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.
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.
Hand (ọwọ́) and leg (ẹsẹ̀) na the parts of the body wey dey work inside Yorùbá proverb: hand dey take, e dey give, e dey build, e dey feed, and e dey groom; leg dey carry person enter danger and carry person commot, and e dey waka path wey person no fit undo. None of the two body parts appear inside these proverbs like something wey people dey admire, the way face dey appear inside proverbs about beauty. Dem dey appear like tools, wey dem dey judge by wetin dem do or wetin dem fail to do, and by wetin happen to the person wey get dem. Ọwọ́ ẹni, person own hand, get deeper meaning for this whole set pass just the physical body part: e stand for person own effort, means, and resources, as e different from wetin somebody give dem, wetin dem inherit, or wetin person dey owe dem. This file gather forty-nine proverbs like that from Owomoyela numbered collection, plus two other proverbs on top the same matter wey dem quote, without number, inside im introduction.
The proverbs dey given inside Owomoyela texts and translations unless dem mention another source. As e dey inside owe-iwa-character, the usage notes wey Owomoyela put inside bracket na dem form the base of the Used when lines; anywhere wey the words na im own, dem quote am.
Owomoyela print full standard orthography with tone marks and subdots . But the working text wey dem use build this file na plain-text extraction from the printed book wey the custom embedded font diacritics no survive the extraction cleanly: subdots on top ẹ, ọ, and ṣ, and tone marks generally, commot or scatter inside the extracted characters even though the English translations and page layout extract cleanly. Therefore, the compiler of this corpus don reconstruct every Yorùbá text below put on top that scattered extraction, check am against the orthographic patterns wey dem don already establish inside yoruba-owe-proverbs and owe-iwa-character (especially their confirmed spellings of ọwọ́, ẹsẹ̀, and the kì í negative construction), and cross-check am where e possible against independent transcriptions of the same book wey dey hosted by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Yorùbá proverbs project and against proverb citations wey person fit find for secondary circulation. Where dem no fit check reconstruction against independent source, dem note am for the entry. No proverb dey below wey the compiler no fit find, inside English translation with im Owomoyela entry number, inside the extracted source text itself; dem no invent anything here. Confidence on top the individual diacritic reconstructions: medium, in the specific sense wey dem use elsewhere inside this corpus: the English translations and the entry numbers dey secure, and the tone marking na the compiler own work instead of direct transcription of clean printed page.
Literal: A kì í lé one does-not chase èkúté ilé ẹni the-mouse of-one's-house ká fọwọ́ ṣẹ́ and break one's-hand.
Idiomatic: "One does not shoo the mouse in one's house and break one's hand."
Meaning: Person no suppose get any harm as dem dey deal with small wahala for their own house.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One should be safe from hazards in one's own home"
Notes: The picture na person wey slap miss mouse come hit wall or furniture instead, come wound body for nothing. The proverb set low standard, person own ground against mouse, specifically make the standard feel like minimum requirement instead of big achievement.
Literal: À ń gé é lọ́wọ́ they are cutting it at-the-hand [his hand is being amputated], ó ń bọ òrùka he is slipping-off a-ring.
Idiomatic: "His hand is being severed, yet he is slipping on a ring."
Meaning: Person wey dem judge say make dem cut im hand dey busy dey decorate the hand instead.
Used when: Owomoyela: "The person has been judged undeserving of a hand; it is an affront, therefore, for him or her to adorn the fingers, an indication of heedlessness"
Notes: Cutting off person hand na punishment for thief, na wetin bring the picture: thief wey dey face judgement, and for the moment before blade touch am, e dey think about decoration instead of the loss wey dey come meet am. Dem dey use the proverb for anybody wey dey put mind for small vanity while serious wahala dey happen.
Literal: Àgbàlagbà an-elder kì í wẹ̀wọ́ tán does-not wash-hand finish kó ní and say òun ó jẹ sí he will eat more.
Idiomatic: "An elder does not wash his hand and then decide to eat more."
Meaning: Person of high level no dey reopen matter wey dem don formally close.
Used when: Owomoyela: "An elder should know his mind"
Notes: Owomoyela own footnote explain the action: Yorùbá dey chop with fingers, and to wash hand after food na the sign wey everybody know say person don finish . The proverb depend on that action being clear public sign, na wetin make reopening the matter something wey dey bring shame instead of just private change of mind. Compare entry 49, Àìmọ̀wọ́-wẹ̀wẹ̀, on top the same hand-washing tradition from the opposite side, pikin wey dem never trust say know am.
Literal: Ọmọdé dá wọ́ tílẹ̀ a-child rests hand on-the-ground, ó ní òun tó ọ̀bọ he says he is-as-big-as a-monkey; bó tó ọ̀bọ even-if he is-as-big-as a-monkey, ó tó gẹ̀gẹ́ àyà-á rẹ̀? is-he as-big-as exactly its chest?
Idiomatic: "A child rests his hand on the earth and claims it is as big as a monkey; even if the child is as big as a monkey, is its chest as big as the monkey's?"
Meaning: To match one part of body, or one part of achievement, no mean say person match the whole thing.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Equality is more than mere physical resemblance"
Notes: Na only the pikin hand dem dey measure against the animal hand, wey the proverb agree say fit truly balance for size; the whole argument change totally for the second part, wey push the comparison go the chest, part wey the pikin never bring come for measurement at all. Na proverb about how e no good to select wetin to compare, wey dem use two parts of the same working body take explain.
Literal: Ọwọ́ àìdílé an-idle hand [a-hand without-household-duty] ní ń yọ koríko is-what removes grass-specks lójú ana from-the-eye of-one's-in-law.
