Òwe on the Head, the Face and Orí
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.
Orí na head, and inside Yorùbá na two things at di same time wey English dey separate: di physical head wey dey carry load, dey grow hair and wey person fit shave, and di inner head, di orí inú, wey be di part of destiny wey person choose before dem born am and wey dey control how person life go be. Di proverbs inside dis file no separate dis two meanings, and dat na di main point. Proverb wey talk say head refuse to carry load dey also talk about person wey refuse di work wey fall to dia hand, and Yorùbá person wey dey hear am dey understand di two meanings together without having to choose one.
Dis file collect forty-two proverbs wey head or face na di subject or di main image inside dem. Dem divide into groups: di head as di part wey dey carry weight and therefore get responsibility, di head as di place where person own luck dey and di only reliable helper wey person get, di head as wetin face danger, and di face as di place where respect and shame dey show.
Dem present di proverbs as Owomoyela take write and translate dem . Di usage notes wey Owomoyela put inside bracket na wetin dem use form di Used when lines; anywhere wey di words na im own directly, dem put am inside quote. Anything wey dem mark say na di compiler own na from dis corpus itself and di level of confidence on am lower.
Note on sources and diacritics
Owomoyela use standard Yoruba spelling complete with tone marks and subdots, and dem put im texts here exactly as e print am . Im own warning apply everywhere: e refuse to put any person name as informant for any proverb, because proverbs na wetin belong to everybody for community and say to mention di person name wey e first hear am from go make am look like say na dat person get di proverb pass . So dem confirm say di proverbs dey, but dem no give date or exact place.
Two proverbs wey belong to dis topic dey already inside another part of di corpus and dem no repeat dem here: Mú orí lọ, má mú ẹwà lọ for entry 50 of owe-iwa-character, and Ẹni tó lórí rere tí kò níwà for entry 13 of di same file. Readers wey dey work on orí suppose read dose two join dis file.
The head that carries the load
1. Orí kì í tóbi kó lórí má lè gbé e.
Literal: Orí a-head kì í tóbi is-never so-big kó lórí that its-owner má lè gbé e cannot carry it.
Idiomatic: "A head is never so heavy that the owner cannot carry it."
Meaning: Anything wey dem give person, dem don give am di capacity to carry am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One should always be capable of taking care of one's affairs" Dem dey talk am to person wey dey complain say im situation pass am.
Notes: Di wordplay dey structural, no be phonetic: orí na di head, and olórí na di person-wey-get-head, so di sentence dey turn on di fact say grammatically, di head and di owner na two different parties to one body. Because orí still mean destiny, di proverb dey also mean say "no destiny heavy pass di person wey get am," wey be di stronger point and di one wey dey comfort person pass.
2. Orí olórí kì í bá ni gbẹ́rù.
Literal: Orí olórí another-person's head kì í bá ni gbẹ́rù does-not help one carry-a-load.
Idiomatic: "Other people's heads will not carry one's load."
Meaning: Person no fit transfer responsibility give another person.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Each person must bear his own burden"
Notes: Wetin e mean directly na to carry load for head, wey be di normal Yorùbá way to carry things, where di load dey rest on top di carrier own skull and no be another person own. If you put am beside entry 1, di two form complete argument: your head fit carry wetin dem give am, and no other person head go do am for you. Compare am with yoruba-owe-proverbs entry 15, where person no fit lift load put for head without another person help, wey no be contradiction: to lift load na teamwork, but to carry am no be teamwork.
3. Orí tó kọ ẹrù, owó ni ń náni.
Literal: Orí tó kọ ẹrù a-head that refuses a-load, owó ni ń náni money is-what it-costs-one.
Idiomatic: "A head that refuses [to carry] loads will cost its owner some money."
Meaning: Work wey person refuse to do, person must pay for am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "It costs money to have others do what one refuses to do for oneself"
Notes: Kọ mean to reject or refuse, and to say na di head refuse instead of di person na di whole style of di proverb: dem treat di head like something wey fit refuse, wey dey make di blame no point directly to person face. Na dis be di economic proverb inside di set, and e assume say market for people wey dey carry load really exist.
4. A kì í dá ẹrù ikùn pa orí.
Literal: A kì í dá one does-not load ẹrù ikùn the-belly's burden pa orí onto the-head.
Idiomatic: "One does not weigh the head down with a load that belongs to the belly."
Meaning: Each body part get im own proper load and dem no suppose exchange dem.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Responsibilities should rest where they belong" Dem dey talk am when dem dey push duty give wrong person.
Notes: Belly load na food, wey e dey carry inside; head load na cargo, wey e dey carry outside. Di proverb depend on di idea say work dey divided among body parts, wey be di same reasoning wey entry 5 use for head and shoulder.
5. Kín ni orí ń ṣe tí èjìká ò lè ṣe? Èjìká ru ẹrù ó gba ọ̀ọ́dúnrún; orí ta tiẹ̀ ní ogúnlúgba.
Literal: Kín ni orí ń ṣe what does the-head do tí èjìká ò lè ṣe that the-shoulder cannot do? Èjìká ru ẹrù the-shoulder carried a-load ó gba ọ̀ọ́dúnrún it received three-hundred; orí ta tiẹ̀ the-head sold its-own ní ogúnlúgba for two-hundred-and-twenty.
