Igbo Proverbs

English Meaning

35

O bịara ebe onye abiagbula ya; mgbe ọ ga-ala mkpumkpu apukwala ya n'azụ.

May one's visitor not constitute a problem, so that on his departure he will not leave with a hunchback.

36

O bịa mgbe Ene gburu atu, ya
bịakwa ma atu zogbuo Ene.

Whoever comes whenever Antelope kills a deer, let him repeat whenever the deer tramples the hell out of the Antelope.

37

O bụrụ na i taa m arụ n'ike, ma i zeghi
nsi; a ga a taa gi aru n'isi, na-asọghị ụvụrụ.

If you bite me on the buttox, without caring about the danger of sinking your teeth into fecal matter, then I will revenge by biting your head, without caring about the danger of sinking my teeth into cerebral matter.

(Aka Tit for tat)-You do me, I do you

38

Oge adighi eche mmadu

Time and tide wait for nobody.

39

Ohịa woro madụ nkụ, mere olu ya ebere

The forest that denies you firewood has a pity for your neck.

40

Onye buru chi ya uzo, o gbagbue onwe ya n'oso.

He who walks ahead of God will get tired racing

41

Onye a kporo apari, o na-ehi n'amanna
ya, abughi apari.

A presumed fool who sleeps in his father's house is not a fool.

42

Onye hapu ọnụ ya, uguru arachaa ya.

If one fails to lick one’s lips, the inclement weather (harmattan) will lick it for him.

Scracasm: If one does define oneself; others will define one as they choose.

43

Onye si na ya anaghi ata anụ nkita, ya ejikwala eze ekere umụ aka anụ nkita

He who claims he does not eat dog meat should not share dog meat for children using his teeth.

44

Onye ubịam adighi aza "Omeokachie."

A pauper does not take a non befitting title such title of "Omeokachie" - one who completes whatever he ventures in

45

Oke osimmiri anokataghi rie onye
ọbụla nke ọ na-ahụughị ukwu ya anya.

The ocean never swallows a person with whose leg it does not come in contact.

46

Otu onye tuo izu, o gbue ọchị

Two good heads are always better than one. Knowledge is never complete without peer review

47

Ọkwụrụ anaghị amịrị ote ofe.

A master chef is not blessed with a good harvest of okra.

48

Ọkụkọ na-arọgọrọ ite olu, chetekwe
mma gburu ya.

The chicken frowns at the cooking pot, ignoring the knife that killed it.

49

Ọkukọ mmanya na-egbu ahubegh
i Egbe ara na-ayi.

A drunken fowl has not met a crazy hawk.

50

Okuko nyụọ ahụ, ala achụwa ya ọsọ.

When the fowl farts, the ground becomes a nuisance.

51

Ọkụkọ si na ihe ya ji-ele anya n'enu ma
ya na aṅu mmiri bu na ihe na-egbu ya si
n'igwe abịa.

The chicken says it looks up when drinking water because what kills it comes from the sky.

52

Ugo chara acha adi(ghi) echu echu

A mature eagle feather will ever remain pure.

53

Ụkpala gbabara n'ikpo Ọkụkọ na-ala ala mmụọ.

The grasshopper that runs into the mist of fowls ends up in the land of spirits.

54

Ụra ga-eju onye nwụrụ anwụ afọ.

A dead person shall have an over doze of sleep.

55

Ụra tọwa ụtọ, ekwowe ya ekwowe

When sleep becomes enjoyable, snoring kicks into gear.

56

Ụsa nwaanyị na-eme ka nwoke ụsa tinye aka n’ihie ọjọ

A man filled with lust about females easily gets entangled in evil things

57

Uzu na-amaghi akpu ogene lee egbe
anya n'odu.

The blacksmith who does know how to forge a metal gong should look at the tail of a kite.

58

Si kele onye nti chiri; enu anughi, ala
anu.

Salute the deaf; if the heavens don't hear, the earth will hear.