Òwe: Proverbs and the Architecture of Yorùbá Argument
What Yorùbá proverbs do in speech and in law, and a worked collection of more than forty proverbs in original, literal gloss, and idiomatic English.
An òwe is a proverb, and in Yorùbá speech it is not an ornament but a move in an argument . Proverbs carry authority because they are held to be the accumulated judgment of previous generations rather than the opinion of the person speaking, and citing one shifts a dispute from what I think to what has always been known. Skilled use of òwe is a marked feature of adult competence, and elders are expected to speak in them.
The Yorùbá saying about proverbs is itself a proverb, and it is the natural place to begin .
The horse of speech
Òwe l'ẹsin ọ̀rọ̀, bí ọ̀rọ̀ bá sọnù, òwe ni a fi ń wá a.
- Òwe proverb l'ẹsin is-the-horse ọ̀rọ̀ of-speech
- bí if ọ̀rọ̀ speech bá sọnù becomes lost
- òwe proverb ni a fi ń wá a is-what-we-use-to search-for it
A proverb is the horse of speech; when speech is lost, the proverb is what we use to hunt for it. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Translation rendered by the compiler of this corpus from the Yorùbá text as attested in Ìsáàc O. Delano, Òwe l'ẹsin ọ̀rọ̀: Yoruba Proverbs, Their Meaning and Usage . Delano's own published rendering of the same proverb is "a proverb is a horse which can carry one swiftly to the idea sought"
The metaphor is of hunting on horseback, not of transport. When meaning has gone missing in a conversation, you mount a proverb and ride after it. Delano's rendering smooths this into a statement about speed and loses the hunt entirely, which is a fair example of how an idiomatic translation can trade the image for the point. Ọ̀rọ̀ is broader than "speech": it covers word, matter, affair, and the issue under discussion, so "when the matter is lost" is equally defensible and arguably better. The proverb is often quoted in the first line only, and the full three-line form is the one that explains why proverbs are used at all.
What proverbs do
Òwe operate in several registers at once .
They carry authority. A proverb is impersonal. The speaker steps aside and lets inherited judgment speak, which is why proverbs are effective in disputes where a personal opinion would be resisted.
They are used in adjudication. Yorùbá proverbs function in dispute settlement and in the reasoning of traditional courts, where an elder's proverb can frame a case and indicate the just outcome without the elder having to issue a naked ruling .
They teach indirectly. Correction delivered as a proverb allows the person corrected to save face, since nothing was said about them specifically.
They compress. A proverb makes a point more sharply than an ordinary statement, which is the reason ethnographers have treated proverb corpora as usable evidence about values .
They demonstrate competence. Deploying the right proverb at the right moment displays cultural fluency, and doing it well is admired as a skill in its own right.
The scholarly corpus is substantial. Oyekan Owomoyela's Yoruba Proverbs (University of Nebraska Press, 2005) gathers 5,235 proverbs with English translations and usage annotations, collected over some forty years, arranged thematically under the good person, the fortunate person, relationships, human nature, and rights and responsibilities, with a substantial introduction . Delano's earlier Òwe l'ẹsin ọ̀rọ̀ remains a standard reference . Readers wanting depth beyond this file should go to Owomoyela.
A note on these translations
The proverbs below are presented in the three-layer format this corpus requires . The Yorùbá texts are widely attested in the collections and in ordinary use. Unless a published translator is named, the literal gloss and idiomatic rendering are by the compiler of this corpus, working from the Yorùbá. Where Owomoyela or Delano publish a materially different rendering the difference is noted. Confidence on the individual translations: medium, in the specific sense that the Yorùbá texts are secure and the renderings are the compiler's own rather than a named scholar's. Tone marking follows standard orthography; some proverbs circulate in dialect variants with different wording.
On character and personhood
1
Ìwà l'ẹwà.
