Friday, January 13, 2012

Call for proverb of the month suggestions..

If your proverb is chosen, you win a prize! Got your attention?  - Read on! Your active participation is needed....


It has finally happened. My limited Yoruba has shown me up with no Proverb of the Month to post for the month of January or the months following, on the left hand corner above the flag. Have you noticed it before? And that we change it every month?


My husband has been helping out some since I started to put it on the blog but it's time to throw it out to the general association. If your proverb is chosen randomly and posted, you will win a copy of the 2012 YODAAI calendar. 


I made an executive decision below! Ha ha!


Mr President, Mr Babatunde, Dr Badewa, Mr Sholanke and the other Alagbas,  your  collective knowledge of proverbs is too deep and extensive. You guys can can make a suggestion but no prize for you if your proverb is chosen... Please leave your proverb suggestions (or complaints!) in the comment section below or email me directly with it.


*The continued investment in time, intellect, emotion and energy on this blog is directly proportional to your active response and participation. Otherwise the conversation is static and one way only. See the "comments" or "post a comment" section in green down here? Go on! Click on it and see what happens. Join the community. Leave a comment! Even anonymously. You don't have to have a google account to leave a comment.

Funke  Abolade, M.D.

Social/publicity Secretary

26 comments:

  1. Dr. Abolade, you really got my attention and I feel challenged. How do we submit our proverb suggestions?

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  2. Pls submit proverb to the comment section. A winner will be chosen at random from all entries. Thanks for your support.

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  3. Eti baba nile, eti baba l'oko;eniyan ni i je be (Father hears everything because people tell him)

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  4. Orisa je kin pe meji Obirin ko denu.("God bless my hosehold with a sencond woman" is a woman's false wish)

    Eniti eegun nlepa ko roju , bi o ti n re eniyan beni o n re araorun ( Do not falter if you are being chased as one is getting tired so is the one chasing you)

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  5. Ero ona ni royin oka to gbo (Passers-by are the first to bring the news that the corn is ripe)

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  6. Eyin to ta yo,wahala enu ni. (A protruded teeth is a problem to the mouth)

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  7. I have several proverbs I can submit. Here are some
    Isokan ni agbara- unity is strength

    IIosiwaju ki i se ise ojo kan, sugbon die-die ni - progress is not achieved in a day, but gradually

    Die-die ni ijapa n rin de ibugbe re - slow and steady, the tortoise reaches it's destination

    Sesi Ogunbi
    cut & pasted from email by the blog editor

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  8. (1) Oro ki i tobiju ki a fi obe bu
    (2) Sakatapara ni agbalagba n sin ito , ti ito ba di anpo lenu N kan
    miran N be ni di e ni
    (3) Bi a o ti se laawi , Enikan ki yan anan re lodi.
    (4) Anjuwon ko se wi lejo Ija ilara ko tan boro.
    (6) Pasan ti a mu na iyale o wa lehin aaro iyawo.
    (7) A i to eyin ka laa dowo bo
    (8) Owo omode to to pepe , ti agbalagba ko wo akerengbe
    (9) A ki beri lehin olori.
    (10 Bi egungun eni ba joo re , ori a ya atokun re.
    (11) Aditi N pe o iwo ni o un gbo agoya , eniti oun peo ko ni dake.
    (12) Bi aya ba moju oko tan alarina a yera.
    (13) Ai fagba fenikan ko je kaye ogun
    (14) Eyin lohun bi o ba bolule ko see ko mo.
    (15 Aigbofa laawo oke ifa kan ko si ni pere.
    (16) Ogede ta kete bi eniti ko ba odo tan
    (17) Agutan to baja rin yoo jegbe.
    (18) Agutan ko ni ohun ba ewure rin , ewure lo pe iya hun ko bi dudu.

    Oluyinka Adediji

    cut & pasted from email by the blog editor

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  9. Keep the proverbs coming, people. I will give out a prize each month if your proverb is chosen. Keep 'em coming...

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  10. We are moving on, moving on now!!!

    1. Omode to ba agba rin, a da'gba.
    2. Omode to ba gbo'ran si agba lenu, agba re a da'le
    3. Aro ole se be, o dani lobe nu, ti a ko ni ri je mo.
    4. Ko'ju ma ri ibi, gbogbo ara ni ogun re.
    5. Abuke ti o gba 1bale aro, yio mura
    6. Eniti o ba fe mu obo, yio se bi obo.
    7. Igbo leti, eniyan ni je be
    8. Bo ti wi, la'wi; enikan ki o so'pe otiwi

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  11. Deep mrs Popoola, deep... I am going to need some translations when you have some time....

