Proverb are short sayings that express thoughts and opinions, beliefs and superstitions, rules of everyday wisdom of the people. Proverbs describe different phenomena of life and historical events. Vast majority of proverbs has a double meaning – one clearly stated in a proverb, and the other – the crux of the matter, which derives from it, or is only implied, so it is said, “the proverb has hidden wise.”
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What is the role of proverbs in our lives?
- Proverbs proclaim rules of morality;
- Proverbs are verbal gems, they decorate the language;
- Proverbs carry the bases of native folk philosophy;
- Proverbs play great role in the study of the native language;
- Proverbs ascribe to human wisdom;
- Proverbs are an example of the most optimal connection of content and form.
Igbo proverbs and their meaning
Igbo proverbs are taken directly from Igbo life, they are good in all respects, it can be recommended to anyone, not only to the native folk. Proverbs were written by people not intentionally, they arose naturally; caused by everyday life, they gradually multiplied, together with the historical course of the development of life. A good awareness of Igbo Proverbs and their meaning would undoubtedly lead to a deep understanding of the Igbo, their life philosophy, traditions, culture and way of living.
If you want to prove your point and achieve the desired result, it is not right just to recite Igbo proverbs it is extremely important to know the proper event and actual time to use the proverb.
Few people understand Igbo language, because it has several dialects, so equivalent English meanings doubtless will help to improve understanding of Igbo proverbs and will help to solve present difficulties.
Igbo proverbs and their meaning
Igbo proverbs and wise sayings
Igbo Proverb – Gidi gidi bụ ugwu eze.
English meaning – Unity is strength
Igbo Proverb – Otu onye tuo izu, o gbue ochu
English meaning – Knowledge is never complete: two heads are better than one.
Igbo Proverb – Oge adighi eche mmadu
English meaning – Time and tide wait for nobody.
Igbo Proverb – Ihe di woro ogori azuala na ahia.
English meaning – What was secret is revealed in the market place.
Igbo Proverb – O bulu na i taa m aru n’ike, ma i zeghi nshi; mu taa gi aru n’isi, agaghi m ezere uvulu.
English meaning – 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.
Igbo proverbs and their meaning
Igbo proverbs about love
Igbo Proverb – Ihere adịghị eme onye ara ka ọ na-eme ụmụ-nna ya.
English meaning – Relations are concerned most with a person’s behavior.
Igbo proverbs on marriage
Igbo Proverb – Nwunye awo si na di atoka uto, ya jiri nuta nke ya kworo ya n’azu.
English meaning – The female toad said that husband is so sweet that when she got married, she carried her husband permanently on the back.
Igbo Proverb – Nwaanyi muta ite ofe mmiri mmiri, di ya amuta ipi utara aka were suru ofe.
English meaning – If a woman decides to make the soup watery, the husband will learn to dent the Garri before dipping it into the soup.
Igbo Proverb – “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.
Funny Igbo proverbs
Igbo Proverb – Ndi na-eje mposi abali na-ahu ukpana ndi mmuo.
English meaning – Those who defecate at night see the ghost grasshopper.
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Igbo proverbs about success
Igbo Proverb – Uzu na-amaghi akpu ogene lee egbe anya n’odu.
English meaning – The blacksmith who does know how to forge a metal gong should look at the tail of a kite.
Igbo Proverb – Si kele onye nti chiri; enu anughi, ala anu.
English meaning – Salute the deaf; if the heavens don’t hear, the earth will hear.
Igbo Proverb – Onwu egbuchughi ji e jiri chu aja, e mesie o pue ome.
English meaning -Things will eventually improve despite the present difficulties.
Igbo proverbs about death
Igbo Proverb – Ura ga-eju onye nwuru anwu afo.
English meaning – A dead person shall have all the sleep necessary.
Igbo Proverb – Ijiji na-enweghi onye ndumodu na-eso ozu ala n’inyi.
English meaning – A fly that has no counselor follows the corpse to the grave.
Times change, attitude to life changes too, but the proverbs continue to exist. By what will the next proverb surprise us, what a new interesting idea it will find, what important it will say?
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