Yorùbá ni “Bi Ọmọdé ba ṣubú á wo iwájú, bi àgbà ba ṣubú á wo ẹ̀hìn”.  Bi enia bá dé ipò àgbà, pàtàki gẹ́gẹ́ bi òbí, àgbà ìdílé tàbi ọ̀gá ilé iṣẹ́, ẹni ti ó bá ni ìfẹ́ kò ni fẹ́ ki àwọn ti ó mbọ̀ lẹhin ṣubú tàbi ki wọn kùnà.

Ẹni ti ó bá fẹ ìlọsíwájú ẹnikeji pàtàki, ọmọ ẹni, aya tabi oko eni, ẹ̀gbọ́n, àbúro, ọmọ-iṣẹ, ọmọ ilé-iwé, aládúgbò, ẹbi, ọ̀rẹ́, ojúlùmọ̀ àti ará, a má a tẹnu mọ ìbáwí lati kìlọ̀ fún àwọn ti ó mbọ̀ lẹhin ki wọn ma ba a ṣìnà.  Eleyi lè jẹ ki irú àgbà bẹ́ẹ̀ dàbi onikọnra lójú ẹni ti nwọn báwí.  Fún àpẹrẹ ni ayé òde òní, bi òbí ba nsọ fún ọmọdé nígbà gbogbo pé ki ó ma joko si ori ayélujára lati má a ṣeré, ki ó lè sùn ni àsikò tàbi ki ó ma ba fi àkókò ti ó yẹ kó ka iwé ṣeré lóri ayélujára, bi oníkọnra ni òbí ńrí, ṣùgbọ́n iyẹn kò ni ki òbí ma ṣe ohun ti ó yẹ lati ṣe fún di dára ọmọ.

Yorùbá sọ wi pé, “Ajá ti ó bá ma sọnù, ki gbọ́ fèrè Ọdẹ”.  Ki ènìyàn ma ba di oníkọran, kò si ẹni ti ó lè jọ ẹnikeji tán, àwọn ibeji pàápàá kò jọra.  Bi ọkọ tàbi aya bá ni dandan ni ki aya tàbi ọkọ ṣe nkan bi òhun ti fẹ́ ni ìgbà gbogbo, ìkanra ló ńdà. Nitori èyi, bi enia bá ti ṣe ìkìlọ̀, ki ó mú ẹnu kúrò ti ó bá ri wi pé ẹni ti òhun ti báwí kò fẹ́ gbọ́.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

According to a Yoruba adage, “When a child falls, he/she looks ahead, when an elder falls, he/she reflects on the past”.  When one reaches the position of an elder, particularly as a parent, family leader, a big boss, or a benevolent person would not want those coming behind or less experienced go astray or make the same mistake one has made in the past.

Anyone who desired the progress of others such as one’s children, older or younger siblings, colleagues, students, neighbours, family, friends, colleagues and contemporaries, could persistently warn or correct to steer such person from going astray.  The person at the receiving end of correction, often regard such elder as being peevish but that should not stop parents from steering the child to the right path.

Yoruba adage said “A dog that will be lost never listens to the hunter’s clarion call”. For one not to be tagged a peevish person, one should realize that no two persons’ mannerism are ever the same, even if they were twins.  If a husband or wife should insist on their own way, it leads to being ill-tempered.  As a result, once a person has expressed warnings, one should then desist from further persistent warnings, especially if the person being warned is not willing to heed warnings.

Originally posted 2018-07-24 21:38:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter