Part 1: On humility, self-control, self-knowledge, self-respect, and self-restraint

T

“Ta ní ḿbẹ níbẹ̀?” làgbẹ́ fi ńsán ìbàǹtẹ́ wọ̀lú.
“Who is there whose opinion matters?” is the attitude that makes the farmer come into town dressed only in a loin cloth.
(People who make a spectacle of themselves show no regard for others.)
Compare Àìfinipeni, àìfèèyàn pèèyan . . .

Ta ní mọ Òkolo lÓyọ̀ọ́?
Who knows O'kolo in Ọ̀yọ́?
(Said of people who are of no account but act as though they matter.) [90]

Ta ní ńjájá ní mọ́ṣáláṣí?
What would a dog be doing in a mosque?
(Said to tell off people who are not wanted in a company.)
See the entry that follows also.

Ta ní ńjẹun tájá ńjùrù?
At whose dinner table is the dog wagging its tail?
(Said to tell off people who make their presence felt when they should rather make themselves scarce.) [91]
Compare the preceding entry.

Tẹ̀tẹ̀ kì í tẹ́.
Spinach is never disgraced.
(May one never know disgrace.) [92]

Tòlótòló mọ ẹni tó ńyìnbọn ìdí sí.
The turkey knows towards whom it farts.
(People must be careful how to choose the people they presume to approach with familiarity.)
Compare Ìka tó tọ́ símú là ńnà símú.

90. Òkolo is not a Yorùbá but an Ijọ name.  [Back to text]

91. The Yorùbá do not consider dogs to be preferred company.  [Back to text]

92. The play is on the syllable tẹ̀, which occurs in tẹ̀tẹ̀ (spinach) and tẹ́ (to be disgraced).  [Back to text]