Òwe on Patience, Restraint and Temper
Forty-three Yorùbá proverbs on sùúrù, patience, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.
Sùúrù na patience, and for inside dis corpus e dey stand beside ìwà, character, as one of di load-bearing virtue-terms: yoruba-owe-proverbs don already record di claim say patience na di papa of character. Dis file enter deeper into di same topic wey Owomoyela group together wit caution and moderation: wetin dey happen when person wait versus when person act on impulse, wetin anger dey cost di person wey follow am, and wetin count as proper restraint instead of ordinary passivity. Di proverb dem wey dey below no dey united by one single doctrine. Some dey promise say patience dey win everything; others dey describe haste, anger and excess as di specific way wey people dey take ruin deirself; smaller group dey about di discipline to let grudge go instead of just waiting as e be. If person read dem together, dem describe sùúrù as practical technique to take pass through difficult or dangerous work, no be primarily as calm mind inside.
How dem take get dis file
Di proverb dem wey dey below come from Oyekan Owomoyela digitised The Good Person: Excerpts from the Yorùbá Proverb Treasury, wey University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries Electronic Text Center host, Part 3, "On cageyness, caution, moderation, patience, and prudence" Dat page print each proverb for standard orthography wit tone marks, followed by Owomoyela own English translation and one parenthetical usage note. Part 3 cover wider area pass only patience, as Owomoyela group several related dispositional virtues under one heading, so di selection here na subset: na only entries wey patience, restraint of temper, forbearance, or di cost of haste be di actual point of di proverb dem include. Proverbs for inside di source wey dey about caution toward external danger, prudent planning, or moderation for matters wey no relate to temper dem leave dem out, even where dem appear for di same numbered sequence wit entry wey dey inside. Where entry below dey marked , di Yorùbá text and di quoted idiomatic English na Owomoyela own, wey dem reproduce as e print am. Di literal glosses and di Used when framing na di compiler own, built from Yorùbá, except where dem quote Owomoyela usage note directly. Dat digitised collection draw from di same fieldwork as im print Yoruba Proverbs (Nebraska, 2005) .
None of di proverb dem below repeat di five patience-and-time entries wey dem don already collect for yoruba-owe-proverbs (Sùúrù ni baba ìwà; Ẹni tí ó bá ní sùúrù ni yóò fi wàrà kìnnìún ṣe oògùn; Kò sí ohun tí ó ṣòro tí kò ní ìparí; Bí a kò bá jìyà ọjọ́ kan...; Àìsàn tí a ń wò ni kò gbọdọ̀ pa ni) or entries 19 and 34 of owe-iwa-character, di two proverbs wey touch patience only in passing. One entry below, wey be three-clause compound wey include di wording "sùúrù baba ìwà," dem keep am because na distinct, longer textual unit wit im own usage note, on di same basis wey owe-iwa-character dey keep expanded variants of proverbs wey e also state for shorter form elsewhere; dem flag di overlap for inside dat entry notes instead of to conceal am.
Patience as di working method for difficult things
1. Ìbínú ò da nǹkan; sùúrù baba ìwà; àgbà tó ní sùúrù ohun gbogbo ló ní.
Literal: Ìbínú ò da nǹkan anger does-not accomplish anything; sùúrù baba ìwà patience is-father-of character; àgbà tó ní sùúrù an-elder who has patience ohun gbogbo ló ní everything is-what he-has.
Idiomatic: "Anger accomplishes nothing; forebearance is the father of character traits; an elder who has forebearance has everything."
Meaning: Anger no dey produce result, patience na di source of good character, and di patient elder no dey lack anything.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Forebearance will avail one everything, whereas anger will always prove futile" Owomoyela cross-references am to di shorter Ìbínú baba òṣì, entry 3 below.
Notes: Di middle clause dey repeat, wit spelling variant, di two-word proverb Sùúrù ni baba ìwà wey dem don already collect for yoruba-owe-proverbs. Dem keep dis text here instead of treating am as duplicate because na different, longer unit: one anger-clause and one reward-clause frame di two-word aphorism into argument about temper specifically, where di short form na bare statement about character in general. Di third clause close for wording to Ẹni tí ó ní sùúrù, ó ní ohun gbogbo, wey dem don also collect before; here e no be separate proverb but na di conclusion of dis compound one.
2. Onísùúrù ní ńṣe ọkọ ọmọ Aláhúsá.
Literal: Onísùúrù the-owner-of-patience ní ńṣe ọkọ is-who becomes husband ọmọ Aláhúsá of-the-child of-a-Hausa-person.
Idiomatic: "Only the patient person will win the daughter of the Hausa man."
Meaning: Prize wey dey take long effort to get dey go to whoever fit endure pass di difficulty.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Patience overcomes all obstacles"
Notes: Onísùúrù, owner-of-patience, dey formed on di same productive oní- pattern wey dem discuss for owe-iwa-character entry 5 (oníwà, owner of character). Di specific scenario, courtship across ethnic and religious boundary wey people understand say e hard to negotiate, dey give di proverb concrete social referent instead of purely abstract one; dem dey use am more broadly for any goal wey require sustained effort against resistance.
3. Ìbínú baba òṣì.
Literal: Ìbínú anger baba òṣì is-father-of poverty.
Idiomatic: "Anger is the father of hopelessness."
Meaning: Anger dey produce destitution or ruin, no be results.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Anger achieves no good, but may backfire on whoever expresses it"
Notes: Òṣì na poverty or lack of money and property, wey Owomoyela word "hopelessness" make wide pass dat; di Yorùbá dey make tighter, stronger claim, say vex dey make pesin lose wetin im take dey chop, no be just how im dey see life. Di baba pattern, X na di father of Y, wey mean say X na di main example or origin of Y, dey show face plenty times for dis file and across owe-iwa-character; na one of di templates wey dem dey use pass for di proverb corpus.
