The Wisdom of the Elders

Ẹni tó ńreti àti sùn àkàn, a pẹ́ lẹ́búté.

“One who waits to sleep like a crab will linger long at the harbour.”

Waiting for perfect or impossible conditions before acting only guarantees endless delay. Take timely action rather than holding out for a moment that may never come.

Ẹni tó ń lé nǹkan níwájú, ń fi àwọn nǹkan mìíràn sẹ́yìn.

“One who chases a thing ahead leaves other things behind.”

Every focus carries a trade-off. When you pursue one goal wholeheartedly, other matters are inevitably set aside — choose your priorities with open eyes.

Èlà l'ọ̀rọ̀, ìbẹ̀pẹ́ ò ṣe jẹ lọ didi.

“A matter must be unravelled and made plain; a pawpaw cannot be eaten while still unripe and hard.”

Words and disputes need patience and clear explanation before they can be understood — just as unripe fruit must ripen before it is fit to eat. Rushing understanding spoils it.

Bí a ò bá gba ọmọ ìyá ẹni l'étí, ọ̀bakàn ẹni ò ní bẹ̀rù ẹni.

“If we do not correct our own mother's child, our distant kin will have no respect for us.”

Order and respect begin at home. If you cannot guide those closest to you, outsiders will never hold you in regard.

Kònkò jáde l'omi, ó ní ara Ọọ̀ni kò yá; ta ló pè ní irọ́? Ta ló bá dé ìsàlẹ̀ odò?

“The frog emerges from the water and says the Ọọ̀ni is unwell — who can call it a lie? Who else has been to the bottom of the river?”

Whoever holds sole access to hidden knowledge can make claims no one is able to dispute. Be wary of unverifiable reports from those who alone have 'been to the bottom of the river'.

Bí a bá fẹ́ rẹ́ni jẹ, ká wí; èwo ni 'ọba pè ọ́ l'Ọ̀yọ́'?

“If we mean to deceive someone, let us at least be clever about it — what sort of trick is 'the king is summoning you at Ọ̀yọ́'?”

A clumsy, transparent deception fools no one. If a scheme is too obvious, it only exposes the schemer.

Ìkorò l'ajapá mi wà tẹ́lẹ̀, ẹ̀yin lẹ yọ ojú alábahun síta.

“The tortoise was quietly settled at Ìkorò; it is you who drew its face out into the open.”

Trouble that flares up is often the fault of those who provoked one who was peacefully minding their own business. Do not stir what was resting quietly.

Ọ̀rọ̀ tí ìfúnfún bá gbọ́, etí ni í rọ́ fún.

“A matter that a leaky-mouthed person hears is soon poured into every ear.”

Confide carefully. A secret shared with a gossip will not stay a secret for long.

Aláǹgbá tí ó fi ojú sun'gi kò tó lérí ìjà s'ájá.

“The lizard that clings sleeping to the wall is in no position to boast of fighting a dog.”

Know your own strength. Do not brag of challenges far beyond your capacity.

Ohun t'ajá rí tó fi ńgbó kò tó ohun tí àgùntàn rí tó fi ṣẹnu rọ́.

“What the dog sees and barks at is less than what the sheep sees and yet keeps its mouth shut.”

The quiet one often knows far more than the noisy one lets on. Silence can hold greater wisdom than loud complaint.

Bí ògìdán bá ń ṣe onígbàjámọ̀, ajá kò ní dé bẹ̀ gẹ́ẹ́run.

“If the leopard becomes the barber, no dog will come there for a shave.”

No one willingly seeks a service from someone who is a danger to them. Fear and hostility drive people away.

Aláṣejù ajá níí lépa ẹkùn w'ógbó.

“It is the reckless, over-eager dog that chases a leopard into the forest.”

Excess and overreach lead to ruin. Pursue nothing so far that it turns and destroys you on its own ground.

Àtìràmọ́ràn tí ó kàn dàbí ẹni ń fa ajá létí.

