Eighteen Yorùbá proverbs on establishing what happened when accounts conflict, on the oath and the curse as instruments of proof, and on the tells that mark out the guilty party, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.
The Yorùbá wey dem quote, the proverbs, oríkì, ẹsẹ Ifá, word list headwords, Odù names and citations dey exactly as the corpus record dem, for every language.
Òtítọ́, wey be truth, dem treat am well well as general virtue for owe-truthfulness-lying-integrity, and dem no repeat dat ground here. Dis file dey more specific: e gather proverbs about wetin dey happen once ọ̀rọ̀ don turn to ẹjọ́, dispute wey another person must settle, and wetin di two sides talk no dey enough again. Two ways dey show face repeatedly. One na di ìbúra, wey be oath, wey get backing from èpè, curse wey dem call make e fall on di person wey swear if di claim na lie, and from ẹ̀rí, witness or third party wey dem dey find im support because di two story no agree. Di second one na about behavior: plenty proverbs hold say person wey do wrong dey show am through how e dey act, whether na to run, to dey over-argue say im no do am, or to give excuse wey too plenty to believe, whatever di oath come talk at last.
Dis set of proverbs no present one clean theory about evidence. Some proverbs treat di oath like say e dey work by imself for sure, since person wey swear lie go face curse or god later. Others clearly doubt am: oath wey person swear on claim wey nobody fit check no prove anything, and curse wey dem place with vex no get any real power on top anybody. Dem bring di two position here as dem record dem, instead of to try join dem together.
Dem present di proverbs for Owomoyela text and translation unless dem call another source. Owomoyela usage note inside bracket na di foundation for di Used when line dem; where di words na im own, dem put am inside quote.
Two proverbs on top di gbárí oath, wey person dey swear by hitting im own head with cudgel or Ògún cult object to show say e sure for wetin e claim, don already dey collected for owe-head-face-ori, entry 17 and 18 (Owomoyela 1436 and 2020). Dem no repeat dem here, even though dis file Notes refer to dem where e make sense, since dem belong to di same group of oath-taking proverbs like di ones below.
Literal: A kì í fi ohun one does-not with a-thing sọ́wọ́ in-the-hand búra swear-an-oath.
Idiomatic: "One does not hide something in one's hand and yet swear [that one knows nothing about it]."
Meaning: To swear oath while person dey hide di exact thing wey di oath deny no be clever way to escape, na invitation make secret leak.
Used when: Owomoyela: "It is foolish to tempt fate; the dishonest person exposes himself or herself to the possibility of discovery"
Notes: Di proverb assume say di oath na real risk wey person take, no be just empty formality, na why to swear lie while person still hold di physical evidence dey presented as something wey double di original wrong instead of way to escape am.
Literal: Ìgbà ara the-body's-own time là ḿbúra is-when-we swear-oaths.
Idiomatic: "One swears when it is time to swear."
Meaning: Oath na serious act wey dem reserve for di proper occasion, no be reflex wey dey available for any small disagreement.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Everything in its proper time"
Notes: Di proverb dey procedural instead of moral: e no say oaths dey dangerous or say dem dey punish false oath, e only talk say oath get specific moment wey e belong for dispute and e dey lose value when dem over-use am outside dat moment.
Literal: Bí a bá ṣe ohun ńlá if one has-done a-great thing [offense], à fi èpè one uses a-curse [self-imprecation] gba ara ẹni là to-save one's-own-self.
Idiomatic: "If one has committed a great offense, one frees oneself by swearing [innocence]."
Meaning: Di oath of self-imprecation, wey be to call curse on top oneself if person dey lie, na di recognized way to answer serious accusation.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One's greatest duty is self-preservation"
Notes: Owomoyela explanation treat dis pragmatically instead of like endorsement: e describe wetin people dey do to escape heavy charge, no be whether di curse come work after dat. Compare entry 12 and 13 below, wey take opposite position on whether curse really get force.
Literal: A ní ìrókò one says the-ìrókò-tree ni yó pa ọmọdé is-what will kill the-child, ó bojú-wẹ̀hìn he looks-behind; òòjọ́ ní ń jà? does-it happen the-same-day?
Idiomatic: "One curses a child that ìrókò will kill him, and he glances to his rear; does the curse take effect immediately?"
Meaning: When curse delay, e no be proof say e fail; di pikin wey look behind im shoulder and no see anything no be say im innocent, na just say dem never punish am yet.
