List of major owe Yoruba, more than 50 Yoruba proverbs and meaning. Yoruba is hands-down one of the most populous ethnic groups in Nigeria. And this ethnic group not only happens to be a highly populous one, itโ€™s also one of the major ethnic groups in the country. Wherever you go in Nigeria, you canโ€™t ignore the Yoruba ethnic group, as well as their proverbs weโ€™d be discussing in this article.

Itโ€™s a great privilege to a Yoruba man or woman. And if learning some of its proverbs, is what brought you here, you have come to the right place. In this article, weโ€™d be providing 50 Yoruba proverbs. And not only shall we be providing them, weโ€™d also be providing their interpretations. It is also worthwhile stating that the proverbs weโ€™d be discussing in this article, are popular known proverbs. In other words, when you speak them to most Yorubas, theyโ€™d understand. So here we go with our list of owe Yoruba, 50 Yoruba proverbs and their meanings.

50+ Yoruba Proverbs And Their Meanings

  • 1. Kรฒ sรญ ฤ™ni tรญ รณ ma gรนn ฤ™ลŸin tรญ kรฒ nรญ ju รฌpร kรณ. Bรญ kรฒ fฤ™ ju รฌpร kรณ, ฤ™ลŸin tรญ รณ ngรนn รก jฤ™ kojลซ

    • Meaning: Your attitude towards your peers, is determined by your status in life.
  • 2. Bi ฤ’ฤ“gun nla ba ni ohรนn o ri gontรฒ, gontรฒ na a ni ohรนn o ri ฤ’ฤ“gun nla

    • Meaning: Less important men would not accord respect to a man who doesn’t respect them.
  • 3. A ti kekee e ti pโ€™eitan uโ€™oko i, do ba dโ€™agba tan e i du ka ma

    • Meaning: To train a child successfully, training has to begin from a very young age.
  • 4. Uun yi agbalagba ri nโ€™oiho joko, omoiton le ri un nโ€™oiho uduo

    • Translation: An elderly person can always see things a younger person canโ€™t.
  • 5. Uun yi wo ba a gbe oun wa ka i, we le gbe ila du o ka koko

    • Meaning: You reap what you sow.
  • 6. Gbogbo alangba lo d’anu dele, a ko mo eyi t’inu nrun

    • Meaning: Things may look the same from the outside, but you canโ€™t tell whatโ€™s going on inside of them all.
  • 7. Igi so so o yโ€™a a ghonen โ€˜ju, a to ke iye e ti ho i

    • Meaning: To be forewarned, is to be forearmed.
  • 8. Ubee eese lโ€™use, onen yo gbe jake oun o se lโ€™use i

    • Meaning: Anyone who perseveres to the end, would get rewarded
  • 9. Onen ma nen aโ€™e do fi ghon nโ€™onen, uya a a je pa i

    • Meaning: Anyone who chooses not to help themself, but depend on others, would suffer
  • 10. Iyโ€™o wu mi e wue, oun e mโ€™omaiye meji jeun ototo i

    • Meaning: Every human has a trait that makes them unique.
  • 11. Ohun pele, o yo obi nโ€™ apo; ohun lile yo uda nโ€™ako

    • Meaning: The tongue is a two-edged sword.
  • 12. Di lโ€™ejo ba a ma ejo nโ€™ebi e ni i pe nโ€™oiho ukonle

    • Meaning: If you accept full responsibility, you have tried to tried to put things right, and you may be granted mercy.
  • 13. Di ulu be e don panen panen, a ka jo ni melo melo

    • Meaning: Stay away from doing things with serious consequences.
  • 14. Dโ€™iaye ba a sโ€™oko sโ€™oja, o le la a ba ia lโ€™onen

    • Meaning: Stay away from doing things with serious consequences.
  • 15. Oiho buukโ€™ e ka koolo bi sโ€™upekun da le da ma

    • Meaning: Appearance can be deceiving
  • 16. Oju ya a bโ€™onen tโ€™ale e e mโ€™owuo kutu sโ€™ipen

    • Meaning: It takes early planing and preparedness to succeed at a venture.
  • 17. Eewu bฤ™ loko Longฤ™, Longฤ™ fun ara rฤ™ eewu ni

    • Meaning: You should be very careful, when it comes to things that have proven dangerous.
  • 18. Onen e nโ€™oogun adoado ee gbโ€™ ayinyan win

    • Meaning: You should avoid things that cause a negative impact on oneself.
  • 19. Aja e e j, ogungun ya gbe ko ghon o โ€˜onย 

    • Meaning: Whatever is entrusted with someone, is expected to be taken good care of.

