Proverbs in English, Pidgin and Igbo Language

Proverbs in English
1. Only a fool tests the depth of a river with both feet.
2. Knowledge is like a garden: If it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested.
3. If you offend, ask for a pardon; if offended, forgive.
4. Don’t set sail using someone else’s star.
5. The best way to eat an elephant in your path is cut him up into little pieces.
6. Restless feet may walk into a snake pit.
7. A chick that will grow into a cock can be spotted the very day it hatches.
8. It is easy to learn the future of person thanks to his character.
9. After a foolish deed comes remorse.
10. A man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness.
11. He who does not know one thing knows another.
12. Do not call the forest that shelters you a jungle.
13. When a king has good counselors, his reign is peaceful.
14. It takes a whole village to raise a child.
15. If a child washes his hands he could eat with kings.
16. The person, whose conscience is true, is surrounded by the best people.
17. Rain does not fall on one roof alone.
18. Life is like a shadow and a mist; it passes quickly by, and is no more.
19. Wherever a man goes to dwell, his character goes with him.
20. Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped.
21. A child’s fingers are not scalded by a piece of hot yam which his mother puts into his palm.
22. An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb.
23. By the time the fool has learned the game, the players have dispersed.
24. Even though the old man is strong and hearty, he will not live forever.
25. A person is a person because of other persons.
26. Two small antelopes can beat a big one.
27. What is bad luck for one man is good luck for another.
28. Fire and gunpowder do not sleep together.
29. Hunger is felt by a slave and hunger is felt by a king.
30. The lizard that jumped from the high Iroko tree to the ground said he would praise himself if no one else did”.
31. The mouth which eats does not talk.
32. He that digs up a grave for his enemy may be digging it for himself.
33. Money is sharper than a sword.
34. A proud heart can survive a general failure because such a failure does not prick its pride
35. As the dog said, if I fall down for you and you fall down for me, it is playing”.
36. If you are in hiding, don’t light a fire.
37. If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for something.
38. When the cock is drunk, he forgets about the hawk.
39. When the fool is told a proverb, its meaning has to be explained to him.
40. Only when you have crossed the river, can you say the crocodile has a lump on his snout.
41. Rain beats a leopard’s skin, but it does not wash out the spots.
42. Those whose palm-kernels were cracked for them by a benevolent spirit should not forget to be humble.
43. When you follow in the path of your father, you learn to walk like him”.
44. Wood already touched by fire is not hard to set alight”.
45. It is no shame at all to work for money.
46. It is the calm and silent water that drowns a man.
47. A wise man who knows proverbs, reconciles difficulties.
48. A bad name is like a stigma.
49. You can tell a ripe corn by its look.
50. You must judge a man by the work of his hands.
51. The moon moves slowly, but it crosses the town.
52. There is no medicine to cure hatred.
53. A bad child is who does not take advice.
54. One cannot both feast and become rich.
55. Looking at a king’s mouth one would never think he sucked his mother’s breast.
56. When the moon is shining the cripple becomes hungry for a walk.
57. One falsehood spoils a thousand truths.
58. By crawling a child learns to stand.
59. The wise create proverbs for fools to learn, not to repeat.
60. One who causes others misfortune also teaches them wisdom.
61. The surface of the water is beautiful, but it is no good to sleep on.
62. The man who refuses to obey cannot command.
63. Milk and honey have different colors, but they share the same house peacefully.
64. The one who loves an unsightly person is the one who makes him beautiful.
65. A fight between grasshoppers is a joy to the crow.
66. You do not teach the paths of the forest to an old gorilla.
67. Dogs do not actually prefer bones to meat; it is just that no one ever gives them meat.
68. Dine with a stranger but save your love for your family.
69. An army of sheep led by a lion can defeat an army of lions led by a sheep.
70. Instruction in youth is like engraving in stone.
71. Those who fear the sun will not become chief.
72. The old woman looks after the child to grow its teeth and the young one in turn looks after the old woman when she loses her teeth.
73. Those who are destined for power do not have to fight for it.
74. A large chair does not make a king.
75. You are beautiful, but learn to work, for you cannot eat your beauty.
76. Having beauty doesn’t mean understanding the perseverance of marriage.
77. Those who are leading and have no one following them are only taking a walk.
78. Money is not the medicine against death.
79. When two elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled.
80. A small house will hold a hundred friends.
81. Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.
82. If the cockroach wants to rule over the chicken, then it must hire the fox as a body-guard.
83. If there is character, ugliness becomes beauty; if there is none, beauty becomes ugliness.
84. There can be no peace without understanding.
85. A close friend can become a close enemy.
86. A single bracelet does not jingle.
87. Money can’t talk, yet it can make lies look true”.
88. When the crocodile smiles, be extra careful.
89. If you close your eyes to facts, you will learn through accidents.
90. When a needle falls into a deep well, many people will look into the well, but few will be ready to go down after it”.
91. Do not tell the man who is carrying you that he stinks.
92. It is better to be loved than feared.
93. Quarrels end, but words once spoken never die.
94. Pretend you are dead and you will see who really loves you.
95. Brothers love each other when they are equally rich.
96. Love never gets lost, it’s only kept.
97. Wisdom does not come overnight.
98. Marriage is like a groundnut; you have to crack it to see what is inside.
99. Patience can cook a stone.
100. A person who sells eggs should not start a fight in the market.
101. No matter how far an eagle flies up the sky, it will definitely come down to look for food.
102. Respect the fools to avoid noise.
103. The little opportunity given to a monkey to wear cloths does not guarantee it to join the dining table.
104. You cannot convince a monkey that honey is sweeter than banana.
105. Without fools there would be no wisdom.
106. However much the buttocks are in a hurry, they will always remain behind.
107. Before you go out with a widow, you must first ask her what killed the husband.
108. A child can play with its mother's breasts, but not its father's testicles.
109. There's no virgin in a maternity ward...
110. If A Man Wants To Grow A Long Tooth, He Should Have The Lip To Cover it.
111. An agama lizard in the village will always remain an agama in town.
112. When the mouse laughs at the cat, there is a hole nearby.
113. It requires a lot of carefulness to kill the fly that perches on the scrotum.
114. Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers.
115. Don’t mistake a short man for a boy.
116. No Matter How Hot Your Anger May Be, can never cook yam.
117. A goat’s frown cannot stop it from being taken to the market.
118. A monkey that eats grass instead of banana is a goat.
119. He who swallows a complete coconut have absolute trust in his anus.
120. The gentle strides of a tiger does not indicate cowardice.
121. The monkey who tries to see the hunter clearly collects bullets in its eyes.
122. The sparrow said that since the hunter has learnt how to shoot without missing, it has equally learnt to fly without perching.
123. Snails don't venture where horned animals gather.
124. If the sun claims superiority over the moon, let it shine at night.
125. A hen does not expect warning to hide it's chicks from the kite.
126. A wise fish should know that a beautiful earthworm that looks so easy to swallow, has a sharp hook attached to it.
127. The okro plant never grows taller than the owner.
128. The man who fetches firewood infested with insects, invites lizards into his house.
129. Since all lizards lie on their bellies, one can hardly tell which has stomach ache.
130. When the fool speaks, the wise man listens.

