proverbs

170. Nit ku saay-saay a bañ ku ko gëdd. (13)
The scoundrel hates the person who rebukes him.
“Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love
you.” (Proverbs 9:8 NIV)
Evil tongue
171. Cat, bu la reyul, semmal la. (6)
Cat du reyul sembal. (14)
When ‘evil tongue’ does not kill you, it does at least harm you.
“but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
(James 3:8 NIV)
Excess
172. Ku fecc ba génn ub géew, kenn du la seetaan. (2,3,6)
No one continues to watch the person who dances (to excess) to the point of
leaving the circle.
No one is interested in the person who tries to outdo his rivals. This proverb expresses the
horror that the Wolof have of excess, of the person who exceeds the norms of the society.
Failure
173. Kuy bëre yaay daanu. (2,3,6,12,15,20)
He who wrestles is the one who suffers a defeat.
The person who does not wrestle is not worthy even of defeat. Better to try and fail than to
not try at all.
Fame
174. Siiw, du jàmmi boroom. (5)
Fame does not bring peace to the famous.
Family
175. Dëkkandoo bu baax a gën mbokk mu sore. (13)
A good neighbour is better than a relative who is far away.
176. Dëng ànd ak say mbokk a gëna jub tàggook ñoom. (20)
Unrighteousness which allows relatives to remain together is to be preferred to
justice which causes them to break up.
177. Doom yomb na, ju baax jaa jafe. (2)
It is easy to have a child. The hard thing is to have a good child.
178. Boo bëggee xam luy laabiir, amal doom. (2,3,5,6,15,20)
If you want to know what kindness / generosity / indulgence is, have a child.
179. Doomu béy, yóbbe na yaayam taq am xaaxaam. (6)
The mother goat was covered with grass burrs because of its kid.
One accepts irritations for the sake of one's child.
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