4. Ọgbọ́n pẹ̀lú-u sùúrù la fi ḿmú erin wọ̀lú.
Literal: Ọgbọ́n pẹ̀lú-u sùúrù wisdom together-with patience la fi ḿmú erin wọ̀lú is-what-we-use to-bring an-elephant into-town.
Idiomatic: "It is with cunning and patience that one brings an elephant into town."
Meaning: Na when pesin combine sense and patience na im hard work dey finish well, no be by force.
Used when: Owomoyela: "The most difficult tasks can be accomplished with wisdom and patience"
Notes: To lead elephant enter town instead of to kill am for bush na picture of how to tame animal, to gradually move big and dangerous ting enter place wey dem fit control. Di proverb join ọgbọ́n, wisdom or sense, with sùúrù make dem work together, instead of to treat patience like say na only am reach, wey make am different from oda entries for dis file wey give all di credit to patience alone.
5. Kò sí ohun tí sùúrù-ú sè tí kò jinná.
Literal: Kò sí ohun there-is-nothing tí sùúrù-ú sè that patience cooks tí kò jinná that is-not well-cooked.
Idiomatic: "There is nothing that patience cooks that is not well cooked."
Meaning: Anything wey pesin use patience do dey always come out well.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Forbearance overcomes all things"
Notes: Di picture of cooking join dis proverb to entry 10 for bottom and entry 34, and two of dem use di same example of slow cooking wey dem dey watch carefully to explain patience; Yorùbá proverb-making dey go back to kitchen many times for dis virtue, maybe because soup wey dem rush cook na common, simple example of wetin rush-rush dey spoil.
6. Làákàyè baba ìwà; bí o ní sùúrù, ohun gbogbo lo ní.
Literal: Làákàyè common-sense baba ìwà is-father-of character; bí o ní sùúrù if you have patience, ohun gbogbo lo ní everything is-what-you-have.
Idiomatic: "Common sense is the father of good character; whoever has patience has everything."
Meaning: Na good sense be wetin dem take dey build character, and pesin wey get patience no dey lack anything.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Common sense and patience are the chief qualities one must have" Owomoyela link am directly to entry 1 for top, Ìbínú ò da nǹkan.
Notes: Dis na di third type of di "baba ìwà" pattern, but dis time e give credit to làákàyè, common sense or good judgement, instead of sùúrù itself, as di father of character, while patience only show face for di second part as di ting wey dey make everything sure. Owomoyela own reference to entry 1 show say tradition dey treat dese proverbs wey get different wording like brothers and sisters instead of say dem dey compete for one correct wording.
7. Sùúrù-ú lérè.
Literal: Sùúrù-ú lérè patience has-profit.
Idiomatic: "Patience has its profits."
Meaning: Patience dey bring gain.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Patience is a useful quality to cultivate"
Notes: Èrè, profit or gain, na word wey dem normally dey use for market business, for di gain wey trader make; to use am for patience dey treat dis good character like investment wey pesin fit calculate im profit instead of just moral ting, and e match di practical and result-focused way dem dey talk through dis file.
8. Sùúrù loògùn ayé.
Literal: Sùúrù patience loògùn ayé is-the-medicine-for life.
Idiomatic: "Patience is the talisman for living."
Meaning: Patience na di medicine wey dey make pesin fit survive life.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Patience solves all problems"
Notes: Oògùn dey show face plenty times for dis corpus as di working medicine for particular problem, like for iṣẹ́ ni oògùn ìṣẹ́, say work na medicine for poverty, wey dem collect inside yoruba-owe-proverbs. To call ayé, life or di world, di sickness wey patience dey treat na one of di biggest claims wey dem make for dis character for anywhere inside dis file.
9. Sùúrù ò lópin.
Literal: Sùúrù patience ò lópin has-no end.
Idiomatic: "There is no end to the need for patience."
Meaning: Patience no be work wey dey finish; pesin must dey renew am all di time.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One must never tire of exercising patience"
Notes: Where entries 7 and 8 promise say patience go bring gain, dis one no promise say e go finish, but e dey talk say demand for patience no get end. When dem put am beside di oda two, e serve as useful warning make pesin no think say di way dis file dey praise patience mean say di waiting must surely end.
10. A kì í fi ìkánjú lá ọbẹ̀ gbígbóná.
Literal: A kì í fi ìkánjú one does-not with haste lá ọbẹ̀ gbígbóná lick stew that-is-scalding-hot.
Idiomatic: "One does not eat scalding stew in a hurry."
Meaning: Pesin no fit rush delicate or dangerous work without wound.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Patience is best in delicate or difficult matters"
Notes: Lá, to lick or lap, na di verb for eating draw or light soup directly instead of to use spoon, so di picture na mouth wey touch heat directly; di danger no be abstract ting. Compare am with entry 33 for bottom, Ẹ̀sọ̀ ẹ̀sọ̀ la fi ńlá ọbẹ̀ tó gbóná, wey put di same situation as direct instruction instead of warning make pesin no do am.
11. A kì í kánjú tu olú-ọrán; igba ẹ̀ ò tó-ó sebẹ̀.
Literal: A kì í kánjú one does-not in-haste tu olú-ọrán gather olú-ọrán-mushrooms; igba ẹ̀ two-hundred of-them ò tó-ó sebẹ̀ is-not-enough to-make-stew.
Idiomatic: "One does not gather olú-ọrán mushrooms in haste; two hundred of them are not enough to make a stew."
Meaning: Some work need plenty patience and steady effort, reach point say if person dey rush, e almost no go achieve anything for wetin e dey try do.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Some kind work need patience if dem go come out well"
Notes: The mushroom small sotey even if person gather two hundred with careless and fast way, e no go fill pot; the proverb use exact number wey almost funny take explain the matter, instead of just to dey talk say things hard.
