Òwe on Ifá, the Babaláwo and Divination
Twenty-one Yorùbá proverbs about the Ifá oracle, its priests, and divination, showing how the profession, its discipline, and its authority are talked about in everyday speech.
Ifá na the Yorùbá divination system wey dem build on top collection of sixteen major chapters (odù), wey each of dem get sixteen subchapters, wey trained priests, babaláwo ("father of mysteries"), dey memorize and interpret. The full tori of the system dey for 05-ifa/01-what-ifa-is.md . This file gather twenty-one proverbs wey Ifá, the babaláwo, or the divination act itself take turn wetin dem use talk about anoda thing, usually about caution, poverty wey person endure for future reward, or the limit of wetin any knowledge system fit promise. The proverbs assume say the person wey dey hear am already know wetin Ifá be; none of dem explain the institution, wey by itself show how the practice don deeply enter ordinary Yorùbá reasoning.
The proverbs
1. A kì í gbọ́n ju ẹni tí a máa dÍfá fún.
Literal: A kì í gbọ́n one is-not wiser ju ẹni tí a máa dÍfá fún than the-one for-whom one will consult-Ifá.
Idiomatic: "One cannot be wiser than the person for whom one will consult the Ifá oracle."
Meaning: The work of the diviner na to consult on behalf of the client, no be to overturn the client own explanation of the problem.
Used when: Owomoyela note: "It is better to listen to the supplicant rather than put words in his or her mouth"
Notes: Owomoyela footnote explain the structure wey dem bring up: Ifá dey based on plenty collection of case history, precedent dem, and remedies (the odù and their subchapters, the ọmọ odù), and this proverb dey guide how dem expect babaláwo to use that corpus, as resource to serve the client actual situation instead of script wey person go force on top am .
Source: Owomoyela 22, with note 3.
2. Babaaláwo kì í bèrè ẹbọ àná.
Literal: Babaaláwo the-diviner kì í bèrè does-not ask-for ẹbọ àná yesterday's sacrifice.
Idiomatic: "The diviner does not ask for yesterday's sacrifice."
Meaning: Person wey dey position of dignity no dey bring himself down dey chase small thing wey time don pass.
Used when: Owomoyela note: "One should not demean oneself by demanding piddling favors"
Notes: Variant wey almost identical dey for Owomoyela 478, Ojú kì í pọn babaláwo kó bèrè ẹbọ àná, "An Ifá diviner-priest is never so hard up that he asks for yesterday's sacrifice," with the extra explanation say hardship no suppose make person do wetin go bring am down . The two versions use the babaláwo expected dignity, instead of any doctrinal claim, as the main image.
Source: Owomoyela 221; variant 478.
3. Bí a bá wí pé ó dọ́wọ́-ọ babaláwo, babaláwo a ló dọ́wọ́ Ifá; bí a bá ní ó dọ́wọ́ àgbà ìṣègùn, àgbà ìṣègùn a ló dọ́wọ́ Ọ̀sanyìn; bí a bá ní ó dọ́wọ́ ààfáà tó gbójú, a ní ó dọ́wọ́ Ọlọ́run gá ògo.
Literal: Bí a bá wí pé ó dọ́wọ́-ọ babaláwo if one says it lies in-the-hand of-the-diviner, babaláwo a ló dọ́wọ́ Ifá the-diviner says it-lies in-the-hand of-Ifá; bí a bá ní ó dọ́wọ́ àgbà ìṣègùn if one says it lies in-the-hand of-the-elder-healer, àgbà ìṣègùn a ló dọ́wọ́ Ọ̀sanyìn the-elder-healer says it-lies in-the-hand of-Ọ̀sanyìn; bí a bá ní ó dọ́wọ́ ààfáà tó gbójú if one says it lies in-the-hand of-the-confident-Muslim-priest, a ní ó dọ́wọ́ Ọlọ́run gá ògo he-says it-lies in-the-hand of-God most-glorious.
Idiomatic: "If one says that a matter now lies in the hands of the Ifá priest, the Ifá priest says it lies in the hands of Ifá; if one says that it lies in the hands of the venerable medicine man, the venerable medicine man says it rests in the hands of the god of herbs; if one says it rests in the hands of the formidable Muslim priest, he says it is in the hands of God the most glorious."
