause to explain.
Literal: A kì í bá ẹni tan one does-not be-related-to a-person ká tún fa ni nítan ya and-also split the-person's thighs.
Idiomatic: "One does not claim kinship with a person and yet split the person's thighs."
Meaning: Kinship and sexual access na two claims on top di same body wey no fit stand together.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Sex between blood relatives na taboo"
Notes: Bá ẹni tan, to be related to, na di regular verb of kinship and e dey show for di corpus anywhere wey dem dey assert relationship, including for entry 8 of owe-beauty-ugliness-appearance where men dey manufacture am to reach fine woman; here na di thing wey dey block access instead of opening am. Di proverb na di corpus plainest statement on prohibition of incest and e make am through anatomy instead of law, wey be di characteristic move for dis file.
Literal: Gángán ló bá ni tan it-is barely that he is-related to-one; kò ṣé é fi ọ̀bẹ rẹ́ it cannot be-cut with-a-knife.
Idiomatic: "His relationship to one is very slight; even so it cannot be severed with a knife."
Meaning: Kinship wey thin still no be wetin person fit cut.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Relative wey far pass still deserve make dem acknowledge and treat dem like family"
Notes: Di proverb imagine kinship as physical connection wey thin reach to cut and then e talk say person no fit cut am, wey be claim wey dey more interesting pass ordinary insistence on family loyalty: e dey talk say di tie no be di kind thing wey knife fit cut. Na dis be di corpus answer to plenty proverbs wey dey treat distant relatives like burden, including 2803 about how plenty relatives dey produce plenty quarrel .
Literal: Apá lará the-arms are-one's-kin; ìgbọ̀nwọ́ niyèkan the-elbows are-one's-same-mother-siblings.
Idiomatic: "One's arms are one's relatives; one's elbows are one's siblings by the same mother."
Meaning: Di parts of your own body dey occupy di positions wey relatives suppose occupy, and na dem go act.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Wetin reliable pass person relatives and siblings na person own resources"
Notes: Dis na di proverb wey pipo sabi pass for dis file and im structure exact well well: hand, wey be general part of body, dey match ará, wey be di general word for relative, and elbow, wey be specific joint for dat hand, dey match ìyèkan, wey be specific sibling from di same mama, so di way body part dey inside body part na im also show di way family relation dey inside family relation. Owomoyela print di palm version for 2823, Àtẹ́wọ́ lará; ìgbọ̀nwọ́ niyèkan, "Person palm na im relatives; person elbow na im siblings wey share same mama," with di same explanation . Dem treat di proverb for im argument about self-reliance for owe-hands-feet-working-body; dem put am here sake of say di way e take use body parts replace relatives na im be di main topic for dis file.
Literal: Ogún pa ará war killed the-kin, odò-ó gbé iyèkan lọ the-river carried the-same-mother-siblings away, àjọbí sọnù lọ́nà Ìkòròdú the-co-born were-lost on-the-road to-Ìkòròdú, a ò tún rẹ́ni bá rìn mọ́ we no-longer find anyone to-walk-with, àfi ẹni tí ń tan ni except those who deceive one.
Idiomatic: "Death took one's kin; the river carries off one's siblings; one's blood relations disappear on the road to Ìkòròdú; one has nobody left to keep one company save those intent on deceiving one."
Meaning: Different different tin don carry every category of relative comot, and di one wey remain no be family at all.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Word wey person dey use talk say e don lose everybody wey e for depend on"
Notes: Di three loss follow step by step according to how close di relation be and how specific di cause be, from ará, general relative wey war carry go, pass through ìyèkan, same-mama siblings wey river carry go, reach àjọbí, di pipo wey dem born together, wey loss for one road wey get name. Owomoyela translate ogún as death; di word na war, and e make sense to note dis mistake sake of say di proverb for normal level name three different ways tins take happen, but im English translation give only two. Di last clause depend on tàn, to deceive, wey stand for where tan, to dey related, suppose stand throughout di file, wey be bitter wordplay for di end wey English language no fit carry well.
Three tins stand out across dis thirty-eight proverbs.
Dem dey use di body take make family claims something wey person no fit argue. Entry 36 talk say person no fit use knife cut thin relationship, entry 35 forbid sex with relative by di way e describe di action for body instead of to just call di rule, and entry 37 put relatives for di position of hand and elbow. For each case, dem take social fact explain as body matter, and dat explanation na im be di argument: person fit argue about obligation, but person no fit argue about body part. Di same method show for owe-hands-feet-working-body, where dem use two hands wey dey wash each other take explain cooperation.
Blood dey show as proof many times pass as physical substance. Na only entries 4, 5 and 6 treat blood as physical tin wey dey pour or wey person dey drink. For other places na sign e be: wetin dey inside for entries 1 and 2, wetin dey on top hand for entry 3, wetin no dey inside snail and tortoise for entries 8 and 9. Di corpus no really carry blood as di main tin for family line like how English idiom for think, and where e talk about family line, e face resemblance for entries 34 to 38 instead of blood at all.
Di proverbs about to bring somtin comot from inside na about disappointment, and dem be di model wey di corpus use for am. Entry 11 talk say skull no get marrow, entry 12 talk say hoe handle get head but e no get marrow, entry 8 talk say snail no get red matter, and entry 9 talk say tortoise almost no get blood at all. Four proverbs make one single point: say some containers no get anytin wey you dey look for, and di reason wey make di corpus repeat am for four different bodies na say na so most request for help dey be. Dis na di same argument wey di wealth files make about poor relative, and dem present am here without blame: di skull no be say e dey hide somtin.
Fifty-eight Yorùbá proverbs on character, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.
Sourced Yorùbá proverbs about the household, the lineage, the father's house and the obligations that follow from being born into a particular family.
Forty-nine Yorùbá proverbs on the hand and the foot, the body's two instruments of labor, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.
Fifty-one Yorùbá proverbs in which death, burial, mourning and the masquerade of the ancestors carry the argument, each with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation it is spoken in.
Forty-two Yorùbá proverbs on the head as body part and as destiny, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.
Thirty Yorùbá proverbs on the eye as the organ of witness and judgment, and on blindness as both a literal condition and a figure for folly, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.