Ìwà òní, ẹjọ́ ọ̀la.
Character formed and deformed
Ìpilẹ̀
Ìwà òní, ẹjọ́ ọ̀la.
Ìtumọ̀ ọ̀rọ̀-sí-ọ̀rọ̀
- Ìwà òní today's conduct, ẹjọ́ ọ̀la tomorrow's court case.
Ìtumọ̀ Gẹ̀ẹ́sì
"Today's behavior causes tomorrow's problem."
Orísun náà kò dárúkọ ẹni tí ó túmọ̀ rẹ̀.
Ohun tí ó túmọ̀ sí
Present conduct is future litigation.
Ìgbà tí a ń lò ó
Owomoyela: "The foolish behavior of the present sows the seeds of difficulties for the future"
Àkíyèsí lórí ìtumọ̀
Four words, no verb. Ẹjọ́ is specifically a legal case or dispute brought before a court or an elder, not a vague problem, so the Yorùbá names the exact future institution in which today's conduct will be examined. Owomoyela's "problem" loses that.