300+ Igbo Proverbs Everyone Should Know by Heart!
One of the best ways to learn or master the Igbo language is to learn its idioms, axioms and aphorisms (ilulu). Okwu Igbo/uke bu n’ilu n’ilu: the Igbo language/cult communication is expressed through aphorisms. In this post we’ve compiled a list of over 200 of our favorite proverbs in alphabetical order with good translations. Feel free to interpret them in ways that personally resonate with you.
Please note that while translations may offer valuable insights, they might not always accurately convey the true essence of the Ilu which is left open for discovery through interpretations. This is because by linguistic design, no single translation or interpretation of an Igbo proverb can be conclusive. Each interpretation is merely one possible perspective, and it is essential to approach them with a nuanced understanding of the cultural and historical contexts in which they were produced. In other words, it is important to remain open to multiple interpretations and perspectives when engaging ilulu (Igbo idioms, axioms, proverbs and aphorisms).
Disclaimer: The Igbo (written) language is rich in diacritical marks and accents that convey specific meanings and nuances. However, the Igbo texts highlighted in this post do not include such diacritical marks. It is important to note that the absence of these marks may affect the proper interpretation of the texts (for those literate in Igbo langugage).
We will continue to update this list. Enjoy!
Abanyeghi otu mmadu mara, o nweghi ike i li onwe ya: No matter how much a person knows, they can never bury themselves.
Abata n’ogbo, o ihu ka ana acho: When in a public space, it is the face that one usually seeks out first before any other part of the body.
A chuo aja ma ahughi udele, mara na ihe mere na be ndi mmuo: If the vulture fails to hover at the end of a sacrifice, then you know that something has happened in the land of spirits.
Achukata nwata achuba ya na uwa oma: If you continue pursuing a child maliciously, you may make him or her to gain favor and prosper.
Aha achota ife mmuo na be mmadu: One does not find things that belong to the spirits in the land of humans!
Akwa uwa anaghi eru mmuo: The crying of the world does not reach the spirit world.
Afa bu Uche: Afa is common sense knowledge.
Afa bu Agwu: Afa is the supernatural being force used to explain elements of the unknown.
Afa Onye bu afa Chi ya: A person's name is their Chi's name.
A gbachaa afa, a chikoo uche: Deliberation must follow the afa divination session.
Agadi nwaanyi a naghi aka nka na egwu o mara aba: An old woman does not forget the dance steps she knows how to dance just because she is old.
Agwo emeghi nke o jiri buru agwo umuaka achiri ya hie nku: If a snake fails to show its venom or display the actions that make it a snake, little kids will use it in tying firewood.
Agwu adighi mmadu agwu: Mankind cannot exist without the manifest spirit of God.
Agwu anaro echezo umu ya: Agwu seldom forgets its offspring.
Agwu wu ihe di na agburu: Agwu resides in the genes.
Agwu wu ihe ogbu-toro-ogbu: Agwu is a legacy of the earliest, primal emanations of cosmic/natural life.
Aha onye kporo nkita ya ka o ga za: The name one calls their dog is what it answers.
Ahia n’ano na uzo n’ano ka Igbo ji biri: Igbos follow the tradition of four market-day cycle and four cosmic paths.
Ahu wu obiri chi: The body is the temple of one’s divine spiritual essence.
Ahu bu ulo uche: The body is the house of the universal mind.
Aka aja aja n'ebute onu mmanu mmanu: The hand that has known much toiling will eventually know much feasting.
Aka ji ego ji ike: The palm that holds wealth holds power.
Aka jie agu, mgbada abiara ya ugwo: When the leopard suffers a weakened hand, the deer will come for it’s payback.
Aka kpara esekwu udene, okoo mmuo chiri ya ozo: When the touting vulture is finally in hand, it will prove its titular legitimacy.
Aka nri kwuo aka ekpe, aka ekpe akwo aka nri: When the right hand washes the left hand, the left hand equally washes the right hand.
Aka oru mmadu ka eji ama ya: A person is known by their handwork.
Akara-aka di n’iche n’iche: All beings have unique destinies and as such are uniquely endowed.
Ako bu ije: Wisdom is the way.
Aku bu iro, nwata kpata aku o kpata iro: Wealth is enimity, when a child gains wealth they gain enemies.
Aku fechaa odara awo: After flying the termite will fall to be eaten by the toad.
Aku na-esi obi ike: Wealth makes the heart strong.
Aku ruo ulo amalu onye kpatara ya: When wealth reaches home the wealthy person will be known.
A ma ka mmiri si were baa n'opi ugboguru: Who knows how water entered into the stalk of the pumpkin.
Amata akara onwa, amata akara anyanwu, adiri-matatu-chaa, onara onye?: Observing the Moon and the Sun this primordial pattern is only altered during eclipses.
Anaghi agwa okenye puta na anwu: An elder is not told to come out from under the sun.
Anaghi eji maka mgbaghu aghara ogu: One does not abandon a battle because of fear of being killed.
Anaghi ekpuchi afo ime aka: A pregnant stomach cannot be covered with the hand.
Ana mmuo lelu mmadu apuho isa ya: The Land sold by spirits is clearly beyond human redemption.
Anaro akwu ofu ebe enene mmonwu: One does not stand in one place to watch a dancing masquerade.
Anaro ebu ana ebu makana o ya nwe mmadu n’ine: No one carries off the land or permanently dominates it, for it owns all and sundry.