Idiomatic: "What can the head do that the shoulder cannot do? The shoulder carried a load and earned 300 cowries; the head sold its own for 220 cowries."
Meaning: Di senior person no be di only one wey fit do di work, and from wetin happen dat day, e even do am worse.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One should not be foolish enough to think that the person who has more power and standing than oneself cannot accomplish what one has accomplished"
Notes: The way Owomoyela explain am, the comparison dey go one direction; but the calculation inside the proverb dey go the other direction, since shoulder make eighty cowries pass head. The best way to understand the proverb na say e dey level things for both sides, and the cowrie numbers show say e come from the time when people dey use cowries as money. Ogúnlúgba na compound number of the kind wey Yorùbá dey form with subtraction and multiplication, and how accurate the number be na part of the joke.
6. Bí ọwọ́ ò bá ṣeé ṣán, à ká a lérí.
Literal: Bí ọwọ́ ò bá ṣeé ṣán if the-arms cannot be-swung, à ká a lérí we fold them on-the-head.
Idiomatic: "If the arms cannot be swung, one carries them on one's head."
Meaning: When the way wey person prefer no work, make person use the one wey dey available.
Used when: Owomoyela: "If person no fit do wetin e want, make e do wetin e fit do"
Notes: To dey swing hand na the free waka of person wey no carry anything; to fold hand put for head na the way person wey carry load or person wey dey inside trouble dey stand. Yorùbá body-language sign dey important here, and that same style of to put hand for head appear for entry 24 as picture of bad luck.
Head as person own ally
7. Kò sí ẹni tó dùn mọ́ àfi orí ẹni.
Literal: Kò sí ẹni there-is-no one tó dùn who is-gladdened mọ́ àfi orí ẹni except one's-own head.
Idiomatic: "There is no one pleased [by one's success] except one's own head."
Meaning: Nobody really want make you succeed except your own destiny.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Na few people really want make person succeed" Dem dey talk am with disappointment after people wey pretend say dem want person well-being show say na fake.
Notes: The bracket "[by one's success]" wey Owomoyela put na addition wey e add; the Yorùbá only talk say "nobody dey happy except person own orí," and na the person wey dey hear go figure out the reason. Dis na the clearest statement for the whole set on the teaching say orí na person only reliable helper, position wey dem argue well-well for Ifá and wey show for the practice of ìbọrí, to make sacrifice for person own head.
8. A kì í fá orí lẹ́hìn olórí.
Literal: A kì í fá orí one does-not shave a-head lẹ́hìn olórí behind the-head's-owner.
Idiomatic: "One does not shave a head in the absence of the owner."
Meaning: Dem no dey settle person matter when the person no dey there.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Dem no dey settle matter when the main person wey the matter concern no dey" Normal objection wey dem dey raise for family meeting or where dem dey settle dispute.
Notes: Dis proverb get strong legal power for Yorùbá dispute settlement, where e dey work like rule of natural justice instead of just ordinary advice. To shave head na the clear picture because na something wey dem dey do to person on top dem body, and e dey clearly change how people dey see dem, wey be exactly the position of person wey dem decide dem matter for behind.
9. A kì í du orí olórí kí àwòdì gbé tẹni lọ.
Literal: A kì í du orí olórí one does-not fight-for another's head kí àwòdì gbé tẹni lọ while a-kite carries one's-own away.
Idiomatic: "One does not fight to save another person's head only to have a kite carry one's own away."
Meaning: To save person wey go cost your own safety no be good character, na bad calculation.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person no suppose save other people take risk e own safety"
Notes: Kite na bird of prey wey dey snatch things, and the picture na head wey bird carry comot as the owner dey busy defend another person own. Owomoyela print dis proverb two times, for 576 and again for 1277, with the same text and translation . Dis kind double printing common for the collection when proverb fit two different sections.
10. Ibi tí a bá pè ní orí, a kì í fi tẹ ilẹ̀.
Literal: Ibi tí a bá pè ní orí the-place we call the-head, a kì í fi tẹ ilẹ̀ we do-not use-it to-press the-ground.
Idiomatic: "Whatever one names as the head, one does not tread the floor with it."
Meaning: Wetin you don put as the highest thing, you no suppose use am for the lowest work.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Make you never misuse or abuse your valuable property or special qualities"
Notes: The phrase ibi tí a bá pè ní orí, the place wey we call the head, deliberately no specify which exact part dem mean, wey make the proverb fit apply to any thing or person wey dem don give first place. Yorùbá ranking of space na vertical and absolute, so head and ground na the two opposite ends, and to put one where the other suppose dey na the clearest picture of misuse wey dey.
11. Ibi tí a pè ní orí ni ń hu irun.
Literal: Ibi tí a pè ní orí the-place we call the-head ni ń hu irun is-what grows hair.