- Ìwà character l'ẹwà is-the-beauty
Character is beauty. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. As set out in yoruba-etymology-and-word-formation, ìwà is built on wà, to exist, so it means both character and being. The proverb therefore also says "existence is beauty" and "what a thing is, is its beauty." English must pick one. The near-rhyme of ìwà and ẹwà carries the assertion phonetically, and that is lost entirely.
2
Ìwà rere l'ẹ̀ṣọ́ ènìyàn.
- Ìwà rere good character l'ẹ̀ṣọ́ is-the-adornment ènìyàn of-a-person
Good character is a person's true adornment. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Ẹ̀ṣọ́ is ornament in the sense of what one puts on to be seen well. The proverb concedes that people do adorn themselves and relocates the adornment inward rather than rejecting the idea.
3
Ọmọlúàbí kì í ṣe ohun ìtìjú.
- Ọmọlúàbí person-of-good-character kì í ṣe does-not do ohun ìtìjú thing of-shame
A person of good character does not do shameful things. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Ọmọlúàbí is the central Yorùbá ethical ideal, conventionally analysed as ọmọ tí olú ìwà bí, the child begotten by the chief of character. That analysis is traditional and widely repeated; treat it as a received etymology rather than a demonstrated one.
4
Bí a bá ń gé igi nínú igbó, kí a máa fi ọ̀rọ̀ sí ọ̀rọ̀ lẹ́nu.
- Bí a bá ń gé igi if we are cutting a tree nínú igbó inside the forest
- kí a máa fi ọ̀rọ̀ sí ọ̀rọ̀ lẹ́nu let us keep putting word to word in-the-mouth
When we are felling a tree in the forest, let us keep asking whether it should be felled. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. The idiom fi ọ̀rọ̀ sí ọ̀rọ̀ lẹ́nu means to keep a matter under discussion, to consult as you go. The proverb counsels deliberation during action, not before it only.
On speech and silence
5
Ọ̀rọ̀ sí ọ̀rọ̀ ni ń mú ìjà wá.
- Ọ̀rọ̀ sí ọ̀rọ̀ word upon word ni ń mú ìjà wá is-what brings fight
One word on top of another is what brings a fight. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. The mechanism is escalation, and the proverb is used to stop an exchange rather than to assign blame for it.
6
Ẹnu ni ń pa ẹja.
- Ẹnu mouth ni ń pa is-what kills ẹja fish
It is its mouth that kills the fish. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. The fish takes the bait with its mouth and dies of it. Said of someone destroyed by their own talk. Compact and unanswerable, which is the point.
7
Àgbà kì í wà lọ́jà kí orí ọmọ tuntun wọ́.
- Àgbà elder kì í wà lọ́jà does-not be at-the-market kí orí ọmọ tuntun wọ́ that head of-newborn-child be-crooked
An elder is not present in the marketplace while a newborn's head sits crooked. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. The image is of a baby carried badly on someone's back. The proverb asserts that authority carries the duty to intervene, and it is used as a reproach to elders who witness wrong and say nothing.
8
Bí ọ̀rọ̀ bá dùn, à á fi ẹnu sọ ọ.
- Bí ọ̀rọ̀ bá dùn if a matter is sweet à á fi ẹnu sọ ọ we will use mouth say it
If a matter is agreeable, it can be settled by talking. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Dùn is sweet, and by extension pleasant or tractable. Used to argue for negotiation over force.
On patience, time, and consequence
9
Sùúrù ni baba ìwà.
- Sùúrù patience ni baba is father ìwà of-character
Patience is the father of character. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Baba used this way means the chief or foremost instance of a category, not a literal parent. The construction recurs across Yorùbá proverbs and is one of the commonest sources of over-literal mistranslation.
10
Ẹni tí ó bá ní sùúrù ni yóò fi wàrà kìnnìún ṣe oògùn.
- Ẹni tí ó bá ní sùúrù the-one who has patience ni yóò fi wàrà kìnnìún ṣe oògùn is-who will use milk of-lion make medicine
Only the patient will make medicine from a lion's milk. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. The impossible task becomes possible with patience. The choice of lion's milk marks the difficulty as extreme rather than merely hard.