12. Atọrọohungbogbolọ́wọ́Ọlọ́run kì í kánjú.
Literal: Atọrọohungbogbolọ́wọ́Ọlọ́run the-one-who-asks-everything-from-God's-hand kì í kánjú does-not hurry.
Idiomatic: "The-seeker-of-all-things-from-God does not yield to impatience."
Meaning: Person wey wetin e need dey God hand no fit dey do hurry-hurry, because say person dey rush no go change the time wey e go happen.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person wey dey beg must get patience to wait for answer"
Notes: Dem join the whole clause make e become one single written word, one agentive construction wey dem build by joining the sentence "person wey dey ask everything from God hand" into one noun; the digital text of Owomoyela print am without space, and na as e print am dem put am here. The way dem construct am self dey show kind of patience: to read am, person must slow down.
13. Bí ẹlẹ́hìnkùlé ò sùn, à pẹ́ lẹ́hìnkùlé-e rẹ̀ títí; bó pẹ́ títí orun a gbé onílé lọ.
Literal: Bí ẹlẹ́hìnkùlé ò sùn if the-owner-of-the-backyard does-not sleep, à pẹ́ lẹ́hìnkùlé-e rẹ̀ títí one stays in-his-backyard for-a-long-time; bó pẹ́ títí however-long-it-takes orun a gbé onílé lọ sleep will carry the-house-owner away.
Idiomatic: "If the owner of the backyard does not sleep, one stays in the backyard for a long time, sooner or later the owner of the house will fall asleep."
Meaning: To persist dey pass to dey shine eye dey watch. Person wey dey wait make chance open only need to wait reach the right time.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Patience dey make everything succeed"
Notes: The scene, to wait for backyard until sleep overpower the householder wey dey shine eye dey watch, give this proverb small fighting flavor wey most of the other patience proverb for this group no get: this one dey talk about patience as weapon wey person use against another person, no be patience as good character wey person do for the reward wey dey inside am.
14. Má fìkánjú jayé, awo ilé Alárá; má fi wàà-wàà joyè, awo Òkè Ìjerò; ayé kan ḿbẹ lẹ́hìn, ó dùn bí ẹní ńlá oyin.
Literal: Má fìkánjú jayé do-not with-haste enjoy-life, awo ilé Alárá the-diviner's-word for-the-house-of-Alárá; má fi wàà-wàà joyè do-not with recklessness take-chieftaincy, awo Òkè Ìjerò the-diviner's-word for-Òkè-Ìjerò; ayé kan ḿbẹ lẹ́hìn a-life exists behind, ó dùn bí ẹní ńlá oyin it-is-sweet like one licking honey.
Idiomatic: "Do not go impatiently about enjoying life, the oracle delivered to the Alárá household; do not rush into chieftaincy, the oracle for the Òkè Ìjerò household; there comes another life in the future that is as delicious as licking honey."
Meaning: To dey rush for enjoyment or position dey make person lose better outcome wey dey come if person wait.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Anybody wey take patience live life go reap plenty enjoyment from am"
Notes: Dem frame the proverb as Ifá divination verse wey dem give two family house wey dem name, Alárá and Òkè Ìjerò, one structure wey e share with plenty Yorùbá proverb wey dey carry the form of message from oracle instead of to talk direct to person. That kind framing dey give the warning authority wey pass ordinary advice: dem present am as wetin oracle talk by itself, no be just common sense wey people arrange for that moment.
Wetin rush dey cost
15. Ẹní kánjú jayé á kánjú lọ sọ́run.
Literal: Ẹní kánjú jayé whoever hurries to-enjoy-life á kánjú lọ sọ́run will hurry to-go to-heaven.
Idiomatic: "Whoever is in a hurry to enjoy life will go to heaven in a hurry."
Meaning: To rush dey find enjoyment or gain dey shorten life.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Na patience life need"
Notes: "To go heaven" na the normal Yorùbá indirect way to talk say person die, wey dem dey use for all the proverb about death for inside this collection; the way dem join the two clause, to rush live life and to rush die, rely on the verb kánjú wey repeat instead of to explain how e take happen, wey come leave the person wey dey hear make e figure out how rush dey kill person.
16. Akánjú jayé, ọ̀run wọn ò pẹ́.
Literal: Akánjú jayé people-who-hurry-to-enjoy-life, ọ̀run wọn ò pẹ́ their heaven is-not far.
Idiomatic: "People who live impatiently: their going to heaven is not far off."
Meaning: To dey live life with hurry-hurry dey bring death closer.
Used when: Owomoyela: "To dey live anyhow without care dey lead to early death"
Notes: One close variant of entry 15, wey dem build on the same agent noun akánjú, the-person-wey-dey-rush, instead of the relative clause ẹní kánjú. The digital text of Owomoyela print both of dem as separate entries for Part 3, and this one self dey show how proverb tradition dey allow and keep almost the same kind wording instead of to settle on one fixed form.
17. Ayáraròhìn, aya ọdẹ, ó ní ọkọ òun-ún pa èkínní, ó pa ẹ̀kẹfà.
Literal: Ayáraròhìn the-hasty-reporter, aya ọdẹ wife of-a-hunter, ó ní she says ọkọ òun-ún pa èkínní her-husband killed the-first, ó pa ẹ̀kẹfà he-killed the-sixth.
Idiomatic: "The-impatient-reporter, wife of the hunter, she says that her husband killed the first and killed the sixth."
