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

Gb

“Take this and eat it” does not become an elder.

“Save me, save me!” does not become an elder; an elder should not do something that will make him the object of pursuit.

“Save me, save me!” does not befit a masquerader; “An animal is chasing me!” does not befit a hunter.

“Accept imputation of imbecility,” “I will accept no imputation of imbecility” is the explanation for market noise.

Everybody laments Banjọ's fate, but Banjọ does not lament his own fate.

Everybody is taking the title Máyẹ̀lóyè (May-you-never-lose-the-title), but the title you receive is Sáré-pẹgbẹ́ (Run-and-assemble-the-associations' members; in other words, Courier or Messenger).

The busybody is privy to all matters.

There is no cause for staggering about, except for the person pushing himself/herself.

51. Eégún, masqueraders supposed to be the incarnations of dead ancestors, are themselves objects of terror. Fright does not become them.  [Back to text]

52. The expression “Gba wèrè,” translated as “Accept imbecility,” means “acquiesce in being treated like an imbecile.” The back-and-forth haggling during market transactions is here seen as each bargainer proposing terms to the interlocutor, who would be an imbecile to accept them.  [Back to text]