Proverbs in Pidgin
1. Man wey no wear cloth no dey put hand for pocket.
2. Chicken wey run way from borno go Ibadan go still end up inside pot of soup.
3. Today’s newspaper na tomorrow Suya wrap
4. Cow wey dey in a hurry to go America go come back as corn beef
5. Akara and moin moin get the same parent na wetin dey pass tru make dem different.
6. Wetin consign agbero with twitter handle, or malu with face cap?
7. If life dey show you pepper, my guy make pepper soup from am.
8. I get am before No be property
9. If person too tey for party e go follow dem wash plate.
10. Craze no hard to form ,na the trekking be wahala.
11. No matter how hot your tempa be, e no fit boil beans.
12. Every mallam with em own kettle, every aboki with em own radio.
13. You no need cutlery to chop slap.
14. Opolo eye no be open eye.
15. Leave matter for Mathias and Sabi for Sabinus.
16. Bring suya, bring suya,…….na cow body dey suffer am.
17. Escort me, Escort me, naim slave trade take start.
18. Na from play play dem dey form PLAYER
19. Na from clap, dance wey enter
20. Pikin wen use agbada take stat guy, go talk wetin e go wear wen e old.
21. The water wey dem use take make eba can never be recovered back.
22. Fly wey no get special adviser na im dey follow dead bodi enta grave
23. No matter how lizard dey do press up, e no go get chest like alligator
24. The cassava today fit be gari tomorrow
25. Jollof Rice wey dey for d bottom of pot 2day go dey for top of cooler 2moro
26. Fowl wey dey carry for head no dey know say to waka na work.
27. Person wey never find space for ground no suppose dey look for mat.
28. Person wey borrow cloth go party no dey dance too much
29. Who read na im serious, who pass na im know book
30. Weda nyansh face east or west, na still back e go dey
31. Fly wey land on top Butter, think say im be butterfly
32. man wey marry fine woman, and man wey plants corn for road get same problem
33. If goat like make e smile, him go still go market.
34. Rice wey dem chop remain giv u betta pass d rice wey never done
35. Tomato wey fresh pass for market na hin dey enter pot of soup
36. As rain dey fall from cloud reach ground person no fit use rain as ladder reach d clouds.
37. Na d amount of maggi and seasoning wey dey inside pot of boiling meat they determine how d aroma go be.
38. Man wey carry Ogbono soup pot for hand, and di man wey carry fufu for head, na who go find who go?
39. Na co-operation dey mak rice full for pot.
40. Na person wey poo and im no clean yash fly dey follow pass.
41. Na when rain stop naim person wey carry umbrella dey know say na load hin carry.