Idiomatic: "Idle hands are the ones obliged to remove grass specks from their in-law's eyes."
Meaning: Person wey no get anything serious of im own to do dey end up dey do small small work wey no get thank-you for other people.
Used when: Owomoyela put this one among proverbs about people wey dey do menial tasks because dem no get standing of their own wey go occupy dem.
Notes: Àìdílé na compound word wey dem build from the negative prefix àì- on top di ilé, to become household or to carry the weight of a household; hand wey no get that kind weight na hand wey no get better thing to do. Dem choose in-law relationship because na relationship wey need respect no matter how small the favor wey dem ask be.
Literal: A kì í gbẹ́ àwòrán gàgàrà one does-not carve a-statue tall ká má fi ọwọ́ ẹ tinnkan and not rest its hand on-something.
Idiomatic: "One does not carve a tall statue without resting its hand on something."
Meaning: Nothing wey tall fit stand without support, and na the carved hand be where dem dey put that support.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Everybody needs some support"
Notes: The observation na technical matter before e come be moral lesson: carved hand wey stretch out without support and no attach to anything dey structurally weak for wood and fit break easily, so sculptors dey rest the hand against the thigh, staff, or the body. The proverb take workshop necessity turn am to statement about dependency, wey be the exact move wey make Yorùbá figural carving relate to Owomoyela proverb collection at all. Make you see the epigraph proverb below too, about the sculptural tradition of showing the whole body.
Literal: A kì í gbé ẹran erin lérí one does-not carry elephant meat on-the-head ká máa fi ẹsẹ̀ wa ihò ìrẹ̀ and keep using the-foot to-dig a-hole for-crickets.
Idiomatic: "One does not carry elephant meat on one's head and dig cricket holes with one's big toe."
Meaning: Person wey already carry real abundance for head no get business dey chase small useless thing with the part of the body wey dey free.
Used when: Owomoyela: "If one is blessed with plenty, one should not keep chasing after trifles"
Notes: Elephant meat, the biggest catch wey person fit imagine, dey for head, the part of body wey dey carry load; while the leg, for the same time, dey busy dey scratch ground dey chase cricket, wey be small pikin food. The proverb divide the body work between serious load and useless load for the same breath, wey be the main joke.
Literal: A kì í rí ewé nílẹ̀ one does-not see leaves on-the-ground ká fọwọ́ fàmí and use-hand to-scoop-feces.
Idiomatic: "One does not see leaves lying about and scoop up feces with one's bare hand."
Meaning: Where tool dey ready, to use ordinary bare hand instead no be power, na foolishness.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Take advantage of whatever aids are available to you"
Notes: The proverb deliberately dey disguise/disgusting, wey be the technique: e make the case for using tools wey dey on ground by choosing the one work where refusing to use tool no be admirable self-reliance, but pure dirtiness. Compare entry 6, where the hand need support; here the hand need protection, and the leaf na basic tool wey stand for any instrument wey dey spare bare hand from dirty work.
Literal: À ń fọ̀tún tẹ́ ení we are using-the-right-hand to-spread-a-mat, à ń fòsì tú ṣòkòtò we are using-the-left-hand to-remove trousers, obìnrin ní the-woman says a kò bá òun gbọ́ tọmọ we are-not helping her toward a-child.
Idiomatic: "One spreads a mat with the right hand while removing one's pants with the left hand; yet the woman complains that one is not helping her quest for a child."
Meaning: The two hands already dey fully occupied with the exact work wey the complainer dey talk say dem abandon.
Used when: Dem dey talk this one about person wey dem accuse say e no dey do something wey everybody dey see say e dey fully do.
Notes: Yorùbá mark right-hand task and left-hand task inside the same clause, so the sentence itself show say both hands dey in use at once before the complaint even land; the grammar of the proverb defeat the complaint before dem even address the matter itself. Owomoyela footnote note say the woman wey dey complain get "severe difficulty in reading intentions" The corpus other proverb wey share labor between right hand and left hand, on top pikin discipline, dem cite am for yoruba-owe-proverbs entry 30; Owomoyela record another variant of that one, where the hands switch position, for im entry 824, wey we no reproduce here so that we no go duplicate that file proverb.
Literal: Abiyamọ́ a-nursing-mother ṣọwọ́ kòtò cups the-hand hollow lu ọmọ-ọ rẹ̀ strikes her child.
Idiomatic: "A nursing mother cups her palm to strike her child."
Meaning: Even discipline wey come from hand wey dey vex fit get shape wey go make am do less harm.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Discretion is the better part of discipline"
Notes: Hand wey fold small dey slap with hollow sound and e no get force reach flat hand; the mother hand dey do two things at the same time, e dey punish and e dey reduce the punishment, and the proverb dey show say na the shape of the hand itself hold the two mind together.
Literal: A-fà-tẹ́-lẹ́wọ́-fanná he-who-carries-live-coals-in-his-palm kì í dúró does-not stand-still (does-not tarry).
Idiomatic: "He-who-carries-live-coals-in-his-palm does not tarry."
Meaning: Person wey dey face serious wahala wey dey ground right now no dey stop to gist or socialize.
Used when: Owomoyela: "A person who has a pressing problem has no time for socializing"
Notes: The whole proverb na one single compound name wey dem build together, with the a- agentive prefix wey join four elements make dem turn one word, the kind construction wey this file also see for owe-iwa-character (a-bìwà-kunkun, entry 47 there). English need the whole sentence "he who carries live coals in his palm" to do the work of one Yorùbá word.