11
Kò sí ohun tí ó ṣòro tí kò ní ìparí.
- Kò sí ohun there-is-not thing tí ó ṣòro that is difficult tí kò ní ìparí that has-not an-end
There is nothing difficult that does not have an end. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
12
Bí a kò bá jìyà ọjọ́ kan, a kò lè jẹ àlàáfíà ọjọ́ méjì.
- Bí a kò bá jìyà ọjọ́ kan if we do-not suffer one day a kò lè jẹ àlàáfíà ọjọ́ méjì we cannot eat peace two days
If we will not suffer for one day, we cannot enjoy peace for two. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Jẹ àlàáfíà, literally to eat peace, treats wellbeing as something consumed. Àlàáfíà is itself an Arabic loan, from al-ʿāfiya, arriving through Islam, and it is now completely ordinary Yorùbá.
13
Àìsàn tí a ń wò ni kò gbọdọ̀ pa ni.
- Àìsàn illness tí a ń wò that we are treating ni kò gbọdọ̀ pa ni is-what must-not kill one
The illness under treatment is the one that must not kill you. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Said of a problem already identified and being worked on. Failing at a known problem is worse than being defeated by an unknown one.
On community and interdependence
14
Ọwọ́ ọmọdé kò tó pẹpẹ, ti àgbàlagbà kò wọ akèrègbè.
- Ọwọ́ ọmọdé hand of-child kò tó pẹpẹ does-not reach the-shelf
- ti àgbàlagbà that of-elder kò wọ akèrègbè does-not enter the-gourd
A child's hand cannot reach the shelf; an elder's hand will not fit into the gourd. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. One of the most-cited Yorùbá proverbs and a precise statement of complementary capacity. Neither party is more capable overall; each can do what the other cannot. The proverb is used to argue that the young and the old need each other, and it resists the reading that elders simply know better.
15
Àjèjì ọwọ́ kan kò gbé erù dórí.
- Àjèjì ọwọ́ kan a single strange hand kò gbé erù dórí does-not lift load onto-head
One hand alone cannot lift a load onto the head. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. The practical referent is the head-carrying of loads, which genuinely requires a second person to lift and settle. The proverb is about tasks that are not merely easier with help but impossible without it.
16
Bí ọwọ́ bá wẹ ọwọ́, ọwọ́ á mọ́.
- Bí ọwọ́ bá wẹ ọwọ́ if hand washes hand ọwọ́ á mọ́ hand will-be clean
If one hand washes the other, both hands come clean. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Yorùbá does not mark the plural here, so the final ọwọ́ covers both hands at once in a way English must spell out. Mutual benefit, not the English sense of corrupt reciprocity.
17
Ẹnìkan kì í jẹ ọba kí ó máa pe ara rẹ̀ ní ọba.
- Ẹnìkan one-person kì í jẹ ọba does-not reign-as king kí ó máa pe ara rẹ̀ ní ọba and keep calling himself king
No one becomes king by calling himself king. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Authority is conferred by others. The proverb bears directly on Yorùbá kingship, where an ọba is installed by kingmakers, not self-declared.
18
Ilé la ti ń kọ́ ẹ̀ṣọ́ rọ̀de.
- Ilé home la ti ń kọ́ is-where-we learn ẹ̀ṣọ́ good-conduct rọ̀de before-going-out
It is at home that we learn the conduct we take outside. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Ẹ̀ṣọ́ again, adornment as conduct. The proverb makes the household responsible for public behaviour.
19
Ẹni tí a bá jọ ń ṣe ni à ń pè ní ọ̀rẹ́.
- Ẹni tí a bá jọ ń ṣe the-one whom we together are doing-with ni à ń pè ní ọ̀rẹ́ is-whom we call friend
The one we act together with is the one we call a friend. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Friendship defined by shared action rather than by sentiment.
On knowledge, learning, and the limits of knowing
20
Àgbà tí ó jẹ àjẹsílẹ̀, ohun tí ó fi ń ṣe ni yóò fi ṣe.
