Oro Siso | Ikwu Okwu
- Words are threads for weaving stories. They convey thoughts and opinions. The spoken word is the human mind made visible [Ọkwu e kwụrụ ekwu bụ uche mmadụ]. They are mirrors that reflect people’s character and outlook on life. They reveal what is in the mind.
- Compliments and kind words are like water. When you pour water on the path ahead, you will step on cool ground(ẹni tó bá da omi síwájú, á tẹ ilẹ̀ tútù).
- Soft words reduce bitterness [Okwu dị nwayọọ na-ebelata ọnụma] and ease tension.
- When speaking with a tempered voice, people willingly bring kola nut out of their bag and share with you, while a harsh voice will make them bring out a dagger from its sheath instead (Ohùn pẹ̀lẹ́ nì í yọ obì n’ápò; ohùn líle nì í yọ ọ̀bẹ n’ákọ).
- Be soft-spoken. When a wife is sweet-spoken, her husband does not refuse her food [Nwanyị ọnụ ụtọ, di anaghị ajụrụ ya nri] but if the food comes with insults, he might prefer to starve. This proverb may sound patriarchal but the moral is that nobody likes to be treated like trash.
- Sorry may be nuanced. Its impact depends heavily on the tone, intent, and attitude behind it. Sorry is said to have both masculine and feminine expressions (Pẹ̀lẹ́ ní ákọ, ó ní ábo). Though avoid gender stereotyping, for not all men are brash, nor are all women gentle.
- It is only a vile person that has nothing good to say (Ẹni burúkú kò ní ọ̀rọ̀ ire lẹ́nu).
- Bad words are like a weapon that inflicts wounds more lasting than physical ones. As taut as a bow-string: a physical gash heals but that from a hurtful word doesn’t (Á le koko bí ọsán: ẹgbẹ́ jinná, ohùn ò jinná).
- Insensitive words have a lasting impact on others. The person who poops on the floor may forget but the person who has to clean up the mess never forgets (Ẹni tó ṣu lè gbàgbé, ṣùgbọ́n ẹni tó fọwọ́ ko ò lè gbàgbé).
- Words spoken from the depth of the heart leave a permanent mark. What the mouth casually told the heart can be forgotten, but what the heart told the mouth can never be forgotten [Ọnụ gwara obi nwere ike ichezọ, ma ihe obi gwara ọnụ anaghị echezọ echezọ].
- Spoken words are fragile like raw eggs. Once they fall to the ground, they shatter (Ọ̀rọ̀ bí ẹyin ni; tí ó bá ti jábọ̀ sílẹ̀, fífọ́ ni ń fọ́). Like Humpty Dumpty, all the king’s horses and all the king’s men will not be able to mend the damage.
- Words can make or break. They can breathe life into ideas and inspire action. If a person says ‘yes’, their personal spirit also affirms it [Onye kwere, Chi ya ekwe].
- Use your words to beacon good fortune towards yourself (Àpèmọ́ra ẹni ni a ń pé tèmídire). Do not let negative words find rest in your soul. Speak something positive to counteract it.
- Words are tools for influence and persuasion. They can be wielded to sway opinions, manipulate perceptions, and condition the minds of the gullible. When a wise man speaks, the simpleton broadcasts it (Ọ̀rọ̀ tí ọlọgbọ́n bá sọ, ẹnu aṣiwèrè la ti ń gbọ́).
- Keep speaking your truth. Do not be discouraged when it appears that no one is paying attention to what you are saying. As long as there is someone ready to speak, there will always be an audience ready to listen (Sọ̀rọ̀sọ̀rọ̀ wà, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni ẹní máa gbọ́ ḿbẹ).
- Though when listening to what someone is saying, you should also consider the person saying it [E lee okwu, e lee onye na-ekwu ya] and be sure of their motive.
- In difficult situations, find the courage to speak up (sọ̀rọ̀ sọ́kè). Use your voice to advocate for yourself; speak up. For failure to speak out may precede misfortune (Àìlèfọhùn ní ńṣáájú orí burúkú).
- Why deceive yourself by saying all is well like the grasshopper who claims it is just secreting oil when it is actually being roasted [Ukpana na-ere n’ọkụ sị na ya na-asa mmanụ].
- Why be like the shy rat that died in its burrow [Òkè na-eme ihere na-anwụ n’ime ọnụ ya]. Speak up, acknowledge your situation, seek help and get yourself to safety.
- You are responsible for what you say. Yes, let the matter be for who broadcasts it to the world [Okwu dili onye kwuru ya n’uwa].
- Though, remember that heroes are measured in their speech [E jiro oke okwu ama dike].
