Throwback Times present top Igbo proverbs with their respective English translations. Proverbs are complex experiences summarised in a few words to capture their vital meaning.
Undoubtedly, proverbs are also words of wisdom of a people. The Igbo is a meta-ethnicity native to the South-Eastern and present-day South-Central Nigeria, Haiti and even Equatorial Guinea. The Igbo language has several dialects. As you become more acquainted with them, you will appreciate the culture and lifestyle of the Igbo people.
For any proverb, it is essential to know the appropriate event and time to use them in order to communicate the right message and hit the nail on the head.
Below are some popular Igbo proverbs and their literal meanings/translations:
1. Gidi gidi bụ ugwu eze. - Unity is strength
2. Otu onye tuo izu, o gbue ochu - Knowledge is never complete: two heads are better than one.
3. Oge adighi eche mmadu - Time and tide wait for nobody.
4. Ihe di woro ogori azuala na ahia. - What was secret is revealed in the market place.
5. Onye gburu dibia na agworo ya ogwu, ndi ga enye ya nsi ogwula? - He who killed his defender should know that his enemies are still alive
6. 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
6. Ihere adịghị eme onye ara ka ọ na-eme ụmụ-nna ya. - Relations are concerned most with a person’s behavior.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. "Nwunye anyi, nwunye anyi": ka ndeli bia ka anyi mara onye o bu nwunye ya. English meaning - "Our wife, our wife": come midnight and we will know whose wife she really is.
10. Ndi na-eje mposi abali na-ahu ukpana ndi mmuo. - Those who defecate at night see the ghost grasshopper.
11. 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.
12. Si kele onye nti chiri; enu anughi, ala anu. - Salute the deaf; if the heavens don't hear, the earth will hear.
13. Onwu egbuchughi ji e jiri chu aja, e mesie o pue ome. -Things will eventually improve despite the present difficulties.
14. Ura ga-eju onye nwuru anwu afo. - A dead person shall have all the sleep necessary.
15. Ijiji na-enweghi onye ndumodu na-eso ozu ala n'inyi. - A fly that has no counselor follows the corpse to the grave.
16. Chọọ ewu ojii ka chi dị - Make hay while the sun shines
17. Ihe ehi hụrụ gbalaba oso ka okuku huru na-atụ onu - Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
18. Oge adighi eche mmadu - Time and tide wait for nobody.
19. E lewe ukwu Egbue ewu. - A buxom waist that makes her man (husband) kill a goat for her when he looks at it.
20. Ebe onye dara ka chi ya kwaturu ya. - Where one falls is where his god pushed him down.
21. Ihe di woro ogori azuala na ahia. - What was secret is revealed in the market place.
22. Ewu nwuru n'oba ji abughi agu gburu ya. - A goat that dies in a barn was never killed by hunger.
23. A ma ka mmiri si were baa n'opi
ugboguru? - Who knows how water entered into the stalk of the pumpkin?
24. 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.
25. Si kele onye nti chiri; enu anughi, ala
anu - Salute the deaf; if the heavens don't hear, the earth will hear.
26. 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.
27. Ugo chara acha adi(ghi) echu echu - A mature eagle feather will ever remain pure.
28. 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)
29. 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.
30. 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.
31. O na-abu a si nwata wuba ahu, o saba
afo ya. - Tell a child to wash his body, he washes his stomach.
32. 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.
33. 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.
34. 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.
35. 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.
36. Ndi na-eje mposi abali na-ahu ukpana
ndi mmuo. - Those who defecate at night see the ghost grasshopper.
37. Nwata bunie nna ya enu, akpaamu ya
ayochie ya anya. - If a child lifts his father, his scrotum will blindfold him.
38. Onye hapu onu ya, uguru arachaa ya. - If one fails to lick his lips, the harmattan will do it.
39. 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.
40. "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.
41. Ula towa uto, ekwowe ya ekwowe.- When sleep becomes enjoyable, we snore.
42. 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.
43. 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.
44. Okuko na-arogoro ite onu, chetekwe
mma gburu ya. - The chicken frowns at the cooking pot, ignoring the knife that killed it.
45. Ihe ka-nte bata n'onu nte, nte etefu. - When something greater than the pigmy cricket enters its hole, it takes off.
46. 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.
47. 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.
