Proverb #662

“O toro ogologo enweghi akọ-na-uche.”

Contributed By Chioma Maryanne, Enugu Ukwu.

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© ifont 2011, as it appears here.

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Proverb #626

“Ụzọ dị mma, agaa ya ugboro abụọ.”

Contributed By Bob Oji, Ụmụahịa

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Proverb #559

“Anaghi eji ihe eji agba n'anya agba na nti...”

Proverb contributed By Bob Oji, Umuahia, Abia State.

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Project Milestone - For the 400th Proverb - milestone ...

“Chukwu tinyere amamihe dị ukwu n'ime ilulu.”

Amamihe a pụtara ibi ndụ mkpachapụ anya Ịkpachapụ anya sitere n'ilulu pụtara ịba uru

Ilulu tọrọ ụkpụrụ eji ebi ezi ndụ kwa ụbochị: 

*Mmekọrịta gị na Chi gị
*Mmekọrịta gị na ndi agbatobi gị
*Mmekọrịta gị na ndi mụrụ gị
*Mmekọrịta gị na govanmentị gị

 Ilulu na adọkwa aka na ntị gbasara:

*Amamihe na nzuzu
*Ịdi nsọ na agwa ọjọọ
*Ire na okwu
*Nganga na iwedata onwe ala
*Ikpe ziri ezi na mmegwata
*Ezi na ụlọ
*Ume ngwụ na ọlụ
*Okpe na ụba
*Ịhụnanya na ịtụ anya
*Iwe na ọnụma
*Onye nwe mmadụ na ohu
*Ndụ na ọnwụ



Na mmechi, achọrọm ka unu mara na kemgbe mbanyere na otu a, amụtalam ọtụtụ ihe site na ilu dị iche iche na nkọwa ụmụ nne m na edegasị n'ebe a. Mgbe ọbụla obi adịghịm nma, anam agụ umu ihe ọchị ana ede kwa mgbe kwa mgbe, ma ọ bụ egwu igbo dị iche iche anyị gụrụ oge dị anya. Enwere m olile anya na ọlụ anyị na etinye n'ime otu a ga eme ka anụ olu igbo n'uwa nile karịa ka esi anụ ya na mbụ.

Ndewo nụ!

Mazị Bob Oji

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Editorial:

Paraphrasing Bob Oji; his piece explains about the wondrous wisdom which God has put in the mouths of the ancestral and nascent tongues which spoke and still speak our proverbs. Perhaps like proverbs everywhere, they teach rules about relationships; not just to one's God, but also propriety towards one's neighbours and government. Our proverbs also contain warnings relating to: *pragmatism and folly, *propriety and indecency, *pride and humility ... Perhaps the whole spectrum of life and death is covered by instances of our proverbs.

At this 400th stop along the journey to a thousand, Bob reflects that researching the 'proverb banks' has brought him variously: joy, mirth and learning. These are palpable, valuable things he enjoys since he began recalling and 'making' these proverbs for the group.

Do accept this paraphrase and interpretation of Bob's Igbo. 

One thought experiment with Bob's last paragraph and Google's translate service misidentified this language as Swahili!

Try the experiment yourself at http://translate.google.com/ . To experiment, copy and paste Bob's last paragraph into the text field. See? Serious.

Your graphic is an abstraction of a whole wardrobe collection of Ishiagụ or Enyi robes. These clothes are worn by chiefs and gentlemen among the Ibos. You can recognise them by pictures of Lions, Leopards or Elephant motifs which they employ in repeating patterns all over them. The more expensive garments have these motifs intricately woven into them and the less expensive ones employ prints. Proverbs still form the speech of kings.

Here then is your learning and your milestone at the 400th proverb mark. You need this not that other stone from Rosetta. :-)

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Proverb #259

“Nkịta nyara akpa, nsị agwụ n'ọhịa.”

Proverb contributed By Bob Oji, Umuahia, Abia State.

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© ifont 2011, as it appears here.

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Proverb #238

“Ọtụtụrụ okwu anọhụ n'ụka mgbede!”

Contributed By Kelechi Isiodu, Umunjam, Mbieri.
[Variants Contributed x 1 ] Bob Oji: Otutu okwu adiro n'uka mgbede]]
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© ifont 2011, as it appears here

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Ebube Dike or Snub-nosed 'Okonkwo'

When we complained about the 'Okonkwo' with a European nose [See the project milestone at 200], Bob [Admin] sent us another picture with better 'home' looks.
So here then is our snub-nosed 'Okonkwo', or 'Ebube Dike'  - Maka na afú dimkpa afu ogwogwo imi ya ...


Contributed By Bob Ojii, Umuahia, Abia State.

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© ifont 2011, as it appears here

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Proverb #191

“Agụụ (Agụrụ) nwere olile anya anaghị egbu mmadụ.”

Contributed By Bob Ojii, Umuahia, Abia State.

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© ifont 2011, as it appears here

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Proverb #185

“Nkịta ọnwụ na-agu anaghị anụ isi nsị.”

Contributed By Bob Ojii, Umuahia, Abia State.

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© ifont 2011, as it appears here

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Proverb #184

“Ọbụ aka akpatụrụ ụta mere oji esi isi... (ihe na ebute ihe).”

Contributed By Bob Ojii, Umuahia, Abia State.

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© ifont 2011, as it appears here

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Proverb #182

“Ijiji ntị ike na-eso ozu ala.”

"The stubborn fly perishes in the grave with the corpse"
They're drawn to putrefying matter. This proverbial fly was warned by those who knew better; 'those remains are going to buried' but the dance around the carcass was too intoxicating till it was too late.
You want to avoid its fate? Heed counsel and humbly receive sound advice. Obstinacy leads to disaster.
The stubborn fly perishes with the corpse in the grave.

