Òwe on Enmity, Quarrel and Reconciliation
Sourced Yorùbá proverbs on what starts and escalates a quarrel, how an enemy is handled, and the limits of grudge and revenge.
intermediatehigh·
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Sourced Yorùbá proverbs on what starts and escalates a quarrel, how an enemy is handled, and the limits of grudge and revenge.
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.
Dis file gather Yorùbá proverb-dem about ìjà, di quarrel, and ọ̀tá, di enemy: wetin dey bring palava, how person suppose carry body when rival or detractor dey present, and di small space Yorùbá proverb wisdom leave for revenge once matter don turn open grudge. Enmity for inside dis material no dey abstract at all. Na named social fact wey get im own etiquette: pesin dey watch enemy instead of make e argue with am, pesin dey waka pass detractor instead of make e answer am, and quarrel wey don start already, dem dey treat am as state wey normal respect, including respect for elder, no dey apply again.
Unlike family, community and friendship, quarrel and enmity no get single dedicated section inside Oyekan Owomoyela im Yoruba Proverbs. Di proverb-dem wey dey below, dem gather dem from different-different parts of di book, most from "the good person" sections on caution and perspicaciousness, from "human nature," and from di closing "truisms," wey by imself show proof say Yorùbá speakers use dis material for wide range of settings instead of make dem treat conflict as one single topic wey get boundary.
All entries wey dey below come from Oyekan Owomoyela, Yoruba Proverbs (University of Nebraska Press, 2005), di standard 5,235-proverb collection . None of dem come from di book digitised excerpt for yoruba.unl.edu, because dat excerpt cover only Part One six sections and dis file pack from far pass dat, including from "human nature" and di closing "truisms" section, wey no dey digitised for there.
Because dis material scatter instead of say e concentrate for one section, di compiler find candidates through keyword search across full-text extraction of di printed book, den verify every candidate by reading page image wey dem render directly from di book PDF for 200dpi. Dis second step dey necessary because di specific digital copy of di book wey dey available to di compiler get font-encoding problem for inside di extracted text layer: di book embedded typeface use custom glyph composition for Yorùbá tone marks, wey plain text extraction no dey fit recover well, and for di worst cases e dey drop full letter instead of just di accent. To read di rendered page image bypass dat problem. Every Yorùbá text, English translation and bracketed usage note wey dey below, na straight from page image dem transcribe am like dat, so di tone marking dey exactly as dem print am for di 2005 edition .
Di literal line for each record na di compiler of dis corpus write am, as e dey work from Owomoyela printed Yorùbá. Di used when line dey follow im own bracketed usage note, wey di book put immediately after each translation instead of separate usage annotation.
As dis material spread thin across di book (keyword search for di Yorùbá words for quarrel and enemy no bring out any page wey get pass two relevant hits), dis file short pass wetin dis corpus normally dey target. To cut am stop for set wey dem source honestly better pass to pack borderline material join or proverbs wey dem don already publish elsewhere inside dis corpus.
Literal: A-ró-bá-sá one-who-flees-at-the-sight-of-a-king ò ṣojo is-not a-coward.
Idiomatic: He-who-flees-on-seeing-the-king is no coward. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: To commot body from confrontation with pesin wey get power pass you far-far na wisdom, no be cowardice.
Used when: Owomoyela own gloss: di safest way for pesin na to stay far from people wey dey position of authority .
Notes: Di compressed nominal A-ró-bá-sá, wey dem build from whole clause wey turn to subject, dey name di person wey run instead of di act of running, na construction wey dis corpus note repeatedly for files 10 and 11. Di proverb reject di normal social judgment say to run na shame, based on di specific reason say di party wey pesin run from na king.
Literal: Kìtì ò mọ́là sudden-pouncing does-not capture greatness ká ṣisẹ́ bí ẹrú that-one work like a-slave ò da nǹkan does-not amount-to anything.
Idiomatic: Sudden pouncing does not capture greatness; working like a slave does not ensure anything. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: Neither sudden aggressive move nor sheer effort dey guarantee decisive win over rival or obstacle.
Used when: Owomoyela own gloss: pesin no dey guarantee greatness for imself by to slave .