Anya huru njo ekpughi isi ga-ahu mma: The eyes that sees bad but does not lose faith will equally see good.
Anya furu ugo, kiri e ugo na ada afu ugo kwa mgbe, kwa mgbe: The eye that beholds the Eagle, should admire the eagle. You don’t see the Eagle daily.
Anya huru ugo jaara ugo: Eyes that see the eagle should praise it.
Anyammiri okenye na-acha nzu nzu: The tears of an old man appears in the colour of nzu (the sacred white chalk).
Anyanwu rie asaa kwuru, ala ejiri edeuli kwado ya: If the sun consumes seven cycles and stands, the earth will back it with uli expressions.
Anyi bialu igba mbo na uwa: We are here to live out our lives in the most productive ways as possible.
Aria ugwu n'asaa, erie nri n'asaa: When one climbs the seven hills/seven mystic heights, they will be rewarded with seven meals/attain higher states of consciousness.
Arusi wakaria anya egosi ya osisi eji were tuo ya: If an oracle foments too much trouble, it will be shown the wood it was carved from.
Atulu na-acho ipu mpi jee jua ebune ka ekwo di ya: A sheep that wants to grow horns should ask the ram how its neck feels.
Atulu si na o bu eziokwu na o maghi agba egwu ma akuru egwu gafeta n’ama nna ya, o maghi ihe o ga-eme, o wulibe elu: The sheep said that in as much as it does not know how to dance, if musicians pass in front of its fathers house and it does not know what to do, it will start jumping.
A tuoro omalu, o malu, a tuoro ofeke, o fenye ishi n’ohia: When a wise one is instructed, they understand; instruct a dunce, they loose their head in the bush.
Awo siri na ya nuru na onye na-abia n'ulo ya maara agba mgba, ya were makpuru ala chere ya: The toad says that he has decided to take a combat posture because he has been informed that the person coming to his house is a good wrestler.
Azu ite siri oku na okenye adighi mma ile ihe di oji oge niile: The back of cooking pot tells the fire that it is not good for an old man to mope at a black object all the time.
Chi na ewete ihe oga eke na mgbede dewe, ututu awuru okike: Chi brings what it wants to create at dusk, while dawn commences creation/reveals the creative act.
Chi onye adighi n’izu ihe anaghi eme ya: A person whose Chi did not conspire against them has no reason to fear anything.
Choo ewu ojii mgbe chi ka di: Look for a black goat while it is still daytime.
Chukwu a naro elozo onye O kelu, kama onye elozona Chi kelu ya: The creator is ever aware of all that he created and so should all creation remain in the awareness of his existence and presence.
Chukwu nyere ala ofo k’onyeruo mmadu: God gave the sacred Ofo staff to Ala the primal Earth Spirit to eventually hand it to human beings.
Chukwu bu eze uzu makana okike bu ife uzu: The Supreme Spirit is the Supreme Smith, for the process of creation was the first and original act of smithing.
Chukwu wu ogazuru uwa n’ofu nje: The Supreme Spirit is omnipresent in creation.
Dibia bu ihe a na mu amu: A Dibia is naturrally endowed with their gifts from birth.
Dibia bu mmonwu n’eti onwe ya: the Dibia is a spirit masquerading in human body.
Dibia kpoturu mmiri ozuzo, atukwana ujo egbe eluigwe so ya: A Dibia that calls down the rain should not fear the thunderstorm that follows.
Dibia wu Agbara: the Dibia is a highly creative spirit eluding and transcending all human set categories.
Ebe ihe mere uwa wu n’ukwu ukpaka: All the world's ordeal began at an oil bean tree.
Ebe onye dara ka chi ya kwaturu ya: Where a person falls is where their Chi pushed them down.
Ebe onye oso ruru onye ije ga-eru ya: Where a person who runs reaches, a person walking will also reach.
Ebe onye bi k’ona awachi: Wherever one finds one’s self in this life, there they strive to perfect or sustain.
Ebe onye si bia uwa na akpo ya oku mgbe nile: the primordial realm from which one came into this physical world never stops reaching out to them.
Ebe oku n’enwu ka ana afu mmadu na oku na ndu kwu: Where you find fire, you find human existence for fire and life are one.
Ebeku dike na nke onughu-ogu obunie egbeje/ota ya: If the assistance of the brave is appealed for at the war monger's place, the brave would take up his shield or armour.
Edeala mara mma bu umeala onye dere ya: The beauty of Edeala sacred expression lies in the calmness of its scribe.
Egbe belu, ugo belu, nke si na ibe ya agaghi ebe ka nku gbajie ya: Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch too, if one says the other cannot, let its wing break.
Egwu uwa wu egwu okoso: The universe moves in the same way as the Okoso cosmological game.
Egwu adi atu afo obulu uzo: If the belly is not afraid, then it should take the lead.
Ehi na enweghi odu, chi ya na a churu ya ijiji: The cow that has no tail, it is its chi (god) that chases away flies for it.
Ejighi enyo ele ife agba n’aka: A mirror is not used to look at something worn on the hand.
Ejim ofo ka ogwu: Clean and upright hands is always far more effective than all mystic solutions.
Ejiri nnukwu kwaa uzo obere bia ogafe, mana ejiri obere kwaa uzo nnukwu bia oto: If abundance is used to make a path when little comes it will pass, but if little is used to make a path when abundance comes it will get stuck.