Used when: Owomoyela: "The child obviously does not know that the fact that he does not die immediately in no way invalidates the curse" Owomoyela cross-reference 1847.
Notes: Di ìrókò tree dey show face across dis collection as avenger wey dey answer offense for im own time instead of at once; owe-head-face-ori entry 20 make di exact same point about di delayed reckoning of ìrókò with different story. Here di delay na specifically about curse, wey sharpen di proverb into statement about how oath-magic timing dey work.
Literal: Èpè ìbínú an-angry curse ò pa odì does-not kill an-enemy.
Idiomatic: "An angry curse does not kill an enemy."
Meaning: Curse wey person talk just because of pure vex, without ritual or legitimate grievance behind am, no get any real force.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One gets only psychological satisfaction from cursing one's enemy"
Notes: If dem compare am with entry 3 above, wey treat formal self-imprecation as real stake, dis proverb draw line between curse wey dey function as oath inside recognized procedure and curse wey be just outburst; na only di first one dem give any power.
Literal: Èpè ìlasa the-curse of-okro-leaves kì í ja àgbọ̀nrín does-not affect the-deer.
Idiomatic: "The curses of okro leaves do not affect the deer."
Meaning: Curse no fit hold person make e stop wetin dey inside e nature to do.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person no fit dey at risk for wetin e no fit help to do"
Notes: Okro na the deer favorite food, so the picture na of the plant wey dey curse the animal wey wan chop am make e leave am alone, curse wey don fail before e even start because of the kind relationship wey dey between the two of dem. The footnote wey Owomoyela write explain the logic clear: since na okro deer dey chop, any curse wey e place on deer no get power from the start.
Literal: Ogun ní ń ṣi ẹni mú war is-what mistakenly seizes one; èpè kì í ṣi ẹni jà a-curse does-not mistakenly afflict one.
Idiomatic: "A war might capture a person by mistake; a curse never affects one by mistake."
Meaning: As war no dey select who e dey hit, dem believe say curse get target: e dey find only the person wey dem throw am at, or the person wey truly guilty.
Used when: The note wey Owomoyela write, as dem print am, start with "More often than not one's misfortunes are the..." wey dey show say the proverb dey argue say suffering under curse na wetin person deserve, no be by mistake .
Notes: Na this one be the strongest claim for the set wey support say oath-curse na tool wey person fit trust, wey stand directly against entries 5 and 6, wey talk say curse no get power under specific conditions. The contrast with war, wey dem choose because proverbially war na the clear example of misfortune wey dey hit the wrong person, make the claim sharp well: anything fit dey happen by chance, but curse no dey strike by chance.
Literal: Ẹlẹ́rìí the-witness ní ń yanjú ẹjọ́ is-what settles a-case; ẹlẹ́rìí kì í ṣe elégbè the-witness is-not a-partisan.
Idiomatic: "It is a witness that clears up a case; a witness is not a partisan."
Meaning: The main thing wey dey make witness useful, to settle dispute, depend totally on make the witness no get any personal interest for how the matter go end.
Used when: Owomoyela: "People wey dem call to stand as witness for case suppose dey neutral"
Notes: Dem talk the two clause as one plain fact instead of rule wey reason dey follow: witness wey dey take side don already stop to be witness, according to the proverb.
Literal: A kì í ṣe ẹlẹ́jọ́ one does-not do to-the-litigant ní "Ǹgbọ́?" [ask] "How-about-it?"
Idiomatic: "One does not ask the main litigant, 'How about it?'"
Meaning: To ask person wey get hand for the matter to give e own story as if that one don settle anything na procedural error, no be shortcut.
Used when: Owomoyela: "No expect neutral witness from person wey get interest for the matter"
Notes: When you read am beside entry 8, this proverb dey show the negative case: the ẹlẹ́jọ́, the person for court wey get interest for the outcome, na im dem point out as the exact person wey the ẹlẹ́rìí proverb no allow make e testimony count as witness.
Literal: Àbẹ̀tẹ́lẹ̀ a-bribe ní ń fọ́jú is-what blinds onídàájọ́ the-judge.
Idiomatic: "It is bribery that blinds a judge."