Literal: A fọ́wọ́ mú ajá we grab a-dog with-hand ó lọ it escapes, à ṣì ń fi ìka méjì pè é we then use two fingers to-call it.
Idiomatic: "We grab a dog with the hands and it escapes; thereafter we beckon it with two fingers."
Meaning: Action wey too weak to hold something the first time no go fit catch am back the second time.
Used when: Owomoyela: "If both hands cannot detain a dog, two fingers from a distance will not bring it back"
Notes: The proverb compare how the whole hand fail to hold something with just two fingers wey dey beckon, and e dey tell person wey dey hear make e see say e no make sense at all to expect say the weaker move go succeed where the stronger one don fail already.
Literal: Àpò tí a kò fi ọwọ́ ẹni dá a-pocket that we did-not with our-own-hand make ṣòro-ó kì í wọ̀ ọ́ bọ̀ is-difficult it-does-not enter to-dip.
Idiomatic: "A pocket one did not make with one's own hand is a difficult one to dip one's hand into."
Meaning: To put hand for property or resource wey person no use im own hand work for dey awkward and e no dey certain, not like when person dey put hand for im own.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One should keep one's hands in one's own pockets"
Notes: Ọwọ́ ẹni, person own hand, dey do the deeper work wey e dey do throughout this file: the pocket stand for any resource, and the proverb use ordinary tailoring fact talk say, pocket wey another person hand cut go fit that person hand pass, which na the same thing wey dem dey argue directly elsewhere about person to rely on imsef.
Literal: Bí a bá fi ọwọ́ kan fọmọ f'ọkọ if we with one hand give-away a-daughter to-a-husband, ọwọ́ mẹ́wàá kì í ṣeé gbà á mọ́ ten hands cannot get her back.
Idiomatic: "If one gives a girl away in marriage with one hand, ten hands will not suffice to take her back."
Meaning: Action wey person do sharp-sharp with one hand fit require plenty effort well-well, or even impossible, to undo.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Mistakes made casually are seldom easy to correct"
Notes: The calculation no balance on purpose: one hand go do the thing, and ten hands no go fit undo am. The proverb count hands the way another proverb fit count days or cowries, using the two hands for body as the unit of measurement for how much effort e go take to reverse the thing.
Literal: Gángànràn a-sharp-object ò ṣéé kì mọ́lẹ̀ is-not-something-to grab-for; a-gúnni-lọ́wọ́-bíi-ṣoṣoro the-thing-that-pierces-one's-hand-like-a-sharp-instrument.
Idiomatic: "A sharp object is not something to grab for; [it is] a-thing-that-pierces-one's-hand-like-a-sharp-instrument."
Meaning: Person must hold dangerous thing with careful mind and attention, not to just grab am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Dangerous things must be handled very carefully"
Notes: The second clause na another compound a- epithet wey this file dey see again and again, wey name the thing purely by wetin e dey do to careless hand instead of wetin the thing be. The hand na im dey give evidence for the proverb: na the wound wey the thing leave dey show how dangerous e be.
Literal: Ìkókó ọmọ the-newborn child tó tọ́wọ́ bọ eérú who thrusts-hand into ashes ni yó mọ̀ bó gbóná is-who will-find-out whether it is-hot.
Idiomatic: "The newborn child who thrusts its hand into ashes will find out for itself if they are hot."
Meaning: Experience, wey person hand test directly, dey teach wetin warning no fit teach.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Experience best teaches that one should avoid dangerous ventures"
Notes: The pikin na newborn, ọmọ tuntun, e too small for dem to warn am about fire with any word wey e go understand; na only hand e get to take find out, and the proverb show say that direct touch dey give clear understanding wey no advice fit give beforehand.
Literal: Kì í bọ́ lọ́wọ́ ẹnìkan it never slips out-of-hand of-one-person kó bọ́ sílẹ̀ and fall to-the-ground; ọwọ́ ẹlòmíràn ní ḿbọ́ sí it-is the-hand of-someone-else that it-falls into.
Idiomatic: "It never slips out of a person's hand and falls to the ground; it always drops into someone else's hand."
Meaning: Wetin person lose because of carelessness no dey just disappear like that; e dey pass go hand of whoever wey dey ready to collect am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Other people always stand ready to appropriate whatever one carelessly lets slip through one's fingers"
Notes: The proverb reject that sweet lie say thing dey just lost without trace. Anything wey fall from one hand, somebody catch am, e no just drop, and the hand wey catch am na person wey don already dey look for am.
Literal: Ó dé ọwọ́ aláròobó it arrives at-the-hand of-a-retailer ó di ìnà it becomes a-thing-to-haggle-over.
Idiomatic: "When goods get into the hands of the retailer, they become objects to haggle about."
Meaning: Once market goods don enter trader hand, di price no go dey fixed again, e don turn matter of negotiation.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Shopkeeper na person wey hard to get good bargain from"
Notes: Hand na di point of change for di proverb: di same thing wey get one kind character before e reach retailer hand dey get another different character, wey people fit drag price on top, di very moment e enter di hand.
Literal: Ọwọ́ tó dílẹ̀ a-hand that has-become-idle là ń fi lérán is-what one uses to-rest-the-chin.
Idiomatic: "It is on an idle hand that one rests one's chin."
Meaning: Hand wey no get wetin e dey do dey end up dey think worry-worry or dey do trouble.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Na when person no get wetin e dey do na im e dey put hand for trouble"
Notes: Dílẹ̀ here na laziness wey take over, di same root meaning as àìdílé for entry 5, even though di two proverb draw di picture of idle hand for different way: entry 5 show say dem push di idle hand enter another person small work, while dis entry show am say e turn face inside, dey support chin wey dey think or dey vex.