Elimeli ka e ji-agwo anumanu, welu Ufulu agwo nti ike: Elimeli (Festivity) is used in making consent and agreeableness while ufulu (emptiness and hunger) is used in fashioning resentment, dissention and stubborness.
Ekele dike na nke omere, omekwa ozo: When the mighty is praised for what they have done, they will do more.
Ekweghi ekwe na-ekwe n'ute ekwere: One who has never submitted to anything will soon submit to the burial mat.
Ekwensu, Ugo tugbulu agwo - Ekwensu, the Eagle that pecked the evil serpent.
Ekwensu na ra ajo mmuo ike - May Ekwensu take away the strength of evil spirits.
Ekwensu Awolo Mmuo! - Ekwensu the mysterious leopard of the spirit realm, the mystical shapeshifter.
Eliluo m na elilughi aha-egbu Dibia oo elighaa m: Taking the appropraite reward or less, does not kill or destroy a Dibia, what destroys a Dibia is overcharging or extorting/charging too much for his service.
Ekere oru okike eke: The work of creation was originally shared.
Eme ngwa ngwa emeputa odachi: A hasty climber will make a sudden fall in the end.
Emewe elu, anyanwu ka ana akpo: In rituals and sacrifices directed towards the Supreme Being, it is the Sun that is naturally called upon.
Enu uwa bu olili, onye nosia onaba: The world is a grand vacation experience, after enjoying it, we return home.
Enwero ife si na nkwu n’ana n’iyi: There is no part of the palm tree that goes to waste.
Eriri ma ngwugwu ngwugwu ma onye kere ya: The rope knows the parcel and the parcel knows the person who wrapped it.
E were otu okuko chuoro arusi abuo aja, ha egbuo mmadu mezuo ya: When a fowl is sacrificed to two deities, they will kill a human to complete it.
Ewu wuru n’oba ji obughi agu gburu ya: A goat that dies in a barn was not killed by hunger.
Eze puo eze anochie: When a king leaves another king will replace him.
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.
Eziokwu bu ndu, okwu asi bu onwu: Truth is life, Falsehood is death.
Ezumezu anwu no ya n’ihu: The wholesomeness of the Sun’s force is detectable on its face”.
Gbanu gbanu rie ede n’ihi na ede bu oke mmuo: Eat cocoyam with caution because it is a great spirit.
Hapu mkpi ka o soro onye nwe ya na-agba afuonu, n'ubochi ahia Eke ka a mara onye ga-akpu ibe ya were gaa ahia: Let the he-goat continue to grow beard alongside his owner, on the Eke market day, it shall be decided who will drag the other to the market place.
Ibeji agu na egwu no agu n’okpa bu ofu: Both the shadow and the perceived bodily dance of the leopard are one and the same.
I debekalia mmuo na ete aka, o taba gi amosu: If you neglect your energy, it will turn and act against you.
Ife amulu amu ka ife agwolu agwo: What is learned is greater than what is concocted.
Ife kwulu, ife akwudobe ya: Wherever something stands, something else will stand beside it.
Ife lie asaa o naa: When a thing consumes seven cycles it leaves.
Ife okenye dono ana fu, nwata ligolu enu ochie o ma-afu ya: What an elder sees while siting down, if a child climbs on a chair they won’t see it.
Ife na-azo azo na-egbu egbu, ife na-egbu egbu na-azo azo: What saves also kills and what kills also saves.
Ife niine nwelu oge: There is time for everything.
Ife n’ine mmadu ga abu no n’iru; ekwube, no iru kacha: All that one will be resides on their face. In the final analysis, the face is the greatest.
Ife oge ya lulu o mee: Anything whose time is due takes place.
Ife onye acho ka o fu: Whatever one is looking for is what one finds.
Ife obuna onye metalu n’uwa, o ga eji anya ya n’abo fu ya, maka Chukwu abaana ime obi kpochite uzo: Whatever one does in this life, they will see its repercussions with their own two eyes, for Chukwu the Supreme Spirit has irrevocably entered his Obi chamber and locked its door of mercy (Uzo Ogo).
Ife ojoo gbaa afo o ghoo omenala: When bad things happen uncurtailed for a long time, it becomes part of the culture.
Ife welu mbido g’enwe njedebe: Whatever that has a beginning will have an end.
Igbo bu ihe a na-eme eme - ‘Igbo’ is a lived experience, beyond being an identity it is all about action.
Igbo n’asu n’onu n’onu mana anyi bu ofu: Igbo people might speak in different tongues or dialects but we are one people.
Ihe agu ji eme ire di ya na mbo: What makes a leopard scary is in its claws.
Ihe anyi biara n’uwa wu ize mmiri, o mmiri tuo awuru onye no nga ya alaa: We are in this world like water escapees residing on land that belongs to the waters, thus when the waters throw forth waves in our directions, whoever is caught up in the waves returns to the source.
Ihe e zutere n’ohi na-ala n’ohi: Whatever one obtains by crooked means leaves ones possession by crooked means.
Ihe onye metara o buru: Whatsoever one's actions are, they must be prepared to face the consequences.
Ihu ogba uta wu ochi elu eze k’oma echute: An arrow shooter’s face fetches only shallow laughter.
Ije nwa nkita aburo ogu: The quick pace of the dog does not mean battle.
