Tiv proverbs from the archive with their English translations — part 5 of 6, 232 proverbs in all, in alphabetical order of the Tiv text. Where the archive records them, each proverb is followed by its deeper meaning and the situations in which it is used.
A woman who sings a lullaby before her baby falls asleep no longer needs to beat the basin.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba er kwagh ne u wan kwagh sha u yangen ayôôso a daang daang. Shi ka u tesen er ka we ker kwagh we a va zua mi yô u kera lamen apera we a va saa ga. Akpaciecie ka kwagh u kumbur mbayev a mi, mba gen mba yel er 'kpado' ka we a gbidye a wa icam yô wan a gba mnyam, a lu u hide u za bende gbangi man a er ayôôso yo wan un a nder. Gbangi mbagen mba yel er 'Tasa'. Aluer u nôngo a zayol yô, u kera kumbur eren we shi a nder ga.
The hen knows when day breaks, but it nudges the cock to announce the dawn.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba hembe õron injakwagh ne u tesen icivir i nan organden shin orhemen. Ka u tesen iyol hiden amin jime. Shiegen wanye ka afa tar a hemba ter na, kpa ka a de er ter na a kaa imo i kuren kwagh.
Manliness is not having a scrotum; it is courage.
- Meaning
- True masculinity is defined by bravery, not biology.
The elephant swallows coconuts because it is confident of the size of its anus.
- Meaning
- One should only undertake tasks they are capable of handling.
The elephant may be in the bush, yet it does not stop the rats from roaming.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba er injakwagh ne u pasen er mlu wou a de yinan we ga. Tese er or nan a lu a inyaregh kpishi, we a lu ami a kuma ga kpa, ishima i de yen u ga
Display pride.
Idiom
Act with pride.
Idiom
Cattle egrets do not sell cows; the Fulani man does.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba er kwagh ne u paregh iyol sha kwagh u a lu u ve ga yô. Shin u pasen er or wa awa ndor a or u nan lu a kwagh yô.
No one knows when a stone may wound their toe
- Meaning
- Life is unpredictable.
If someone bites your nose despite mucus, bite their anus despite faeces.
- Meaning
- Encourages retaliation—respond to wrongdoing equally.
A man who loves honey does not fear the sting of a bee.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba er injakwagh ne u tesen gbashima sha kwagh. Kwagh ka un a gbau ishima yô u kera we mbamnyion ikyo ga. Shi kwase kpa ka nana doo u shima yo, we a zua a gbidiv sha ci u nan kpa mbu nyion we ga.
One who sleeps with an itchy anus will wake up with a smelly hand.
- Meaning
- Evil actions eventually bring consequences.
A blind man who carries a lamp is mocking himself.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba er injakwagh or. ne u vendan imbwase i kaan
An elder does not sit under a hut and allow a goat to give birth with a rope around its neck.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba hembe õron injakwagh ne u tesen ieren i sôron tar, shin u kôron num. Ka u tesen er doo u orkaven kwagh nan a lu ve tar ua gba gban nahan ga. Ka u tesen er ieren i organden ia lu kposo a i mbayev. Tiv mba er kwagh ne zum u organden ka nan a er ieren i bee i mbayev yô. Zum u kwagh a lu zan u vihin man organden nan we zwa ga yô, injakwagh ne ka i kuma sha mi tsembelee.
An elder who hopes to rest under the shade of a tree in his old age does not cut down trees; he plants them.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba er injakwagh ne u tesen vor u dedoo u veren hen ityo you. Ka u pasen er, doo u eren aeren a dedoo sha er a va zaan a we ityo yo. Inja i dedoo kai lu sha awe tseegh ga zan zan sha mbayev ou kpaa. Or a de kera hiin a hii iyongo ga kpa nan a eren a er akaa a nan mzehemen.
Avoid taking the best part if you tasked with sharing something.
Idiom
If you have much, you can live humbly.
Idiom
He who asks gets it right.
- Meaning
- Asking questions leads to understanding.