Literal: Àdàpè olè a-euphemistic-name for-a-thief ní ń jẹ́ is 'ọmọ mi ń fọ̀wọ́' 'my child's hand is nimble.'
Idiomatic: "It is a euphemistic description of stealing to say, 'My child's hands are uncontrollably nimble.'"
Meaning: To use soft word call thievery no dey change wetin dat hand actually dey do.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person suppose face wetin dey ground, no be to dey dodge am"
Notes: Di proverb balance on top wetin parent use soft mouth talk, wey dey praise child sharp hand wit di exact words wey dem dey use describe pickpocket skill, and e present dat soft talk as style to dodge di truth wey di person wey dey hear suppose see through instead of to accept am.
Literal: Ẹni tí ó gòkè whoever has reached the-top, kó fa ẹ̀gbẹ́-ẹ rẹ̀ lọ́wọ́ let-him pull his companion by-the-hand; ẹni tó rí jẹ whoever has found something to-eat, kó fún ẹ̀gbẹ́-ẹ rẹ̀ jẹ let-him give his companion to-eat.
Idiomatic: "Whoever has reached the top, let him or her pull a friend by the hand; whoever has food to eat, let him or her share it with a friend."
Meaning: Success dey make am compulsory for person wey don succeed make e reach back carry others come up wit am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "If person don succeed, e suppose help dose wey still dey struggle"
Notes: Di hand for here na di main tool for di most direct way inside dis file: na di literal way wey one person progress dey take become another person own. Compare entry 22, where di hand for di point of death no fit hold anything at all again; wen you read di two proverb together, dem frame person life between hand wey dey reach back help others and hand wey no hold anything at di end.
Literal: Ọjọ́ tí a bá kú the-day that we die, ọwọ́ ò gba okòó the-hand does-not hold a-coin; ọmọ ẹni ní ń jogún ẹni one's-own children are-who inherit one.
Idiomatic: "The day one dies one's hand cannot hold a coin; one's children inherit one's property."
Meaning: Nothing wey ever dey person hand dey follow dem pass death go.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person no fit carry earthly property enter grave, e must leave dem for people wey survive am"
Notes: Among all di proverb inside dis file, na dis one show di limit of wetin hand fit do reach di end: di body part wey don take, give, build, and feed throughout person lifetime, dem show am for di only point where e no fit do any of dose things again.
Literal: Ọ̀pọ̀ èèyàn many people ló wù would-like kó kọ́wọ́ bàpò to-dip-hand into-pocket, kádàrá ni ò jẹ́ it-is-destiny that does-not permit.
Idiomatic: "Many people would wish to dip their hands into their pockets, but destiny prevents their doing so."
Meaning: Di wish to get wealth wey person go put hand reach na general thing; na destiny dey decide who actually get full pocket wey e fit put hand inside.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Everybody dey wish to rich, but destiny talk another thing"
Notes: How di hand move go pocket na di same movement like di warning for entry 13 say make person keep hand inside im own pocket; for here, di wahala no be whether e proper, but na di first question of whether anything even dey dia for di hand to find.
Literal: Ẹni tí ẹ̀gún gún lẹ́sẹ̀ one-whom a-thorn has-pierced in-the-foot ní ń ṣe lákáǹlákátẹ̀lé is-who limps alábẹ́rẹ́ to-the-owner-of-a-needle.
Idiomatic: "It is the person with a thorn in his foot who limps to the person with a needle."
Meaning: Na di person wey dey in need dey go meet help; di medicine no dey waka go find person wey dey suffer.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person wey need help suppose try small for imself, and no expect say na di helper go do all di effort"
Notes: Lákáǹlákátẹ̀lé na ideophone wey clear well well for person wey dey limp wit pain and uneven waka, and di picture clear exact: leg wey don already injure still must carry di owner waka further, go meet di only tool wey fit cure am, before e fit rest. Di proverb make di leg wey injure do di work to find im own cure.
Literal: Ọ̀kọ̀ọ̀kan one-by-one là ń yọ ẹsẹ̀ is-how we extract the-feet lábàtà from-a-mire.
Idiomatic: "One at a time is how one extricates one's feet from a mire."
Meaning: Wahala wey hold di two leg, na one leg by one leg person dey take loose am comot, no be di two at di same time.
Dem dey use am when: Owomoyela: "The best way to approach a problem is systematically"
Notes: To pull di two leg from potopoto at di same time na wetin pesin wey trap for inside potopoto no fit do, since each leg need di oda one make e ground well so dat e go fit get balance; di proverb talk plain fact about walking inside potopoto and take am stand for method generally. Owomoyela record di variant for entry 26 say e use di exact same logic with different kind danger.
Literal: Ọ̀kọ̀ọ̀kan one-by-one là ń yọ ẹsẹ̀ is-how we extract the-legs lẹ́kù from-a-masquerade-costume.
Idiomatic: "One at a time is how one removes one's legs from a masquerade costume."
Wetin e mean: Na di same principle like di entry wey dey before am, but na inside different physical situation.
Dem dey use am when: Owomoyela: "The best way to approach a problem is systematically" , wey dem mark as variant of di potopoto proverb.
Notes: Di ẹ̀kù na di full costume wey dey cover masquerade performer, wey pesin must gently commot from leg small-small instead of to kick am throway, make sacred object no go spoil. Owomoyela print di two proverb together as pair, and di corpus keep dem as pair here because di difference for di picture wey dem show, one na ordinary wahala wey dey stress pesin and di oda one na ritual matter wey get heavy consequence, dey change di tone even though wetin dem dey talk na di exact same point.