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  12. Agbajo owo la nfi soya,ajeji owo kan ko gberu dori.

    Eni jin si koto,o ko ara yoku logbon.

    Eni egun gun lese lo n to alabe lo.

    Aigbofa lan woke ,ifa kan ko si ni para.

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  13. Mrs Adagunodo, e kaabo s'eto yi o.
    Thanks for calling the other day. I'm going to need a translation for your 3rd proverb....

    You have all been entered in the running to win a prize. Thanks. Keep them coming. we have to announce a winner soon for this month as January is half gone already....

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  14. Ikun nje ogede ikun re di, ikun o ma pe ohun todun ni npa ni (The rodent is exuberant as it feeds on banana, it should have known though that eating sweet stuffs can be deadly)

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  15. Ebi o ki wo nu koro mi wobe (A hungry person is not a good listener). Perhaps a blatant interpretation is "A hungry person is an agry person"

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  16. Here's my humble contribution:

    A' itete m'ole, ole n'm'oloko i.e here you are quickly accusing someone of doing something wrong when you have just done that wrong thing yourself.

    Eni a le mu l'aa n'ledi mo. i.e You can only harrass someone that you are more powerful than or someone who's not as strong as you.

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  17. Agba ki wa loja, ki ori omo titun o wo. Used when elders are expected to play elderly roles so that permanent damage is not done.

    Ile nsu ile nmo, olojo kajo : Used to encourage kids not to waste precious youthful time.

    A'ifini p’eni, a'ifeniyan pe eniyan ni ara oko se n'san bante wolu. Used when due respect is expected but not given.

    Ayangbe aja dun je, a ti yangbe nko? Pleasure is good and sweet but it demands hard work and pains-taking long time to earn / accomplish.

    Amu’ni bu’ni eran Ibiye; Ibiye fo l’oju otun, eran e fo ni tosi. Used when one tries to avoid creating an unintended problem.

    Bi owo eku ti mo, ni o fi n'nuju: Cut your coat according to your size. Used in counseling one to recognize his/her natural limits and do things in moderation.

    Oju orun to eiye meji fo laif’ apa gba ara won. There is plenty of room for people’s interactions without one stepping on the other’s toe.

    Imowon ara eni ni ekeji ogbon; Your knowing and applying your limitation is (next to) wisdom.

    Ma a mu e j'agbo, ehin ara re ni yio fi l'ana; Used when threats are made but can only be shared. Threats that cannot be carried out without the aggressor taking the lion share.

    Omo t'oni ki iya oun ma sun, ohun na ko ni fi oju kan oorun. (Similar to 9)

    Aparo kan ko ga ju ikan lo, a fi eyit’o ba gun ori ebe Used when an individual among his own contemporaries tend to show off or tries to claim a superiority with nothing to show for it.

    Ti inu ba ti ri ni obi fi nyan: Honesty is the best policy. A clear mind results in successful endeavor.

    A'isoro a'i yan 'oro ni o pa elempe isiwaju; ti o so wipe igba wuwo ju awo lo. Un-clarified statement leads to misunderstanding that may result in paying heavy penalty.

    Nse or Nda l'oda l'omo de egbe; egbe ki ise ile omo; A baby carried on the side is unnatural, it is only to ease cleaning his/her sputum more easily. Children are carried on the back not side.

    Ebi npa ejo, ahun nyan, ati ahun ati ejo, eran jije ni fun olode; Both the tortoise that taunts a hungry snake are edible meat (preys) to a hungry hunter.

    Ikoko ti a je ata, idi re gbodo gbona; One must work hard to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor.
    (No sweat no gain)

    Oko se ro ni agbede pa’ko ta: A black-smith would not sell hoes to others if it is easy to cultivate farms.

    E ba mi to omo mi ko de inu olomo: A mother’s request to help nurture her child does not come from her heart because nurturing involves corporal punishment that no mother would like.

    Lala to l'osoke, ile l'ombo. No one can dispute or disrespect the law of gravity. What goes around comes around ?