Meaning: To rush dey carry news, before fact clear, dey bring tori wey scatter or wey dey contradict itself.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person wey dey rush bring report fit go pass the real tori"
Notes: Di name Ayáraròhìn dey built like epithet, person-wey-dey-rush-tell-story, for di same style wey dem take join words like Atọrọohungbogbolọ́wọ́Ọlọ́run for entry 12; Yorùbá dey always turn bad habit to person name to describe person wey get am. Di wife mistake, wey say "di first" and come jump go "di sixth" without di numbers wey dey between dem, dey show impatience as problem of sequence instead of to say na problem of accuracy.
18. Ẹní fi ìpọ́njú kọ ẹyìn á kọ àbọ̀n; ẹní fi ìpọ́njú rojọ́ á jẹ̀bi ọba; ẹní fi ìpọ́njú lọ gbẹ́ ìhò á gbẹ́ ihò awọ́nrínwọ́n.
Literal: Ẹní fi ìpọ́njú kọ ẹyìn whoever with desperation gathers palm-fruit á kọ àbọ̀n will gather unripe-ones; ẹní fi ìpọ́njú rojọ́ whoever with desperation states-his-case á jẹ̀bi ọba will-be found-guilty by-the-king; ẹní fi ìpọ́njú lọ gbẹ́ ìhò whoever with desperation goes digs a-hole á gbẹ́ ihò awọ́nrínwọ́n will dig-into an-iguana's-burrow.
Idiomatic: "Whoever gathers palm fruits in desperation will gather unripe ones; whoever states his or her case in desperation will be adjudged at fault by the king; whoever digs a hole in desperation will dig out an iguana lizard."
Meaning: To act because person dey desperate dey produce bad result for three different areas at di same time: harvest, court case, and digging.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Nothing dey turn out well if person do am with desperation. Make person take am easy"
Notes: Di three-part structure, harvest, court, and work with hand, na common Yorùbá proverb style to generalize claim across different areas instead of to base am on only one image; each clause dey repeat fi ìpọ́njú, with desperation, as wetin no dey change, and di result dey vary to show say di problem fit happen for any context. Di iguana wey surprise di person wey dey dig na di sharpest among di three, because e turn ordinary work to encounter with something wey person no want and wey fit dangerous.
19. Ọ̀kánjúwà ò ṣé-é fi wá nǹkan.
Literal: Ọ̀kánjúwà covetous-impatience ò ṣé-é fi wá nǹkan is-not a-thing-to-use to-seek something.
Idiomatic: "Impatient envy is not a good state in which to seek anything."
Meaning: Character wey dey too eager and impatient no be good way to really get wetin person want.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person suppose get patience wen e dey find wealth"
Notes: Ọ̀kánjúwà dey usually mean covetousness or long throat for other parts of dis work (see owe-iwa-character entry 19), but e share root with kánjú, to rush, and wetin Owomoyela write about how dem dey use am here take am specifically as impatience instead of general long throat; di proverb dey between di two bad characters, as e treat to dey rush and to dey too eager as di same failure of character wen e reach matter of to find wealth.
20. Ìkánjú òun pẹ̀lẹ́, ọgbọọgba.
Literal: Ìkánjú haste òun pẹ̀lẹ́ and gentleness ọgbọọgba are-equal.
Idiomatic: "Haste and patience end up the same."
Meaning: To rush no dey save time pass to dey go jeje; di two dey reach di same time.
Used when: Owomoyela: "To rush well-well no get advantage pass patience"
Notes: Na four words dey inside di Yorùbá, wey state di claim like plain equation, ọgbọọgba, equal or di same, instead of to dey argue for am; di proverb no show any image or scene, unlike most others for dis file, and e rely totally on di direct statement say di two speeds dey reach di same result. E close pass in spirit to wetin entry 5 promise say patience dey finish work properly, but e make stronger and more surprising claim say to rush no dey finish am faster.
21. Ojú kan náà lèwe ńbágbà.
Literal: Ojú kan náà the-same place lèwe ńbágbà is-where-the-youth catches-up-with the-elder.
Idiomatic: "It is at the same place that the youth will come up on the elder."
Meaning: Na only time dey close di gap between young person and old person; di young person go become elder simply by waiting.
Used when: Wetin Owomoyela note talk na: "Sooner or later young person go become elder; na patience be everything"
Notes: Unlike most of di entries for dis group, di proverb no dey talk about to endure one particular suffering, but e dey talk say as years just dey pass, dat one alone dey enough. E give patience result wey dey guaranteed for way wey entry 9, Sùúrù ò lópin, take care make e no do: to grow old na one of di few things wey person dey achieve through patience alone, without any extra effort.
Anger and wetin e dey destroy
22. Ìbínú lọbá fi ńyọ idà; ìtìjù ló fi ḿbẹ́ ẹ.
Literal: Ìbínú lọbá fi ńyọ idà anger is-what the-king uses to draw his-sword; ìtìjù ló fi ḿbẹ́ ẹ shame is-what he-uses to-behead him.
Idiomatic: "It is in anger that the king draws his sword; it is shame that makes him go through with the beheading."
Meaning: Action wey start with anger fit reach di worst level, no be because of di anger itself, but because di person no want back down once people don see am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Once person start foolish action on impulse, e fit need to carry am reach di end to avoid shame"
Notes: Di proverb make clear difference between two different emotions wey dey drive one action: to draw sword na anger, but di real killing na ìtìjù cause am, shame or fear to lose respect, once king no fit pull back without looking foolish. Dis na sharper explanation pass "anger dey dangerous"; e identify di second emotion, no be di first one, as wetin dey turn quick action to something wey person no fit reverse again.
23. Ìbínú ò mọ̀ pé olúwa òun ò lẹ́sẹ̀ ńlẹ̀.
Literal: Ìbínú ò mọ̀ pé anger does-not know that olúwa òun its owner ò lẹ́sẹ̀ ńlẹ̀ has-no legs on-the-ground.
Idiomatic: "Anger does not know that its owner has no legs to stand on."