Literal: Àgbàká completely, totally lẹsẹ̀ is-how-the-foot ń gba ọ̀nà takes the-path.
Idiomatic: "It is completely that the feet take over a path."
Wetin e mean: Road wey pesin don follow, na full leg dem dey take follow am without to do half-measure.
Dem dey use am when: Owomoyela: "Indulge not in half measures"
Notes: Owomoyela link dis one join two neighboring entry wey dem build on top di same àgbàká opening wey dem apply to smoke wey fill forest and oda pictures wey cover everywhere, and dis one form small line of proverb for di collection wey dey argue say make tin complete, by using di same strong word on top different matters.
Literal: Ẹsẹ̀ kì í wúwo the-feet are-never heavy kí ẹlẹ́sẹ̀ má lè gbé e such-that their-owner cannot lift them.
Idiomatic: "The feet are never so heavy that the owner cannot lift them."
Wetin e mean: Pesin own special character or burden, no matter how e heavy reach, still dey within di pesin own power to carry.
Dem dey use am when: Owomoyela: "Each person must live with his or her own peculiarities"
Notes: Dem present di foot like load wey di owner still get power to carry, wey show different relationship with di body pass most of di oda entry here: for oda places, hand and foot na tools wey dem dey use do work for di world, but for dis one, di foot na di load itself wey di same leg wey get am dey carry.
Literal: Isán nine-days ḿbojú is-washing the-face, ìtàlá thirteen-days ń wẹsẹ̀ is-washing the-feet.
Idiomatic: "Nine days wash the face, thirteen days wash the feet."
Wetin e mean: Pesin dey take absurdly long time do di smallest daily work wey normal.
Dem dey use am when: Owomoyela: "Said of a person who takes an eternity to do simple things"
Notes: Di face and di feet na two end of di body wey dem choose because di effort wey dem need no balance: to wash any of dem dey take only moments, and to stretch di act reach nine or thirteen days dey funny precisely because both task na ordinarily di least remarkable tin wey body dey perform inside day.
Literal: Iṣú wà lọ́wọ́ ẹ the-yam is in-your-hand; ọ̀bẹ́ wà lọ́wọ́ ẹ the-knife is in-your-hand.
Idiomatic: "The yam is in your hand, and the knife is in your hand."
Wetin e mean: Every condition wey dem require for di work don complete; nothing remain again pass make pesin act.
Dem dey use am when: Owomoyela: "Said to encourage one to do what he or she has to do without further delay, especially when all requisite conditions have been met"
Notes: Dem mention both hands and both of dem don already full with wetin dem need, so di proverb no leave room for excuse say means no dey; wetin go happen now, or fail to happen, na matter of will and no be matter of resources.
Literal: Ìyáwọ́ nimbleness-of-hand, ìyásẹ̀ nimbleness-of-foot l'ajá fi ń pa ehoro is-what the-dog uses to-kill a-rabbit; wàrà-wàrà swiftly-swiftly l'ẹkùn ń gùn is-how the-leopard mounts (attacks).
Idiomatic: "Nimble hands and nimble feet make it possible for a dog to kill a rabbit; the leopard attacks its prey with lightning speed."
Wetin e mean: Speed and coordination of di whole working body, no be size or power, na wetin dey make pesin catch di hunt.
Dem dey use am when: Owomoyela: "One should be brisk about what one has to do"
Notes: Dog na simple hunter if you put am beside leopard, and di proverb pair dem together deliberately: wetin dog take get advantage no be power, but na ìyáwọ́ and ìyásẹ̀, short nouns wey dey name di readiness of hand and foot together, coordinated fitness of di whole body instead of any single part.
Literal: Ẹsẹ̀ tí yó bù a-foot that will fester, pẹ̀lẹ́ ò ràn án "gently" does-not help it.
Idiomatic: "A gashed foot that will fester is not helped by 'Easy does it!'"
Wetin e mean: Words of sympathy no dey do anything for injury wey require real medical treatment.
Dem dey use am when: Owomoyela: "Mere expression of sympathy is of little use to a person in desperate straits"
Notes: Pẹ̀lẹ́ na di standard Yorùbá sympathy word wey dem dey tell anybody wey dey inside small difficulty, wey dem dey talk all di time almost automatically; di proverb take dat word and talk am plain say e no get any medical effect on wound wey don already dey spoil, wey be harder claim pass as e first appear, since e dey argue against di sufficiency of di exact courtesy wey di culture demand.
Literal: Àtẹ̀gbé stepping-without-consequence lẹsẹ̀ ń tẹ ọ̀nà is-how the-foot treads the-path.
Idiomatic: "Stepping-upon-without-repercussion is the way the foot steps on the path."
Meaning: Road dey carry every step wey match am, and e no dey answer any of dem.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Road no get way to fight back against leg wey step on am"
Notes: Àtẹ̀gbé na one single noun wey dem build from the verb tẹ̀, to match or tread, plus gbé, to carry or endure, wey dey name the whole relationship for inside one word: step wey road just take and endure, without any reply. Compare the next two entries, wey Owomoyela arrange near each other and wey dem build on top the same root.
Literal: Àtẹ́ lẹsẹ̀ àwẹ̀nù the-washed-in-vain sole tó dojú ara-a rẹ̀ délẹ̀ that turns its own face down-to-the-ground.
Idiomatic: "The washed-in-vain sole sets its face down on the ground."