- There is a time for words and a time for action. You won’t see a talking drum lying around and be trying to verbally describe how the drum sounds (A kì í rí bàtá níle ká fẹnu sín in jẹ). You pick up the drum and demonstrate what it is capable of instead. For actions speak louder than words.
- While it is true that whatever the eyes see is what the mouth speaks [Ihe anyá hụrụ ka ọnụ na-ekwu] one must never bear false witness.
- If the eye doesn’t see something, the mouth should not say it did (Bí ojú kò bá rí nǹkan, ẹnu kì í sọ pé ó rí)
- Also, it is not everything the eyes see that the mouth says (Kì í ṣe gbogbo ohun tí ojú bá rí ni ẹnu ń sọ).
- At times, one must bridle the tongue to avoid speaking in ways that may worsen an already difficult situation. Don’t talk carelessly, don’t talk. For a person is known by what they say.[Ekwula, ekwula! A na-amata mmadụ n’ihe ọ na-ekwu].
- Words that if spoken today will be a source of quarrel tomorrow should remain in the belly(Ọ̀rọ̀ tí a sọ lónìí tí ó di ìjà l’ọ́la, inú ẹni ní í gbé), don’t vocalize it.
- People with a hostile predisposition are identified by the way they speak. The person you can safely borrow money from without constant harassment can be determined by the tone of their voice(Ẹni tí yó yàáni lówó, tí kò níí sinni, ohùn ẹnu-u re la ti ḿmo).
- It is during conversations that we know who has common sense and who does not(Ìdí ọ̀rọ̀ sísọ ni a ti ń mọ ẹni tí ó ní làákàyè àti ẹni tí kò ní).
- Whoever speaks too much is likely to misspeak(Ẹni tí ó bá sọ púpọ̀ á ṣìsọ).
- A person’s mouth may bring them favor, and their mouth may bring them trouble[Ọnụ m mere m mma, ọnụ m mere m njọ].
- We accept the entertainer, and we know the praise-singer; it is the blunderer who is left out (A mọ aláré, a mọ eléki; aláṣìsọ ló kù).
- For nothing destroys a person faster than speaking without restraint (Kò sí ohun tó yára pa ẹni bí ọ̀rọ̀ àsọjù).
- People usually talk about what is bothering them(Oràn tí ńdunni làròkàn ẹni), because it is on their mind and small talk serves as the icebreaker sometimes.
- Whenever someone starts making small talk with you, it is because they want you to contribute to the discussion [Onye hụrụ mmadụ kwuwe okwu, ọ na-ekwu ka onye ahụ tụnye ọnụ].
- Life-changing conversations can happen anywhere. Conversation doesn’t complain about having no fixed address; people engage in conversation wherever they find it(Ọ̀rọ̀ ò ní òun ò nílé; ibi tí wọ́n bá rí ni wọ́n ti ń sọ òun).
- When stuck at home during a heavy downpour, there is no need to keep arguing about who will speak. The older person will have enough time to speak; likewise the younger person(Òjò kan kì í báni lábà ká jìjàdù oro-o sọ; bí egbon bá sọ tán, àbúrò á sọ).
- However, there are some neighbors who just keep talking once you grant them an audience. As soon as you open your door to them in the morning, they rattle on [A ghere ụzọ, a ghere ọnụ ] and you have to engage with them as you engage with life’s daily business and responsibilities.
- Such a talkative person, when told to stop talking, replies that they should be allowed to speak because their words are very interesting [Asi ônye usa okwu ekuna, ô si ka ya kwue na okwu ya a na atôka].
- When you see a blabbermouth and assume you are speaking to someone of better virtue, you will just be speaking to a leaking basket (Bí a bá rí èké, à ṣebí èèyàn rere ni; à soro ságbon a jò).
- Beware not to crown someone who says rubbish as king because they will continue the rubbish talk in the palace [A chie onye na-aba njo, ọ sị na ya ga-ana-aba sọọsọ njo n’ụlọeze].
- Sometimes you have to intentionally end a conversation to go do more productive things. For endless debates produce nothing of value. Excessive talk cannot fill a basket; it only brings forth lies(Ọ̀rọ̀ púpọ̀, kò kún agbọ̀n; irọ́ ní ḿmú wá).
- Spice your words with proverbs to make it palatable to the hearer. Proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten[lu bụ mmanụ eji eri okwu]. They make conversation richer and smoother, just as oil makes food easier to swallow.
- Proverbs are draft horses for vocalizing your thoughts. When at a loss for words, an appropriate proverb is used to find it(Òwe lẹṣin ọ̀rọ̀; bí ọ̀rọ̀ bá sọnù, òwe la fi ń wá a).
