Ilu

Igbo:
é gbúó ánụ mà á hụghī ùdèlè, ì márá nà óké íhē mèrè bé ńdí mmụọ

English:

WHEN AN ANIMAL IS SLAUGHTERED AND NO VULTURE ATTENDS THE SCENE,THEN YOU KNOW THAT SOMETHING IS SERIOUSLY AMISS IN THE LAND OF THE SPIRITS.USED WHEN SOMEONE IS CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT FROM THEIR USUAL EVENTS.

Igbo:
égbé bèré ùgò bèré, nké sīrī ībè yá ébèlà, nkù kwàjíé yā.

English:

MAY THE HAWK PERCH; MAY THE EAGLE PERCH TOO. WHICHEVER WOULD OBSTRUCT THE OTHER,MAY THEY LOSE THEIR WINGS. A CALL FOR MORE TOLERANCE IN SOCIETY.

Igbo:
àkụ fécháá, ọ dàárá áwọ.

English:

THE WINGED TERMITES MAY FLY AS HIGH AS THEY WISH, BUT THEY WILL DESCEND IN THE END (TO PROVIDE A MEAL) FOR THE TOADS.YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE. ALSO: 'WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN'.

Igbo:
éwú ndā tàrà ókwùrú ñdā. (folk tale) -

English:

THE ANT'S GOAT ATE THE ANT'S OKRA.WHEN THE CULPRIT OF A CRIME BELONGS TO THE VICTIM OF HIS CRIME, THERE IS USUALLY NO RECOMPENSE FOR SUCH AN OFFENCE.

Igbo:
è jíghì áká ékpùchí áfọ ímē.

English:

NO ONE SHIELDS A PREGNANCY WITH THEIR BARE HAND....(NOTHING IS HIDDEN UNDER THE SUN).

Igbo:
áfọ tụtá ímē, ótùbò àgbáá àmà.

English:

WHEN THE BELLY CONCEIVES, THE NAVEL WILL TELL THE TALE. NOTHING REMAINS A SECRET FOREVER. &NBSP;

Igbo:
éhi ênwēghi ọdụ bụ chí yā nà-àchụrụ yā ijiji.

English:

GOD DRIVES AWAY FLIES FROM A TAILESS COW. PROVIDENCE DEFENDS THE DEFENCELESS.

Igbo:
á ráchácháá únèrè túnyé ộgbügbọ yá nà mírī, ọ mécháá à séé élū.

English:

YOU MAY THROW A BANANA SKIN IN THE STREAM, BUT IT WILL EVENTUALLY RESURFACE AND FLOAT. A REFERENCE TO A PERSON'S RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY.

Igbo:
á ná-ègbú àchàrà, àchàrà àná-ètóchí.

English:

AS BAMBOOS ARE CU DOWN,MANY MORE BAMBOO SHOOTS GROW IN THEIR PLACE. SAME MEANING AS ABOVE.

Igbo:
á gbárụcháá ngèlè, kàrụcháá ngèlè, è kúrú yā nụộ.

English:

YOU MAY DESPOIL AND DISPARAGE A STREAM TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT, BUT YOU WILL COME ROUND TO DRINK OF IT. BE CAREFUL IN YOUR CONDEMNATION OF OTHER PEOPLE, AS YOU MAY ONE DAY NEED THEIR FAVOUR.

Igbo:
ògòrì lụọ dí àbụọ, ọ márá nké kā mmā.

English:

WHEN A WOMAN HAS BEEN MARRIED TWICE, SHE CAN TELL WHICH MAN WAS A BETTER HUSBAND.EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER.

Igbo:
ónyé bụọ mīrī, bụọ mánụ, ò márá nké kā ārọ.

English:

HE WHO HAS CARRIED WATER AND OIL CAN TELL WHICH IS HEAVIER. EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER.

Igbo:
Ńkịtā sịrị sị tụpụrụ yā ọkpụkpụ n'èzí, kà ọgụ bụrụ nkè yá nà ńdí mmụộ.

English:

A DOG SAID YOU SHOULD THROW OUT A BONE FOR HIM, AND LET HIM WORRY ABOUT ANY POSSIBLE FIGHTS WITH THE DEVILS OUT THERE IN THE DARK! GIVE ME FIRST A FIGHTING CHANCE AND LET THE FAULT BE MINE IF I FAILED TO USE IT.

Igbo:
Ńkịtā sịrị ònyé ájàlà yà íké ọsọ, n'íhì nà yá ánāghị àgbá ọsọ āwàkwáọgọdọ.

English:

A DOG SAID NO ONE SHOULD PRAISE HIM FOR HIS SPRINTING ABILITY AS HE NEVER HAS TO ADJUST ANY LOIN CLOTHS WHILE ON A RACE. AN EXPRESSION OF GENUINE HUMILITY.

Igbo:
Ọ nà-àbụ ọ díírí ōkē ụlọ mmá, ọ kpókùó ụmụńnà yá.

English:

WHEN A HOUSE RAT ENCOUNTERS A PIECE OF GOOD FORTUNE, IT BECKONS ON ITS KINSMEN. IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO SHARE OUR BLESSINGS WHEN WE ARE IN A POSITION TO DO SO.

Igbo:
Ịhérē mègbúó nwánné ōnyē ìsì nké jērē īvọ ńrí vọrọ àlà.

English:

SHAME ONTO HIM WHO COULD NOT GUIDE HIS BLIND BROTHER AS HE MISSED THE FOOD SET BEFORE HIM AND PICKED THE FLOOR INSTEAD. AN INDICTMENT OF ANYONE PRIVILEGED TO SHOW OTHERS THE WAY BUT CHOSE NOT TO OUT OF SELFISHNESS.

Igbo:
òfú ńnē nà-àmụ, mànà òfú chī ānaghị ekè.

English:

ONE MOTHER MAY GIVE BIRTH TO ALL DIFFERENT CHILDREN, BUT EACH IS CREATED BY A DIFFERENT GOD...(REGARDLESS OF OUR PARENTAGE, WE ALL COME INTO THE WORLD WITH OUR DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES AND PERSONALITIES, HENCE WE BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY).

Igbo:
ónyé nwáńnē yā amaghị àgbá égwū n'āmā nà-àkọ ọkọ ìkù ányā.

English:

ONE WHOSE RELATIVE PERFORMS SO BADLY AT THE DANCE ARENA SCRATCHES HIS EYEBROWS. WE SHARE IN THE EMBARASSMENT WHEN A CLOSE ASSOCIATE MAKES THEMSELVES THE OBJECT OF PUBLIC RIDICULE.

Igbo:
é jì èhíhiè àchọ éwú ójii.

English:

IT IS ALWAYS BEST TO LOOK FOR THE BLACK GOAT WHILE IT IS STILL DAY TIME (AS IT WOULD BE HARD TO FIND IN THE DARK WHEN NIGHT FALLS). A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE. &NBSP;

Igbo:
Ọ nà-àdị mmā kà á kwọọ mmīrī mgbè ọ kà nọ n'óbờ ọkpà.

English:

IT IS ALWAYS BEST TO BALE THE FLOOD WHEN IT IS STILL AT THE SOLE OF THE FEET. AS ABOVE.

Igbo:
Ọ bụ ónyé nộdèbèrè ézè nà-ànụ lsì ọnụ yā.

English:

ONLY THE PERSON THAT SITS CLOSEST TO A MONARCH PERCEIVES THEIR MOUTH ODOUR. (FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT).

Igbo:
é gbúó ánụ mà á hụghī ùdèlè, ì márá nà óké íhē mèrè bé ńdí mmụọ