Idiomatic: "The part one names the head is the one that grows hair."
Meaning: The thing wey get rank dey show the sign of that rank.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person suppose act according to e level"
Notes: Dis na partner to entry 10 wey dem build on the same opening pattern, and the two together form argument: dem no suppose bring head down, and dem fit recognize head by wetin grow on top am. Hù, to sprout, na the same verb wey dem use for character wey dey grow for owe-iwa-character, wey quietly connect person level to how e dey behave.
12. Orí ńlá kì í pá tán.
Literal: Orí ńlá a-big head kì í pá tán does-not go-bald completely.
Idiomatic: "A huge head does not go completely bald."
Meaning: Thing wey get substance no dey ever empty finish.
Used when: Na the compiler reading, since Owomoyela usage note no appear with dis entry for the source wey dem check: dem dey talk am to encourage big household or person wey get respect wey dey suffer losses, say everything no go finish. Level of confidence on the usage: medium.
Notes: Owomoyela print entry 2311 without any explanation inside bracket, wey be strange thing for the collection, and dem copy am as e be here instead of to add something. The proverb stay directly after entry 2310, the head wey no dey ever heavy pass owner, and the two share the same subject.
Head wey dey open
13. Ẹ̀rù kì í ba orí kó sá wọ inú.
Literal: Ẹ̀rù kì í ba orí fear does-not seize the-head kó sá wọ inú that-it flee into the-inside.
Idiomatic: "The head is never so frightened that it disappears into the shoulder."
Meaning: Person no fit hide from wetin dey come meet am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person suppose get mind face im destiny"
Notes: The argument dey based on body structure: tortoise fit pull im head enter inside, but human being no fit, so human head dey open all the time. As orí mean destiny, the proverb still dey talk say person no fit escape destiny, and the two meaning dey support each other, dem no dey drag.
14. Ẹni tí a bá fi orí rẹ̀ fọ́ àgbọn ò níí jẹ níbẹ̀.
Literal: Ẹni tí a bá fi orí rẹ̀ the-one whose head we use fọ́ àgbọn to-break a-coconut ò níí jẹ níbẹ̀ will-not eat of-it.
Idiomatic: "The person on whose head a coconut is broken will not share in eating it."
Meaning: Person wey take the loss for work no be the one wey go enjoy the profit.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Anybody wey take risk wey no make sense to achieve something hardly dey live reach to enjoy am"
Notes: The way Owomoyela explain am make the victim look like say na im cause am as e call the risk foolish risk, but the Yorùbá dey passive throughout: na other people wey dem no mention name use the head. If person read am like that, na proverb wey dey talk about exploitation instead of carelessness, and people dey use the proverb for both ways today. Level of confidence for the explanation: medium.
15. Ẹyin adìẹ ò gbọdọ̀ fi orí ṣọ àpáta.
Literal: Ẹyin adìẹ a-hen's egg ò gbọdọ̀ must-not fi orí ṣọ àpáta strike its-head against a-rock.
Idiomatic: "A chicken egg should not strike its head against a rock."
Meaning: Make you no challenge power wey go destroy you.
Used when: Owomoyela: "E no wise make person challenge power wey pass am"
Notes: To give egg head na small way the proverb take bend common sense, and e work because na only shell egg get, and the whole shell na head. The mismatch clear well-well, na why dem dey use the proverb for fight wey no balance at all.
16. Orí ejò ò ṣé-é họ imú.
Literal: Orí ejò a-snake's head ò ṣé-é họ imú cannot be-used to-scratch the-nose.
Idiomatic: "The head of a snake is nothing to scratch one's nose with."
Meaning: Some things no be wetin person go take play, no matter how the shape take fit person hand reach.
Used when: Owomoyela: "No ever put your body for danger wey no necessary"
Notes: Ṣé-é, wey be the "fit do am" pattern, na the same grammar dem use for owe-iwa-character entry 8 and 9 for wetin person no fit cover or hold. The funny way dem talk say person fit use snake head for house na the joke, and as the fangs near the nose na im be the main point. Compare yoruba-owe-proverbs entry 35, wey talk say make person find the snake head before e hit, wey treat the same body part as target instead of tool.
17. Bí ògbó ẹni ò bá dá ni lójú, a kì í fi gbárí wò.
Literal: Bí ògbó ẹni if one's cudgel ò bá dá ni lójú does-not make-one certain, a kì í fi gbárí wò one does-not use-it to-strike-the-skull to-test.
Idiomatic: "If one does not trust one's cudgel, one does not try it on one's own head."
Meaning: No carry your life bet on top wetin you never check well.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person no suppose swear with wetin e no sure of" Owomoyela cross-reference 2020 .
Notes: Gbárí na combination of gbá, to hit, and orí, head, so the verb itself dey call the skull. The proverb dey talk about oath-taking: to swear with charm or shrine object na to bet on top the power wey e get, and the test wey dem bring na the one wey person no fit survive if the answer na no. Entry 18 na the positive match to this one.
