proverbs

Sleep
634. Bët, bu reerul añ. (2,8)
The eye which doesn't dine, must lunch.
“You can’t burn the candle at both ends.”
If you don't get enough sleep during the night you must make it up during the day.
Slyness
635. Lu jinne màggat màggat, dese õelaju bu jommal gone. (2,3,5,6)
Lu jinne màggat màggat, dese regeju bu jommal ndaw. (2)
A djinn, no matter how old it is, is still capable of making faces that panic children.
Experience will triumph over strength.
Bismi Ndoye, a wrestler in his nineties, attracted by the importance of the stakes, accepts a
challenge to confront Bori Diouf, a young wrestler who is a champion in all categories, in
a wrestling match. Following the signal to start the match, Bismi refused contact with his
adversary, all the time playing the clown, doubling over towards the crowd with laughter.
Eventually Bori is exasperated and forces Bismi to fight hand to hand. Bismi gets a good
grip, and at the moment when Bori wants to unbalance him, he sticks a finger in the
bottom of his back. Bori jumps and Bismi trips him up and thus gets the victory. Bori
complains to the umpire who did not see anything, to no avail. At the moment of the final
accolade after the match, Bismi whispers this proverb into the ear of Bori.
[õeleju = to make faces at someone with the goal of offending or demoralising them.
regeju = to roll one's eyes in an expressive manner.]
Small things
636. Tepp-tepp ay yóbbu cim xuus. (11,12)
Tepp-tepp ay indim xuus. (2)
Tepp-teppal mooy indi xuus. (20)
A small puddle will lead to wading through water.
“From little streams, great rivers are formed.”
“Tall oaks from little acorns grow.”
“Many a mickle make a muckle.”
One should not despise small things. They can end up being very important.
“Who despises the day of small things” (Zechariah 4:10 NIV)
Society
637. Ku amul kilifa, jinne doon sa kilifa ! (2,7,9,15,20)
Ku nanguwul nit yilif la, jinne doon sa kilifa. (8,19)
He who does not take a human being as his (religious) teacher, the devil will be
his teacher.
This stresses the role of society in moulding the individual and establishing moral values.
Anyone who rejects submission to the values of society will inevitably end up in
debauchery.
“You will say, "How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! I
would not obey my teachers or listen to my instructors. I have come to the brink
of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly."” (Proverbs 5:12-14 NIV)
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