Meaning: Anger dey act without caring whether di person wey dey vex dey really for position of strength.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Anger no know prudence"
Notes: "To no get leg to stand on" na idiom about stability, wey mean say person no get solid ground or real reason to get confidence; di proverb treat vex like person wey dey override wetin di owner know about di weak position wey e dey, wey be different claim from just saying say people wey dey vex dey do things anyhow without thinking. Wetin e dey talk be say vex dey specially blind person make e no see say e dey vulnerable.
24. Kànìké tìtorí oókan kùngbẹ́.
Literal: Kànìké Kànìké (a personal name) tìtorí oókan on-account-of one-cowry kùngbẹ́ set-fire-to-the-forest.
Idiomatic: "Kànìké set fire to the forest on account of a single cowry shell."
Meaning: Reaction wey too big pass wetin trigger am for small matter.
Used when: Owomoyela: "E no make sense make person lose control of himself over small matter"
Notes: Dis kind proverb wey dey mention specific person name, wey dem keep wetin di person do wey pass mark as example, common for Yorùbá and e dey work like idiom wey dem build on top story instead of general statement; nobody know any other tin about Kànìké from di proverb itself, and di name dey dere only to carry dis single story. Di difference wey big between wetin provoke am, one cowry wey be di smallest unit of value for pre-colonial money, and di response, to burn whole forest, na di whole joke and di whole warning.
25. Òkò àbínújù kì í pẹyẹ.
Literal: Òkò àbínújù a-stone thrown-in-anger kì í pẹyẹ does-not kill a-bird.
Idiomatic: "A stone thrown in anger does not kill a bird."
Meaning: Wetin person do with vex dey miss target.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Anything wey person do with vex fit easily spoil"
Notes: Di point na about aim, no be about power: wetin person throw with vex no weak, na di direction spoil pass. Dis tin make di proverb be practical objection instead of moral objection to acting with vex, e close to advice about how to aim well pass warning about sin.
26. Onínúfùfù ní ńwá oúnjẹ fún onínúwẹ́rẹ́wẹ́rẹ́.
Literal: Onínúfùfù the-owner-of-a-hot-inside ní ńwá oúnjẹ is-who seeks food fún onínúwẹ́rẹ́wẹ́rẹ́ for the-owner-of-a-cool-inside.
Idiomatic: "Always it is the hot-tempered person that finds food for the even-tempered person."
Meaning: Person wey dey quick vex dey do di hard work wey dey tire person, na di person wey calm down dey come gain from am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person wey get calm temper go always get advantage pass person wey dey quick vex"
Notes: Inú, di inside or belly, na di Yorùbá seat of temperament, so oníinúfùfù (owner of hot inside) and oníinúwẹ́rẹ́wẹ́rẹ́ (owner of cool, settled inside) na pair wey match wey dem build on top di same organ-metaphor, one wey Yorùbá dey use throughout e emotional vocabulary. Di point wey di proverb dey make na about transaction instead of morality: e no talk say di hot-tempered person dey wrong to get hot temper, only say di way di world set dey favor di cooler person for matter of gain.
27. Bí àṣá bá ḿbínú, sùúrù ló yẹ ọlọ́jà.
Literal: Bí àṣá bá ḿbínú if the-kite is angry, sùúrù ló yẹ ọlọ́jà patience is-what suits the-market-trader.
Idiomatic: "If the kite is displaying anger, the best response for the trader is patience."
Meaning: When person wey get power pass vex, di correct response from di weaker person na to calm down, no be to show level back.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person must learn endurance when provocation dey"
Notes: Kite na bird of prey wey fit catch chicken or carry market for open-air market, so di trader get real reason make e no let matter escalate; di proverb no be abstract advice about temperament but specific instruction on how to handle dangerous person wey hold di upper hand. E get di same logic as entry 31 below, Ìpàkọ́ ò gbọ́ ṣùtì, without dat entry's total refusal to even acknowledge di provocation at all.
Moderation and di discipline of self-control
28. Àgúnbàjẹ́ ni tolódó.
Literal: Àgúnbàjẹ́ pounding-until-ruined ni tolódó is-the-habit-of the-owner-of-the-mortar.
Idiomatic: "Pounding-until-it-is-ruined is the habit of the owner of the mortar."
Meaning: Person wey get plenty of sometin dey tend to use am without control, pass di point where e for better make e hold hand.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person suppose hold hand when e dey use wetin e get plenty"
Notes: Di compressed noun àgúnbàjẹ́, pound-sotey-e-spoil, name di fault as single word instead of description, just like di way dem form à-bí-ì-kọ́ and similar words wey dem explain for owe-iwa-character entry 33. Di owner of di mortar no lack material; di problem na pure lack of self-control even though no outside force dey hold dem back to control themselves.
29. Ijó àjójù ní ńmú kí okó-o eégún yọ jáde.
Literal: Ijó àjójù dancing that-is-excessive ní ńmú kí okó-o eégún yọ jáde is-what causes the-masquerader's-penis to come out.
Idiomatic: "Unrestrained dancing is what causes the masquerader's penis to become exposed."
Meaning: Even activity wey correct and dey sweet fit bring shame or disaster once person carry am pass e natural limit.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person suppose control himself even when e dey do things wey dey sweet"
Notes: Di egúngún masquerader dey perform with full costume wey cover everything, so make body show like dis na serious ritual breach, no be just funny cloth accident; di way di proverb talk straight about di body na style of Yorùbá proverb wey dey use open physical comedy take make point about self-discipline, wey softer or more polite image for weaken.
30. Kí oníkálùkù rọra ṣe é; ìfẹjú òbò ò lè fa aṣọ ya.
Literal: Kí oníkálùkù rọra ṣe é let everyone gently do it; ìfẹjú òbò the-gaping of-the-vagina ò lè fa aṣọ ya cannot tear cloth.