- Àgbà elder tí ó jẹ àjẹsílẹ̀ who eats what-is-left-uncovered ohun tí ó fi ń ṣe the-thing he uses to-act ni yóò fi ṣe is-what he-will-use to-act
An elder who eats what should have been kept must live with what follows. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Àjẹsílẹ̀ refers to food consumed that ought to have been saved. Used of short-sighted consumption by those who should know better. This proverb circulates in several forms and this reading is one of a few defensible ones; confidence on the gloss is lower than for most entries here.
21
Kò sí ẹni tí ó mọ ohun gbogbo.
- Kò sí ẹni there-is-no one tí ó mọ who knows ohun gbogbo everything
No one knows everything. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
22
Ọ̀gbọ́n ju agbára lọ.
- Ọ̀gbọ́n wisdom ju agbára lọ exceeds strength
Wisdom is greater than strength. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. The comparative ju ... lọ is the standard Yorùbá construction for exceeding, literally "surpasses ... goes."
23
Ẹni tí kò mọ̀ọ́ jó kò gbọdọ̀ pe ìlù ní ìkà.
- Ẹni tí kò mọ̀ọ́ jó one-who does-not know-how to-dance kò gbọdọ̀ pe ìlù ní ìkà must-not call the-drum wicked
One who cannot dance should not call the drum wicked. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Ìkà is wickedness or cruelty, and applying it to a drum is deliberately absurd, which is where the humour sits. Blaming the instrument for one's own incapacity.
24
Bí ọmọdé bá ṣubú, a wo iwájú; bí àgbà bá ṣubú, a wo ẹ̀yìn.
- Bí ọmọdé bá ṣubú if a child falls a wo iwájú he looks forward
- bí àgbà bá ṣubú if an elder falls a wo ẹ̀yìn he looks backward
When a child falls he looks ahead; when an elder falls he looks behind. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. The child looks to see what is coming next, the elder to see what he tripped over. A compact statement about experience as retrospection. One of the finest Yorùbá proverbs and almost impossible to improve in English.
On wealth, poverty, and work
25
Owó kì í ṣe ohun gbogbo.
- Owó money kì í ṣe is-not ohun gbogbo everything
Money is not everything. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
26
Iṣẹ́ ni oògùn ìṣẹ́.
- Iṣẹ́ work ni oògùn is medicine ìṣẹ́ of-poverty
Work is the cure for poverty. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Iṣẹ́ (work) and ìṣẹ́ (poverty) differ only by tone, so the proverb is a tonal pun, and the pun is the argument: the cure and the disease are a hair apart in sound and opposite in effect. This is untranslatable into English, which is exactly the phenomenon this corpus's translation rule exists to record. Any English version silently discards the wordplay that makes the proverb memorable.
27
Ọwọ́ tí a fi ń kọ́ ilé ni a fi ń wó o.
- Ọwọ́ tí a fi ń kọ́ ilé the-hand we use to-build house ni a fi ń wó o is-what we use to-demolish it
The hand that builds the house is the hand that pulls it down. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Applied to families and institutions destroyed from within.
28
Ẹni tí ó ní sùúrù, ó ní ohun gbogbo.
- Ẹni tí ó ní sùúrù one who has patience ó ní ohun gbogbo has everything
Whoever has patience has everything. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
29
Ọjọ́ tí a bá dé, ọjọ́ náà ni à ń kú.
- Ọjọ́ tí a bá dé the-day we arrive ọjọ́ náà that-same day ni à ń kú is-when we are dying
From the day we arrive, we are already dying. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Circulates in several forms. The Yorùbá progressive ń kú makes dying a continuing process rather than a future event, which English renders awkwardly.
On caution, prudence, and consequences
30
Bí a bá fi ọwọ́ òsì na ọmọ, a fi ọwọ́ ọ̀tún fà á mọ́ra.