Ijiji na-enweghi onye ndumodu na-eso ozu ala n’inyi: A fly that has no adviser follows the corpse to the grave.
Iko ka ofeke ji anu mmanya, mpi atu bu ihe e chiri echi: The uninitiated drinks with an ordinary cup, but a buffalo’s horn is earned.
Ikwe na aka gafee nku-aka ya aghoo ihe ozo: If you allow a handshake to wander past your elbow, it becomes an invitation for something else.
Ikwi Ikwi adighi ebe na nkiti: The Owl never cries in vain.
Ilu bu mmanu ndi Igbo ji eri okwu: Idioms are the oil Igbo people use to lubricate their speech.
Ise Eke di na Nnobi, odu ya di na Nnewi: The head of the Sacred Royal Python is at Nnobi, its tail is at Nnewi.
Isi kota ebu o gbaa ya: The head that disturbs the wasp will be stinged.
Ishi ja akanka, ya harakwa ka Ikenga: A head that longs to be efficacious should correspondingly assume the quality of Ikenga.
Ka ana achu aja, ka ikpe n’amah ndi mmuo: Let's keep making sacrifices, let the gods take the blame.
Kalma kalma ka oku jili hapu ite gbuo ife di ite n’ime: It is because of kalma kalma (karma) that the fire left the pot and killed what is inside the pot.
Mba na-asu n’onu n’onu ma egbuchaa ikili o bulu ofu: Different groups of people speak in different tongues/dialects; but when the throat is cleared it conveys the same meaning.
Mbosi Chi onye kwelu mfu, o banyegodu na mbubo ya o na-efu: The days one's Chi agrees to get lost, if one enters even one's compound farmland, one will get lost there.
Mbosi chi onye kwetalu onwu, orinagodi n’ime ana, onwu ga akpo ya ihu n’ime ana: On the day that one’s Chi agrees to leave this realm in death, even if they hide themselves in a catacomb/hole under the earth, death will meet them there on arrival.
Mgbe onye ji teta ura bu ututu ya: Whenever one wakes up from sleep is their own morning.
Mgbugbo oge Igbo du ino, nke ise shi ezuru ya l’oshi: the Igbo time fence is four as the fifth one was "stolen" or "eliminated".
Mberede nyiri dike mana mberede ka eji ama dike: Difficulties constrain a warrior, but overcoming those difficulties is what makes them a warrior.
Mmadu anaghi akari chi ya: A person cannot be greater than their Chi.
Mmadu bu chi ibe ya: Humans are (Chi) destiny helpers to each other.
Mmadu bu oku na mmiri: A human being (the enlightened one) is a synthesis of fire and water.
Mmadu bu mmili esinyelu n’oku: Human beings are like water-holding pots placed on a fire stand.
Mmadu bu mmuo loro uwa: Human beings are incarnated spirits.
Mmadu jiri ukwu ya zotoo akpana, ihe ato mebiri. Ukwu ya zotoro akpana, aka ya o jiri mete akpana ahu wee sie na imi, nke ikpe azu bu imi ya: When someone steps on chicken feaces, three things have been smeared. The foot that stepped on it, the fingers they used to touch the feaces to smell, and the nose that smelt the feaces.
Mmadu ju dibia, dibia a ju Chi ya: What a person asks a dibia, a dibia asks their Chi.
Mmadu n’abo n’anu ogu, onye nke ito bata ogboru ha ya bu ogu: When two people are fighting, the third person on meeting them proceeds to bring them to order.
Mmadu si n’ala pute: Human beings sprouted from the ground.
Mmadu wu Ikoro Chukwu ji hiwe okike: Mmadu the enlightened one is the sacred Ikoro wooden slit-drum with which the Supreme Spirit consolidated all creation.
Mmili anaro echu eze: Water does not blemish the teeth, no matter how much one drinks it.
Mmiri bu ose ndu: Water is the primal stirrer of life.
Mmiri mara ugo sara ya ahu: The rain that falls on the eagle also washes its body.
Mmiri enwe ilo - Water has no enemy.
Mmuo anaro anu okwu ikpeazu: The spirits/spirit world do not hear the "second word".
Mmuo na mmadu na-azu afia mana ofeke amaroo: Spirit and human beings are in constant communication, but the ignorant one does not know.
Mkpi ka dibia gwara ka o gbaara ya afa uto ma o siri ya hapu afa uto gbara ya afa ndu na onye di ndu ga-etoriri eto - The medicine man told the he-goat he'll do a growth divination for it but the he goat replied that he shouldn't bother, rather he should conduct a divination for long life for him, that a living person must grow.
Mpio nne ewu piofelu, nwa ya bia oha-ekwo nchi: The hole in the compound wall though which a she-goat went through, when its child comes along it will go through with ease.
Ndidi nwe mmeri: There is pleasure in patience.
Ngene ayaro ekwona azu makana amulu eze: The river will not reverse its flow because a king is born.
Ngwere niile na ama afo na-ala mana iweghi ike ikwu nke afo na-afu ya: All lizards lie on their stomach but you cannot tell which one has a stomach ache.
Nne egbe kpara imirikiti nku iri ogu l’ato vii nwa ya, ajuo ya shi o ozuwe hu? Ya shi mba, shi o wokwuru ogu nku ishi l’ato oji ja ete ohe ede mmuo ya!": The Mother Kite that bundled 300 pieces of firewood and loaded it onto its child, and returned into the bush to gather some more. On been asked whether it was not enough, she said no, that it only remained three extra bundled-heads of firewood with which she will cook her spirit-cocoyam soup.