18. Bí Ògún ẹni bá dá ni lójú, à fi gbárí.
Literal: Bí Ògún ẹni if one's Ògún bá dá ni lójú makes-one certain, à fi gbárí we use-it to-strike-the-skull.
Idiomatic: "If one is sure of one's Ògún cult object, one taps one's head with it."
Meaning: To show say you get confidence for wetin dey back you, na to carry your body bet on top am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "If person sure of where e stand, e fit boldly swear with anything" Owomoyela cross-reference 1436 .
Notes: Ògún na the òrìṣà of iron and of oath, and to swear on top iron na the standard Yorùbá oath, wey make this proverb be description of how legal process dey actually work instead of metaphor. If person read am join entry 17, e form pair wey match, one negative and one positive, and Owomoyela cross-reference each of dem to the other.
19. Ọ̀ràn kì í yẹ̀ lórí alábaun.
Literal: Ọ̀ràn trouble kì í yẹ̀ does-not miss lórí alábaun the-head of-the-tortoise.
Idiomatic: "The responsibility for trouble never fails to fall on the head of the tortoise."
Meaning: One person dey wey every wahala dey always land on top im head, and na always that same person.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Dem dey talk am about people wey always be the source of wahala"
Notes: Ìjàpá the tortoise na the trickster for Yorùbá folktale, so the proverb no just dey talk about coincidence, e dey call a character. English "falls on his head" come match the Yorùbá lórí exact-exact, wey rare reach to point out: the two languages put the blame on top head.
20. Bí ọmọdé bá dá orí sọ apá, apá á pa á; bó bá dá orí sọ ìrókò, ìrókò a kò ó lọ́nà.
Literal: Bí ọmọdé bá dá orí sọ apá if a-child strikes its-head against the-apá-tree, apá á pa á the-apá will-kill it; bó bá dá orí sọ ìrókò if it-strikes its-head against the-ìrókò, ìrókò a kò ó lọ́nà the-ìrókò will-meet it on-the-road.
Idiomatic: "If a child strikes his head against the mahogany-bean tree, the tree will kill him; if he strikes his head against the ìrókò tree, the tree will accost him on his way."
Meaning: If person provoke power, retaliation go follow, sharp-sharp from one, later-later from another.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Anybody wey provoke terrible power make e fight go regret im foolishness"
Notes: Inside Yorùbá practice, dem dey treat di two trees as place where spirit dey stay, and di proverb differentiate how dem dey vex: apá dey kill sharp-sharp, ìrókò dey wait reach later before e meet you for road. Dat difference between judgment wey dey happen immediately and di one wey dey delay na di main point of di proverb, and any translation wey take di two part as just di same kind emphasis dey spoil di meaning. Compare entry 58 of owe-iwa-character, where dem still talk say ìrókò judgment no dey land on di exact day wey di person do di bad thing.
21. Ẹni tí ó fi orí sọ lẹ̀ ẹ́ gbìyànjú ikú.
Literal: Ẹni tí ó fi orí sọ lẹ̀ the-one who throws head to-ground ẹ́ gbìyànjú ikú has-attempted death.
Idiomatic: "Whoever dives headfirst to the ground has made a creditable attempt at suicide."
Meaning: Na wetin person risk dem suppose take judge effort, no be only wetin di person achieve.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Make person acknowledge sincere effort wey people make"
Notes: Gbìyànjú mean say make person try or put body well-well, and di proverb base on how dem take apply dat normal word of praise to person wey try commit suicide, wey come turn to compliment wey dey grim. Di way dem use am show true-true approval: person wey put head enter first no hold back anything at all.
Di head and wetin dey grow on top am
22. Àlejò orí ni kókó.
Literal: Àlejò orí the-head's guest ni kókó is the-lump.
Idiomatic: "The lump is only the head's visitor."
Meaning: Sickness or wahala na stranger wey just lodge for short time, no be person wey go stay permanent.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Make person learn how to endure wahala" Dem dey talk am to take console person wey dey sick.
Notes: Àlejò na guest or stranger, and di duty wey Yorùbá get to treat visitors well dey attach to di word, so to call swelling guest mean say person must tolerate am, while e still dey show say e go later comot. Di consolation and di acceptance dey tied together for inside di Yorùbá, and di "only" wey Owomoyela use dey bend di meaning go di side of consolation.
23. Kókó ló kọ́kọ́ dé orí, tàbí orí ló kọ́kọ́ dé kókó?
Literal: Kókó ló kọ́kọ́ dé orí the-lump did-it first arrive at-the-head, tàbí orí ló kọ́kọ́ dé kókó or the-head first arrived at-the-lump?
Idiomatic: "Was it the lump that first got to the head, or the head that first got to the lump?"
Meaning: Na who first arrive dey determine who get seniority, and no doubt dey about am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Reprimand for person wey dey try scatter di order of seniority" Dem dey talk am to new person wey dey act like say na im first reach or establish.
Notes: Di question na rhetorical question and di answer dey clear, wey be di style wey Yorùbá dey use for matters wey person no even suppose argue about. Kọ́kọ́, first, dey repeated for di two parts of di sentence so dat e go mirror each other, and seniority by who first reach na real arrangement principle for Yorùbá family houses and towns, no be just ordinary figure of speech.
24. Ojú ti kókó, ojú ti eéwo; ojú ti aáràgbá ìdí pẹ̀lú.
Literal: Ojú ti kókó shame-on the-lump, ojú ti eéwo shame-on the-boil; ojú ti aáràgbá ìdí pẹ̀lú shame-on the-hardened-tissue of-the-buttocks also.
Idiomatic: "The lump that attacks the head is shamed, the boil is shamed, and the hardened tissue on the buttocks is shamed also."
Meaning: Di wahala dem try their best but dem fail, and di person wey dey talk still dey stand.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Word of boldness and defiance when wahala dey"
Notes: Ojú ti, wey mean "eye push" word for word, na di idiom for person wey shame catch, di same construction wey dem discuss for entry 40 of owe-iwa-character. To use am against swelling na joke, since boil no fit get shame, and dat joke na di defiance itself. Di list of three sicknesses wey go down from head reach yansh give di proverb rhythm wey carry di boldness.
25. Ojú ni akàn-án fi ń ṣọ́ orí.
Literal: Ojú eyes ni akàn-án fi ń ṣọ́ orí are-what the-crab uses to-guard its-head.
Idiomatic: "The crab watches after its head with its eyes."
Meaning: Di ability wey you get na wetin you dey use protect wetin dey important to you.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Make person shine im eye to protect wetin concern am"
Notes: Crab eye dey on top stick above im shell, so di body structure exact well-well: im eyes dey positioned straight to dey watch im own head. Yorùbá proverbs about to dey shine eye often dey choose animal wey im body shape dey make di argument, and dis one na one of di clearest examples.
26. Igún ṣe oore ó pá lórí, àkàlà-á ṣe oore ó yọ gẹ̀gẹ̀; nítorí ọjọ́ mìíràn kẹni ó má ṣe oore bẹ́ẹ̀ mọ́.
Literal: Igún ṣe oore the-vulture did a-favour ó pá lórí it went-bald on-the-head, àkàlà-á ṣe oore the-hornbill did a-favour ó yọ gẹ̀gẹ̀ it developed a-goitre; nítorí ọjọ́ mìíràn because-of another day kẹni ó má ṣe oore bẹ́ẹ̀ mọ́ let-one not do such a-favour again.
Idiomatic: "The vulture did others a favor and became bald in return; the hornbill did others a favor and developed a goiter in return." Owomoyela's own gloss continues: "In the future, one should not do those kinds of favors"
Meaning: Service wey person render na permanent disfigurement dem take pay back, and di lesson wey person learn from am na to stop.
Used when: Dem dey talk am after bad pay return for good deed. Owomoyela explain di last part of di sentence as di moral lesson .
Notes: Di bald head of vulture and di throat pouch of hornbill na di clear evidence wey di proverb take reason, and di two birds get connection with sacrifice for inside Yorùbá practice, especially vulture wey be di bird wey dey carry sacrifice go. Di proverb bitter pass normal and Owomoyela record am without softening anything, di same way e take record di sour proverb for entry 15 of owe-iwa-character.
27. A kì í pa igún, a kì í jẹ igún, a kì í fi igún bọrí.
Literal: A kì í pa igún one does-not kill the-vulture, a kì í jẹ igún one does-not eat the-vulture, a kì í fi igún bọrí one does-not use the-vulture to-sacrifice-to-the-head.
Idiomatic: "One does not kill the vulture; one does not eat the vulture; one does not offer the vulture as a sacrifice to one's head."
Meaning: Get some things wey dem reject totally, for every level of use.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Certain behaviors are beyond the pale"
Notes: Bọrí, from bọ (to make sacrifice to) plus orí, na di technical term for di rite of feeding person own head, and as e show here na why dis proverb dey inside file on orí. Di three clause dey escalate from killing to eating to ritual use, and vulture no dey allowed for all three because na im dey carry sacrifice and dem no fit sacrifice am itself.
28. Orí tí yó jẹ igún kì í gbọ́; bí wọ́n fún un ládìẹ kò níí gbà.
Literal: Orí tí yó jẹ igún the-head that will eat vulture kì í gbọ́ does-not listen; bí wọ́n fún un ládìẹ if they give it a-chicken kò níí gbà it will-not accept.
Idiomatic: "The head that is destined to eat a vulture cannot be saved; if a chicken is offered to it, it will refuse."
Meaning: Destiny wey set for bad result dey refuse di substitution wey suppose avert am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "The person destined to suffer will manage to succumb to the suffering despite efforts by others to save him or her"
Notes: Na dis be di strongest fatalist proverb inside di file and make dem read am against entry 13 of owe-iwa-character, where character dey override destiny. Di two position dey current and di corpus no reconcile dem. Di ritual logic dey exact: chicken na di ordinary offering to di head, so to refuse chicken because of forbidden vulture na destiny wey dey insist on im own ruin. Read am together with entry 27, wey forbid dis particular offering.
The head that rises
29. Orí a-dé-tù ń pète àrán; orí a-dá-ràn-án ń pète àti jọba.
Literal: Orí a-dé-tù the-head that-wears-a-cloth-cap ń pète àrán plots velvet; orí a-dá-ràn-án the-head that-wears-velvet ń pète àti jọba plots to-become-king.
Idiomatic: "The head that wears a cloth cap strives to wear a velvet cap; the one that wears a velvet cap strives to become a king."
Meaning: Every position get somebody wey dey reach out for di next one.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Everyone hopes for a better tomorrow"
Notes: Di way Owomoyela explain am show say di proverb dey give hope; di verb pète, to scheme or plot, cold pass dat and e allow reading wey close to restless ambition. Cap na di Yorùbá sign of rank, so di sequence from cloth cap to velvet cap to crown na real ladder and no be figure of speech. Confidence on di tone of di gloss: medium.
30. Ràá ire, gàá ire; ìpéǹpéjú ni àlà a fìlà.
Literal: Ràá ire press-it well, gàá ire puff-it well; ìpéǹpéjú the-eyelash ni àlà a fìlà is the-boundary of-a-cap.
Idiomatic: "Press it well on the head, puff it out; the eyebrow is the limit for the cap."
Meaning: Wear am as you like, but limit dey where e go reach wey e no go be cap again.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One may be free to use one's possession as one pleases, but there are still some conventions to observe"
Notes: Di first two verbs na di ordinary instruction for setting Yorùbá cap bend for one side, so di proverb start by giving full freedom and den name di one hard limit. Owomoyela translation say "eyebrow" where di Yorùbá ìpéǹpéjú na eyelash or eyelid, small difference wey no affect di meaning. Na dis be di file clearest statement say freedom dey work inside boundary.
31. Orí àgbà-á níyì, ó sàn ju orí àgbà-á fọ́ lọ.
Literal: Orí àgbà-á níyì the-elder's-head-has-honour, ó sàn ju it is-better than orí àgbà-á fọ́ lọ the-elder's-head-is-broken.
Idiomatic: "The-elderly-person's-head-deserves-respect is better than The-elderly-person's-head-is-damaged."
Meaning: To get honour better pass to get contempt, and for elder di difference na everything.
Used when: Owomoyela: "An elder who enjoys respect is better off than one who is insulted by others" Owomoyela cross-reference 519 .
Notes: Di hyphen wey Owomoyela use render di two clause as if na names dem be, wey correct: di Yorùbá put two whole description side by side and compare dem as objects. Yì na honour or value, and fọ́ na to break or crack, wey dem dey use for calabash or skull. Compare entry 32, wey do di same comparison with death instead of dishonour.
32. Ọjọ́ àgbà-á kú sàn ju ọjọ́ àgbà-á tẹ́.
Literal: Ọjọ́ àgbà-á kú the-day an-elder dies sàn ju is-better than ọjọ́ àgbà-á tẹ́ the-day an-elder is-disgraced.
Idiomatic: "The day an elder dies is far better than the day an elder is disgraced."
Meaning: For person of high position, disgrace worse pass death.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Death is preferable to disgrace" Owomoyela cross-reference 507 .
Notes: Tẹ́ na to dey disgraced or humiliated, and na di verb wey dey control di Yorùbá vocabulary of losing face throughout dis file. Di proverb state plainly wetin entries 33 to 36 dey describe through images.
The face and what shows on it
33. Àgbà tí kò nítìjú, ojú kan ni ìbá ní; ojú kan náà a wà lọ́gangan iwájú-u rẹ̀.
Literal: Àgbà tí kò nítìjú an-elder who has-no shame, ojú kan ni ìbá ní one eye is-what-he-would-have; ojú kan náà that-same one eye a wà lọ́gangan iwájú-u rẹ̀ would-be right in-the-middle of-his-forehead.
Idiomatic: "An elder without self-respect might as well have only one eye, that one eye being in the center of his forehead."
Meaning: Elder wey no get shame get deformity wey clear like single eye for centre of face.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Shamelessness does not become an elder"
Notes: Ìtìjú, shame, na di good sense to know wetin person no suppose do, wey dem treat for entry 40 of owe-iwa-character. Di power of di proverb na say e no talk say di elder wey no get shame bad, e talk say e dey terrible to look, and e move di fault go di face where everybody fit see am. Iwájú, forehead, mean "front of di eye" for direct translation.
34. Àgbà tí yó tẹ̀ẹ́, bó fárí tán, a ní ó ku járá ẹnu.
Literal: Àgbà tí yó tẹ̀ẹ́ an-elder who will be-disgraced, bó fárí tán when he has-finished shaving-the-head, a ní ó ku járá ẹnu he says there-remains the-bonus of-the-mouth.
Idiomatic: "An elder courting disgrace, after his head has been shaved, says, 'Now, how about shaving the beard [as a gratuity]?'"