Proverb in Igbo Language

1. Ura ga-eju onye nwuru anwu afo. (A dead person shall have all the sleep necessary.)

2. Gidi gidi bụ ugwu eze. (Unity is strength).

3. Otu onye tuo izu, o gbue ochu. (Knowledge is never complete: two heads are better than one).

4. Ihe ehi hụrụ gbalaba oso ka okuku huru na-atụ onu (Fools rush in where angels fear to tread).

5. E lewe ukwu Egbue ewu. (A buxom waist that makes her man (husband) kill a goat for her when he looks at it).

6. Ebe onye dara ka chi ya kwaturu ya. (Where one falls is where his god pushed him down).

7. Ihe di woro ogori azuala na ahia. (What was secret is revealed in the market place).

8. Ewu nwuru n'oba ji abughi agu gburu ya. (A goat that dies in a barn was never killed by hunger).

9. A ma ka mmiri si were baa n'opi ugboguru? (Who knows how water entered into the stalk of the pumpkin?)

10. A chuo aja ma a hughi udele, a mara na ihe mere be ndimmuo. (If the vulture fails to hover at the end of a sacrifice, then you know that something happened in the land of spirits).

11. Si kele onye nti chiri; enu anughi, ala anu. (Salute the deaf; if the heavens don't hear, the earth will hear).

12. Nwunye awo si na di atoka uto, ya jiri nuta nke ya kworo ya n'azu. (The female toad said that husband is so sweet that when she got married, she carried her husband permanently on the back).

13. Ugo chara acha adi(ghi) echu echu. (A mature eagle feather will ever remain pure).

14. Onyeubiam adi(ghi) aza "Omeokachie." (An indigent does not take the title of "Omeokachie" (i.e. one who completes whatever he puts his hand to).

15. Eze mbe si na olu oha di mma, mana oriri oha na-aka ahu. (The tortoise said that many hands at work is enjoyable, but many mouths to feed can be embarrassing).

16. Eze mbe si na ihe ya ji-achiri ihe egwu ya aga njem bu maka ya ezu ndiegwu. (The tortoise said that it always travels with its musical instrument in case it meets other musicians).

17. Nwaanyi muta ite ofe mmiri mmiri, di ya amuta ipi utara aka were suru ofe. (If a woman decides to make the soup watery, the husband will learn to dent the Garri before dipping it into the soup).

18. O na-abu a si nwata wuba ahu, o saba afo ya. (Tell a child to wash his body, he washes his stomach).

19. Akwukwo juru n'ohia, ma a baa a choba okazi. (There are various leaves in the bush, but people go in to look for okazi leaves).

20. Agwo emeghi nke o jiri buru agwo, umuaka achiri ya hie nku. (If a snake fails to show its venom, little kids will use it in tying firewood).

21. Ukpala gbabara n'ikpo okuko na-ala ala mmuo. (The grasshopper that runs into the mist of fowls ends up in the land of spirits).