48. Onye buru chi ya uzo, o gbagbue onwe
ya n'oso.- He who walks before his godly guardian does the race of his life.
49. Okuko nyuo ahu, ana achuwa ya oso. - When the fowl farts, the ground becomes a nuisance.
50. Okwulu anaghi amiri ote ofe. - A master chef is not blessed with a good harvest of okra.
51. 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?
52. Ohia woro gi nku, sere gi onu. - The forest that denies you firewood has massaged your neck.
53. 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.
54. 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.
55. Okuko mmanya na-egbu ahubegh
i mmanwulu ara na-ayi.- A drunken fowl has not met a mad fox.
56. 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.
54. Onye si na ya anaghi ata anu nkita, ya
arakwala mmiri ofe ya. - He who abhors dog meat should not eat dog-meat soup.
55. 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.
56. Ihe nile na-amuke amuke abughi olaedo - All that glitters is not goId.
57. Emee ngwangwa emeghara odachi - A stitch in time saves nine
58. Aka nri kwoo aka ekpe, aka ekpe akwoo aka nri - One good turn deserves another.
59. Ukwa ruo oge ya odaa- There is time for everything
60. Si kele onye nti chiri; enu anughi, ala anu- Salute the deaf, if the heavens don’t hear, the earth will hear.
61. Onye ndidi n’eri azu ukpoo- He who laughs last laughs best
62. Oji nwayoo anaghi emeru ahu - Slow and steady wins the race
63. Nwata bulie nna ya elu, ogodo awuchie ya anya- Every choice has a consequence
64. Ihe agwo muru aghaghi idi ogologo - An Apple never falls far from the tree
65. Aka aja aja na-ebute onu mmanu mmanu- When you work hard, you enjoy life
66. Eze puo, eze anochie - When a King leaves, another takes his place
67. Isi kote ebu o gbaa ya - He who sows the wind reaps the whirlwind
68. Onye kwe chi ya ekwe - Where there is a will there is always a way
69. Aka oru mmadu ka eji ama ya - A craftsman is known by his tools
70. I chiri aka iri wunye n’onu - Jack of all trades, master of none
71. Onye n’ egwu egwu nwa okuko n’ete akpala ya - He that plays dirty should get ready to be soiled
72. A ma ka mmiri si were baa n’opi ugboguru - Who knows how water entered into the stalk of the pumpkin?
73. Ihe onye metara o buru - what you sow is what you reap
74. Ihe aki ilu n’ada na nti abughi ihe o na ato n’onu - The sound of a food does not determine it’s sweetness
75. Ihe o bula nwere mbido nwere nkwusi - Every beginning has an end
76. Abuo di mma karia otu -Two heads are better
77. Oge a naghi eche mmadu -Time and tide waits for nobody
78. Ihe e zutere n’ohi na-ala n’ohi- Whatever one obtains by crooked means leaves ones (his/her) possession by crooked means
79. Anu bu uzo na-anu mmiri oma - The early bird catches the worm
80. Ijiji na-enweghi onye ndumodu na-eso ozu ala n’inyi- A fly that has no counselor follows the corpse to the grave.
81. Anaghi enye oke azu ka odebe -Do not set the fox to mind the geese
82. O gbara uru a gbaghi Oghom - Grasp all, loose all
81. Ihe ojoo na-eso n’ ahiri - Bad things come in rows
82. Anaghi ama onye amuma n’ala be nna ya - A great man is not recognised amongst his own kin
83. A naghi ekpuchi afo ime aka - Nothing is hidden under the sun
84. Uwa na-eme ntughari - No condition is permanent.
85. Otu mkpisi aka ruta mmanu o ezuo ora - One bad apple spoils the whole branch.
86. Onye si na ya anaghi ata anu nkita, ya erikwala mmiri ofe ya - He who abhors dog meat should not eat dog-meat soup.
87. Añyukoo amiri onu, ya gbaa ofufu: Unity is strength.
88. Eze mbe si na nsogbu bu nke ya, ya jiri kworo ya n'azu - The tortoise said that trouble is its own; that's why it carries trouble on its back
Exp: One should try and shoulder one's own burden
89. Aji Karia Ikpu, Akpuo ya nike - tough situation requires tough measures
90. O na-abu a si nwata wuba ahu, o saba afo ya. - Tell a child to wash his body, he washes his stomach.
Exp: This is a sign of immaturity.