Nke onye chiri ya zere: What a person earns let them face it.
Nkata ana ekute mmili, ikwu nwa mbe ana aru-aru: Does basket fetch water? Does the tortoise shell ever really roast?
Nkiri nkiri ka ana ekiri ododo, ejighị ododo eli ozu: Material prosperity is only admired, it cannot be taken to the grave.
Nkita siri onye o turu oche weletara ya ego ya na ntukwu amarala ya abu: The dog asked the person it sent to buy a chair to bring back its money because it is used to squatting.
Nku di na mba n’eghelu mba nni: The fire wood in a land will be enough to provide food for all its inhabitants.
Nma egburu n'obe aka, akwowa aka echeta ya: The knife-cut that was made on the palm of the hand is remembered when ones ventures to wash the hands.
Nwa Agadi Nwanyi osi asili - Wise old lady sage that knows everything and tells everything without reservation.
Nwa mmuo e megbuna nwa mmadu, ma nwa mmadu emegbuna nwa mmuo: The spirits should not maltreat humans, but humans should equally not offend the spirits.
Nwata erughi eru juwa ihe mere nna ya, ihe mere nna ya emee ya: When a child who is not mature inquires about what happened to their father, what happened to their father will happen to them.
Nwata etoghi eto wara ogodo, ikuku kue, o bulu ya na ogodo o ma n’ukwu: If a child tries to tie wrapper before maturity, when the wind blows, it will carry both the child and the wrapper.
Nwata ma ndi nna ya amalugo ndi ichie: A child who knows their fathers has consequently known their ancestors.
Nwata kwochaa aka o soro okenye ma oba ogaranya rie nri: If a child washes their hands they can eat with reverred elders.
Nwata na agba egwu surugede amaghi na egwu surugede bu egwu nde mmuo: The child that dances surugede music does not know that surugede music is a performance for spirits.
Nwata nne ya kwo na azu amaghi na uzo di anya: A baby on its mother’s back does not know that the road is long.
Nwayo-nwayo k’eji aracha ofe di oku: A hot soup should be licked gently.
Nya bu mmili suo, o choba uzo osi apu n’ite: When that water boils, it naturally seeks to escape its holding pot.
Obere onye kpata obere nku, nnukwu onye kpata nnukwu nku: The small person should fetch small firewodd, the big person should fetch big firewood.
O bu n'onu nwadibia ka o na-ebi, o dighi ebi n'onu ofeke: It is the diviners voice that has authority and not the voice of the ignorant.
O bu na oru mmadu ka chi ya si eke ya: It is from a persons work that their chi manifests their best self.
O bughi onu eji biri ego, ka eji akwuyachi ya: It is not the same mouth (verbal approach) used to borrow money that is used to repay them.
O buru na i kpolite usu na ihi, i ga-abasi ya iwe: If you bring a bat to into the light, you will offend it.
O bu naani onye enweghi nwanne na-anya akpa agba egwu: It is a person who has no relative that can be seen carrying their bag while dancing.
Oburu n'ikenga m adighi ire a waa m ya nku: An Ikenga that does not fulfill its purpose will be turned into firewood.
Ochi anaghi akwatu mmadu, kama o bu mmadu na-ama uma adara ochi: Laughter doesn't push anyone, people willingly fall for it.
Ochie dibia chuo aja, o dika ewere ya nye ndi mmuo n'aka: When an advanced dibia offers a sacrifice, it is as if it was delivered into the waiting hands of the fairies.
Ochu okuko nwe ada, nwa okuko nwe mbo-mbo oso: He who chases a chicken will fall and the chicken will get away.
Odi be ndi diri ha: Let what exists at a foreign land be theirs.
O dighi mgbe asommiri ga-ezu ikwo aka: There is never a time when spittle will ever be enough for washing hands.
O dighi mma ka mmadu nwechaa nkita werekwa aka ya na-agbo uja: It is not good that a person who owns dog should still be seen barking.
Ogazi loro okwute juwa nne ya ma awo ala acha ya oku: The guinea fowl swallowed stone and began to question its mother if her belly is exuding heat.
Oge adighi eche mmadu: Time waits for no one.
Ogene olughu ya uda, olu ya tan kom: Ogene even if it fails to achieve resonance, it unfailingly achieves its natural entitlement - tan kom.
Ogbughi ka akilu na ada na onu ka o si ato: The sound bitter kola makes when chewing it does not correspond with its taste.
Ogodo kwe m na nnam wabalu mu ya aburo obele ogodo: Cloth should fit me because my father dressed me with it; it is not a small cloth.
Ogwu buo, obulu Alusi: When a charm becomes ripe, it becomes an oracle/a deity.
Ofeke amaho na nkita no n’uche we si na ula ji ya: The less knowledgeable does not discern that the dog is in deep thought and mistakes it to be asleep.
Ofeke si na ya mazuru uwa, aru! mgba nne Chukwu enwero mgbacha!: The ignorant person professes to know all there is, an abomination!
Ofo ka nsi: Ofo is greater than poison or evil.
Ofu nne na-amu, ma ofu chi adi eke: It’s one mother that gives birth but it is not the same chi that is created.
Ofu onye adighi anu uda egbe: It is not only one person that hears the sound of a gun.
