50 IGBO PROVERBS AND IDIOMS
50 insightful proverbs from the indigenous igbo ethnic group native to the present-day southeastern part of Nigeria.
- Hapu ihe e dere na moto banye moto
Translation: Forget what is written on the vehicle’s body and enter the vehicle.
Meaning: Taking action is a priority over having details or previous knowledge.
- Onye m ga-egbuli m ga rio chineke ka o nyere m aka?
Translation: Regarding the person that I can defeat easily, do I still need to beg God for assistance?
Meaning: The battles that can be easily overcome do not require additional effort OR some things can be achieved faster even without external assistance.
- Ogbacha oso a gwuo mile
Translation: After the race, the miles or distance covered is calculated.
Meaning: Being reflective after a difficult task.
- Ogaracha must come back
Translation: He who wanders away must come back.
Meaning: You cannot totally shy away from your responsibilities.
- Ejii ro ututu amanjo afia
Translation: You can't judge that a market would be bad in the morning.
Meaning: Ones future can't be determined by a bad start.
- Nni bu ndu
Translation: Food is life.
Meaning: An empty stomach can lead to early grave.
- Ha na-asi na oku gbara Father I na-aju ma o gbakwara ma afuonu ya
Translation: It being rumored that a Reverend Father got burnt and you are there asking if his beards also got burnt.
Meaning: Talking about the important and you are there talking something stupid or of less importance OR why ask a silly question when you know the obvious.
- Ka ana achu aja, ka ikpe n' amah ndi mmuo.
Translation: let's keep sacrificing, let the gods take the blame.
Meaning: Do you part to avoid the blame
- Egwu adiro atu afo, oburu uzo
Translation: Fear does not affect the stomach, that’s why it is always in front.
Meaning-Irrespective of the risk involved, an attempt must be made.
- Okro anaghi eto kari onye kuru ya
Translation: The okro cannot grow taller than the planter.
Meaning: No matter how elevated you get in life, you can't surpass the hand that groomed you.
- Gini ozo ka a na cho na siga ma obughi anwuru-oku?
Translation: What else is expected of cigarette if not smoke?
Meaning: Purpose are always defined / there is a reason for everything.
- Mmanu akara di uto; Onye ratu, ibe ya a ratu
Translation: Bean cake oil is sweet; one who tastes should allow others have a taste.
Meaning: Be good to the people on your way up the ladder.
- O ji ngaji eri chetakwa ndi ji aka
Translation: He who eats with spoon should remember those who uses hand to eat.
Meaning: While enjoying yourself, always have the destitute at heart.
- I tiela aka na tipa bu aja
Translation: You have placed you hand on tipper with load of sand.
Meaning: You are in a big mess/trouble.
- Ogologo abughi na nwa m e tola
Translation: Tallness is not a yardstick to define maturity.
Meaning: Maturity in Life is not determined by the physical appearance (athletic build) of an individual.
- Ara ga gba ndi ara
Translation: Lunatics shall soon run mad.
Meaning: Unbelievable/surprising things will happen.
- Ukwu na ga wara; anya na ga wara na hu ya
Translation: A leg moving in a shady motion; an eye also moving in a shady motion will sees it.
Meaning: You can't outsmart everyone.
- "I no ebe ina awakwu ogodo ndi n'agba mgba wee gbaachaa mgba ma lawa."
Translation: You kept tying and adjusting your wrestling wrapper (or gear) till other wrestlers finished wrestling and left.
Meaning: You took too long contemplating and preparing till it was needless †σ take action.
- Ewere otutu cho ewu ojiio tupu abali aru
Translation: look for a black goat during the day before the night comes.
Meaning: Make your decision as quick as possible to avoid setbacks.
- Uto mmii wu ete bele
Translation: The sweetness of wine is more when you dance
Meaning: Wine is best enjoyed while dancing
- Ichekiriche nwe eze elu nkwu,nwa mbgada nwe uzo ohia
Translation: While yellow ant is the king of Palm trees, Antelope is the king of the forest.
Meaning: Everybody has a weakness/strength.
- Alila mara nma mana Okuko erighi ya
Translation: White ant is beautiful but can't be eaten by a hen.
Meaning: All that glitters isn’t gold.
- A kwokwala beans akwo?
Translation: Rhetorical- Have beans been grinded yet?
Meaning: I have not yet started.
- ogologo okwu adiro n'uka ngbede
Translation: long sermons are not needed in evening services.
Meaning: Stop beating around the bush and go straight to the point.
- Odili nwa ologbo mma olaba tea.
Translation: When a cat hits a fortune he start drinking tea.
Meaning: When a person makes an unexpected amount of success they do strange things.
- Eze mbe si na e jighi ehi kwa nne ya di na nso, mana a si ya wete na ya enweghi.
Translation: The tortoise said it is an abomination not to conduct his mother's funeral with a cow, but if asked to produce one he couldn't afford it.
