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A bímọ kò gbọ́n, a ní kó má ṣàá kú; kí ní ńpa ọmọ bí àìgbọ́n?
A child lacks wisdom, and some say that what is important is that the child does not die; what kills more surely than lack of wisdom?
(A foolish child is not much better than a dead child.)

A dẹ́bọ fún igúnnugún, ó ní òun kò rú; a dẹ́bọ fún àkàlà, ó ní òun kò rú; a dẹ́bọ fún ẹyẹlé, ẹyẹlé gbẹ́bọ, ó rúbọ.
A sacrifice was prescribed for the vulture, but it refused to sacrifice; a sacrifice was prescribed for the ground-hornbill, but it declined to sacrifice; a sacrifice was prescribed for the pigeon, and it gathered the prescribed materials and made the sacrifice.
(The vulture and the ground-hornbill are unfortunate in comparison with the pigeon, because they did not carry out the prescribed sacrifice.) [1]

A fọwọ́ mú ajá o lọ, a ṣẹ̀ṣẹ̀ ńfi ìka méjì pè é.
We grab a dog with the hands and it escapes; thereafter we beckon it with two fingers.
(If both hands cannot detain a dog, two fingers from a distance will not bring it to where it escaped from.)

A fún ọ lọ́bẹ̀ o tami si; o gbọ́n ju ọlọ́bẹ̀ lọ.
You are given some stew and you add water; you must be wiser than the cook.
(Adding water is a means of stretching stew. A person who thus stretches the stew he or she is given would seem to know better than the person who served it how much would suffice for the meal.)

A kì í bọ́ sínú omi tán ká máa sá fún òtútù.
One does not enter into the water and then run from the cold.
(Precautions are useful only before the event.)

A kì í dá aró nÍṣokùń àlà là ńlò.
One does not engage in a dyeing trade in Ìṣokùń people there wear only white.
(Wherever one might be, one should respect the manners and habits of the place.)

A kì í dá ẹrù ikùn pa orí.
One does not weigh the head down with a load that belongs to the belly.
(Responsibilities should rest where they belong.)

A kì í du orí olórí kí àwòdì gbé tẹni lọ.
One does not fight to save another person's head only to have a kite carry one's own away.
(One should not save other's at the cost of one's own safety.)

A kì í duni lóyè ká fọ̀nà ilé-e Baálẹ̀ hanni.
One does not compete with another for a chieftaincy title and also show the way to the king's house to the competitor.
(A person should be treated either as an adversary or as an ally, not as both.)

A kì í fá orí lẹ́hìn olórí.
One does not shave a head in the absence of the owner.
(One does not settle a matter in the absence of the person most concerned.)

A kì í fi àgbà sílẹ̀ sin àgbà.
One does not leave one elder sitting to walk another elder part of his way.
(One should not slight one person in order to humor another.)

A kì í fi àì-mọ̀-wẹ̀ mòòkùn.
One does not dive under water without knowing how to swim.
(Never engage in a project for which you lack the requisite skills.)

A kì í fi ara ẹni ṣe oògun alọ̀kúnná.
One does not use oneself as an ingredient in a medicine requiring that the ingredients be pulverized.
(Self-preservation is a compulsory project for all.)

A kì í fi aṣọ ṣèdìdí yọwó.
One does not leave cloth in a bundle while bargaining over it.
(It is wise to know what one is negotiating to buy.)

A kì í fi ejò sórí òrùlé sùn.
One does not go to bed while a snake is on the roof.
(Never let down your guard while danger still lurks.)
Compare A kì í fi iná . . .

A kì í fi ẹ̀jẹ̀ ìbálé pa tírà; alákoto ò bí abo ọmọ.
One does not smear blood (from a woman's deflowering) on a Muslim charm; a de-virgined woman does not give birth to a “female” child.
(One must not do the forbidden if one does not expect trouble.) [2]

A kì í fi ẹ̀tẹ̀ sílẹ̀ pa làpálàpá.
One does not ignore leprosy to treat a rash.
(More serious problems deserve more immediate attention.)

A kì í fi ẹran ikún gbọn ti àgbọ̀nrín nù.
One does not brush off antelope meat with squirrel meat.
(Never prefer something of little value to something of great value.)

A kì í fi idà pa ìgbín.
One does not use a sword to kill a snail.
(Remedies should be commensurate with the problem.)

Yoruba Proverbs

On consideration, kindness, and thoughtfulness