Notes: Di two clauses pair opposite strategies, di ambush and di grind, and reject di two, wey show say di proverb na advice against relying on any single tactic to overcome rival or difficulty.
Literal: Kòkòrò tó jẹfó the-insect that eats-the-vegetable járe ẹ̀fó wins-the-case-over the-vegetable ìwọ̀n léwéko ńdára mọ́ it-is-moderation that leaves-plants attractive.
Idiomatic: The insect that eats the vegetable wins the case against the vegetable; leaves should observe moderation in their attractiveness. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: Pesin wey tempt trouble come im body get share for di blame for wetin follow happen, even though na di aggressor still dey at fault.
Used when: Owomoyela own gloss: pesin wey dem entice enter crime no guilty reach di pesin wey do di enticing .
Notes: Di proverb arrange mock court case, insect against vegetable, and give di win to di aggressor while e still point hand say di vegetable excess na contributing cause, wey make di proverb no be clean acquittal or clean conviction.
Literal: Kùkùté kan one stump kì í fọ́ni lẹ́po léèmejì does-not break-one's oil-pot twice.
Idiomatic: No one stump can break one's oil pot twice. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: Once particular thing don hurt you for particular way before, people expect say you don learn your lesson make e no happen again.
Taim wey dem dey use am: Owomoyela own explanation: di same wahala no suppose happen to pesin two times; pesin dey normal learn from wetin happen to am .
Notes: Di proverb take am say wetin hamma pesin suppose teach am lesson, and if di same tin happen again, dem dey see am say na di pesin no shine eye well, no bi ordinary bad luck, wey bi higher standard pass just to pity di pesin.
Literal: Tè mí step-on me ǹtè ọ́ I-will-step-on you layé gbà is-what life accepts.
Idiomatic: Step on me and I will step on you is what life takes. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: To pay pesin back wetin e do you na normal way how society dey run, no bi exception.
Used when: Owomoyela own explanation: for life, we must do to odas as dem dey do to us .
Notes: Di proverb describe how pay-back dey happen instead of to command pesin make e do am; na direct description of how trouble take dey spread, no bi order make dem spread am, wey make am different from di proverbs wey dey under wey dey advice pesin make e hold body.
Literal: Tijú fún mi show-decorum for me kí ntijú fún ọ that-I show-decorum for you ẹni tó tijú fúnni whoever shows-decorum for-one là ńtijú fún is-whom one shows-decorum for.
Idiomatic: Behave with decorum toward me, and I will behave with decorum toward you; only those who approach one with decorum earn decorum in return. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: To treat pesin well depend on how di pesin take treat you, no bi free respect wey pesin must give no mata wetin happen.
Used when: Owomoyela own explanation: treat pipo di way you want make dem treat you .
Notes: If you put am side by side with entry 5, dis proverb tok di same rule of pay-back for positive way, respect for respect, where entry 5 tok am for negative way, injury for injury; di way Owomoyela take put di two together for im text dey show say Yorùbá speakers treat dem as one single principle wey dem apply to opposite situations, no bi as two different rules.
Literal: Eégún dẹ̀bi the-masquerader judges guilty kò ṣéé gbá lójú it-is-not-possible to-slap in-face.
Idiomatic: The masquerader judges one guilty, and yet one dares not slap him. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: For some pipo or institutions, pesin no fit drag case with dem even wen wetin dem decide pain pesin say e no fair.
Used when: Owomoyela own explanation: against some pipo, pesin no get any place to go report or fight back .
Notes: Owomoyela own footnote explain say eégún, wey bi di masquerade, na di physical body of ancestor spirit and na holy tin based on dat, wey bi di specific religious fact wey make wetin di proverb talk dey literal, no bi just figure of speech . E stand beside di proverbs about kings and chiefs for file 18 as anoda example of authority wey pesin no fit drag quarrel with on equal terms.
Literal: Egbinrin òtè plots like-wild-vegetables à ńpakan one eliminates-one òkan ńhù another sprouts.
Idiomatic: Plots like wild vegetables: one eliminates one, and another sprouts. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: Some bad plan or grudge dey stubborn so tey say if you clear one instance, e no dey stop di next one make e no show.