Meaning: Every practitioner, no matter the tradition, dey eventually surrender the outcome give higher power, refusing to take personal credit.
Used when: Owomoyela: "All achievements are creditable to the powers that make them possible, not to the agents"
Notes: The proverb put three professional systems side by side without ranking them, the babaláwo dey surrender to Ifá, the herbalist dey surrender to Ọ̀sanyìn (the god of herbal medicine, wey dem treat for 06-orisa/11-osanyin.md), and the Muslim cleric dey surrender to God, wey treat respect to higher source as the common feature of legitimate practice across traditions instead of point of doctrine.
Source: Owomoyela 231.
4. Ìrùkẹ̀rẹ̀ kì í yan Ifá lódì; oge, dúró o kí mi.
Literal: Ìrùkẹ̀rẹ̀ the-horse-tail-whisk kì í yan Ifá lódì does-not walk-past Ifá improperly; oge fashionable-one, dúró o kí mi stop and greet me.
Idiomatic: "The horse-tail whisk does not shun Ifá; high-fashion maiden, pause awhile and give me a greeting."
Meaning: Even ceremonial object dey show Ifá proper respect, so person wey dey fashionable definitely no suppose pass person wey e know without greeting.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One should not neglect to say hello to other people"
Notes: The ìrùkẹ̀rẹ̀, horse-tail whisk, na symbol of authority and respect wey elders and title-holders dey carry, and the proverb use the normal respect wey e get for Ifá as standard wey dem take measure ordinary social courtesy.
Source: Owomoyela 383.
5. Ojú kì í pọ́n babaláwo kó bèrè ẹbọ àná.
Literal: Ojú kì í pọ́n babaláwo the-eye does-not redden the-diviner (he-is-never-so-desperate) kó bèrè ẹbọ àná that-he-would-ask-for yesterday's-sacrifice.
Idiomatic: "An Ifá diviner-priest is never so hard up that he asks for yesterday's sacrifice."
Meaning: No level of hardship justify make person bring himself down in a way wey no match him position.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One should not permit hardship to lead one to demeaning behavior"
Notes: Check entry 2 for up; this na the fuller variant of the same saying, and Owomoyela record the two without showing which one come first.
Source: Owomoyela 478.
6. Àgbọ̀kán là ń rọ́ Ifá adití.
Literal: Àgbọ̀kán with-full-voice-volume là ń rọ́ Ifá adití is-how-one recites-Ifá-verses for-a-deaf-person.
Idiomatic: "It is with full voice volume that one recites divination verses for the deaf."
Meaning: Some kind audience dey wey need make person talk to dem in a way wey loud and direct well-well.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One cannot be too subtle with the daft" One variant wey nearly be di same thing dey recorded for Owomoyela 1054, Kóró-kóró là ń dá Ifá adití, "Na with loud voice person dey consult Ifá for deaf person," with di extra note say make person dey repeat warning give person wey stubborn pass make e no do am at all .
Notes: Di two version treat di recitation of Ifá verse as something wey people sabi well-well as public event wey normal-normal dey loud and formal, and na dat expected loudness dem use as di point of comparison instead of to comment on wetin dey inside di verse dem.
Source: Owomoyela 712; variant 1054.
7. Awo aláwo la kì í dá lẹ́mejì.
Literal: Awo aláwo another-diviner's divination la kì í dá lẹ́mejì is-what-one does-not repeat.
Idiomatic: "It is another person's divination that one does not repeat."
Meaning: People dey save dia power when e come to other people, but dem no dey do like dat for dia own self.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One might not put oneself out for others, but will do so for oneself"
Notes: Awo for here mean both "diviner" and di act of divination itself; di proverb use dat double meaning take make point about how person dey choose where to put effort, wey no get anything to do with divination technique itself.
Source: Owomoyela 808.
8. Bí òwe bí òwe ni Ifá ń sọ̀rọ̀.
Literal: Bí òwe bí òwe like-proverb like-proverb ni Ifá ń sọ̀rọ̀ is-how Ifá speaks.
Idiomatic: "Like proverbs, like proverbs are the pronouncements of the oracle god Ifá."