Meaning: To dey beg for extra past wetin dem don agree for transaction na how respectable person dey take lose respect.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person suppose know how far e fit go before shame catch am"
Notes: Járá na di small free extra wey seller dey add join wetin person buy, normal tin wey people dey expect for Yorùbá market business, and na wetin make di request make sense reach to tempt person, and still small reach to bring shame. Di proverb dey clear about how disgrace dey take happen: no be big crime, but na one extra request wey pass boundary.
35. Bí kò sí tọ̀bùn èèyàn, ta ni ìbá jí lówùúrọ̀ tí kò bọ́jú ṣáṣá?
Literal: Bí kò sí tọ̀bùn èèyàn but-for the-filthy person, ta ni ìbá jí lówùúrọ̀ who would wake in-the-morning tí kò bọ́jú ṣáṣá and not wash-the-face clean?
Idiomatic: "But for a person of filthy habits, who would wake in the morning and not wash his or her face clean?"
Meaning: Di exception dey, and e dey show itself.
Used when: Owomoyela: "People wey no dey mingle well dey expose demselves by dia habit"
Notes: Bọ́jú, to wash face, join bọ and ojú together, and na di normal word for di first tin person dey do for morning. Di proverb work by taking face wey person no wash as diagnostic sign instead of just small mistake: di habit na di person. Ṣáṣá na ideophone for cleanness wey get quick, scrubbing meaning wey English no fit carry.
36. Ojú kì í pọ́n baálé ilé kó fọwọ́ gbálẹ̀ ilé ẹ̀.
Literal: Ojú kì í pọ́n baálé ilé hardship does-not press the-head-of-the-house kó fọwọ́ gbálẹ̀ ilé ẹ̀ that-he sweeps his compound with-the-hand.
Idiomatic: "A head of a household is never so hard up that he sweeps his compound with his bare hands."
Meaning: Level dey wey respectable person no fit drop pass, no matter how condition be.
Used when: Owomoyela: "No matter how condition bad reach, some tins dey wey person no suppose bring body down do"
Notes: Ojú pọ́n, wey mean "eye dey red" for direct translation, na di standard Yorùbá idiom for suffering, so di proverb start with di face even though wetin e dey talk about na poverty. Baálé na di man wey be head of compound, and di dignity wey dey at stake specifically na di one of office. Check entry 1 for di other meaning say head no dey carry overload.
37. À-rí-fíni-lé ò jẹ́ ká jẹ òròmọ adìẹ.
Literal: À-rí-fíni-lé the-being-seen-and-mocked-at-home ò jẹ́ ká jẹ òròmọ adìẹ does-not let us eat a-day-old-chick.
Idiomatic: "Fear of losing face within one's home dissuades one from eating day-old chicks."
Meaning: Di restraint wey dey control how person dey behave na di fear say person own people fit see am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person wey wan keep respect among im mates no suppose behave in a way wey lower pass im level"
Notes: Di joined noun à-rí-fíni-lé form with di same à- ... -í- clause-to-noun pattern wey dem discuss for entry 33 of owe-iwa-character, and e dey name one single social feeling wey English need whole phrase to explain. To chop chick instead of waiting make e grow fowl na greed wey household fit see, and na household be di audience wey matter, exactly as e dey for entry 19 of owe-iwa-character.
38. Má tẹ̀ẹ́ lọ́wọ́ onílé, má tẹ̀ẹ́ lọ́wọ́ àlejò; lọ́wọ́ ara ẹni la ti ń tẹ́.
Literal: Má tẹ̀ẹ́ lọ́wọ́ onílé do-not be-disgraced before the-householder, má tẹ̀ẹ́ lọ́wọ́ àlejò do-not be-disgraced before the-stranger; lọ́wọ́ ara ẹni la ti ń tẹ́ it-is-before one's-own-self that-one is-disgraced.
Idiomatic: "Save face with members of your household, and save face with complete strangers, such a person loses face with himself or herself."
Meaning: To dey manage your face before every audience go make you lose your self-respect.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person wey dey too care about im reputation go end up losing respect for imself. Some situation dey make person drop protocol"
Notes: Na dis be di file balance to entries 31 to 37, wey all of dem treat face as wetin worth to protect. Here di protection na di failure itself, and di third clause turn di verb tẹ́ back on di person wey dey do di managing. Owomoyela English tight reach say e dey hard to follow, but di Yorùbá dey clearer: di first two clauses na command, di third na di judgment.
39. Bí ọmọdé bá ṣubú a wo iwájú; bí àgbà bá ṣubú a wo ẹ̀hìn.
Literal: Bí ọmọdé bá ṣubú if a-child falls a wo iwájú he looks forward; bí àgbà bá ṣubú if an-elder falls a wo ẹ̀hìn he looks behind.
Idiomatic: "When a youth falls, he looks ahead; when an elder falls, he looks behind."
Meaning: Young person dey check whether anybody for front notice; old person dey check wetin trip am down.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Young person dey care about wetin im superiors think about am; elder dey care about wetin di young people think about am" Owomoyela cross-reference 3365 .