Idiomatic: "Let everybody take matters easy; the vagina cannot tear a cloth by gaping at it."
Wetin e mean: To dey over-excited and dey stress body too much no dey achieve anything wey patient, gentle effort no go fit achieve better pass am.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "Over-excitement no dey achieve much; e far better make person take life jeje"
Notes: Rọra, wey mean to waka jeje or slowly, na the standard Yorùbá adverb for steady care and e dey appear across the entries for this file wey dey talk about moderation; for here e open the proverb as direct advice for community, "make everybody," instead of wetin dem observe about third party. The second clause wey dirty small provide the example through something wey no make sense: no amount of rushing or force fit replace the physical way dem suppose take do am, and na this whole argument dem pack put inside one image.
31. Ìpàkọ́ ò gbọ́ ṣùtì, ìpẹ̀hìndà ò mọ yẹ̀gẹ̀ yíyẹ̀.
Literal: Ìpàkọ́ ò gbọ́ ṣùtì the-back-of-the-head does-not hear an-insult, ìpẹ̀hìndà ò mọ yẹ̀gẹ̀ yíyẹ̀ a-turned-back does-not know a-disdainful-gesture being-made.
Idiomatic: "The occiput does not recognize contempt; a turned back does not see a disdainful gesture."
Wetin e mean: To refuse to acknowledge insult, by turning away from am physically or in meaning, na form of self-control by itself.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "The best way to answer insult na to ignore am"
Notes: The proverb treat one body part, the ìpàkọ́, wey be the back of the head or nape, like person wey deliberately pretend say e no dey hear: the whole person hear the insult clear-clear, but the proverb insist say make e describe only the part of the body wey face back, as if person fit point to the exact place for body where self-control dey. That imagination na the proverb style: e dey advise make person act like say e no hear, no be say make person really no hear.
32. Olójútì logun ńpa.
Literal: Olójútì the-owner-of-a-face-that-is-easily-shamed logun ńpa is-whom war kills.
Idiomatic: "It is those who worry about their image who die in war."
Wetin e mean: To dey over-worry about how people dey see person, instead of person own safety, dey kill person.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "To use sense and get thick skin sometimes dey far better pass to dey do brave"
Notes: Ojú tì, wey mean to dey shame or dey feel self-conscious, dem don already explain am for owe-iwa-character entry 40, where e represent useful way to protect oneself; for here the same idiom come turn against itself, and self-consciousness come turn to the exact problem wey dey stop person make e no retreat when retreat na the wiser thing to do. When you read the two entries together, dem show say Yorùbá proverb-making dey treat the same emotion as both helpful thing and danger, depending on wetin dey at stake.
33. Ẹ̀sọ̀ ẹ̀sọ̀ la fi ńlá ọbẹ̀ tó gbóná.
Literal: Ẹ̀sọ̀ ẹ̀sọ̀ slowly, slowly la fi ńlá ọbẹ̀ tó gbóná is-how-we lick stew that-is scalding-hot.
Idiomatic: "Slowly, slowly is the way to eat soup that is scalding hot."
Wetin e mean: As work or journey dey more dangerous or delicate reach, na so e dey require make person slow down take time do am.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "As the work dey dangerous reach, na so person must take extra care"
Notes: Na the positive counterpart to entry 10, A kì í fi ìkánjú lá ọbẹ̀ gbígbóná, wey dey repeat the same hot-soup image as instruction instead of prohibition. The digitised text of Owomoyela keep both forms as separate entries, wey be another proof say the tradition dey keep both the positive and negative ways to phrase a proverb for active use instead of joining them into one.
34. Pẹ̀lẹ́-pẹ̀lẹ́ lejò-ó fi ńgun àgbọn.
Literal: Pẹ̀lẹ́-pẹ̀lẹ́ gently, gently lejò-ó fi ńgun àgbọn is-how the-snake climbs the-coconut-palm.
Idiomatic: "It is very carefully and patiently that a snake climbs the coconut palm."
Wetin e mean: Na gentle and steady movement dey allow even creature wey dem no expect make e climb reach difficult height.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "Person suppose use care and patience take do dangerous and difficult work"
Notes: Snake no get hand or leg to take climb, so the image already show something wey hard to believe: creature wey no get wetin e take do the work still succeed, just because e take time do am jeje. Pẹ̀lẹ́-pẹ̀lẹ́, wey mean jeje or slowly, wey dem repeat for emphasis, dey the same register of instruction like ẹ̀sọ̀ ẹ̀sọ̀ for entry 33, and the two proverbs form small pair on steady pacing as technique instead of just ordinary mood.
35. Ibi tí inú ḿbí asẹ́ tó, inú ò gbọdọ̀ bí ìkòkò débẹ̀; bínú bá bí ìkòkò débẹ̀, ẹlẹ́kọ ò ní-í rí dá.
Literal: Ibi tí inú ḿbí asẹ́ tó to-the-extent the-inside angers the-sieve, inú ò gbọdọ̀ bí ìkòkò débẹ̀ the-inside must-not anger the-pot to-that-extent; bínú bá bí ìkòkò débẹ̀ if anger angers the-pot to-that-extent, ẹlẹ́kọ ò ní-í rí dá the-corn-meal-seller will-not find anything-to-sell.
Idiomatic: "The cooking pot must never harbor a grudge to the same extent that the sieve does; if the pot does so, the corn-meal trader will have nothing to sell."
Wetin e mean: The party wey get more power to cause damage must control theirself well-well pass the party wey get less power.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "As person get power reach, na so e suppose control body more"
Notes: Sieve fit keep grudge because sieve wey dey vex no dey cause plenty harm; but pot wey dey hold food on top fire fit scatter the whole business if e "vex" the same way. The proverb use kitchen things take explain general principle about proportional self-control wey apply clearly to people wey get authority: e follow entry 32 as one of the arguments for this file say the standard for self-control dey increase based on the power wey person get to do harm, no be based on how person fit easily vex.