Meaning: Emphasizing the importance of the necessity of an object even though one cannot afford it.
- Eze mbe si na nsogbu bu nke ya, ya jiri kworo ya n'azu
Translation: The tortoise said that trouble is its own; that's why it carries trouble on its back.
Meaning: One should try and shoulder one's own burden
- Eze mbe si na olu oha di mma, mana oriri oha na-aka ahu.
Translation: The tortoise said that many hands at work is enjoyable, but many mouths to feed can be embarrassing.
Meaning: A warning that it is not easy to feed the multitude.
- Eze mbe si na ihe ya ji-achiri ihe egwu ya aga njem bu maka ya ezu ndiegwu
Translation: The tortoise said that it always travels with its musical instrument in case it meets other musicians.
Meaning: Stressing a state of maintaining a state of preparedness.
- Nwaanyi muta ite ofe mmiri mmiri, di ya amuta ipi utara aka were suru ofe.
Translation: If a woman decides to make the soup watery, the husband will learn to dent the foofoo before dipping it into the soup.
Meaning: One should learn to change tactics to suit a situation.
- O na-abu a si nwata wuba ahu, o saba afo ya.
Translation: Tell a child to wash his body, he washes his stomach.
Meaning: This is a sign of immaturity.
- Agwo emeghi nke o jiri buru agwo, umuaka achiri ya hie nku.
Translation: If a snake fails to show its venom, little kids will use it in tying firewood.
Meaning: There are times when one defends ones capability.
- Akwukwo juru n'ohia, ma a baa a choba okazi.
Translation:There are various leaves in the forest, but people go in to look for okazi leaves.
Meaning: Many are called but few are chosen.
- Ekpere niile bere n'Amen.
Translation: All prayers end in Amen.
Meaning: The essence of true religion is righteousness.
- .Onwu egbuchughi ji e jiri chu aja, e mesie o pue ome.
Translation: If the yam used in sacrifice does not die prematurely, it will eventually germinate.
Meaning: Things will eventually improve despite the present difficulties.
- Aka a na-ana dike bu itube ya (abuba) ugo.
Translation: Appropriate handshake for the valiant is to cap him with an eagle (feather).
Meaning: Noble deeds should be appreciated.
- Azu na-eloghi ibe ya adighi ebu.
Translation: A fish that does not swallow other fishes does not grow fat.
Meaning: There are occasions where one acts without qualms.
- Isi kotara ebu ka ebu na-agba.
Translation: It is the head that disturbs the wasp that the wasp stings.
Meaning: Used in warning trouble makers about serious consequences.
- E tie dike n'ala, a nu uzu ya.
Translation: Knock a valiant man on the ground and the shouts will be tremendous.
Meaning: The downfall of a famous man attracts public attention.
- O bu mmuo ndi na-efe na-egbu ha.
Translation: It is the deity that people worship that kills them.
Meaning: A reference to the efficacy of people's belief.
- O na-abu akota ihe ka ubi, e lee oba.
Translation: Whilst farming, if one encounters what is bigger than the farm, one sells the barn.
Meaning: One who incurs what is beyond one's ability may sell all one has.
- E gbuo dike n'ogu uno, e ruo n'ogu agu e lote ya.
Translation: Kill a warrior during skirmishes at home, you will remember him when fighting enemies.
Meaning: Don't destroy your leaders.
- Ewu nwuru n'oba ji abughi agu gburu ya.
Translation: A goat that dies in a barn was not killed by hunger.
Meaning: He has the means but his undoing is laziness.
- A ma ka mmiri si were baa n'opi ugboguru?
Translation: Who knows how water entered into the stalk of the pumpkin?
Meaning: Who can explain this puzzle.
- A chuo aja ma a hughi udele, a mara na ihe mere be ndimmuo.
Translation: If the vulture fails to hover at the end of a sacrifice, then you know that something happened in the land of spirits.
Meaning: The regulars must be around otherwise something is amiss.
- Si kele onye nti chiri; enu anughi, ala anu.
Translation: Salute the deaf; if the heavens don't hear, the earth will hear.
Meaning: Let us do the right thing, there are those who will understand.
- Nwunye awo si na di atoka uto, ya jiri nuta nke ya kworo ya n'azu.
Translation: The female toad said that husband is so sweet that when she got married, she carried her husband permanently on the back.
Meaning: A humorous proverb used in cajoling women into loving their husbands.
- Ugo chara acha adighi echu echu
Translation: A mature eagle feather will ever remain pure.
Meaning: One well trained will stand the test of time.
- Ihere adịghị eme onye ara ka ọ na-eme ụmụ-nna ya
Translation: A mad person is not as ashamed as his relatives.
Meaning: People who know values appreciate those most. Relations are concerned most with a person's behavior.
- Otu onye tụọ izu, o gbue ọchụ
Translation: If one man takes decision, he commits murder.
Meaning: Knowledge is never complete: two heads are better than one.
Loving this translations, proudly Igbo