Meaning: Wetin Ifá dey talk get di same indirect, short, and figurative style wey proverbs generally get.
Used when: Owomoyela: "The most profound speech is indirect and subtle"
Notes: Dis proverb na part of how di tradition itself explain genre theory: e call òwe straight as di standard wey dem take compare Ifá speech, wey be clear evidence say Yorùbá speakers dem self understand di connection between di proverb form wey dey dis corpus section and di ẹsẹ Ifá verse dem wey dey file 97 and inside 05-ifa/04-ese-ifa-the-verses.md.
Source: Owomoyela 870.
9. Dífá-dífá ò fi Ifá ṣeré.
Literal: Dífá-dífá the-one-who-repeatedly-consults-Ifá ò fi Ifá ṣeré does-not with Ifá play.
Idiomatic: "The diviner does not take Ifá lightly."
Meaning: Person work or wetin e dey do take chop no be something wey person suppose play with.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One should not be careless about one's livelihood"
Notes: Dífá-dífá, wey dem repeat from di verb dá Ifá, to consult Ifá, na name for person wey dey do di work regular-regular, and di way di proverb take stand (wey di subject get name from di exact action wey dem say no be play) dey show di same tight style wey dey other places for dis corpus, like inside owe-iwa-character entry 31.
Source: Owomoyela 892.
10. Ní inú Ifá ni Fátúmọ̀ wà.
Literal: Ní inú Ifá inside Ifá ni Fátúmọ̀ wà is-where Fátúmọ̀ is.
Idiomatic: "It is within Ifá that one finds Fátúmọ̀."
Meaning: Every wahala carry di seed of im own solution inside.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Every problem bears the seeds to its own solution"
Notes: Owomoyela footnote explain say Fátúmọ̀ na proper name wey mean "Ifá [di Oracle] dey interpret" , so di proverb build on person name wey by itself be small theological statement, and di wordplay, say di interpretation (Fátúmọ̀) dey inside di system wey person consult (Ifá), na di whole mechanism of di proverb.
Source: Owomoyela 1063, with note 83.
11. Ọgbọ́n lajá fi ń pa ìkokò bọ Ifá.
Literal: Ọgbọ́n cunning lajá fi ń pa ìkokò is-what-the-dog uses to-kill the-wolf bọ Ifá to-sacrifice-to-Ifá.
Idiomatic: "It is cunning that the dog employs in order to sacrifice a wolf to Ifá."
Meaning: Sense and wayo dey allow person wey weak pass to defeat and even use di strong person do sacrifice.
Used when: Owomoyela: "A cunning person can get the better of people far more powerful than he"
Notes: Di proverb put dog and wolf for natural level of power wey sense and wayo come turn upside down, and e use di act of sacrifice to Ifá as di sign of total victory, wey dog no just beat wolf but e still use am do sacrifice di same way human being go use something wey get value do offering.
Source: Owomoyela 1177.
12. Bí òní ti rí, la ò rí bẹ́ẹ̀; ni babaláwo-ó fi ń dÍfá lẹ́ẹ̀rọ́ọ̀rún.
Literal: Bí òní ti rí as-today is, la ò rí bẹ́ẹ̀ tomorrow will-not be-seen so; ni babaláwo-ó fi ń dÍfá lẹ́ẹ̀rọ́ọ̀rún is-why the-diviner consults-Ifá every-five-days.
Idiomatic: "As today is, tomorrow will not be; hence the diviner consults the oracle every five days."
Meaning: Condition dey change, so person must seek new guidance instead of to assume say di old one still dey valid.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Since no one knows the future, one must constantly reassess one's decisions"
Notes: Di proverb record one specific practical detail, say consultation dey happen every five days, wey match di traditional Yorùbá four-day (or, if person count all, five-day inclusive) market week; di way dem dey go consult again from time to time show as ordinary professional wisdom instead of fixed religious rule.
Source: Owomoyela 1442.
13. Ìpọ́njú lọmọdé fi ń kọ́ Ifá, ìgbẹ́hìn-in rẹ̀ a dẹni.
Literal: Ìpọ́njú hardship lọmọdé fi ń kọ́ Ifá is-what-the-child uses to-learn Ifá, ìgbẹ́hìn-in rẹ̀ a dẹni its-end becomes ease.
