Ìwà á jọ ìwà ní ńjẹ́ ọ̀rẹ́ jọ ọ̀rẹ́.
Character and other people
Ìpilẹ̀
Ìwà á jọ ìwà ní ńjẹ́ ọ̀rẹ́ jọ ọ̀rẹ́.
Ìtumọ̀ ọ̀rọ̀-sí-ọ̀rọ̀
- Ìwà á jọ ìwà character resembling character ní ńjẹ́ is-what makes ọ̀rẹ́ jọ ọ̀rẹ́ friend resemble friend.
Ìtumọ̀ Gẹ̀ẹ́sì
"Compatibility of character means compatibility in friendship."
Orísun náà kò dárúkọ ẹni tí ó túmọ̀ rẹ̀.
Ohun tí ó túmọ̀ sí
Friendship works when characters match.
Ìgbà tí a ń lò ó
Owomoyela: "Friendship succeeds only when the friends are compatible in their habits"
Àkíyèsí lórí ìtumọ̀
The doubled structure ìwà jọ ìwà / ọ̀rẹ́ jọ ọ̀rẹ́ is the whole proverb, and it argues by grammatical parallel rather than by assertion: the resemblance of the two clauses enacts the resemblance they describe.