Owe Yoruba, Yoruba Proverbs And Meaning

  • 20. Agba ki wa loja, ki ori omo titun o woย 

    • Meaning: You have to behave maturely, to have bad reputation.
  • 21. Onen pโ€™ aoko sโ€™ oja oun oja pโ€™ aoko si

    • Meaning: One who gives would also receive.
  • 22. Bรญ abรก so รฒkรฒ sรณjร  arรก ilรฉ eni nรญ bรกย 

    • Meaning: Be careful of what you do to others, as things you do might also affect you.
  • 23. Omi yi iayโ€™ a mon ee san gbโ€™onen ee

    • Meaning: Youโ€™d inevitably achieve whatever you have been destined.
  • 24. O so si ko du ka, o wo si ko du see

    • Meaning: The problem seems unsolvable.
  • 25. ร€ ล„ pe gbแบนฬnร gbแบนฬnร  แบนyแบน ร kรณkรณ ล„ yแปjรบย 

    • Meaning: Avoid thinking too highly of yourself.
  • 26. Die e je ma nโ€™aja o siwin ku i

    • Meaning: There should be some restraint, as thing should not be overdone.
  • 27. Dรญแบนฬ€ dรญแบนฬ€ nimรบ แบนlแบนฬdแบนฬ€แบนฬ fi ล„ wแปgbร 

    • Meaning: Small problems should be treated before getting out of hands.
  • 28. Adรฌแบน funfun kรฒ mแป ara rแบนฬ€lรกgbร ย 

    • Meaning: Respect yourself.
  • 29. A pฤ™ ko to jฤ™un, ki jฤ™ ibajฤ™ย 

    • Meaning: It pays to spend more time working a durable solution, than rushing to accept an inferior solution.
  • 30. Ile oba t’o jo, ewa lo busiย 

    • Meaning: Adversity has its advantages.
  • 31. Ile la ti n ko eso re odeย 

    • Meaning: Oneโ€™s behaviour is a reflection of their background.
  • 32. Ilรฉ แปba tรณjรณ แบนwร  lรณ bรนsiย 

    • Meaning: Adversity has its advantages.
  • 33. แปŒbแบนฬ€ kรฌรญ gbรฉ inรบ ร gbร  mรฌย 

    • Meaning: You should be capable of keeping secrets.
  • 34. Ijo je o we yon iย 

    • Meaning: Thereโ€™s a lot of joy in worked together.
  • 35. Se sโ€™ale oun e je Seike iย 

    • Meaning: Benevolence leaves a lasting impression.
  • 36. Aja e e gbagbe lโ€™oiye owuoย 

    • Meaning: Itโ€™s a good deed to show appreciation.
  • 37. Ojโ€™ ole igbadโ€™e gbo iย 

    • Meaning: He who doesnโ€™t work shouldnโ€™t eat.
  • 38. Li suu e fon waโ€™a keneun iย 

    • Meaning: Having patience can help carry out any task.
  • 39. Igbe โ€˜a ga o we sโ€™ugwaju ipaโ€™uun

    • Meaning: Pride goes before a fall.
  • 40. Ko omo e do le mu usimi ko e

    • Meaning: Train your child, to prevent them from giving your problem.
  • 41. Den aโ€™a e nโ€™awo yo gba eย 

    • Meaning: Cut your coat according to your size.
  • 42. E e mโ€™oiho Ade gwole

    • Meaning: A crowned person isnโ€™t disrespected.
  • 43. Li tโ€™onen e e hโ€™oi osan da mโ€™aipan

    • Meaning: An influential person should try to help his relations.
  • 44. Aโ€™a e e wowo di lโ€™otu e m a le gbe un

    • Meaning: One must own up to their responsibilities.
  • 45. E e do da ma ja, sugbon aja i gbโ€™uha o so o i

    • Meaning: Close people would sometimes have disagreements, and they should learn how to resolve conflicts among themselves.
  • 46. Omi yi iayโ€™a a mon e e san gbโ€™onen e

    • Meaning: Godโ€™s timing is always perfect.
  • 47. Esin e e da onen da ma ton gun

    • Meaning: Never give up.
  • 48. Ole yo ji kakaki oba, o ku boon ti a fon

    • Meaning: Itโ€™s only a matter of time before a wrongdoer is caught.
  • 49. Inon ukoko didun oun eko fifun ti jade i

    • Meaning: A book should not be judged by its cover.
  • 50. O nukan je nukan pawo ma

    • Meaning A selfish person.

That’s all about the 50 Yoruba Proverbs and their meanings.

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