Notes: Dis proverb still appear for entry 24 of yoruba-owe-proverbs, where di compiler explain say di way di elder look back na to check di obstacle, and e call am statement about experience as sometin to look back to. But Owomoyela note read di two look as way to check di people wey dey look instead, wey be totally different interpretation of di same text, and dem put di two here instead make dem try match dem together. Iwájú and ẹ̀hìn, front and back, na di same pair wey form di structure for entries 33 and 40. How sure dem dey about di meaning: argument dey.
40. Ẹ̀ṣọ́ kì í gba ọfà lẹ́hìn; iwájú gangan ní ń fi í gba ọgbẹ́.
Literal: Ẹ̀ṣọ́ the-palace-guard kì í gba ọfà lẹ́hìn does-not receive an-arrow in-the-back; iwájú gangan the-very front ní ń fi í gba ọgbẹ́ is-where he takes the-wound.
Idiomatic: "A palace guard does not receive arrows in his back; he suffers wounds only in front."
Meaning: Person wey dey dat position fit only get wound when e face di enemy or make e no get at all, because di other option na say e run comot for battle.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person suppose act for way wey fit im position"
Notes: Where wound dey for body na legal evidence for here pass ordinary description: wound for back dey prove say person run, and for guard, dat one mean say im position don end. Ẹ̀ṣọ́ for dis proverb na di palace guard, and na different word from di ẹ̀ṣọ́ wey mean decoration wey dem discuss for entry 2 of owe-iwa-character, even though Owomoyela print di two with di same tones. Dis proverb still belong to di war files as well, and dem put am here because of di face-and-front image.
41. Ẹni tí ó mú u lórí ni ó kú, ìwọ tí o mú u lẹ́sẹ̀-ẹ́ ní ó ń jòwèrè.
Literal: Ẹni tí ó mú u lórí the-one who holds it by-the-head ni ó kú says it is-dead, ìwọ tí o mú u lẹ́sẹ̀-ẹ́ you who hold it by-the-feet ní ó ń jòwèrè say it is-in-death-throes.
Idiomatic: "The person holding it by the head says it is dead; you who are holding it by the feet say it is going through death throes."
Meaning: Di person wey dey di head get di correct information; di person wey dey di leg get ordinary opinion.
Used when: Owomoyela: "People wey just dey start no suppose claim say dem know pass di experts"
Notes: Di scene na two people wey dey carry animal wey dem kill, and di whole argument na purely about where person stand: death dey show for head first and na legs dey shake last, so di two observers dey talk true about wetin dem dey see, but na only one of dem dey answer di real question. Dis na proverb about epistemic standing of di same kind with entry 20 of owe-iwa-character, where na di servant be di person wey know.
42. Ọlọ́gbọ́n d'orí ẹja mú; òmùgọ̀ d'ìrù-u rẹ̀ mú.
Literal: Ọlọ́gbọ́n the-wise-one d'orí ẹja mú seizes the-fish by-the-head; òmùgọ̀ the-fool d'ìrù-u rẹ̀ mú seizes it by-its-tail.
Idiomatic: "The wise person grabs a fish by the head; the fool grabs it by the tail fin."
Meaning: Competence na to know which side of sometin person suppose hold.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person wey get sense know di best way to handle situation pass fool"
Notes: Fish wey person hold for tail go slip comot forward from hand because im scales face dat side, so di proverb na practical knowledge before e come be metaphor. E match naturally with yoruba-owe-proverbs entry 35, about finding snake head before striking: for di two, na di head be di place where dem dey control sometin.
Reading this set
Three tins dey show clear across dis forty-two proverbs wey no single one of dem state directly.
Di head na distinct party to di person, no be just ordinary part of dem. E dey carry, dey refuse, dey plot, e dey gladden, dem dey guard am, e dey chop, and dem fit make sacrifice give am. Entries 1, 3, 7, 27 and 29 all give am verbs of will. Dis one no be ordinary personification: e follow from di fact say orí na di inner head, di part of destiny wey person dey negotiate with instead to command am, and na why di same word dey serve for skull and for fate without any pun inside.
Di collection of proverbs no settle whether person fit alter destiny. Entry 28 talk say head wey set mind to chop vulture go refuse di chicken wey for save am, and entry 1 talk say no head heavy reach wetin di owner fit carry. When person read dem together with entry 13 of owe-iwa-character, where character dey ruin good destiny, dem give at least three positions wey no agree with each other on how much of person life dey fixed. Dem dey choose proverb for particular occasion, and di occasions dey different; to pack dem join to form one doctrine of destiny dey produce system wey no speaker ever claim.
Face na di currency of standing, and di collection of proverbs dey ambivalent about am. Entries 31 to 37 all treat losing face as sometin to avoid, and several of dem even put am above death. Entry 38 come talk say person wey dey guard im face before every audience don lose di only regard wey matter. Dat reversal no be marginal saying: Owomoyela own usage note support am, and e add say some situations dey require make person drop decorum. Any account of Yorùbá honour wey dem build only on di first group dey misrepresent di record.