    Eni ma je oyin inu apata ki wo enu aake: (like 16 above)

    Cut and pasted from email submission by Prof "Anonymous" Ayanwale

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  18. More from Prof Ayanwale:

    Omo o l'ayole, eni omo sin l'obimo - dont count on the fact that you have children, if they are there when you need them like when it's time to bury you, then you can say you had children.

    Ogun l'abi omo koriko, ogbon l'awo d'agba, omo eruwa. Bi eeyan bi 'kan oga, o to. Literal translation, the grass can have 20 children and eruwa can boast of raising 30 kids till adulthood but if you have just one child that rises to become a leader, that one is enough.

    Eyin ti aja fi 'n ba omo e sere ni fi bu u je. The same teeth that the dog uses to play with her child is the same ones he uses to bite in disciplining the child.

    Ogbon ologbon ni ki i je ki a pe agba l'omugo. Other people's wisdom would not let us call an elder foolish.

    Oro sunnukun, oju sunnukun l'a fi n' wo. Deep rooted matters call for deep rooted thoughts.

    Ile ni apoti n'joko de idi used when a child misbehaves outside and the parents wait at home until he returns home ...

    cut and pasted from written submission
    By Prof. Ayanwale.

    *The 1st two translations are the blog editor's.

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  19. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  20. 1. To ju, ti iye ni aparo fin ri’ran. Literary translation one has to be alert at all times

    2. Gbongbon kan o si, a fi eniti o ba’ ti ara re. There is a limit to how you can encourage someone to improve self, unless one wants to improve.

    3.Awa o le je aji gbon eeni, ki eni wa je aji no’ese. Some people can not be working, while others are waiting to ripe the benefit of the hard work.

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  21. Aafa jo'na, e n bere irugbon. Literally means the Imam was burnt up in a fire and you're asking for his beard? i.e there are more important things to be concerned about ...

    Ara baba o ya, ara baba o ya, eko n'wole, ewe n'jade. The old man is reportedly very sick but he seems to be eating very well judging b the full plate going into his room and the empty plate that comes out....In other words, he cant be that sick.

    Ti ina o ba tan l'ori, eje o le tan l'eekanna: If you still have head-lice, you will still have bloodied nails from fingers crushing the lice. Unless you tackle the root cause of a problem, you will continue to deal with its consequences

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  22. by Mr Dada

    Oore ti a se fun adie k'o denu, bo pe titi, a se omi too ro sini l'enu. (hardwork will not go unrewarded) A favor meted out to the chicken is not deeprooted, in due course, it becomes a finger licking condiment !!!

    Cut & pasted submission by blog editor for Mr Dada.

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  23. O seni laanu wipe; opolopo awa ti a je omo Yoruba (Oduduwa) ni a o mo bi a se nso ede yii daradara. A nfi igba gbogbo gbile sii ninu ede Geesi, nigba ti a so ede tiwa di oun itiju. Idi niyii ti opo ninu awon omo ti won nbi ni sanmoni yii o se mo pataki ede wa ati bi a ti se nso, paapa julo, awon ti a bi si igboro. Teni n teni, takisa n taatan. O ye ki a yan lati gbe ede wa laruge sugbon o je oun to dunni pupo wipe a ti so siso ede yii di nkan itiju. ko dara to.
    Lati se atunse si eyii, awon obi ni ise pupo lati se. Ti a ba fe so ododo oro, ebi awon omo ode iwoyi ko ni wipe won o mo ede Yoruba so. Nitoripe, ede ti awon obi won fi ko won ni won nso fun idi eyi, awon omo o lebi rara, awon obi loye ki a bawi pupo.

    It's a pity that many of us who are typical Yorubas (Oduduwa) do not understand the lexis and structure of our language. We speak English Language fluently with big big vocabulary while we squirm with shame speaking our language (Yoruba). This is the reason that young people of this generation do not know the rear real of the language and how it is spoken. Most especially the people born and raise in the city. Ours is ours, as rag is dunk-hill’s. We should learn to embrace our language but it's painful a lot that we subject the speaking of our language to shame. This is not good enough.
    In order to proffer solution to this, parents have a lot of work to do. Factually speaking, these young people are not to blame simply because parents set the precedent for their children and that’s what the children follow. And in the light of this children are not to blame as the onus fells on the parents and they should be reprimanded for this.

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  24. Get daily proverbs on Facebook.com/OweEdeYoruba. Proverbs updated twice a day. Ire o!

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