- Bí a bá fi ọwọ́ òsì na ọmọ if we use left hand beat child
- a fi ọwọ́ ọ̀tún fà á mọ́ra we use right hand draw him to-the-body
If you strike the child with the left hand, draw him to you with the right. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Discipline and affection as a single act, not alternating moods. In Yorùbá practice the left hand is the lesser hand, so the beating is already marked as the minor gesture and the embrace as the major one, a weighting English cannot convey without a footnote.
31
Ẹni tí ó bá gbójú lé ọba, ó ń gbójú lé ikú.
- Ẹni tí ó bá gbójú lé ọba one who places-hope upon king ó ń gbójú lé ikú is placing-hope upon death
Whoever depends on the king depends on death. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. A hard proverb about proximity to power. The ọba has the power of life and death, so relying on royal favour is relying on something that can kill you. Proverbs of this kind are useful evidence that Yorùbá political culture contained sharp internal criticism of rulers.
32
A kì í fi ọwọ́ méjèèjì wọ omi ìjìnlẹ̀.
- A kì í fi ọwọ́ méjèèjì one does-not use both hands wọ omi ìjìnlẹ̀ enter deep water
You do not enter deep water with both hands committed. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Keep something in reserve. The image is of wading in while carrying something in both hands, leaving nothing free to catch yourself.
33
Bí ojú kò bá tì ni, iṣẹ́ kò ní tì ni.
- Bí ojú kò bá tì ni if the-eye does-not shame one iṣẹ́ kò ní tì ni work will-not fail one
If you are not ashamed to ask, the work will not defeat you. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Ojú tì is literally "the eye pushes," idiomatically to be ashamed or embarrassed. The proverb is about the willingness to appear ignorant in order to learn.
34
Ọ̀nà kan kò wọ ọjà.
- Ọ̀nà kan one road kò wọ ọjà does-not enter the-market
Only one road does not lead to the market. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Equivalent in force to "all roads lead to Rome" but constructed as a negation: it denies exclusivity rather than asserting convergence. Used to say a plan is not the only plan.
35
Kí a tó pa ejò, kí a kọ́kọ́ mọ orí rẹ̀.
- Kí a tó pa ejò before we kill snake kí a kọ́kọ́ mọ orí rẹ̀ let-us first know its head
Before killing the snake, first find its head. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Identify the essential part of a problem before striking at it. Also, practically, a snake struck anywhere but the head remains dangerous.
On truth, deception, and reputation
36
Òtítọ́ korò.
- Òtítọ́ truth korò is-bitter
Truth is bitter. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Two words. The extreme compression is the rhetorical effect and English cannot match it.
37
Irọ́ pọ̀ ju ojú lọ.
- Irọ́ lies pọ̀ are-many ju ojú lọ exceeding the-eye
Lies are more numerous than eyes can follow. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
38
Orúkọ rere sàn ju wúrà àti fàdákà lọ.
- Orúkọ rere good name sàn is-better ju wúrà àti fàdákà lọ exceeding gold and silver
A good name is better than gold and silver. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. This one requires honesty about provenance. It corresponds closely to Proverbs 22:1, and both wúrà and fàdákà are loanwords. It is in wide use as a Yorùbá proverb and may well be a proverb naturalised from the Bible through a century and a half of Yorùbá Christianity rather than an indigenous saying. Distinguishing indigenous from biblically-derived proverbs in the modern corpus is a real methodological problem, and confident assertions in either direction should be treated with suspicion.
39
Ojú ẹni tí ó ń ṣe ni ń tì í.
- Ojú ẹni tí ó ń ṣe the-eye of-the-one who is doing ni ń tì í is-what shames him
It is the wrongdoer's own face that shames him. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Shame arises internally from the act, not from exposure.
40
A kì í gbọ́ "ó ku díẹ̀" lẹ́nu òkú.
- A kì í gbọ́ one does-not hear "ó ku díẹ̀" "a little remains" lẹ́nu òkú in-the-mouth of-a-corpse
You never hear a corpse say "I was nearly there." Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Death admits no almost. The embedded quotation gives the proverb a small dramatic scene, a device Yorùbá proverbs use often and English proverbs rarely.