O ji akwu nyetu nchi, na nchi adighi ari elu: Those who have palm kernel should give to the grass cutter because the grass cutter does not climb trees.
Oji nwayoo anaghi emeru ahu: The one who takes it easy will hardly get hurt.
Oji ofo ada-ato n’ije: The just and the truthful person is never lost in a journey.
Oke no n'uno gwara oke no n'ama na azu di na ngiga: The rat in the house told the rat outside that there's fish on the grill.
Okike wu nnukwute iyi n’eri oshimiri, anaghi egwocha ya egwocha: Creation is an ever expanding body of water that swallows even the ocean of the earth, one cannot swim its enitire span.
Okike bu uzu mbu: Creation was the first accomplished work of smithing.
Okirikiri k’ana gba ukwu ose, anaghi ari ya-elu: The pepper tree is only climbed by means of cautious encirclement.
Okiri kiri bu ije agwo: Circular pattern is the movement of the snake i.e. Spirit.
Okpu na-aka mma n'isi onye nwe ya: A cap fits best on its owners head.
O kwa ako n’uche bu na mmadu amaka!: It is the exercise of wisdom and intellect that epitomizes the beauty of being human.
Okwa nka si na ife no n’aka nokwalu n’uche, ife no n’uche nokwalu na aka: The expert artisan advices that, the material of work should also be one with the mind of the craftsperson and the mind of the craftsperson should also be one with their material/medium of work.
Okwu izizi erugo be Chukwu - The First Word or Answer has reached or been programmed into Universal Consciousness.
Okwu Igbo bu n’ilu n’ilu, o malu uche akpa ya kpazie omimi: Igbo communication is in metaphors and subtleties; it is up to the eager mind to pursue and decipher the meanings of the alluded references in nature.
Okwu mbu ebulugo uzo luo be Chukwu: The first word is the first to get to Chukwu’s residence.
Okwu Igbo bu n’ilu n’ilu, o malu uche akpa ya kpazie omimi - Igbo communication is in metaphors and subtleties; it is up to the eager mind to pursue and decipher the means of the alluded reference in nature.
Okuku, o na akpanye n’afo ewu?: Does the fowl eat for the food to enter into the goats stomach.
Okuko agwugo be mmadu egbe wee buwe mbe: Are hens extinct in human settlements for the kite to begin to carry off tortoises?
Okuko nyuo ahu, ana achuwa ya oso: When the fowl farts, the ground becomes a nuisance.
Okuko mmanya na-egbu ahubegh i mmanwulu ara na-ayi: A drunken fowl has not met a mad fox.
O mmadu wu Agwu na akpa onwe ya: Agwu is the human being and the human being is Agwu.
O mmadu wu mbekwu: It is the human being that is hidden in the tortoise of Igbo tales.
O malu sa ahu kene oshimili makana o na abu Ugbana wusia okene oshimilli: An enlightened person who has taken bathe in the ocean (wisdom, granted vision, cleansing etc.) should show their appreciation, for even the Egret is always grateful to the sea after taking its bath.
Omalu neta bu onatalu chi nwa nnunu: Vision is but a nature of the bird, thus it cannot be exchanged.
O mbekwu ka eboro ihe nile mmadu mekolatara, mana o mmadu letere na mbekwu macha were kwe n’ishi: All the wrong acts done by human beings are heaped on the tortoise in Igbo tales, but it’s also the human being that discovered that the tortoise is aware of this and actually nodded in concurrence.
Ome ife jide ofo: Whatever you are doing, make sure you are doing right.
Ona abu etojuo ekewaa!: When a people or civilization reaches its spatial-temporal zenith, they/it will diffuse into fragments.
O na-abu a si nwata wuba ahu, o saba afo ya: Tell a child to wash their body, they will wash their stomach.
O na-abu ana-akuikwu mbe ana-afuikwu mmuo: The more you strike the tortoise shell, as in Afa music, the clearer you see the spirits.
O na-abu e richaa nri ma akpoghi utaba o di ka e jiiri iwe were rie ya: Eating food and not taking snuff makes it appear as if was taken with annoyance.
O na-abu e were ajo mmadu were kpochie onuuzo i mara na onuuzo ka ghe oghe: When an evil person is used to lock the gate it only means that the gateway is still open.
Onatalu chi no n’ihu, akala aka dolu n’obe aka: One’s nature is spelt on their face, while their destiny is literally heaped on their palms.
Onu mmanu mmanu na-ebute aka aja aja, aka aja aja n’ebute onu mmanu mmanu: The mouth that eats will work, the hands that works will eat.
Onu kwuru njo ga-ekwu mma: The mouth that spoke bad will speak good.
Onwa puta otichaghi o da-anakpu - A new moon must complete its cycle before exit.
Onwa jelu i neta di ya: the Moon has gone to visit her husband.
Onwere k’odi na mmadu adighi ata oke, mana o ji eze eke ya umu ntakiri: It’s odd that a person does not eat rats but uses their teeth to share it for the children.
Onwero ife bu uwa ife ofuu: Nothing is new in the world.
O nwero onye ma mbido Igbo na Igbo so uwa bia: No one truly knows the origins or roots of the Igbo for they emerged simultaneously with the universe and thus, their being transcends the created world.
Onwero onye obuna ga-abu mmadu Agwu aha-ama: There is no one who can become a fulfilled person that will not be influenced by the spirit of God.
