Part 5: On consistency; honesty, openness, plain speaking, reliability

Sdot

Ṣìgìdì ò lẹ́nu fọhùn; irọ́ ńpurọ́ fúnrọ́.
The earthen idol has no mouth to speak; lies are lying to lies.
(One should not be fooled by people who, for example, offer to reveal one's future to one.) [27]

Ṣìgìdì tí ò sọ̀rọ̀, a ò mẹni tí ńgbè.
The earthen idol that does not speak, no one knows whose side it is on.
(If one is cagey, no one can ascribe any position to one.)

27. The proverb refers to the use of earthen idols as divination mediums.  [Back to text]