22. Onye a kporo apari, o na-ehi n'amanna ya, abughi apari. (A presumed fool who sleeps in his father's house is not a fool).

23. Ndi na-eje mposi abali na-ahu ukpana ndi mmuo. (Those who defecate at night see the ghost grasshopper).

24. Nwata bunie nna ya enu, akpaamu ya ayochie ya anya. (If a child lifts his father, his scrotum will blindfold him).

25. Onye hapu onu ya, uguru arachaa ya. (If one fails to lick his lips, the harmattan will do it).

26. Okuko si na ihe ya ji-ele anya n'enu ma ya na añu mmiri bu na ihe na-egbu si n'igwe abia. (The chicken says it looks up when drinking water because what kills it comes from the sky).

27. Ijiji na-enweghi onye ndumodu na-eso ozu ala n'inyi. (A fly that has no counselor follows the corpse to the grave).

28. "Nwunye anyi, nwunye anyi": ka ndeli bia ka anyi mara onye o bu nwunye ya. ("Our wife, our wife": come midnight and we will know whose wife she really is).

29. Ula towa uto, ekwowe ya ekwowe. (When sleep becomes enjoyable, we snore).

30. O bialu be onye abiagbuna ya, mgbe o ga-ala mkpumkpu apukwana ya n'azu. (May one's visitor not constitute a problem, so that on his departure he will not leave with a hunchback).

31. Nwa ovu na-eto, o di ka o ga-aka nne ya. (When the baby wren is growing, it looks like it would be bigger than its mother).

32. Okuko na-arogoro ite onu, chetekwe mma gburu ya. (The chicken frowns at the cooking pot, ignoring the knife that killed it).

33. Ihe ka-nte bata n'onu nte, nte etefu. (When something greater than the pigmy cricket enters its hole, it takes off).

34. Uzu na-amaghi akpu ogene lee egbe anya n'odu. (The blacksmith who does know how to forge a metal gong should look at the tail of a kite).

35. Oke oshimmiri anokataghi rie onye obula nke o na-ahughi ukwu ya anya. (The ocean never swallows a person with whose leg it does not come in contact).

36. Onye buru chi ya uzo, o gbagbue onwe ya n'oso. (He who walks before his godly guardian does the race of his life).

37. Okuko nyuo ahu, ana achuwa ya oso. (When the fowl farts, the ground becomes a nuisance).

38. Okwulu anaghi amiri ote ofe. (A master chef is not blessed with a good harvest of okra).

39. Mmiri riri enyi ka mbe huru na-awa ogodo: o ga-efe mmiri a efe ka o ga

-awu ya awu? (The tortoise gears up to besides a river that swallowed an elephant: is it going to fly over this river or just jump over?)

40. Ohia woro gi nku, sere gi onu. (The forest that denies you firewood has massaged your neck).

41. O bia mgbe Alio Ene gburu atu, ya biakwa ma atu zogbuo Alio Ene. (He who calls whenever Elder Ene kills a deer, let him call if the deer kicks the living daylight out of Elder Ene).

42. O bulu na i taa m aru n'ike, ma i zeghi nshi; mu taa gi aru n'isi, agaghi m ezere uvulu. (If you bite me on the butt, despite the danger of sinking your teeth into fecal matter, then if I bite you on the head, I will disregard the danger of sinking my teeth into cerebral matter).

43. Okuko mmanya na-egbu ahubegh i mmanwulu ara na-ayi. (A drunken fowl has not met a mad fox).

44. Nwaanyi anaghi-eji na nwunyedi ya kwere ya ekene nke oma kpowa ya

ogo. (A woman does not regard her sister-wife as sister-in-law just because she (her husband's other wife) accepted her greeting gracefully).

45. Onye si na ya anaghi ata anu nkita, ya arakwala mmiri ofe ya. (He who abhors dog meat should not eat dog-meat soup).

46. A tuoro omara, o mara, a tuoro ofeke, o fenye ishi n'ohia. (If you tell a wise one, he understands; tell a dunce, he runs into the bush).