- Words are spoken encased in their shell; let the wise tease them out [A na-ekwu okwu na mkpọ ya, nwoke nwere uche abịazie tiwaa ya].
- Though there are times you need to be explicit or else your words will not make sense just like when names are shortened and it becomes difficult to understand their true meaning(Àdàpè ọ̀rọ̀ kò jẹ́ kí á mọ ìtumọ̀ orúkọ).
- When delivering bad news humor may be used (Ọ̀rọ̀ búrúkú pẹ̀lú ẹ̀rín) hoping that the laughter will soften the pain and make the information easier to bear.
- Silence has a cost. A silent figure leaves everyone guessing which side it supports (Ṣìgìdì tí kò sọ̀rọ̀, a ò mọ ẹni tí ńgbè).
- Since a figurine does not have a mouth to speak so lies upon lies are conjured on its behalf (Ṣìgìdì kò ní ẹnu láti fọhùn; irọ́ ń parọ́ fún irọ́).
- In delicate situations, may you know when to speak and when to refrain, as what one says may be misinterpreted as a cryptic proverb, while remaining silent could look like malice (Bi a bá sọ̀rọ̀, a dàbí òwe; bí a kò bá sọ̀rọ̀, a dàbí ìjà).
- Contentious issues are often handled with “eye-respect” or tiptoeing instead of addressing it directly which makes the matter drag on endlessly without being resolved [Okwu a na-asọ anya adịghị ebi ọsọ ọsọ].
- It is the wise counselor and master of proverbs who unravels the root of such a matter (Amòrán-mòwe ní ń làdí ọ̀rọ̀). It is the one who has mastery of proverbs that has undisputed authority in such a discussion(Olówe l’áláṣẹ ọ̀rọ̀).
- Indeed, the issue you do not want your father to hear about will still need to be resolved by him (Ọ̀rọ̀ tí a pé kí bàbá má gbọ́, bàbá ni ńparí ẹ̀), so the earlier you seek his counsel the better.
- An elder’s intervention is often the final barrier to chaos. If their words do not pave the way for dialogue, war inevitably ensues (Ọ̀rọ̀ àgbà, bí kò bá ta ẹdẹ, ogun ní ńta).
- Elders have a moral duty, they cannot sit at home and watch the she-goat suffer the pain of childbirth tethered to a post [Okenye anaghị anọ n’ụlọ nne ewu amụọ na gbuu].
- Elders have foresight; if their words do not manifest in the morning, they will come to pass by nightfall (Ọ̀rọ̀ àgbà, tí kò bá ṣẹ ní òwúrọ̀, a ṣẹ ní alẹ́).
- What an elder sees while sitting, a child cannot glimpse from the top of a tree [Ihe onye okenye hụrụ n’oche, nwata anaghị ahụ ya n’elu osisi].
- You do not need to vocalize every word to the wise; they easily read between the lines and decipher the unspoken. Half a word is spoken to an ọmọlúwàbí; when it enters their mind, it becomes whole (Àbọ̀ ọ̀rọ̀ ni a sọ fún ọmọlúwàbí; tí ó bá dé inú rẹ̀, a di odindi).
- Sometimes diplomacy is necessary, while at other times, bluntness is more appropriate. A person who does not know how to speak tactfully makes the owner of the matter angry (Ẹni tí kò mọ ọ̀rọ̀ sọ, ní ń mú inú bínú ọlọ́rọ̀).
- It is with words that one wisely counters a torrent of words (Oro la fi ńjẹ omitooro oro). A matter does not become so knotty that it must be cut with a knife; rather you talk it through with your mouth (Ọ̀rọ̀ kì í gbóríń ká fi ọ̀bẹ bù ú, ẹnu la fi ń wí i), maintaining civility.
- When a matter has been discussed and resolved, one can sleep peacefully on the mat [A kpaa akpaa, a rahụ n’ute].
- Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch; whichever says the other should not perch, may its wings fall off [Egbe bere, Ugo bere; nke sị ibe ya ebela, nku kwaa ya].
Bible verses to ponder
- Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. – Proverbs 18:21
- The words I speak are spirit and life. – John 6:63
- Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. – Ephesians 4:29
- The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. – James 3:6
- All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one – Matthew 5:37
- A wise person keeps silent until the right time, but a boaster and a fool speak out of turn. – Sirach 20:7
- Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. – Luke 6:45
- Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. – Proverbs 12:18
- Make a balance and a weight for your words. Make a door and a bolt for your mouth. Beware lest you slip with it, and fall before him who lies in wait. – Sirach 28:24-26
- In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise – Proverbs 10:19
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