“Forcing a reluctant matter forward is like dragging a dog along by its ears.”

Compelling the unwilling brings only resistance and trouble. What must be forced so hard is rarely worth the struggle.

Má súnmọ́ mi, má súnmọ́ ìyálé mi — ajá kìí rorò kó ṣọ́ ojúlé méjì.

“'Do not come near me, do not come near my senior wife' — no dog is fierce enough to guard two gates at once.”

No one, however capable, can protect or serve everyone everywhere at the same time. Divided duty always has its limits.

Àtẹ̀hìnkọ́gbọ́n ajá; a gé e l'étí tán, ó wá ń fi ọ̀bẹ pamọ́.

“The dog that learns wisdom too late: only after its ears are cut does it start hiding the knife.”

Precaution taken after the harm is done is worthless. Guard against danger before it strikes, not once the damage is complete.

À jókòó-í-dìde, à sọ̀rọ̀-í-gbèsì, à ṣìnì-í-dèhìn-bọ̀rọ̀; ọkọ̀ ẹ̀tẹ́ ni ń gbé ni lọ.

“Restlessness, quarrelsomeness, and being easily led astray — these are the vehicle of disgrace that carries a person away.”

Instability of character, love of argument, and a mind easily misled are the very faults that ferry a person to their downfall.

Bí a bá rò ìwà tí àparò ń hù l'ọ́kọ̀, a ò ní jẹ́ kí adìẹ fọkànbalẹ̀ nílẹ̀.

“If we judged the hen by the mischief the wild partridge causes on the farm, we would never let a chicken rest in peace at home.”

It is unjust to punish one for the faults of another. Do not condemn the innocent by mere association with the guilty.

Ẹni tó jẹ ẹyin adìẹ kan ti rán ẹgbẹẹgbẹ̀rún adìẹ lọ s'ọ́run àìwáyé; nítorí bí ẹyin bá di adìẹ, a pa ogún, a pa ọgbọ̀n — ẹni náà kò ní ṣàì pa ọmọ.

“Whoever eats a single egg has sent thousands of unborn fowl to the heaven of the never-born; for if that egg had hatched it would have laid twenty, laid thirty — and that person will surely go on to consume its offspring too.”

A small act of destruction carries vast, multiplying consequences across generations. Weigh the long chain of what your choices set in motion.

Adìẹ ń ṣunkún àìléyín, àjànàkú ń ṣunkún àìrẹ́tẹ́ bo tiẹ̀.

“The chicken weeps for having no teeth; the elephant weeps for finding no cloth large enough to cover itself.”

Everyone has their own cross to bear. Do not envy another person's size, status, or outward appearance, because they are facing their own heavy, private challenges just like you are.

Ọmọdé ra ajá, ó sọ ọ́ ní 'Tàgbà-ò-sí-níbẹ̀'; ìkookò ni yóò pa ẹrù ajá náà jẹ.

“A child buys a dog and names it 'No-Elder-Is-Present'; it is the hyena that will kill and devour that very dog.”

Youthful arrogance that dismisses elders and experience invites its own downfall. Disregard for wisdom rarely goes unpunished.

Ìtì ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀ ni, kò tó ohun tí a ń lọ àdá bé.

“It is only a banana stem — hardly worth sharpening a cutlass to cut it down.”

Match your effort to the task. Do not summon great force and elaborate preparation for something small and simple.

Ifá tó bá gbeni là n gúnyán fún, òrìṣà tó bá gbeni là n pa obì bò.

“It is the Ifá that helps us that we pound yam for; it is the òrìṣà that saves us that we offer kola nut to.”

Invest your energy, time, and resources into ventures, people, and systems that treat you well and help you succeed. Do not waste your devotion on entities or relationships that drain you without offering anything in return.

Bí èèyàn bá gún'yán bọ́ ìlú, yóò lọ́ọ̀tá; bí ó sì ń sọ òkò s'ọ́jà, yóò lọ́ọ̀rẹ́ tirẹ̀.

