proverbs

676. Xam lépp, wax lépp, baaxul. (2,20)
To know everything and say everything is bad.
677. “Waxoon naa koo” gën “xamoon naa ko”. (2,12)
Magum waxoon naa ko moo gën magum xamoon naa ko. (16)
Duma magum xamoon naa ko, wànte magum waxoon naa ko. (19)
“I told you that” is better than “I knew that”.
It is better to have warned someone of a problem than to have been aware of it and said
nothing.
“Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil on
my head. My head will not refuse it. Yet my prayer is ever against the deeds of
evildoers;” (Psalms 141:5 NIV)
“Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love
you.” (Proverbs 9:8 NIV)
678. Buy, balaa jëriñ, toj. (6)
Wuy, balaa jëriñ, toj. (2)
Before the fruit of a baobab tree is of any use it must be broken.
A person can only use what he knows. If you do not speak your thoughts, your advice or
your needs, then someone cannot respond to them.
Taste
679. La mu saf, ka ko macc a ko xam. (2,3,6,7,11,12)
Only the person who actually tastes it will know what it tastes like.
One cannot criticize what one does not understand. Only the person who has tasted and
understood can be critical of others.
Every week Iba sees M. Dupont coming to his village to chase butterflies. Iba, who finds
this past-time somewhat trivial, says to Abdou one day, “This guy is bizarre. To come such
a long distance, burn up so much fuel just to run behind butterflies! Ah these Tubaabs!”
But instead of laughing Abdou quotes this proverb.
Teachers
680. Loo doonul ndongoom doo doon ub sëriñam. (9,11,12)
Loo nekkul taalibeem doo nekkub sëriñam. (2)
If you have not been a disciple you will not be a teacher.
What you have not been taught you will not be able to teach.
Thoughts
681. Yéene néeg la, boroom a cay fanaan. (2,3,5,6,7,11,12,15,19,20)
A wish is a bedroom; the person who forms it will pass the night in it.
“Curses, like chickens, come home to roost.”
A wish (good or bad) and the thoughts that one has towards another is like a boomerang. A
blessing or curse will come back on the head of the person who makes it.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way as you judge
others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to
you.” (Matthew 7:1-2 NIV)
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