Used when: Owomoyela own explanation: some problems dey stubborn so tey say e almost impossible to settle dem .
Notes: Di way e compare am to weed match direct, no bi just for decoration: wild leaf for Yorùbá farming na real wahala wey dey always come back, wey dey grow again from di root, and di proverb borrow dat specific plant stubbornness take describe bad plan or enemy mind wey dey renew itself every time.
Literal: Eji wéré-wéré a-light rain ní ńlé ọmọ wọlé is-what chases child indoors àgbàrá ọjọ́ ńlá the-torrent of-a-great-day ní ńmi ọ̀gòrò títì lẹsẹ̀ is-what shakes the-raffia-palm down-to its-root.
Idiomatic: It is a light rain that chases a child indoors; it is a raging torrent that shakes the raffia palm to its roots. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: Every pesin, no mata how strong e strong reach, get enemy or bad luck wey match am well to defeat am.
Used when: Owomoyela own explanation: every pesin, whether dem small or mighty, get wetin fit bring dem down .
Notes: Di proverb match small threat against small target (pikin and small rain) with big threat against big target (raffia palm and heavy flood), wey bi di main point: level depend on di target, e no bi fixed tin, so nobody dey pass make wetin fit bring am down no dey.
Literal: A rìn fàà lójú akégàn one strolls unhurried before-the-eyes-of a-detractor a yan kàṣà lójú abúni one struts proudly before-the-eyes-of a-slanderer abúni ò ní okòó nílé the-slanderer has-not twenty-cowries at-home.
Idiomatic: One strolls nonchalantly before a detractor; one struts proudly before a slanderer; the slanderer has not 20 cowries at home. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: Pesin wey no get any serious level no deserve make pesin waste time dey answer or defend against am.
Used when: Owomoyela own explanation: pesin no need to send or pay attention to worthless hater .
Notes: Di proverb answer di pesin wey dey insult through body movement, waka jeje, proud waka, instead of to talk, wey bi di main point: pesin dey show say e look down on di hater by refusing to treat am as pesin wey reach to argue with.
Literal: A ṣe ohun gbogbo tán one has-done thing everything finished ti ẹlẹ́nu ló kù that-of the-mouth-owner is-what remains.
Idiomatic: We have done all we can do; what detractors will say is another matter. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: Wetin pesin fit control na only im own conduct; wetin critics go talk aftawords pass wetin anybody fit control.
Used when: Wetin Owomoyela explain by imself: even afta pesin do im best, pesin no fit control wetin critics go talk .
Notes: Ẹlẹ́nu, wey mean "mouth-owner" direct-direct, na di word wey Owomoyela use for detractor for here; e use di organ wey dey cause di damage name di critic instead of to talk say di person get right to judge, and dis word choice dey keep di proverb contempt for di criticism clear inside di word itself.
Literal: Abanilórí-ìjẹ́ one-who-would-deface-another's-head ilé-e rẹ̀ ní ǹtií mú abẹ wá his-own-house is-where-he brings the-razor from.
Idiomatic: He who will deface one's head brings his razor from his own house. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: Pesin wey don make up im mind to attack you dey come prepare with im own way to do am; di harm dey come entirely from di pesin.
Used when: Wetin Owomoyela explain by imself, wey continue enter di next page: detractors no need make pesin provoke dem before dem act against pesin, since na dem dey supply both dia own reason and dia own tool .
Notes: Di compressed nominal Abanilórí-ìjẹ́, wey name di detractor by di specific bad tin wey e do instead of to use general word for enemy, na di same structure wey dis corpus note for file 10, 11 and 14; to bring di razor "from im own house" dey show clear say na di person bring di attack come by imself, no be say pesin provoke am.
Literal: A-róba-má-sàá he-who-never-runs-from-the-king pàdé a-róba-má-yà meets he-who-never-makes-way-for-the-king pékí ko pékí trouble upon trouble.
Idiomatic: He-who-never-runs-from-the-king meets him-who-never-makes-way-for-the-king; trouble comes face to face with trouble. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: When two people wey stubborn equally jam demsef, wetin go come out na wahala wey none of dem go gree step down from.