“Even one who pounds yam to feed the whole town will still have enemies; and even one who throws stones in the market will still have his own friends.”

You cannot please everyone, and no one is universally condemned. However good your deeds, some will oppose you; however bad, some will defend you.

A ṣẹ̀ṣẹ̀ rán ònde mọ́jẹ̀sí, tójúmọ́ bá ti mọ́, yí ò máa ṣe bí kò dọ́gun kòdọ́gun.

This mocks someone who has just received a small promotion, acquired a new skill, inherited wealth, or gained a minor advantage, and immediately begins looking for trouble or acting aggressively. It cautions against the arrogance of a beginner who feels untouchable.

Rírà ni ń kanyín pupa ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀, ríran ni ń kanyín pupa ẹṣúrú.

A person becomes refined, skilled, and mature through consistent engagement, practical experience, and broad exposure to the world. You cannot gain mastery or wisdom by staying isolated; you must interact with life to "ripen".

Ọ̀tá ẹni ò pa odò ọ̀yà, tọ́ bá pa á, wọ́n á ní ọmọ ológboro ló pa.

No matter how great, undeniable, or difficult your achievements are, your enemies or critics will never give you the respect or credit you deserve. They will always attribute your success to luck, coincidence, or the efforts of someone else.

Ebi ò pa àgbà, ó fi ọwọ́ mú ẹ̀kẹ́.

The elder is not even hungry, yet still reaches for the choicest cut of meat. Greed does not wait for need — some grasp for more simply because they can.

Irun imú lọ́wọ́, ó ṣòro fà tu.

A nose-hair sits right within your grasp, yet plucking it out is painfully hard. Some troubles lie closest to us and look simple, yet are the most difficult to remove.

Òye tó kan ara awo, ó ń bá a kan ara èdè.

The insight that reaches the initiate does not stay with him alone — it flows out to touch the whole community. Wisdom held by the wise ultimately serves everyone.

Ọmọ ọ̀ṣẹ́ ní ń kọ pọ̀nǹpọ̀ bá ìyá ẹ̀.

Only a deeply ungrateful, wicked, or foolish person bites the hand that fed them, turns against their benefactor, or brings shame and violence to the parents who sacrificed to raise them.

Tí ẹni orí ẹní bá ń gbé ẹní, tí ẹni ilẹ̀ ń gbé ilẹ̀, tí ẹni ilẹ̀ bá pa ipò dà ni ẹni ilẹ̀lẹ̀ tó lè di ẹni orí ẹní.

It reinforces that social mobility and personal elevation require a dramatic break from stagnation. To move from the absolute floor of life to a position of comfort and honor, you must actively pivot.

Ojú ní kòró sí ewé, ikùn ní kòró sí àgbà.

The eye has an appetite for tender greens, while the belly craves something more substantial. Different needs are satisfied by different things — do not judge every hunger by a single measure.

Ọmọ kékeré arìnrìn-àjò kì í ṣe ẹgbẹ́ àgbàlagbà tó jókòó ilé tó hù ewú.

A young, well-travelled child is still no equal of the elder who has sat at home long enough to grow grey. Wide travel does not match the seasoned wisdom that age and patience bring.

Ìwọ̀ntúnwọ̀nsì ló yẹ kí ọmọ ìka ẹsẹ̀ gùn mọ; sé a ò ní fi dì àdá mú.

A toe need only grow to a modest length, for it will never be used to grip a cutlass. Let everything keep to its proper measure — moderation suits what has no need of excess.

Àgbàlagbà tí ò kéhùn sòrò bá omọ wí ní kékeré, á kętan sáré lórí omọ náà tó bá dàgbà, tí enu ò káa mọ.

If you do not discipline and guide a child while they are young and malleable, you will spend your old age running around trying to fix their massive, uncontrollable mistakes.

Ẹni tó sùn ni à ń jí; a kì í jí apirọ̀rọ̀ — bí a bá jí i, kò ní dáhùn.