91. Nku di na mba, na eghere mba nri - People should always be contented with what they have
92. 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.
Exp: Things will eventually improve despite the present difficulties.
93. Azu na-eloghi ibe ya adighi ebu. - A fish that does not swallow other fishes does not grow bigger.
Exp: There are occasions where one acts without qualms.
94. Isi kotara ebu ka ebu na-agba. - It is the head that disturbs the wasp that the wasp stings.
Exp: Used in warning trouble makers about serious consequences.
95. E tie dike n'ala, a nu uzu ya. - Knock a valiant man to the ground and the shouts will be tremendous.
Exp: The downfall of a famous man attracts public attention.
96. O bu mmuo ndi na-efe na-egbu ha. - It is the deity that people worship that kills them.
Exp: A reference to the efficacy of people's belief.
97. 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.
Exp: One who incurs what is beyond one's ability may have to look for a solution from a source of greater capability than himself. (or, there are things we encounter in life that overwhelm our ability to handle them)
98. 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.
Exp: Don't destroy your leaders.
99. Ewu nwuru n'oba ji abughi agu gburu ya. -A goat that dies in a barn was not killed by hunger.
Exp: He has the means but his undoing is laziness.
100. A ma ka mmiri si were baa n'opi ugboguru?- Who knows how water entered into the stalk of the pumpkin?
Exp: Who can explain this puzzle?
101. A chuo aja ma a hughi udele, a mara na ihe mere be ndi mmuo.- If the vulture fails to hover at the end of a sacrifice, then you know that something happened in the land of spirits.
Exp: The regulars must be around otherwise something is amiss.
102. Si kele onye nti chiri; enu anughi, ala anu.- Salute the deaf; if the heavens don't hear, the earth will hear.
Exp: Let us do the correct thing, there are those who will understand.
103. 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.
Exp: A humorous proverb used in cajoling women into loving their husbands.
104. Ugo chara acha adighi echu echu. - A mature eagle feather will ever remain pure.
Exp: One well trained will stand the test of time.
105. Anaghi a no n'otu ebe e kili mmonwu- You don't have to stand in only one place, watching a masquerade.
Exp: There are multiple options one can employ to accomplish an objective.
106. Ihe di be evu di be añu -
What is in the hornet's nest is in the bee's hive.
107· Akpataghi aku na-akpata ntukwuba onu. -Destitution breeds disdain.
108· Udene na egbe anaghi azo nri: udene na-eri ozu; egbe na-ebu na nkike.- The vulture and the kite do not scramble for food: the vulture is a scavenger; the kite, a predator.
109· Kama mmanya ga-esere ogo na ogo okwu, ya waa n'uzo. -Instead a pot of wine will breed animosity among in-laws, let it break on the way.
110· Onye riri osisi oji kpaa ya nku ka o nwere ike: anaghi ari enu oke oji kwa daa.
- While on top of iroko tree, gather all the firewood you can: it is not every day that one scales the great iroko.
112· Anaghi eje akwa onye kwulu udo- No one attends the funeral of one that commits suicide
113· Atulu na-acho ipu mpi jee jua ebune ka ekwo di ya.- A sheep that will grow horns should ask the ram how its neck feels.
114· Anaghi eji na aguu na-agu noo ukwara.- No one swallows phlegm to appease the pangs of hunger
115· Akpara akwu bu akpara-akwu; ibulu ishi akwu bu ohi.- To extract a palm nut is exactly that --to extract a palm nut; to take the entire head of palm nut is stealing
116· Ishi kote evu: evu agbaa ya.
- It is the head that disturbs the hornet's nest that pays.
117· Ekwughiekwu mere onu; anughianu mere nti.- Unspoken, blame the mouth; unheard, blame the ear.
118· Obu onye ga-aka nwaanyi ajo mmuo gburu nwa mara maka amuosu.- Who will know better the evils of witchcraft than the woman who lost a child to evil spirits.
119· Onye vu ozu enyi anaghi eji ukwu akpa mpuzu.- He who carries the carcass of an elephant does not search for crickets with his legs.
120· Onye ite abughi onye ahia. -A clay-pot retailer is not really in business.
121· Okuko na-aboputa mma na-egbu ya.-
The fowl digs out the blade that kills it.