47. Otu mkp ụr ụ akw ụ adịghị efu n’ọkụ. (The fewer things we have the more careful we are about them).

48. Ihere adịghị eme onye ara ka ọ na-eme ụmụ-nna ya. (Relations are concerned most with a person’s behavior).

49. Otu onye tụọ izu, o gbue ọchụ. (Knowledge is never complete: two heads are better than one).

50. Oge adịghị eche mmadụ. (Time and tide wait for nobody).

51. Kpo ahịhịa ka obere otu ụkpa. (A stitch in time saves nine).

52. Chọọ ewu ojii ka chi dị. (Make hay while the sun shines).

53. Eze mbe si na nsogbu bu nke ya, ya jiri kworo ya n’azu (One should try and shoulder one’s own burden).

54. Nwaanyi muta ite ofe mmiri mmiri, di ya amuta ipi utara aka were suru ofe. (one should learn to change tactics to suit a situation).

55. Onwu egbuchughi ji e jiri chu aja, e mesie o pue ome. (Things will eventually improve despite the present difficulties).

56. Eze mbe si na e jighi ehi kwa nne ya di na nso, mana a si ya wete na ya enweghi. (Emphasizing the importance of the necessity of an object even though one cannot afford it).

57. Eze mbe si na nsogbu bu nke ya, ya jiri kworo ya n'azu (One should try and shoulder one's own burden).

58. Eze mbe si na olu oha di mma, mana oriri oha na-aka ahu. (A warning that it is not easy to feed the multitude).

59. Eze mbe si na ihe ya ji-achiri ihe egwu ya aga njem bu maka ya ezu ndiegwu (Stressing a state of maintaining a state of preparedness).

60. Nwaanyi muta ite ofe mmiri mmiri, di ya amuta ipi utara aka were suru ofe. (One should learn to change tactics to suit a situation).

61. O na-abu a si nwata wuba ahu, o saba afo ya. (Tell a child to wash his body, he washes his stomach).

62. Agwo emeghi nke o jiri buru agwo, umuaka achiri ya hie nku. (If a snake fails to show its venom, little kids will use it in tying firewood).

63. Akwukwo juru n'ohia, ma a baa a choba okazi. (There are various leaves in the bush, but people go in to look for okazi leaves.)

64. Ekpere niile bere n'Amen. (All prayers end in Amen).

65. Onwu egbuchughi ji e jiri chu aja, e mesie o pue ome. (If the yam used in sacrifice does not die prematurely, it will eventually germinate).

66. O te aka o di njo, emesie o ga-adi mma. (Things will eventually improve despite the present difficulties).

67. Aka a na-ana dike bu itube ya (abuba) ugo. (Appropriate handshake for the valiant is to cap him with an eagle (feather).

68. Azu na-eloghi ibe ya adighi ebu. (A fish that does not swallow other fishes does not grow fat).

69. Isi kotara ebu ka ebu na-agba. (It is the head that disturbs the wasp that the wasp stings).

70. E tie dike n'ala, a nu uzu ya. (Knock a valiant man on the ground and the shouts will be tremendous).

71. O bu mmuo ndi na-efe na-egbu ha. (It is the deity that people worship that kills them).

72. O na-abu akota ihe ka ubi, e lee oba. (Whilst farming, if one encounters what is bigger than the farm, one sells the barn).

73. E gbuo dike n'ogu uno, e ruo n'ogu agu e lote ya. (Kill a warrior during skirmishes at home, you will remember him when fighting enemies).

74. Ewu nwuru n'oba ji abughi agu gburu ya. (A goat that dies in a barn was not killed by hunger).

75. A ma ka mmiri si were baa n'opi ugboguru? (Who knows how water entered into the stalk of the pumpkin?)

76. A chuo aja ma a hughi udele, a mara na ihe mere be ndimmuo. (If the vulture fails to hover at the end of a sacrifice, then you know that something happened in the land of spirits).

77. Si kele onye nti chiri; enu anughi, ala anu. (Salute the deaf; if the heavens don't hear, the earth will hear).

78. Nwunye awo si na di atoka uto, ya jiri nuta nke ya kworo ya n'azu. (The female toad said that husband is so sweet that when she got married, she carried her husband permanently on the back).

79. Ugo chara acha adi(ghi) echu echu (A mature eagle feather will ever remain pure).

80. Onyeubiam adi(ghi) aza "Omeokachie." (An indigent does not take the title of "Omeokachie")