Part 3: On cageyness, caution, moderation, patience, and prudence

D

Dàda ò leè jà, ṣùgbọ́n ó lábùúrò tó gbójú.
Dada cannot fight, but he has a brave younger brother.
(One may not be able to do much, but one has relatives to take one's cause.)

Dágun-dágun Kaletu tí ńdá ìbejì lápá.
Troublemaker of Kaletu, who breaks the arms of a twin.
(A person who provokes someone with powerful champions is a trouble maker.)

Dá-mìíràn-kún-mìíràn tí ńpa àpatà ẹyẹlé.
One-who-commits-crimes-atop-crimes: he butchers pigeons for sale.
(The person referred to is a hardened criminal who piles crimes on crimes.) [25]

Dàńdógó kọjá ẹ̀wù àbínúdá; bí a bá ko ẹni tó juni lọ, a yàgò fún un.
Dàńdógó [26] is not something to make in a huff; if one meets a person who is too much for one, one makes way.
(One should know one's limits.)

Dá-ǹkan-dá-ǹkan, tí kì í dáṣọ̀, tí kì í dẹ́wù.
Originator-of-problems: he not make a cloth and does not make a dress.
(What a troublemaker brings is trouble, never anything useful.)

25. Killing a pigeon is bad enough; cutting it up for sale worsens the crime.  [Back to text]

26. An expensive and elaborate traditional garment.  [Back to text]