We can only wake the one who is truly asleep; rouse the one who merely feigns sleep and he will give no answer. You cannot help those who have no wish to be helped.

A kì í gbọ́ kùkù òjò tí ń bọ̀ ká da omi inú agbada nù.

One does not hear the distant rumble of coming rain and pour away the water already in the basin. Never discard what you already hold on the mere promise of more.

Àgbà tó so yangan mọ́ idi, ló sọ ara rẹ̀ di aláwàdà fún adìẹ.

If you put yourself in an undignified position or associate with people below your moral or professional level, you cannot complain when they lose respect for you. You must protect your own boundaries.

Ìmàdò ì bá ṣe bí ẹlẹ́dẹ̀, a bà ilú jẹ́; ẹrú ì bá jọba, ará ilú ì bá ti kù kan.

Had the wild warthog behaved like a tame pig and wandered into town, it would have wrecked it; had a bondsman seized the crown, the townsfolk would have been finished. It is a mercy that the dangerous are kept from the power they would abuse.

Àgbà kì í wà lọ́jà, kí orí ọmọ tuntun wọ́.

An elder does not sit in the market and let a newborn's head twist askew unaided. Where the wise and responsible are present, the helpless must not be left to avoidable harm.

Ebi ń pa ejò, ahun ń yan; àti ahun àti ejò, ẹran jíjẹ ni fún ọlọ́dẹ.

The snake is starving, the tortoise struts about — yet to the hunter, both snake and tortoise are simply meat. To a greater power, the quarrels and postures of lesser rivals mean nothing; all meet the same fate.

Ẹni tó gún iyán iṣu ewùrà tó yọ òbẹ tìí, lọ́jọ́ tó bá gún ti iṣuko, nǹkan ó yán an.

If you complain, panic, or struggle heavily with a minor, easy task, you will completely fall apart when faced with a truly difficult or critical challenge.

Iṣu tà, iṣu ò tà, ọ̀kọ̀ọ̀kan la ò yọ iṣu nínú ẹbẹ.

Whether the yams sell or not, we still take them out of the barn one at a time. Whatever the outcome, the work must be done steadily and patiently, step by step.

Bí òrìṣà bá mú ẹlẹ́yìn, kí abuké máa múra sílẹ̀

When trouble strikes even the strong, the vulnerable had better prepare — no one is beyond reach.

Ebi ò pa ọmọ Ìjẹ̀ṣà, lónìí ó ń jẹ ẹ̀kọ Ọ̀yọ́; bí ebi bá pa ọmọ Ọbòkun, yóò jẹ orí.

The child of Ìjẹ̀ṣà is not even hungry, yet today he eats Ọ̀yọ́'s corn-pap; were he truly hungry, he would devour far more. Appetite and indulgence often outrun real need.

Bí ọlọ́gbọ́n bá ń fi wèrè sè iṣu, kí ọ̀mọ̀ràn má fi gègé yọ ọ́.

If a wise man foolishly cooks his yam in a reckless way, let the knowledgeable one not fish it out just as recklessly. One person's folly should never be answered with another's — do not compound a rash act with a rash response.

Ojú yíyá ò jẹ́ kí àwòko tóbi lẹ́yẹ; ìkà ò jẹ́ kí parámọ́lẹ̀ dàgbà lẹ́jọ̀.

Restlessness keeps the àwòko bird from ever growing big; wickedness keeps the parámọ́lẹ̀ snake from ever growing old. Bad character — haste and cruelty — cuts short one's growth and life.

Ìgbà tí ara bá tù ni à ń rí eṣú; bí igbó bá gbẹ tán, eṣú á ya lọ.

It is while the land is lush that we see the locusts; once the forest dries up, they fly away. Fair-weather company gathers in times of plenty and scatters when abundance ends.

Àgùntàn Ọ̀ffà kò ṣe pẹ̀lẹ́: ẹlẹ́ṣin ń bẹ lóde tí ò tẹ̀ ọmọ pa.