Self-control towards other people
36. Bí a bá lé ẹni, tí a kò bá ẹni, ìwọ̀n là ḿbá ẹni-í ṣọ̀tá mọ.
Literal: Bí a bá lé ẹni if one chases a-person, tí a kò bá ẹni and one does-not catch the-person, ìwọ̀n là ḿbá ẹni-í ṣọ̀tá mọ moderation is-how-one continues to-treat-the-person as-an-enemy.
Idiomatic: "If one chases a person and does not catch up with the person, one should moderate one's hatred of the person."
Meaning: When attempt to catch or punish pesin fail, the vexation suppose reduce instead make e dey increase.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Envy no suppose turn to hatred"
Notes: Ìwọ̀n, wey mean measure or proportion, na the main word: the proverb no dey talk say make pesin completely forget the grievance, e only dey talk say make e balance according to wetin really happen. Dis demand narrow and dey more realistic pass forgiveness, and e align with the practical, non-idealised way wey most advice about temper inside dis file dey take come.
37. Bí a bá ní ká jẹ èkuru kó tán, a kì í gbọn ọwọ́-ọ rẹ̀ sáwo.
Literal: Bí a bá ní ká jẹ èkuru kó tán if one wishes to eat dry-bean-grits until-finished, a kì í gbọn ọwọ́-ọ rẹ̀ sáwo one does-not shake its residue back-onto the-plate.
Idiomatic: "If one wishes to clean one's plate of dry bean grits, one does not keep scraping the remnants from one's fingers onto the plate."
Meaning: To end matter well well mean say make pesin no dey continually bring back the remaining small traces go where dem fit pick am up again.
Used when: Owomoyela: "If pesin want make quarrel end, e no dey continue to dey recall wetin cause am"
Notes: Èkuru, wey be steamed bean paste wey dem dey use fingers chop, dey stick for hand in small amounts wey easy to scrape back put for plate almost without noticing; the power of the proverb dey inside dat ease, the remaining part dey come back without any effort at all unless pesin deliberately stop imself, and na exactly how old grievances dey take resurface inside argument wey the two parties for like make e end.
38. Ẹni méjì kì í bínú egbinrin.
Literal: Ẹni méjì two people kì í bínú egbinrin do-not hold-a-grudge together indefinitely.
Idiomatic: "Two people do not hold a grudge and refuse reconciliation."
Meaning: Quarrel between two parties no fit remain without settlement unless the two of dem insist; if one side soften body, e don reach to end am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "If any hope dey to end quarrel, at least one of the parties must dey willing to make peace"
Notes: The proverb dey describe thing just as e dey give advice: e dey state, as fact about how quarrels dey work, say make anger dey burn equally from the two sides for long time dey rare, and dis one quietly dey put pressure on whichever party dey vex pass at dat moment make e be the one wey go yield, since the logic of the proverb assume say somebody go surrender at last.
39. Ẹni tí a lù lógbòó mẹ́fà, tí a ní kó fiyèdénú: ìgbà tí kò fiyèdénú ńkọ́?
Literal: Ẹni tí a lù a-person whom one hits lógbòó mẹ́fà with-a-cudgel six-times, tí a ní kó fiyèdénú and one tells to bear-it-patiently: ìgbà tí kò fiyèdénú ńkọ́? what-of the-time when he-does-not bear-it-patiently?
Idiomatic: "A person is hit with a cudgel six times and then urged to learn forbearance; what other option does he or she have?"
Meaning: Advice make pesin get patience, wey dem give pesin wey dem don already beat and no get power to retaliate, almost no get meaning, since patience no even be choice wey dem get before.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Victim wey no get any way to get remedy no need advice make e drop matter"
Notes: Dis proverb na the sharpest correction inside dis file to any reading wey see sùúrù as unqualified good: e dey point out say to advise patience to pesin wey no get capacity to do otherwise no be moral advice but na redundant observation, and e dey quietly criticise anybody wey dey give dat kind counsel from position of safety. E belong beside entry 32 and entry 27 as evidence say Yorùbá proverb-making dey treat forbearance as situational wisdom, wey fit party wey get real choice for the matter, no be as virtue wey pesin owe regardless of circumstance.
Patience rewarded over the long run
Owomoyela digitised text include one family of proverbs wey dey share the fixed opening Pípẹ́ ni yó pẹ̀ẹ́, "e fit take long, but," and each of dem dey complete the formula with different image and different eventual outcome. Two representative members dey here in full, and Owomoyela explain the two specifically in terms of patience; the formula dey repeat for the source with further completions (stammerer wey go eventually talk "papa," swimmer wey dey inside water wey go eventually surface, deceitful pesin wey dem go eventually find out) wey dey make the same structural point with different material and dem no repeat dem here.
40. Pípẹ́ ni yó pẹ̀ẹ́, akọ̀pẹ yó wàá sílẹ̀.
Literal: Pípẹ́ ni yó pẹ̀ẹ́ it-will-be-long that it-will-be-long, akọ̀pẹ the-palm-wine-tapster yó wàá sílẹ̀ will-descend to-the-ground.
Idiomatic: "It may take a while, but the palm-wine tapster will descend from atop the palm-tree."
Meaning: No matter how long the wait be, the pesin wey dey on top tree must eventually come down; nobody dey doubt the outcome, na only the timing.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Na only patience e take; wetin pesin desire go eventually happen"
Notes: Palm-wine tapster dey work for height, dey tap the crown of the palm for sap, and e must come down at the end of every session regardless of how long the work take; dem choose the image because say to come down no be say e merely likely, but na guarantee based on the nature of the job. Dis claim strong pass "good things come to those who wait": e dey talk say the specific thing wey dem dey wait for no dey in doubt at all, na only the waiting itself be the real thing.