Meaning: Wetin dem wash wey come dirty again immediately dey stop to pretend and e go accept wetin dey happen to am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Make person avoid to dey do things wey no make sense or wey no match"
Notes: Under leg wey dem wash and put straight back on top bare ground go dirty again within one step, wey make the washing be useless labor; the proverb treat the under leg like person wey don accept that result, wey turn face the ground wey e know say e must touch. Na proverb against effort wey person waste on top result wey the effort no fit really achieve.
Literal: Àtẹ́ lẹsẹ̀ the sole ní ń jẹ̀gbin ọ̀nà is-what eats the-filth of-the-path.
Idiomatic: "It is the sole that eats the filth on the path."
Meaning: The part of body wey do the waka na im dey carry the suffering of the waka.
Used when: Owomoyela explain this entry and the one before am together: "Person responsibilities dey often expose am to abuse wey e no deserve"
Notes: Jẹ, to chop or eat, na so dem use am here just as dem dey use am when person suffer loss or harm for inside other Yorùbá idiom (compare jẹ ìyà, to suffer). Dem pick the under of leg out among body parts as the one wey dey take the dirty so that the rest of the body, and the errand wey e dey waka go deliver, fit dey clean.
Literal: A kì í fẹsẹ̀ kan bọ odò omi fà á one does-not dip one foot into-a-river's water and-have-it-tug; bí a bá wá ti méjèèjì bọ ń kọ? what-if we had-dipped both in?
Idiomatic: "One dips one leg into the stream and the water tugs at it; what if one had dipped both legs in it?"
Meaning: Small exposure don already cause wahala; full exposure to the same risk go worse pass dat one far far.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Wetin follow action no suppose pass the action itself"
Notes: The proverb dey reason with kind of proportion: to put one leg inside running water don already reach to feel how the water dey pull, so the image dey tell the person wey dey hear say make e calculate that feeling go up instead of to just ignore am, and na wetin make am useful as warning against making matter big pass as e be.
Literal: Ìbínú ò mọ̀ anger does-not know pé olúwa rẹ̀ ò lẹ́sẹ̀ ńlẹ̀ that its-owner has-no legs on-the-ground.
Idiomatic: "Anger does not know that its owner has no legs to stand on."
Meaning: Vex dey act like say the person get solid ground to stand on, even when the person real position fit dey shake well well.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Vex no know caution"
Notes: The idiom l'ẹ́sẹ̀ nílẹ̀, to get leg for ground, mean to get solid ground or standing, both physically and socially at the same time; the main point of the proverb na say vex dey blind to the exact kind information wey the legs for give if person ask dem.
Literal: Ìkẹ́ kì í kẹ́ a-snare never catches ejò lẹ́sẹ̀ a-snake in-the-leg.
Idiomatic: "A snare never catches a snake in the leg."
Meaning: Trap wey dem set to catch leg no fit catch creature wey no get leg at all.
Used when: Owomoyela note on usage talk say the proverb dey show say person go dey safe from one particular danger.
Notes: The proverb depend on the hearer knowing wetin the whole set assume everywhere, say ẹsẹ̀ na the normal place wey danger dey touch, the part of body wey trap, thorn, or mud dey catch or fit catch. To call the name of the one common animal wey no get leg turn that assumption to small, sharp joke about total safety.
Literal: Àlùsí ẹsẹ̀ disaster-causing legs tí ń fa koríko wọlú that drag grass into-town.
Idiomatic: "Disaster-causing legs [that] drag weeds into town."
Meaning: Person wey dey bring ruin on top other people dey like two leg wey carry destructive weed from bush enter town.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person wey go bring disaster on top other people dey behave like stubborn leg wey dey drag weed enter town"
Notes: The image dey work by displacement: na the legs dem blame instead of the walker, wey be the proverb way of treating bad behavior like something wey dey stick to person own steps and follow am come house, without invite, from anywhere wey e don go.
Literal: Bùtù-bútú ọ̀nà Ìjẹ̀ṣà the-loose-sand of-the-road to-Ìjẹ̀ṣà l'ọmọdé ń fi ṣeré is-what the-child plays-in; bí kò kọ́ ọmọ ní rírìn ẹsẹ̀ if it does-not teach the-child to-walk, a kọ́ ọmọ ní yíyan it teaches the-child to-stride.
Idiomatic: "It is in the fine sand on the road to Ilesa that the child is playing; if it does not teach the child how to walk, it will teach him how to stride."
Meaning: Play wey look like say e no get direction still dey teach the legs how to sabi work well.
Used when: Owomoyela explain this one as observation say no experience, even if na small pikin play, dey leave person without any change at all.
Notes: Di proverb dey treat di loose sand itself as kind of teacher, environment wey dey train leg whether pesin plan to teach am or not, wey agree with di general way dis file dey treat leg as di organ wey dey learn by touch instead of wetin dem tell am.
Literal: A ò mọ̀ ibi we do-not know the-place orí ń bá ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ orí is-accompanying its feet.
Idiomatic: "No one knows where the head will accompany the feet."
Meaning: Nobody fit know beforehand where destiny, wey dey ride on top di leg wey dey carry am go front, go really carry pesin reach.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Di future dey hidden from us"
Notes: Owomoyela own footnote make sense to quote in full, because e make di difference wey dis whole file rely on clear well-well: "Orí for dis place no be di physical head again, but na di place where pesin destiny dey stay. Di proverb, even with how dem arrange di words, really mean say nobody know where orí go lead or carry di leg go. Dem fit still use am, of course, show say even though orí dey direct pesin destiny, na di leg dey do di waka, and e fit carry orí go anywhere wey sweet am" For dat second meaning, di proverb make di leg, no be di destiny wey dey ride on top am, di main thing wey dey act, wey be big change for culture wey orí na normally di term wey get more authority. Di same proverb, with small change for di wording, na wetin Owomoyela introduction quote from di Yorùbá art scholar Rowland Abiodun; see di epigraph note for down.