122· 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.
123· Onye hapu onu ya, uguru arachaa ya.-
If one fails to lick his lips, the harmattan will do it.
124· 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.
125· Ijiji na-enweghi onye ndumodu na-eso ozu ala n'inyi.- A fly that has no counselor follows the corpse to the grave.
126· "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.
127· Ula towa uto, ekwowe ya ekwowe.- When sleep becomes enjoyable, we snore.
128. "Nwa anwuna, nwa anwuna": nwa nwuo ka anyi mara ma chi agaghi efo.
- "May the child not die, may the child not die": Let it die, and let's see if the day will not break.
130· 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.
131. 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.
132. Okuko na-arogoro ite onu, chetekwe mma gburu ya. -The chicken frowns at the cooking pot, ignoring the knife that killed it.
133· Ihe ka-nte bata n'onu nte, nte etefu.
- When something greater than the pigmy cricket enters its hole, it takes off.
134· A gbara aka na-azo ana, onye nwe ji a na-ako ji.- If you dispute land ownership empty-handed, the person who has yams will be planting them.
135· Onye bulu ihe isi, ijiji esoro ya.- The fly follows the person who is carrying a smelly stuff.
136· 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.
137· 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.
138· Onye buru chi ya uzo, o gbagbue onwe ya n'oso.- He who walks before his godly guardian does the race of his life
139· Onye na-acho igba oso si na-aroro ya anya. - A person who has plans to flee contends that someone made an evil eye at him.
140· Ulili si na-ejekete ije si tuo nkwa oso maka ihe oso e mee.- The ground squirrel says he who walks should sometimes break into a trot, in case the need to run arises.
141· Okwulu anaghi amiri ote ofe.- A master chef is not blessed with a good harvest of okra.
142· 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 besides a river that swallowed an elephant: is it going to fly over this river or just jump over?
143· Ohia woro gi nku, sere gi onu. -The forest that denies you firewood has massaged your neck.
144· 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.
145· A na-asi onye e ji ugwo na agaghi akwu ya ugwo e ji ya, onye e ji ugwo na-asi na e nye ya ewu ojii na ya agaghi ewe.- A creditor is being told he won't be paid, and he is saying he won't accept a black goat!
146. Okuko mmanya na-egbu ahubeghi mmanwulu ara na-ayi. - A drunken fowl has not met a mad fox.
147. Bete anu, bete anu, o'u kwa n'ahu ehi?.- Cut meat, cut meat, is it not from the body of a cow?
148. Obele mmanwu na-akpa ike maka na ijele anoghi nso.- A small masquerade is powerful because a big masquerade is not around.
149. Nwaanyi anaghi-eji na nwunyedi ya kwere ya ekene nke oma kpowa ya ogo.- A woman does not regard her husband's other wife as sister-in-law just because she (her husband's other wife) accepted her greeting gracefully.
150. A na-akwa akwa ndi oke tagbulu, ngwere ewere nnu na-eso eze ha.- While we mourn those who died from rat bites, lizards sharpen their teeth with salt.
151. Onye si na ya anaghi ata anu nkita, ya arakwala mmiri ofe ya.- He who abhors dog meat should not eat dog-meat soup.
152. Ukpana na-ere n'oku si na ya na-asha mmanu.- A grasshopper roasting over fire claims it is emitting fat.
153. Were ire guo eze gi onu abughi na o nwere nke na-efu. - Count your teeth with your tongue does not mean you are losing any.
154. Nti na-anaghi anu ihe, mgbe a ga-egburu ishi e gburu nti. -The ear that won't hear, when the head is cut off, it goes.
155. A furu nwata chete nna ya.- A child reminds folks of his father.
156. Oge adighi eche mmadu – Time and tide waits for nobody.
157. E lewe ukwu Egbue ewu – A buxom waist that makes her man kill a goat for her when he looks at it.
158. Ebe onye dara ka chi ya kwaturu ya – Where one falls is where his god pushed him down.
159. Ihe di woro ogori azuala na ahia – What was secret is revealed in the market place.
160. Osisi ga abu omia mmadu agwu, okpo igugu, akuchasia ya.
161. Agadi nwanyi kpuru isi rachasia udara ozotara na ala, ya bia ka ozotakwa ozo.
Source: ThrowbackTimes