Meaning: Dem describe corruption as failure of sense for the judge body, no be separate bad thing wey join with e judgment.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Bribe dey blind judgment"
Notes: The verb fọ́jú, to blind, na the same image wey this collection use for other places for real blindness (see owe-eyes-seeing-blindness), and to use am for judge wey collect bribe dey treat corrupted judgment as disability instead of choice, wey make the accusation soft small by making am condition instead of bad character.
Literal: A kì í ró aṣọ ajé sídìí one does-not wear the-ajé-cloth around-the-waist ká dájọ́ òdodo lébi and judge the-righteous guilty.
Idiomatic: "One does not wear the ritual loincloth for presiding over a trial-by-ordeal and judge the righteous guilty."
Meaning: To take the role of ordeal-judge na sworn commitment on e own, and to use that position convict innocent person na violation of the oath wey the office require.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Person no must break the oath wey e swear to keep"
Notes: Trial by ordeal, wey appointed ritual specialist wey wear special dress dey use decide whether the accused person guilty or innocent, na wetin dem treat here as process wey get e own binding oath separate from the result wey e bring out; the proverb dey target the integrity of the person wey dey conduct am, no be whether ordeal na method wey person fit trust.
Literal: Bí ẹjọ́ ò sunwọ̀n if a-case is-not good [is-hopeless], ẹlẹ́jọ́ là ń fún dá the-litigant is-who is-given [to] judge.
Idiomatic: "If a case is hopeless, one asks the owner to judge it."
Meaning: When guilt don clear beyond any dispute, dem fit drop all the formal process of neutral judgment, and dem go just tell the guilty person make e judge e own case by imself.
Used when: Owomoyela: "If guilt clear, dem suppose make the guilty person declare am"
Notes: This one na direct exception to entry 9 rule against allowing interested party judge their own matter: here dem permit the exception because nobody dey contest the outcome again, so to ask the guilty person for e own verdict na way to force admission instead of mistake for procedure.
Literal: Ìmùlẹ̀ those-bound-by-covenant ò gbọdọ̀ tan ara wọn jẹ must-not deceive one-another; ìmọ̀ ẹnìkan ò yàn the-knowledge of-one-person is-not enough.
Idiomatic: "Those who enter into a covenant must not betray one another; one person's counsel is not enough by itself."
Meaning: Agreement wey people swear to do together dey carry duty say make everybody dey honest with each other, and one person alone no fit decide say e don cancel am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One must not break covenants"
Notes: Ìmùlẹ̀, wey be covenant or blood-pact, na different institution entirely from the single-person oath-of-denial wey dey entries 1 and 3; na this proverb be the only entry inside this file wey dey talk about agreement wey two sides swear together, instead of claim wey one single person make wey dem need verify.
Literal: Ilé-ni-mo-wà I-was-in-my-home kì í jẹ̀bi ẹjọ́ is-never found-guilty of-a-case.
Idiomatic: "'I-was-in-my-home' is never the guilty party in a dispute."
Meaning: Alibi say person stay house dey solid by definition and nobody fit scatter am; person wey fit talk true say im no dey the place at all, dem no fit convict am for wetin happen there.
Used when: Owomoyela: "One does not get into trouble by minding one's own business"
Notes: Dem treat this short phrase Ilé-ni-mo-wà like say na legal party on im own, almost like say dem personify wetin defendant talk take defend imself; na type of sentence structure wey this collection dey see for other proverbs wey dey turn phrase to person wey dey act (compare owe-iwa-character entry 37, À-rí-fíni-lé).
Literal: Ẹni tí ó sá the-one who flees là ń lé is-who-is chased.
Idiomatic: "People chase only those who flee."
Meaning: To run komot alone na sign say person accept say im do bad thing; person wey stand im ground, nobody dey pursue am in the first place.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Those who act as though they are guilty are presumed to be guilty"
Notes: This proverb na practical psychology about how people take dey suspect person inside palava, even before oath or witness come inside, and e no depend on dem at all: how person behave dey give evidence by imself, whether good or bad, before formal matter even start.
Literal: Ta ló dè ọ́ who has-tied you-down tí ò ń kakọ? that you are-writhing?
Idiomatic: "Who has tied you down and thus forced you to confess your guilt?"
Meaning: When person dey shout and defend imself too much when nobody ask am, e mean say im dey expose imself; nobody force this confession komot, na the speaker own guilty conscience dey do am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Said to stop the mouths of people who protest too much as a result of a guilty conscience"
Notes: Kakọ, to dey twist or struggle like say dem physically tie person, dey show picture of person wey dey struggle under restraint wey the proverb show say no even dey at all; the only thing wey dey tie the speaker na wetin im own self know.