Used when: Wetin Owomoyela explain by imself: when two stubborn people meet, wahala dey come be dat .
Notes: Di two compressed nominals build dia identity from refusal, no-to-run and no-to-yield, so na only dia stubbornness dem take define di two figures before di sentence even put dem together inside di same room, and dis one make di collision feel like sometin wey must happen instead of sometin wey just happen by chance.
Literal: A-rí-jẹ́-níjà one-who-profits-from-quarrels ò níṣe míràn has-no other pursuit àfi ìjà except quarrelling.
Idiomatic: The person who profits from quarrels has no other pursuit than quarrelling. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: Pesin wey don learn how to benefit from wahala go continue to create am instead of to find peace.
Used when: Wetin Owomoyela explain by imself: e dey very hard to make people comot hand from dia bad habits .
Notes: Di proverb identify di quarrelsome person with di same compressed-nominal device like entry 15, as e dey name dem by wetin dem dey gain from wahala instead of to use character trait describe dem, and dis one dey frame quarrelling as work to chop rather than just temperament.
Literal: Wíwò téwúrẹ́ the-look of-the-goat ǹwo alápatà watches the-butcher bíi kó kú as-though he-should die orí ẹni ni ò pani one's-own-head is-what does-not-kill-one.
Idiomatic: The look the goat gives the butcher wishes death for the latter; only one's head does not deliver one to death. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: People wey your position put for disadvantage fit wish make bad tin happen to you, but na personal destiny, no be dia hostility, dey determine whether dat harm go actually reach you.
Used when: Wetin Owomoyela explain by imself: people wey pesin lawful duties affect negatively fit hate di pesin, but pesin own head, personal destiny, go protect am from dia plans .
Notes: Orí, di head, na di seat of personal destiny inside Yorùbá thought, wey dem discuss well-well for other place inside dis corpus; dis proverb pair direct with di next entry, wey Owomoyela print immediately afta am as variant wey make di exact same claim from di enemy side instead of di victim side.
Literal: Wíwò tí a ǹwàparò the-way one eyes a-partridge bíi ká fi dálá as-though one-would with-it make okro-stew orí eye ni ò peyẹ the-bird's-own-head is-what does-not-deliver-the-bird-to-death.
Idiomatic: The way one eyes a partridge betrays a desire to cook it in okro stew; only the bird's head says no to death. (Owomoyela)
Meaning: Make enemy clear eye dey show say e want your ruin no mean say e get power to make am happen; dat power dey inside your own destiny.
Used when: Wetin Owomoyela explain by imself: pesin enemies dey look pesin with death inside dia eyes, but pesin destiny dey say no to wetin dem want .
Notes: If pesin read dem together, entry 18 and 19 give di corpus clearest statement say Yorùbá proverb wisdom locate real protection from enemy malice inside orí, personal destiny, instead of inside enemy self-control or inside di victim own vigilance, and dis one dey qualify di other tactical caution-based proverbs wey dem collect for up.
Two observations wey specifically concern dis theme.
Di proverbs divide almost equally between tactics and theology. Entry 1 go reach 4 and 10 go reach 12 dey practical: how to waka pass detractor, how not to provoke adversary wey strong pass pesin, how not to repeat old mistake. Entry 15 and 16 comot from dat register completely and put di real defense against enemy inside orí, personal destiny, no be inside anything wey di pesin wey dem dey threaten do. Di corpus no join dis ones into one single theory of how pesin dey survive enmity; e hold tactical view and fatalistic view side by side, wetin other files inside dis corpus on Yorùbá proverb material don already note say na di ordinary condition of di genre.
Palava dey suspend normal rules, e no be say e dey break dem for permanent. File 14 of dis corpus wey dey on top elders record di proverb, from dat theme side, say palava no dey know who be elder; entry 5 for here, say to pay injury with injury na simply wetin life take, make di same claim from dis file side: say palava na condition wey get boundary with im own different rules, e no be permanent change to di rules wey dey work once di palava end. Dat understanding gain more support from how plenty of di material inside dis file, especially entry 1, 2 and 13, dey treat to avoid conflict as di wiser choice, instead of to treat conflict itself as sometin wey person go win.
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