Tiv Proverbs

31/12/2024

Welcome to 2025!
Msugh ne za van ken 2025!
Inyôm i he i doo se cii!

27/05/2024

Tiv:
Ka wea tsôngu iwuan-or nan yaveu a kwase.

Translation:
When you circumcise a fool, he turns around to sleep with your wife.

Application:
The proverb warns about ingrates, and traitors. It is akin to the popular saying, "Don't feed every dog you see suffering! Some just need the strength to bite you."

16/05/2024

TIV:
Ka wea ume akuzwa u mem usu fehen.

ENGLISH (Translation):
When you have sported a heavy mustache, you quit trying to kindle fires with your breathe (lest you set your face on ablaze).

APPLICATION:
This proverb is similar to the English one which says, "He who lives in a glass house should not throw stones". It is meant to caution people with peculiar sensibilities from taking unreasonable risks.

Again, it applies like the English adage, "Those who come to justice must come with clean hands". Do not cry "foul" when your hands are also soiled with evil.

Ultimately, this proverb demonstrates the Tiv rejection of hypocrisy and double-dealing while promoting ideals like integrity, justice, and fairness.

Credits:
Joe Daka shared the Tiv version of this proverb on his timeline some time ago. Thanks to his inspiration, this post was made. I salute!

06/04/2024

I have reached 2K followers! Thank you for your continued support. I could not have done it without each of you. 🙏🤗🎉

02/02/2024

TIV:
Ka mfeshio ka ana ihyev i za ta num sha kpatuma ye!

ENGLISH:
It is sheer ignorance that would lead a rat to confront a cat with a fight!

09/01/2024

Tiv:
Ikya ngi a tsue i pase ahu

English:
No monkey leaps from a tree and continues to lay claim to the leaves.

Interpretation:
When you leave any way of life, cut off the ties completely. When you leave a group, you cannot lay claim to it's rights and privileges.

03/01/2024

Happy New Year!
May new doors of breakthrough open to us all!
🎉🎉🎉

25/12/2023

Happy Kilimishi!!!

24/12/2023

TIV:
Mba wuese ngôivo u or ka ambusu.

ENGLISH (Trans)
What attracts admiration to a man's goat is its big belly.

INTERPRETATION:
This proverb has nothing to do with goats. Rather, the terms "goat" and "big belly" as used here are metaphors for (i) child and (ii) character respectively. Thus, the proverb actually means, "what attracts praise to a man's child is its good character".

APPLICATION:
This proverb applies in moral situations where the adults admonish the youth to desist from evil and seek the good. For instance, an elder might say to a wayward youth,"'what attracts praise to a man's goat is its big belly'. Desist from evil and stop attracting shame to your parents!"

Now you know!
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Merry Christmas un advance!

🎄🎄🎄
🎁🎁🎁

18/12/2023

"Proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten"
~ Chinua Achebe

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15/12/2023

TIV:
Ka wea tesen or gbenda u hôn ihôwe.

TRANSLATION:
When you embark on showing the way to another, do it properly by pointing with your finger.

INTERPRETATION:
Those who lead should do so by example.

07/12/2023

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