Contributed By Bob Ojii, Umuahia, Abia State.
Angles and Shades by Agam D. Iheanyigwe
[Variants Posted x 1] By Ugochi Okorie - Nnadika Umudi Nkwere LGA; - Ijiji na anaghi anu nti na eso ozu ala na ili

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© ifont 2011, as it appears here

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Proverb #181

“Agaghị eji maka ụnwụ dị, nwaa ụkwara loo ...”

Contributed By Bob Ojii, Umuahia, Abia State.

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© ifont 2011, as it appears here

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Proverb #180

“Nwoke na-eche nwanyị na-anụ ụda ụkwụ ndị mmụọ.”

Contributed By Bob Ojii, Umuahia, Abia State.

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© ifont 2011, as it appears here

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Proverb #179

“Ụra tọ[ọ] ụtọ, e kwoo-ya-ekwoo ...”

"When the sleep becomes enjoyable, we relish it with a snore"

One snores when he is in deep sleep. The snore a testament to the depth of the sleep. This metaphor provides guidance that is useful to anyone in any endeavor. I bet the last time you started a new job, your employer told you, you would be on probation for however long. If the two parties (employer and yourself) found the arrangement satisfactory and there were no negative incidences, you'd be upgraded to full/regular status. You see your employer was applying the wisdom of this proverb. Try it first, then if it is enjoyable, you upgrade and enjoy it fully.Whether its a job, business deal or even a relationship, we can expect that when the sleep becomes enjoyable, we snore!
 
Contributed By Bob Ojii, Umuahia, Abia State.

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© ifont 2011, as it appears here

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Proverb #137

“Okirikiri bu ije agwọ. Nwanyị di ime anaghị ara ose oji!” 

Contributed By Bob Oji Umuahia, Abia State.

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© ifont 2011, as it appears here.

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Proverb #131

“Ọkụkọ ebu na ekete amaghị na ụzọ ahịa dị anya.” 

Literally the proverb means 'The chicken or chickens being ferried to the market in a basket, do not quite realise how far or difficult the journey is ' - explaining that we all need the smooth sail in our life's endeavors. 

An alternative angle on this proverb is: One who finds that all things or most things are done for them, does not quite realise how lucky and blessed they are. As a result, such a person grows complacent and might tend to take a lot of things for granted. The Igbos have made this observation.

Photo Source: Visit

Editorial:
Our photo of standing Chickens shows an open basket which does not quite convey the same
sense. For chickens in an actual basket being prepared for the market journey in a 'near
reality' or same sense of the proverb, See.
We are currently seeking permission to use that image here.

Contributed By Bob Oji Umuahia, Abia State.


Angles and Shades (Explications, Perspectives):
By Bob Oji, Kelechi Isiodu

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© ifont 2011, as it appears here.

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Proverb #107

One of Tim Lyon's Birds: See also Proverb #7.

"Nnụnụ isi akaghi aka anaghi aga ahia otụrụkpọkpọ."

Weak-skulled birds don't flock with woodpeckers.



I read a story once about a goat that wanted so badly to be a lion. All sorts of contraptions and devices were invented and imagined for this goat, but nothing worked.

Eventually someone suggested the goat leave the herd and go dwell with a pride of lions. This leaves nothing to the imagination. No prizes either for what might have happened to the goat.

Our proverb calls to mind the Igbos' homage to the idea of everyone being properly acquainted with their own talents and skills. You don't call the palm wine-tapper to do the work of the flutist. And I guess if you aren't a woodpecker ... then you aren't a woodpecker.

It's funny where reading takes you - from the pages of  Awake - the watchtower magazine - to catch up on facts about the Gforce skull of a Wood Pecker - click - style or design?

Contributed By Bob Ojii, Umuahia, Abia State.

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© ifont 2011, as it appears here

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Proverb #101

"Atụrụ n'anyụresị ọdụ ya amaghị n'bụ onwe ya ka ọ n'eme!"

Contributed By Bob Ojii, Umuahia, Abia State.

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© ifont 2011, as it appears here

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Proverb #11

“Ụkpara Okpoko burule ntị chiri ya.” 

Oshin'aka: ... Rendering the ceaseless poetry of the earth.
 Picture source: Buzzle.com

'Ụkpara' is the grasshopper and though it leads the outdoors in rendering the ceaseless poetry of the earth, it must be mindful of danger. 'Okpoko' is a predator bird which preys on grasshoppers. However, it would not fly silently, but it makes noise during it's flight.

In the words of the proverb in a paraphrase:- The grasshopper seized by the screeching bird must be deaf -

Every grasshopper ought to hear its approach and burrow into safety before the bird arrives. 

The sound it makes is loud enough and only a deaf grasshopper would not hear it; so the Igbo says.

Now a word is enough for the wise, they say. Do take care. You hear?

Contributed By Kelechi Isiodu, Umunjam, Mbieri.
for iFaT at ifont@groups .facebook.

Angles and Shades (Explications, Interpretations)
Contributed By Uzoma Nwaekpe, Amachi-Nsulu  Isialangwa.
 
[Variants Posted x 5]
 
Agam D. Iheanyi Igwe, Ehime Mbano: Ukpana okpoko gburu, [ditto]
Chukwuemeka Umeah:  Ukpana okpoko buru, nti chiri ya
Bob Oji: Ụkpara Okpoko gburu, nti chiri ya ... 
Obioma Ofoegbu,Igboukwu, Anambara State: Ukpana okpoko gburu, nti chiri ya
Uche Unakalamba: Irette, Owerre: Ụkpala Okpoko gburu, ntị chiri ya.

© ifont 2011, as it appears here

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