Literal: They said, "Àwòko [Mockingbird], you insulted the-king." He said, "When did I have-opportunity to-insult the-king, before I sing two-hundred [songs] in-the-morning, two-hundred in-the-afternoon, two-hundred at-night, before I mix-in extra improvised-verses?"
Idiomatic: "They said, 'Mockingbird, you are accused of insulting the king.' It asked, when would it have time to insult the king, seeing that it must sing two hundred songs in the morning, two hundred in the afternoon, and two hundred at night, mixing it all up with some frolicsome notes?"
Meaning: Instead of make person wey dem accuse just deny the matter straight, e go begin explain long tori and display how im normal life full with work and clean record wey no relate to the charge at all.
Used when: Owomoyela: "The person in trouble will resort to ludicrous alibis to escape punishment" Owomoyela cross-reference 2396.
Notes: The defense wey mockingbird give no really deny the accusation; e just list out how im dey work hard wey no concern the case, and na exactly this kind rhetorical style the proverb dey point out and yab. Compare entry 16, where dem see too much explanation the same way, as sign of guilt instead of proper defense.
Literal: Ìmàlé gbààwẹ̀ the-Muslim keeps-fast ó lóun ò gbé tọ́ mì he says he did-not even swallow saliva; ta ní ń ṣe ẹlẹ́rìí fún un? who is-who serves-as-witness for-him?
Idiomatic: "The Muslim fasts and swears he did not swallow his saliva; who is to corroborate his story?"
Meaning: Claim about wetin person do for secret wey nobody fit see, nobody fit verify am; and even if person talk am with full confidence, e no prove say na true.
Used when: Owomoyela: "There is no point in paying attention to a claim that cannot be verified"
Notes: Na this proverb be the clearest statement inside this file wey show doubt about wetin person talk about imself wey nobody fit verify, and dem place am by purpose beside entries wey treat oath or curse like something wey reliable: Owomoyela collection get companion proverb for entry 2532, Ìmàlé sọ̀rọ̀ òjò kù, ó ní Ọlọ́run-ún jẹ́rìí òun ("the Muslim says something and thunder rumbles; he says the Almighty is corroborating his statement," wey dem dey use for person wey claim say neutral coincidence prove im position), wey make the exact same point about fake appeal to divine witness. Owomoyela print close variant of that companion proverb again for entry 3486. Dem no repeat any of dem here in full because the point just duplicate wetin dey inside this entry; dem record both of dem for this note make the record complete.
The collection hold two positions wey no agree with each other on whether oath or curse dey really work, and e no pick one over the other. Entries 5 and 6 deny say curse get any power outside the proper condition; entry 7 talk straight say curse, unlike war, no dey ever hit the wrong person. Collection wey dem build from only one side go give wrong picture of the record; people confirm the two, and dem give the two here.
Dem dey use person behavior know say e guilty as much as dem dey use oath take establish am. Entry 15, 16, and 17 all treat behavior itself, say person run, say e dey argue over, or say e bring long story wey no join, as evidence before any formal proceeding and wey stand independent of am. Dis one na practical, observational side wey dey run side by side with the ritual matter about oath and covenant, and dem no present the two side like say dem dey drag, but as complementary form of the same social skill: to read dispute correctly.
Doubt about claim wey nobody fit verify dey clear, no be just say e dey implied. Entry 18 talk am straight say claim wey nobody fit check no dey settle anything, and dis one get real tension with entry 3 and 4, where self-curse wey nobody witness dey taken as serious matter. The whole collection get both the belief say oath dey hold person and the suspicion say person fit swear am without fear precisely because nobody dey look.
Fifty-eight Yorùbá proverbs on character, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.
Sourced Yorùbá proverbs about telling the truth, the mechanics of lying and self-deception, and the value placed on a person whose word is reliable.
Thirty-four Yorùbá proverbs on bearing witness, swearing an oath, the difference between what you saw and what you were told, and what happens to the person who swears falsely, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.
Forty-eight Yorùbá proverbs on the ọmọlúàbí ideal, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.
Forty-three Yorùbá proverbs on sùúrù, patience, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.
Fifty-five Yorùbá proverbs on pride, arrogance, humility, and the limits of what a person can know about themselves, each given with the original, a literal gloss, and a named translation.