It is foolish to behave carelessly or aggressively just because you haven't faced the consequences yet. Do not mistake someone else's patience or restraint for your own safety or superiority.

Bí ọgbọ́n bá fò'rò, tó fò araba, ẹ̀yìn kùlé àgọ́ ni yóò balẹ̀ sí.

However high wisdom soars — over the iroko, over the giant silk-cotton tree — it must finally come down behind the huts of the homestead. No matter how far cleverness flies, it always returns to the humble ground of home and community.

A kì í tì torí pé ẹ̀fọ́ ò tán láàwo, kí a wá sọ ọwọ́ di ẹ̀fọ́ yanrin.

We do not, simply because the stew is not yet finished in the pot, turn our own hand into more vegetables. Do not grasp for or manufacture more when what you already have is enough.

Bí kókó bá n fẹ́ni lẹ́fẹ̀ẹ́, a kìí jorí ìmàdò, bí a bá wá jorí ìmàdò, àwùjọ kùnmọ̀ la à ní dé, bí a bá wá dé àwùjọ kùnmọ̀, ìwọ̀n ara ẹni làá mọ̀.

Reminds us that not every connection is meant to be deep. Not everyone you meet is meant to walk closely with you, and not every relationship deserves your full energy.

Bí kókó bá n fẹ́ni lẹ́fẹ̀ẹ́, a kìí jo orí ìmàdò, bí a bá wá jo orí ìmàdò, àwùjọ kùnmọ̀ la à ní dé, bí a bá wá dé àwùjọ kùnmọ̀, ìwọ̀n ara ẹni làá mọ̀.

Reminds us that not every connection is meant to be deep. Not everyone you meet is meant to walk closely with you, and not every relationship deserves your full energy.

Ará ń bá adà ẹkùn; tí ó bá jọjú, ẹ sọ pé kí ọmọ ológìnní dá tirẹ̀.

The leopard's kin carry its markings; but if the resemblance truly holds, then let the kitten also prove what it can do on its own. A great lineage raises expectations — yet each one must still show its own worth rather than trade on another's greatness.

À ń fọ̀tún tẹ́ ẹní, à ń fòsì bọ́ ṣòkòtò; òbìnrin tí a ò bá òun gbọ́ tọmọ ni.

It serves as a defense for someone who is clearly overwhelmed by multiple responsibilities but is still managing to deliver results.

À ń fọ̀tún tẹ́ ẹní, à ń fòsì bọ́ ṣòkòtò; òbìnrin tí a ò bá òun gbọ́ tọmọ

One hand spreads the mat, the other loosens the garment — yet this is a woman with whom no understanding about children was ever reached. It warns against rushing through all the motions of a weighty undertaking while the one essential agreement has been left unsettled.

Ìdẹ̀rẹ̀gbè kì í kú sínú agbo ẹran, dandan ni kí ó fẹnu sọ ilẹ̀.

The ìdẹ̀rẹ̀gbè does not die quietly in the midst of the herd; it must first set its mouth to the ground and be heard. The notable do not depart without leaving their mark or having their final say.

Adìyẹ ń jẹ àgbàdo, ó ń mu omi, ó tilẹ̀ ń gbé òkúta wẹ́wẹ́ mì, síbẹ̀ ó ń ké ramúramù pé òun kò léhín; ìdẹ̀rẹ̀gbè tó léhín ha ń gbé irin mì bí?

The hen eats corn, drinks water, even swallows little pebbles, yet still cries bitterly that it has no teeth — so would the toothed ìdẹ̀rẹ̀gbè then be swallowing iron? People lament what they lack even while managing perfectly well without it; be thankful for what already sustains you instead of complaining.

Bí èyàn ò bá ní awó ní Ìdó, kò lè mu omi ní ilé ọba wọn.

You cannot easily gain access to high-level opportunities, inner circles, or benefits of authority unless you have someone inside who can vouch for you, introduce you, or clear the way.