A hunter who wishes to eat new yam with lion meat dies young.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba er injakwagh ne u tesen er a lu or ver ishima ueren uzege mbaakaav yo ayange a nan ka a pande. Shin u har shima sha shagba faa yô u tsa ku ga. Shie gen u lamen a mbaganden, shin orvesen sha icihi yô Tiv ka ve kaa er, u ngu yan nyam begha. Tese er orhagher sha akaa tsek ku ga
Life is full of obstacles.
Idiom
Wherever the termite finds a fish trap to fetch water and build its mound, if God gives you even a basket, you too can fetch water and build a house.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba er injakwagh ne u tesen man nan msurshima ken ican shin kwaghtseren. Ka u kaan er alu Aôndo na nyamtoho mfe u eren kwagh yô, we u Aôndo a er u sha ibyeen Na ne un a nau sha ikyo ga kpa u gande a ve. Ka u tesen agee a Aõndo kpaa sha uma cii.
You do not have to bring the whole raffia palm out of the stream before you can finish weaving a rope.
- Meaning
- Heen kpa Tiv mba kaan er saa hanma or nan a lam ver a kure lyam/kwkagh ga. Shin u zer lamen gbem ver ú va ôr itine kwagh ga.
If we become carried away by the sharpness of the axe, we may end up cutting down our own shield tree.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba er injakwagh ne u pasen er, doo u wan ityogh ken iember gbem ga, akaa a dedoo ava kar se. Shi u kpen iember i tar u va wundu kwaghu mimi.
We have already wet our heads; all that remains is for you to shave us, since you are the one with the safety razor.
- Meaning
- Tiv ngise ve haa mngerem shin ityo cii ve i hondo ye. Shi iyange i hondo sha atsem. Atsem iyange a lu je er ka lezôr nahan kpa a gema a hor tsa kera i kôr wegh sha mi i hondon ityogh. Tiv mba er injakwagh ne u tesen er ve ver ishima ve sha or. Ka u geman iyol ve cii wan sha ikyev i or. Gbashima u nan cii ka sha a we, ka we u lu myima u nan ye.
Be careful what you say.
Idiom
The world is at peace, even a cock can crow in the presence of a fox.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba er injakwagh ne u tesen er bem gba hen tar, shin iyongo i anngbyanev la i bee. Ka u tesen dooshima u vesen hen ior.
It’s better to take time to do something than to rush.
Idiom
Ones bending buttocks can not be wasted.
- Meaning
- Perseverance overcomes challenges.
An old monkey lives long because of its watchfulness.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba er injakwagh ne sha u tesen mlu u tsevtsev man sulaa sha hanma kwagh. Ka u wan ityogh eren akaa a u henen sha mi ga.
You may lose some but gain more.
Idiom
I must remove the tick before I sell the dog.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba er injakwagh ne sha u tesen er u kaan imo yange kwagh oron u zan hemen ga. Shin u umbur or shember kwagh u i hungur yange kwaghoron ga. Shi ka u soron kwagh ôron ivol man a due a mi ken igbyar ye.
To rage with anger.
Idiom
Long life leads to wealth
- Meaning
- Patience and longevity create opportunities for success.
A man who has been mad for a long time no longer throws stones; instead, he gathers them.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba er injakwagh ne u pasen er ka we a va hingir orya shin organden u kera hiin iyongo ga, ka u waan a wa kwagh, shin u sôron a sôr tar.
To engage in pointless pursuit or reasoning.
Idiom
To persuade someone to act where they would otherwise not do.
Idiom
Don’t follow blindly.
Idiom
Is your source of income your backside—are you a tipper truck?
- Meaning
- Condemns immoral means of livelihood.
Death is certain.
Idiom
Only the man who trusts the speed of his legs shoots an arrow at a patas monkey.
- Meaning
- Tiv mba er injakwagh ne u pasen agee shin tahav mbu wan iyol cii hiin kwagh ye. Agômikya ka Ikya i gban ikyōr shi vihin tu. U or keren un ivaan yô u vande fan wer ka keng u ta un yô un a zenda u, nahan ka u fan wer u ngu a ayem a yevese. Doo u vanden peven iyol you nengen cii u hii kwagh ye.
