proverbs

108. Deru sëllu wëgg na ndeyam ci teen. (9)
Deru sëllu wëgg na ndeyam. (2)
The skin of a calf watered its mother at the well.
If you think that it is only the elderly who die you deceive yourself. Parents can bury their
children, and a calf can be born and die and its skin turned into a well bucket which brings
water to its mother.
109. Nelaw tax naa gëm dee. (6)
Gëm naa dee ndax i nelaw. (2)
It is because of sleep that one believes in death.
Sleep gives us an idea of what death is like and leads us to accept its reality.
110. Nit ku nekk a ngoo xasaw néew. (1,13)
Nit ku nekk, xasaw na néew. (13)
Every person has the smell of a corpse.
Every person is mortal.
111. Ku sag nàkk jeex, nga aj say koog. (6,11,12,15,19)
Ku sag nàkk jeex, nga wékk say koog. (2)
When you have finished cooking your rice cake you should hang up your calabash
spoon.
When one has used up all one's advantages one should retire.
According to Sylla this proverb also talks about our future deaths. One should prepare for
death through a detachment to material things, mastery of one's desires and good works.
Debt
112. Àtte bor ak fey. (12)
Àtteb bor, fay. (19)
The judgement of an unpaid debt is reimbursement.
113. Bor du am rakk. (2)
A debt does not have a little brother.
If you have not paid your existing debt you cannot expect to borrow more.
114. Nit ku wóor te doon gor du bari bor. (20)
A man who is sure and honest will not have many debts.
Deception
115. Bu la ngelaw mayee mbaam, ngelaw a la koy xañ. (15)
What is brought to a donkey by a gust of wind will be taken away by another gust
of wind.
A person should avoid giving the illusory impression of having achieved a result which
might evaporate with the slightest change, leaving him ashamed. It is better to be happy
with what one has achieved by one’s own efforts while waiting for better.
116. Ku yewwu ren dañu la naxoon daaw. (9)
Ñi yewwu ren la ñu naxoon daaw. (19)
The person who is enlightened this year was deceived last year.
“Once bitten, twice shy.”
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