Part 6: On consideration, kindness, and thoughtfulness

K

Kí á ṣá a ṣá a, kí á gbọ̀n ọ́n gbọ̀n ọ́n; ká fi oko eéran sílẹ̀ ló dá eéran lára.
One may slash at it and slash at it, and one may shake the sand from its roots for ever, but nothing affects the eéran grass like being abandoned.
(The best treatment for a recalcitrant person is to shun him/her.)

“Kiní yìí ò pọ̀; ng ò lè fún ọ níbẹ̀”: olúwarẹ̀ ahun ni.
“This thing is not plentiful; I cannot give you some of it”: the person is a miser.
(However little one has one should be willing to spare some for others.)
Compare the following entry.

“Kiní yìí tí o fún mi ò pọ̀”: ahun ní ńjẹ́ bẹ́ẹ̀.
“This thing that you have given me is not plentiful”: that statement indicates a greedy person.
(One should not be too demanding of one's benefactors.)
Compare the previous entry.

Kò mú ti ọwọ́ ẹ̀ wá ò gba tọwọ́ ẹni.
He-will-not-bring-what-he-has will not have what one has.
(A person who will not share what he/she has will not have a share of others' possessions either.)

Kò sí kò sí; bẹ́ẹ̀ni ọmọ wọn ńyó.
“We have nothing, we have nothing!” Yet their children always have full stomachs.
(Said of people who are too tight-fisted to help others.)

Kò tó ǹkan ní ńsọni dahun.
“There is not much of it” is what turns one into a miser.
(Only a miser does not have enough to share with others.)