Literal: Omi ẹ̀wà yanrìn gbẹrẹrẹ water drags sand about profusely, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni omi ò lọ́wọ́, omi ò lẹ́sẹ̀ and-yet water has-no hand, water has-no foot.
Idiomatic: "Water drags the sand about, and yet water lacks hands and lacks legs."
Meaning: To do big thing no need di normal tools of hard work.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Pesin fit no get plenty things but e still fit do wonders"
Notes: Na dis single proverb for di whole file mention both ọwọ́ and ẹsẹ̀ together just to talk say dem no dey, and through dat absence e define, in a negative way, everything wey di rest of dis set dey credit give hand and leg say dem dey do: to move things, hold tight, carry, and work. Dem use water show proof say na di real ability wey dey ground, no be di named organ, really matter.
Literal: Oòrùn ò kan àtàrí the-sun has-not touched the-crown-of-the-head [is-not-yet directly overhead], ọwọ́ ò dá the-hand does-not cease.
Idiomatic: "The sun has not risen directly above the head; working hands cannot cease their toil."
Meaning: Until di work day finish by im own natural clock, hand no get permission to stop.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Di day na for work"
Notes: Di sun wey dey overhead for 12 o'clock afternoon na di traditional sign for middle of work day; di proverb join hand work directly to dat sun clock instead of wetin di worker want to take rest, wey give di line small strict tone like person wey dey command work.
Literal: Ọjúmọ́ kì í mọ́ day never breaks kí ọwọ́ má yùn-ún ẹnu without the-hand making its-trip to-the-mouth.
Idiomatic: "Never a day dawns that the hand does not make a trip to the mouth."
Meaning: Some daily needs of di body no fit wait or get excuse, whatever else dey happen.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Some duties no get escape"
Notes: Di movement of hand to mouth to chop food na di action of di working body wey dey repeat pass for dis set, wey pesin dey do without exception everyday wey dem dey alive, na why dem pick am as di image for duty wey no dey take excuse at all.
Literal: Ebi ò jẹ́ hunger does-not allow ká pa ọwọ́ mọ́ that we fold the-hand closed; ebi ṣẹnú papala hunger makes-the-mouth [cheeks] shrink.
Idiomatic: "Hunger keeps one from folding one's hands; hunger causes the mouth [or cheeks] to shrink."
Meaning: Need itself dey force hand make e start work again and dey show wetin e dey cost body when hand still fold do nothing.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Pesin must work make e for chop"
Notes: Pa ọwọ́ mọ́, to fold or close hand, na di regular Yorùbá idiom for lazy life, di same gesture wey entry 19 criticize about hand wey dey hold chin; hunger for here no be threat wey person talk with mouth but na physical reality wey make folded hand impossible to maintain.
Literal: Máà gbíyè lógún do-not place-hope in-inheritance; ti ọwọ́ ẹni that-of one's-own-hand ní ń tóni is-what suffices-one.
Idiomatic: "Do not rely on inheritance; the product of one's hand labor is what sustains one."
Meaning: Wetin pesin own hand produce dey dependable for way wey inheritance wey pesin dey expect no fit be.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Anybody wey put trust for inheritance dey call trouble"
Notes: Gbíyè mean say make pesin put hope or confidence for something. Di proverb put hand, wey be organ under pesin own control, directly against inheritance, wey be outcome under other people control, and e settle di comparison make e favour hand without any doubt.
Literal: Ọwọ́ ẹni one's-own hand ni yó yòó ni is-what will satisfy one.
Idiomatic: "One's hands are what feed one to satiation."
Meaning: Na pesin own labor, no be another pesin charity, dey really make dem belleful.
Used when: Owomoyela usage note talk say: "Your hands na your best resources"
Notes: Yòó, wey mean to belleful or satisfy person well-well, pass just to survive; di claim no be say na person own hand dey keep am alive, but say na di hand, specifically, dey bring full satisfaction, wey be stronger and more direct claim pass di general entry 46.
Literal: Ọwọ́ the-hands ní ń tún ara ṣe are-what remake/groom the-body.
Idiomatic: "The hands are the agents for grooming the body."
Meaning: Na person own hand dey make di person presentable and neat.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One's well-being is in one's hands"
Notes: Tún ... ṣe mean to redo or arrange somtin well, di same construction wey appear for owe-iwa-character entry 44 (ọwọ́ ẹni la fi ń tú ìwà ara ẹni ṣe, "na person own hand e dey take remake im own character"), where wetin dem dey remake na character instead of di physical body. Wen person read dem together, di two proverb dem put di responsibility for hand for both outer grooming and di inner state, using di exact same verb.
Literal: Àìmọ̀wọ́-wẹ̀wẹ̀ not-knowing-how-to-wash-one's-hands ni àìbágbà-jẹ is not-eating-with-elders; ọmọ tó mọ̀wọ́-wẹ̀wẹ̀ a-child who knows-how-to-wash-hands á bágbà jẹ will eat-with elders.
Idiomatic: "Not-knowing-how-to-wash-one's-hands is not-eating-with-elders; a person who knows how to wash his hands will eat with elders."
Meaning: To sabi do di small courtesy of washing hand clean na wetin dey make young person qualify to sit down for elders table.