Onwero onye ga-ata isi Chukwu, onye obuna ga-ebunagalu Chukwu isi: No one shall ever eat up or chew God's head, everybody must return God'd head to God.
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.
Onye amaghi ihe n'elu ilu agaghi ama ihe na-ato uto: One who does not know the bitterness of anything will surely not appreciate the sweetness of another.
Onye ajuju anaghi efu uzo: The person who asks questions will never miss their way.
Onye buru chi uzo o gbagbue onwe ya n’oso: Anyone who tries to overtake their chi will outrun themself.
Onye chi ya akwatughi o nweghi ihe na-eme ya: One who their chi did not pull down will remain unharmed.
Onye fee eze, eze eruo ya aka: A person who pays respect to the great will be acknowleged by greatness.
Onye furu mmadu, afugo ora n’abo: The one who sees a human being has seen the universe in its entirety and profundity.
Onye gba nkiti Chi ya agba: If one remains silent, unconcerned or aloof, one’s Chi would also remain silent, unconcerned and aloof.
Onye gbahinge uno be ya okirikiri, ohu nwe ya: When one completes a circumambulation of their house, they’ll run into themselves again.
Onye idedu aha-ele Ogwu: "Idedu person" (which is simplfied as a very dull person totally wanting in or totally lacking in charisma and who is spiritually impotent) cannot potentiate Ogwu.
Onye ihe na-agara nkeoma adighi eje be dibia: No one who has things going well for them goes to the house of a dibia.
Onye ji onye n’ani ji onwe ya: A person who holds another down in the mud must stay in the mud to keep them down.
Onye jiri ngwere a chu aja, bu onye Ogu ya ziri e zi: One who uses a lizard for sacrifice is a person whose Ogu is in good standing.
Onye kwe chi ya ekwe: When a person makes up their mind on anything their chi will be in agreement.
Onye na-aro nwa eze anya na-elele ya elele: Blinking bitterly at a noble is just admiration.
Onye na-aso imu amu ya hapukwa ita atu: One who avoids laughter should have nothing to do with chewing stick/brushing their mouth.
Onye no na ndu bu onye no na nnekwute ula: Anyone in this temporal reality called life is actually experiencing a kind of super-deep-sleep.
Onye n’akwa nka na adu ihu: The artist/craft-adept often appears to wear a frown in the process of their work.
Onye nje nje ka onye isi awo malu ife: The traveller has more knowledge than the grayhaired person.
Onye nyobe mmuo ofu chi ya: Whoever tries to pry deeply into the spirit will end up seeing their chi.
Onye nwere mmadu ka onye nwere ego: A person who has a community of people is greater than an individual with only money.
Onye nwelu isi ji Chukwu ugwo nghota: Any person with a fully functioning head owes God the task of discernment.
Onye kuo/too okpa-aja-naano, ndi mmuo amalu be ya: When one erects the four walls of the rectangular or square compound, the spirits would know their residence.
Onye o bula maara na ihe di iche di n'etiti akwukwu na dimgba: Everybody knows that there is great difference between epilepsy and convulsion.
Onye obula si na oji ofo, mana ofo ma onye ji ya: Everyone claims to weild the ofo, but only the ofo knows who truly weilds it.
Onye obuna na Chi ya yi: Every being and their Chi are one and the same!
Onye wetara oji, wetara ndu: The one who brings kola, brings life.
Onye saa chi, o kene okike: When one is granted the privilege of waking up to behold another day, they should thank the supreme creator.
Onye si na ya anaghi ata anu nkita, ya erikwala mmiri ofe ya: The person who abhors dog meat should not eat its soup.
Onye shi ya hu amahu shi akpakwuru muru okwute, ona wu nnu k’oji egbo aghuri: The person who says they aren’t aware that the stomach also birthed stone, what has it been using to process the monitor lizard (Ngwere Aghuri) meat that such a person have been consuming?
Onye ulo ya na-agba oku anaghi achu oke: A person whose house is burning does not chase rats.
Ose oji anaghi eje ije ifele, yana mmuo na mmadu na adi mma - The alligator pepper never fails to succeed on any message it takes on, it is always in good terms with spirit and man.
Osi na nwata buru ogaranya: One who was predestined to become wealthy, and as a result became wealthy from their youth.
Osi ogili ga-edelu aka ya n'ile: The person who cooks or prepares ogili will invariably touch their finger containing particles of ogili on their own tongue.
Oso chuba nwata o naa ikwu nne ya: When a child is being chased they will go to their mother’s side of the family.
Otu aka luta mmanu, o tee ndi ozo: When oil stains one finger, it will also soil the others.
Otu osisi adighi eme oke ohia: One tree does not make up a forest.
Oturukpokpo si na azu o gbanyelu uwa bu ka o bechaa ogwe welu fu iru igwe anya: The Woodpecker said that its turned back on the world is merely resulting from its effort to gorge out appropriate hole in the Ogwe underworld tree from which to see deeply into the face of the sky.
O wu akwaa-akwuru k’ukwu ji karicha n’nkwu: It is for the efficiency of its balancing purpose that the human legs are distinguished in the general category of legs in the natural kingdom.
O wu oku ite Chukwu shiwere na mbara igwe ka ihe ji di, o wu ya du uwa eje: Light as we know it is a radiation from the divine boiling pot set in the sky by the supreme spirit; it is this light that guides all created beings.