41. Pípẹ́ ni yó pẹ̀ẹ́, amòòkùn yó jàáde nínú odò.
Literal: Pípẹ́ ni yó pẹ̀ẹ́ it-will-be-long that it-will-be-long, amòòkùn the-underwater-swimmer yó jàáde nínú odò will-emerge from inside-the-river.
Idiomatic: "It may take a while, but the under-water swimmer will eventually surface."
Meaning: Wetin must inevitably happen go happen, no matter how long dem delay am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "If pesin get patience, wetin suppose happen go happen at last"
Notes: For body biology mata, pesin wey dey swim must come up to breathe air, so dis na sometin wey must happen because of how body and nature work, no be say na hope; di oda ways wey di formula end for di source (pesin wey dey stammer, pesin wey dey cheat wey dem come expose at last, di palm-wine tapster for entry 40) all of dem get dis same kind logic, result wey sure because of how di situation bi, and patience only mean say pesin dey wait out sometin wey dem don already settle.
42. Tọ̀sán tọ̀sán ní ńpọ́n ìtalẹ̀ lójú; bílẹ̀-ẹ́ bá ṣú yó di olóńjẹ.
Literal: Tọ̀sán tọ̀sán daytime after daytime ní ńpọ́n ìtalẹ̀ lójú is-what troubles the-mud-floor-worm's eyes; bílẹ̀-ẹ́ bá ṣú when night falls yó di olóńjẹ it becomes one-with-food.
Idiomatic: "It is the persistence of daylight that imposes suffering on the mud-floor worm; when night falls it will find food."
Meaning: Wahala wey dey ground now dey tied to dis particular time, and to wait am out go bring wetin di pesin wey dey suffer dey lack at di moment.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Patience go bring wetin pesin dey lack come meet am"
Notes: Di worm wahala na strictly because of di time of day, no be say anytin dey wrong wit di worm or im situation, so di proverb put di whole problem for timing and di whole solution for waiting make di timing change, without asking di sufferer to do any oda tin.
43. "Tàná là ńjà lé lórí", ló pa Baálẹ̀ẹ Kòmọ̀kan.
Literal: "Tàná là ńjà lé lórí" "It-is-yesterday's-matter that-we-are-fighting-over," ló pa Baálẹ̀ẹ Kòmọ̀kan is-what killed Chief Know-Nothing.
Idiomatic: "'It is yesterday's matter that we are fighting over' is what killed Chief Know-Nothing."
Meaning: To bring back old matter wey don settle enter new fight na dangerous habit wey fit destroy pesin, no be just harmless talk.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Sense dey inside to leave past matter alone"
Notes: Di name Baálẹ̀ẹ Kòmọ̀kan, Chief Know-Nothing, na yeye title to take mock pesin instead of real title, wey show say di subject for di proverb na fool direct by name, just like Kànìké for entry 24. Wen you put am beside entry 37 wey dey up, Bí a bá ní ká jẹ èkuru kó tán, na di same warning say make pesin no drag old matter enter dispute wey dey happen now, but e state am as dangerous consequence instead of just ordinary rule of respect.
Reading this set
Three tins stand out across all dis forty-three proverbs wey pesin fit easily miss if e dey read dem one by one.
The tradition dey treat patience as technique, no be just how pesin character bi. Time and again di proverbs dey point out wetin dem dey use patience do: to bring elephant enter town, to win hard courtship, to cook stew properly, to wait pass householder wey dey watch gate, to climb palm tree wey no get branch to hold. Very few of dem describe say make pesin just calm down inside as sometin wey get value on im own; majority describe method to take do hard or dangerous tin without di extra damage wey rush-rush or vex go add. Di Pípẹ́ ni yó pẹ̀ẹ́ family (entries 40 reach 42) push dis point pass: plenty of im image dem no really dey talk about waiting well, but about outcomes wey never dey doubt from start, where patience no dey do anytin pass to allow matter wey don already settle arrive. Dis one follow di way yoruba-owe-proverbs already take frame sùúrù as di papa of ìwà, character, wey dem treat throughout owe-iwa-character as practical action and substance instead of ordinary feeling.
The set no allow patience turn to demand wey dem put on top pipo wey no get power. Entry 39 na di clearest statement on dis, but entries 27, 28 and 32 all carry di same message under: dem dey recommend patience and endurance specifically to pesin wey get genuine alternative, trader wey dey face hawk, pesin wey dey choose whether to pursue old grievance wey dey fade, someone wey dey weigh im name against im safety, cooking pot wey get power to cause damage pass sieve. Wen di proverb tradition meet pesin wey no get any choice at all, someone wey dem don beat six times already, e no dey repeat virtue-talk; e dey call di advice empty tin. Any reading of dis file wey treat every entry as say e dey preach quiet acceptance no mata wetin di situation bi, dey wipe out di clear difference wey di proverbs demsef take care to make.
The proverbs on vex dey more interested in how tin dey work pass to just condemn am. Entries 22 reach 27 dey diagnose specific failures instead of just calling vex bad tin. Entry 22 separate di feeling wey start action, vexation, from di different feeling, shame, wey carry am reach end wey pesin no fit reverse; entry 25 explain say vex dey fail because e dey spoil aim, no be because e bi sin; entry 24 keep one particular pesin disproportionate action, burning whole forest because of one cowry, as permanent example to compare tins with, instead of moral lecture. Dis na di same descriptive style, almost like doctor report, wey owe-truthfulness-lying-integrity document for im proverbs about deceit: Yorùbá proverb-making plenty times prefer to describe how mistake dey operate instead of just calling am bad tin.