Idiomatic: "A child's learning of Ifá is full of privations, but the outcome is a life of ease."
Meaning: Di training to learn di work hard; but di work itself wey e dey lead to no hard.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela note connect di message to di general theme say suffering wey pesin dey face now go bring enjoyment later .
Notes: Di proverb show clearly how Ifá training hard reach as sometin wey ordinary Yorùbá people know well-well, wey people don experience so much sotay e don turn proverb. Check 05-ifa/06-becoming-a-babalawo.md for di record of di plenty years wey pesin dey take memorise things wey dis apprenticeship dey require.
Source: Owomoyela 2146.
14. Ojú tí ń pọ́n awo àpọ́nkú kọ́; ìyà tí ń jẹ awo àjẹlà; ìṣẹ́ tí ń ṣẹ awo à-ṣẹ́-ṣẹ́-obì-jẹ ni.
Literal: Ojú tí ń pọ́n awo àpọ́nkú kọ́ the-hardship afflicting the-diviner is-not one-that-leads-to-death; ìyà tí ń jẹ awo àjẹlà the-suffering afflicting the-diviner is-one-that-leads-to-wealth; ìṣẹ́ tí ń ṣẹ awo à-ṣẹ́-ṣẹ́-obì-jẹ ni the-poverty afflicting the-diviner is-one-that-still-allows-a-bite-of-kola.
Idiomatic: "The suffering that the babaláwo is experiencing is not something that leads to death; the hard time that the babaláwo is going through is one that leads to riches; the vicissitudes that now befall the babaláwo leave room for taking a bite of kola nut."
Meaning: Di wahala wey di diviner dey face now na just one stage for di road to beta life, no be how e go end.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "One's present troubles will lead to even better times"
Notes: Dis proverb dey pass di same message as entry 13 but e explain am more inside three parts, and Owomoyela footnote explain babaláwo itself as "father of mysteries," wey be di title of di priests of Ifá, wey dey work as diviners, healers, and general medicine people , role description wey match wetin dey inside 05-ifa/06-becoming-a-babalawo.md.
Source: Owomoyela 2271, with note 52.
15. Ọlẹ́ bà á tì, ó kó sílé Ifá.
Literal: Ọlẹ́ bà á tì the-lazy-person fails-at-everything, ó kó sílé Ifá he goes to-the-house-of-Ifá.
Idiomatic: "The lazy person fails at everything, whereupon he becomes an Ifá acolyte."
Meaning: Pesin wey no get any oda choice dey go learn Ifá as last option, based on di thinking say e no hard reach oda work.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "The lazy person finds easy tasks to do"
Notes: Owomoyela footnote explain say dis proverb stand on top di (satirical) idea say di main work of di Ifá student na to memorise di huge texts wey join with am, and di joke na say e no easy at all . Owomoyela also record another version wey match am, entry 2346, where lazy pesin go enter Koranic school instead, based on di same wrong thinking say di work easy . None of di two proverb dey make serious claim about how hard Ifá training be; if pesin read am compare to entries 13 and 14, wey talk am clearly say di training hard, na dat time di irony inside dis proverb go clear for context.
Source: Owomoyela 2345; variant 2346.
16. Èjì Ogbè ni baba Ifá.
Literal: Èjì Ogbè [name-of-the-first-odù] ni baba Ifá is the-father-figure of-Ifá.
Idiomatic: "Èjì Ogbè is the father figure in Ifá."
Meaning: Èjì Ogbè no get mate for im category, na im be number one among di chapters of di Ifá corpus.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela note: dem dey believe say wetin dis comment dey talk about no get mate for im category , and dem dey use am generally for any pesin or anytin wey dem talk say na first for im class.
Notes: Owomoyela footnote identify Èjì Ogbè as di first and most important of di sixteen main chapters (odù) of Ifá . Check 05-ifa/03-the-256-odu.md for di full structure of di corpus wey dis proverb mention one part of am; di proverb itself no explain di odù system, as e assume say di person wey dey hear am already know am.
Source: Owomoyela 2725, with note 1.