Ozu nwada to n'uzo, o gbaa n'afa - If a daughter's corpse is not brought home to the family, it will show at the fortune tellers.
Si kele onye nti chiri, enu anughi, ala anu: Salute the deaf, if the heavens don't hear, the earth will hear.
Tupuru nkita okpukpu n’ezi, hapuru ya ogu ya na ndi mmuo: Throw bones out to the dog and leave it to fight with the spirits.
Ube nkiti nwa nnunu bere n’ohia bu izu mmuo gbaara Dibia: The most simple expression of a bird is wisdom to the Dibia—coming from the spirit world.
Uche n’abia abia: The universal mind is a visitor.
Uche n’abia abia n’obiro ebi: The Divine Mind is a visitor to all and does not permanently reside in all life.
Uche wu eze okorotom ohia ana epio ya epio/amamihe bu oke ohia, anaghi epiocha ya epiocha: The one Universal Mind is an infinitely colossal forest of unfathomable diversity, one cannot fully meander through its entirety. Likewise knowledge is a great forest, one can never cover its complete span.
Udara miara m, mikwara nwunye di m: Let Udara sprout in my backyard and also in my co-wife’s domain.
Udele si na ime nwunye ya di di ya mma. O diri, ekele chukwu, o nwuo, o buru anu: The vulture said he is indifferent about its wife’s pregnancy. If the baby survives they will give thanks to God, but if it dies it becomes meat.
Ufodu jelu ora uche, ka ndi ozo we jee ora ajuju!: Some journeyed deep into the realm of wisdom, so that some can journey deep into the realm of empirical query.
Ugo chara acha adighi echu echu: A mature eagle feather will always remain pure.
Uka akparakpa isi ka eji ebu ya: Load that is tied is carried on the head.
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.
Ukpaka anwu chakatalu, o kuo aka kpali! Umu ya welu ju ofia: The oil bean pod which when subjected to intensive heat, explodes flinging its seeds far and wide into the forests/bushes.
Ukpana na-ere n’oku si na ya na-asha mmanu: A grasshopper roasting over fire claims it is emitting fat.
Ukwa ruo oge ya odaa: When the breadfruits gets to its ripe season it will fall.
Ulili si na-ejekete ije si tuo nkwo oso maka ihe oso eme mee: The ground squirrel advices that those who walk should sometimes break into a trot in case the need to run arises.
Ulili siri na onye ya zuru n’uzo na mgbachi adighi achu ihe na ihe na-achu ya: The squirrel said whosoever it meets on the road just before noon is not pursuing anything but is instead being pursued by something.
Ura ga-eju onye nwuru anwu afo: A dead person shall have all the sleep they need.
Uwa aburo b’anyi: The world is not our home.
Uwa anyi bulu uno uzu aka, anyi bu mmadu abulu umu odinaka uzu: If our universe is the first and original mystic furnace, then we human beings are inheritors of the mystic smithing hand of creativity.
Uwa anyi bu uwa alahusia eteta: This our world is a temporal zone of reality, much akin to a sleep experience, from which one eventually awakens onto a higher and greater reality.
Uwa bu afia, onye zusia onakwulu chi: The cosmos is a grand market, after trading one returns to god.
Uwa bu egwu, onye o daalu o gbaba: The world is a moving musical cavalcade, if the tunes come your way, you dance along.
Uwa gbajulu agbuju, dolu adolu ka igwe: The universe is highly teeming with activity/dense with energy and firm in its place like iron.
Uwa bu ijele mmonwu, akwuro ofu ebe enene ya: The world is a grand masquerade, you can’t appreciate its entirety from a single view or fixed point.
Uwa bu igwe/Obodo bu igwe: The universe is densely spirited as iron/the world is as tough as iron.
Uwa bu ogodo eze enu wa n’ukwu, okike n’ine no nime ya: The world is a colossal toga on the waist of the Supreme Divinity who resides high up, all created beings are bound within it.
Uwa bu ntiko-ntiko na obi chukwu walu awa: Life is a gradual and delicate affair as a result of the primordial shattering of the first world.
Uwa na-eme ntughari: The world revolves. Nothing is permanent.
Uwa na-ehughali/erughali ehughali/erughali: The world is in constant changes.
Uwa na aga na mgbawata-mgbawata: The universe experiences ever-arising and ever-diminishing cyclic phases.
Uwa na uru ya n’ine bu atutu olisa: The universe and all its manifested aspects are the result of divine thought or mind.
Uwa na uzu ana eme: The universe is an endlessly active furnace.
Uwa wu aridachaa agbagowe kwa, eto juo, eke waa: Existence is a process of descending to rise again continuously; when we reach the bream of growth, we divide again.
Uwa wu o gaziere onye orie: The blessed enjoys the world in its fullness.
Uzu na-amaghi akpu ogene lee egbe anya n’odu: The blacksmith that does not know how to make a gong should look at the tail of the kite.
Wepu aka enwe na ofe tupu ya aghoo aka mmadu: Remove the palm of the monkey from the soup before it turns into the palm of a human being.
In conclusion, here’s a quote from F. C. Ogbalu (1965) who studied Igbo proverbs, he stated that:
Igbo proverbs are accumulation of Igbo experiences throughout the history of the Igbos. In absence of any written history, they serve as the medium through which much can be learnt about the Igbos. Their past history, their philosophy of life and family structure, their politics and religion can best be learnt through the proverbs (p.5).
