Yoruba

13

story arcs

5,016

vocabulary entries

A1–C2

CEFR levels

Àárọ̀ ni àárọ̀ ìgbà Ọlọ́run jẹ mọ́; ẹni tí Ọlọ́run bá fẹ́ ran lọ, orun yóò tán

Aaro ni aaro igba Olorun je mo; eni ti Olorun ba fe ran lo, orun yoo tan

Literal: "Morning is the time of God's remembering; the one whom God wants to send, the sun will shine for them"

The morning is the moment of divine attention — God remembers those whom He intends to help, and the sun rises for them as a sign. The proverb counsels hope and trust in divine timing: even the darkest night gives way to a morning in which God's purposes are made clear.

— Yoruba proverb

Ènìyàn ni ènìyàn — ènìyàn ní ẹlẹgbẹ́ rẹ̀

Eniyan ni eniyan — eniyan ni elegbe re

Literal: "A person is a person — a person has their companion"

The Yoruba expression of the Ubuntu principle: personhood is inherently relational. To be human is to be in relation to other humans — the companion (ẹlẹgbẹ́) is not an optional addition to personhood but its constitutive element. The isolated individual is not fully human in the Yoruba understanding.

— Yoruba philosophical tradition

Ọ̀pẹ̀lẹ̀ tó bá fọ́ ni ọlọ̀run ń gbà sọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀

Literal: "divination-chain — that — breaks — it-is-God — takes — speaks — it"

When the divination chain breaks, it is God who speaks. When normal processes fail, deeper wisdom is revealed. Unexpected failure can be a form of divine communication.

— Ifa divination tradition; Yoruba philosophical proverb

Inú rere ló máa ń mú eni dára

Literal: "heart — good — it-is-that — makes — person — good"

It is a good heart that makes a person good. Character is determined by the quality of the inner life — the heart — not by outward appearance or social position.

— Yoruba oral tradition; Ifa philosophical tradition

Ẹni tó bá jẹun dára ni ó dára; tí àìjẹun bá ṣẹ, àìjẹun ni yóò ṣe rẹ̀

Eni to ba jeun dara ni o dara; ti aijeun ba se, aijeun ni yoo se re

Literal: "One who eats well is well; if fasting troubles you, fasting is what will trouble you"

You reap what you sow, in every domain. Care for yourself well and you will be well; neglect yourself and the neglect will show. The proverb generalizes beyond eating to all forms of self-care and attention: what you give to your own life is what you get from it.

— Yoruba proverb