Used when: Owomoyela: "To qualify to live in society, one must learn the social graces"
Notes: Di two halves of di proverb build on compressed nominals on top àì-/mọ̀-wẹ̀wẹ̀, not-knowing/knowing how to wash, one construction wey dey appear everywhere for Owomoyela collection to state condition and wetin follow am as single equation instead of cause and effect. Compare entry 3, where elder hand-washing gesture dey show say food don finish; for here, di same gesture, wen person do am well, na di entry fee to join di food in di first place.
Owomoyela introduction, wen e dey discuss why Yorùbá proverb-thought and Yorùbá figural sculpture share di same logic, quote two proverb wey Yorùbá art historian Rowland Abiodun supply wey no dey among di numbered collection proper but get direct connection to wetin dis file dey talk and na why dem record am here .
Kí ojú ó má rí ibi, ẹsẹ̀ ni oògùn-un rẹ̀.
Literal: Kí ojú ó má rí ibi so-that the-eye may-not see evil, ẹsẹ̀ ni oògùn-un rẹ̀ the-legs are its medicine.
Idiomatic: "For the eyes to see no evil, the legs are the medicine." Rendering as printed by Owomoyela, quoting Abiodun .
Meaning: Na leg get di responsibility to carry eye, and di owner of di eye, comot from places where bad thing fit show.
Notes: Owomoyela report Abiodun own gloss: "medicine" here mean sometin like "talisman," and di saying give leg credit for protective, almost apotropaic function wey dem for give charm for other contexts. Abiodun connect di proverb to one documented convention for Yorùbá figural sculpture, say dem dey carve di human figure complete, including torso, hand dem, leg dem, and foot dem, instead of just bust, because dem believe say all dis parts dey indispensable "to the integrity, and the fortunes, of the person represented" According to Abiodun reading, wey Owomoyela report, na also why Yorùbá sculptural proportion dey metaphorical instead of naturalistic: di head, wey be roughly one-seventh of di body for real life, dem dey carve am reach one-third of di figure total height, wey mean say di size dey based on importance instead of anatomy. Di companion proverb wey dey below, about orí and di feet, na wetin Owomoyela bring as echo of dis one.
Kò sí ẹni tó mọ ibi tí orí ń bá ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ rìn.
Literal: Kò sí ẹni there-is-no person tó mọ ibi who knows the-place tí orí ń bá ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀ rìn where orí walks along-with its feet.
Idiomatic: "There is no person who knows where the head will accompany the legs." Rendering as printed by Owomoyela .
Meaning: Nobody fit know beforehand where person destiny, wey leg dey carry, go actually lead reach.
Notes: Dis na another way to phrase entry 41 above, A ò mọ̀ ibi orí ń bá ẹsẹ̀ rẹ̀, wey Owomoyela also print as separately numbered proverb for inside di main collection with im own footnote on top di double meaning of orí wey dey direct di feet, or di feet wey dey practical side dey carry orí go anywhere wey sweet am. Di fact say di same claim appear both inside Owomoyela numbered corpus and inside im introduction discussion on sculpture show clearly how central di partnership of orí and ẹsẹ̀ be to Yorùbá thought about person as complete, working body.
Source:
Dem dey judge hand and leg by wetin dem dey do, no be how dem fine. Nothing here dey praise hand or leg because of di shape or beauty, wey very different from proverbs about face and beauty in general. Wetin matter na wetin di body part dey do: whether e dey feed, e dey build, e dey harm, e dey support, or e fail to move wen e suppose move.
Di two organ divide di body work along clear line, and di exception-dem to dat line dey notable. Di hand dey generally act outward on di world: taking, giving, building, feeding, striking, adorning, stealing. Di foot dey generally move di body pass through di world and dey absorb wetin di world do to am back: potopoto, thorn-dem, dirty, river current, snare. Entry 31 and 42, di coordinated hunting of dog and di power of water wey no get hand or leg, na di entry-dem wey treat hand and foot together as one single working capacity instead of two separate instrument with two separate work, and entry 41, on orí and di foot-dem, na di only place where di set step back from how di body dey work to ask wetin, or who, dey really in charge of all dis motion.
Plenti proverb dey argue against half measure using di body own part-dem. Entry 25, 26, and 27 (to pull foot comot from potopoto, from masquerade costume, to follow path completely) all use di working body take argue say partial effort no be real effort, and Owomoyela own cross-reference show dis one as recognizable small cluster inside im collection, proverb-dem wey dem build on shared àgbàká, "completely," intensifier wey dem apply to different vehicle.
"Pesin own hand" na wetin close pass to moral center inside dis file. Ọwọ́ ẹni dey show again and again, for different grammatical position, as di ting wey must make pocket before pesin fit trust di pocket (13), di ting wey pesin no suppose rely say e go inherit (46), di only ting wey dey satisfy (47), and di ting wey dey groom both di outside body (48) and, inside di parallel proverb wey dem don already record for owe-iwa-character, di inside character. When pesin set am beside di corpus other proverb on di same construction, Ọwọ́ ẹni la fi ń tú ìwà ara ẹni ṣe inside owe-iwa-character entry 44, dis file hand proverb-dem dey read like dat same claim wey dem work out for di level of di physical, working body instead of character: wetin pesin be, and wetin pesin get, both of dem dey come back to wetin dat pesin own hand actually dey do.
Fifty-eight Yorùbá proverbs on character, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.
What Yorùbá proverbs do in speech and in law, and a worked collection of more than forty proverbs in original, literal gloss, and idiomatic English.
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.
Thirty-two Yorùbá proverbs on the ear as the organ of instruction and intelligence, deafness as a figure for obstinacy, and the mouth as the organ that eats, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.
Thirty-six Yorùbá proverbs on hunger, greed, and the inside of a person as the place where feeling and counsel are kept, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.