41
Bí a ti ń wo ọba, ọba náà ń wo àwọn ènìyàn rẹ̀.
- Bí a ti ń wo ọba as we are watching the-king ọba náà ń wo àwọn ènìyàn rẹ̀ that-king is watching his people
While we watch the king, the king is watching his people. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. Mutual scrutiny between ruler and ruled, another instance of Yorùbá political proverbs assuming accountability runs both ways.
42
Àìmọ̀ ọ̀rọ̀ ni ń mú ni pè é ní òmùgọ̀.
- Àìmọ̀ ọ̀rọ̀ not-knowing the-matter ni ń mú ni pè é ní òmùgọ̀ is-what makes one call him a-fool
It is ignorance of the facts that makes a person call another a fool. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. The negative nominal àìmọ̀ is formed by the prefix àì- on mọ̀ (to know), a productive pattern producing abstract negatives.
43
Ẹsẹ̀ kan kò dá ọ̀nà.
- Ẹsẹ̀ kan one foot kò dá ọ̀nà does-not create path
A single foot does not make a path. Translator: Ìpilẹ̀ṣẹ̀ editorial rendering, unreviewed
Notes. A path exists because many people walked it. Used of custom and of collective effort.
Reading proverbs responsibly
Three cautions for anyone building on this material .
Proverbs contradict each other, and this is not a defect. Yorùbá has proverbs counselling patience and proverbs counselling decisiveness. A proverb is a tool selected for a situation, not a clause in a system. Assembling proverbs into a coherent philosophy tends to say more about the assembler than about Yorùbá thought, and Owomoyela's introduction is careful about the risks of subjecting the genre to literary-analytic expectations it was not built for .
Context of use is part of the meaning. The same proverb can console, warn, or rebuke depending on who says it to whom. Collections necessarily strip this, which is why Owomoyela annotates usage and context rather than only translating , and it is the general point Karin Barber makes about Yorùbá oral genres, where meaning is produced in performance rather than carried by a fixed text .
The corpus is not sealed. Proverbs have entered Yorùbá from the Bible, from Islam, and from Arabic and English, and continue to. Item 38 above is a likely case. Treating everything in a modern proverb collection as pre-colonial is a mistake, and so is the opposite assumption that anything resembling a biblical sentiment must be borrowed.
Sources
- [1]Delano, Ìsáàc O., Òwe l'ẹsin ọ̀rọ̀: Yoruba Proverbs, Their Meaning and Usage (Ibadan: Oxford University Press, 1966; reprinted 1973). WorldCat record: https://search.worldcat.org/title/1090524 (Source of the title proverb and of Delano's published rendering "a proverb is a horse which can carry one swiftly to the idea sought," cited at Delano 1973:77.)
- [2]Oni, Jacob B., study on culture and demography in Nigerian societies (1993-1994), hosted by the University of Texas at Austin Africa collection, citing Delano 1973:77 for the horse-of-speech proverb and noting that Yorùbá proverbs make a point more sharply than ordinary statements. https://www.laits.utexas.edu/africa/2004/database/oni.html
- [3]Scholarship on the use of Yorùbá proverbs in adjudication and dispute settlement, including "Yorùbá Proverbs and Judicial System: An Evaluative Deduction," and work on proverbs in African conflict management.
- [4]Owomoyela, Oyekan, Yoruba Proverbs (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2005), 502 pp. https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9780803235762/ (5,235 proverbs with translations and usage annotations, collected over some forty years, arranged thematically, with a 38-page introduction discussing the risks of applying literary-critical canons to the genre. The standard English-language reference collection.)
- [5]Barber, Karin, I Could Speak Until Tomorrow: Oriki, Women and the Past in a Yoruba Town (Edinburgh University Press for the International African Institute, 1991). (On Yorùbá oral genres and the relation of performance context to meaning.)
- [6]Lawal, Adebayo, B. Ajayi, and W. Raji, "A Pragmatic Study of Selected Yoruba Proverbs", Journal of Pragmatics (1997). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-2166(96)00053-1