17. Ikú tí kò níí pani ní ń gbé aláwo rere koni.
Literal: Ikú tí kò níí pani death that will-not kill-one ní ń gbé aláwo rere koni is-what brings a-good-diviner one's-way.
Idiomatic: "It is the death that has no intention of killing one that brings an expert diviner man one's way."
Meaning: Wen pesin escape danger narrowly, na wetin dey make di pesin meet di help wey go really save am.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "One should be grateful if one has people to warn one about impending dangers"
Notes: Di proverb see di coming of di diviner as somtin wey arrange by providence instead of ordinary coincidence, one survival mechanism wey join how danger and warning connect inside dis proverb tradition, wey relate to di fate proverbs wey dem gather for file 79.
Source: Owomoyela 2970.
18. Òkété, báyìí ni ìwà ẹ: o bá Ifá mulẹ̀ o dá Ifá.
Literal: Òkété giant-bush-rat, báyìí ni ìwà ẹ such is-your character: o bá Ifá mulẹ̀ you made-a-pact-with Ifá o dá Ifá you betrayed Ifá.
Idiomatic: "So, giant bush rat, such is your character: you made a pact with Ifá and you betrayed Ifá."
Meaning: Wetin dem dey tell pesin wey dem trust before but wey come break di trust.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "An address to a person whom you trusted but who has betrayed you"
Notes: Owomoyela footnote explain di natural-history detail behind di image: giant bush rat like palm kernel well-well, wey dem also dey use inside Ifá divination, so dem present di rat like say e dey go steal from wetin belong to Ifá, wey come break di silent understanding by taking wetin belong to di oracle .
Source: Owomoyela 2575, with note 22.
19. Ẹnu tí ń pọ̀n babaláwo kó bèrè ẹbọ àná; kì í ṣẹ̀.
(Compare entry 5 for up; dem record am here only as di reference for di variant wey dem discuss inside entry 2 notes; dem no count am separately for di total of dis file.)
20. Kì í ṣe ẹjọ́ eléhín gan-gan-ran; òrìṣà ló dá a tí kò fi awọ̀ bò ó, ṣùgbọ́n a kì í dÍfá ká fàyè gbàgbé ẹ̀bi.
(Dis entry na cross-reference from di compiler, no be separate text wey get source, and e no dey among di count wey dey below. Look file 70, entry 14, Owomoyela 3555, for di proverb wey get full source about pesin wey im teeth shoot comot, wey dey talk about how god take dey responsible for body shape instead of divination matter proper.)
21. Ìjìnlẹ̀ awo ni afọ́jú fi ń mọ ọ̀nà.
(Dem withhold am: dis proverb dey circulate well-well for secondary and popular sources about Ifá, but dem no fit find am inside Owomoyela, Delano, or any peer-reviewed source wey dis compiler get access to. Following di corpus strict rule against to fabricate or quote proverb wey no get source, dem only mention am here to record say dem check and remove am, no be to present am as verified entry.)
Note on di count
Di eighteen proverbs wey dey above carry full citation and na dem be di verified collection for dis file (entry 1 reach 18; entry 19 reach 21 na cross-references or candidate-dem wey dem drop clearly, no be addition to di count). For Owomoyela arrangement, Ifá and di babaláwo scatter across almost every thematic section for di book instead of make dem dey together for one place, unlike di divine-and-supernatural section wey dem use for file 70 and 71. Dis file eighteen proverbs na result of targeted search across di full text for every place wey Ifá, babaláwo, aláwo, and dá Ifá appear; if pesin do another search wey deep pass dis one inside Delano, Ajibola, and peer-reviewed Ifá scholarship, e fit add more, but nothing beyond wetin get source here dem present as verified.
How to read dis set
Di proverbs agree on three claims about di profession instead of di metaphysics of divination: say di dignity of babaláwo no dey allow petty demands (entry 2, 5), say di training really hard but e get reward for front (entry 13, 14, and ironically, 15), and say di way Ifá take dey talk be like proverb for form (entry 8), wey be di clearest native statement inside dis corpus wey show say relationship dey between di òwe genre wey dis whole section document and di ẹsẹ Ifá verses wey dem document for 05-ifa/04-ese-ifa-the-verses.md.