Welcome to Postproverbial Community

What then is a postproverbial, or to address the form in the plural sense, what are postproverbials? Postproverbials are radicalized proverbial utterances which subvert the logic and the pattern of conventional proverbs...

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SOME RANDOM PROVERBS & THEIR POSTPROVERBIALS

Proverb:  Polepole ndio mwendo.
Translation: Slowly slowly is the movement of life.

Postproverbial: Pole pole yachelewesha.
Translation: Slowly causes a delay.
Postproverbial: Mwendo wa kinyonga na konokono ndio mwendo wa maisha.
Translation: The movement of a snail and a chameleon are movements of life.
East Africa (Kiswahili) Read more

Proverb:  Àìgbọ́fá là’ń w’òkè, Ifá kan ò sí ní párá.
Translation: Not knowing Ifa philosophy, we gaze up, but the Oracle is not in the rafters.

Postproverbial: Àìgbọ́fá là’ń fọwọ́ gbárí, Ifá ju agbárí lọ.
Translation: Not knowing Ifa philosophy, we crack the brain, but the Oracle is more than sophistry.
Postproverbial: Àìgbọ́fá là’ń w’òkè, kìí ṣe f’ẹ́ni t’ó bá mọ’fá á sọ lá t’orí.
Translation: Not knowing Ifa philosophy, we gaze up, that is not for the initiate who can recite it by rote.
Nigeria (Yoruba) Read more

Proverb:  Ayara adia ikot, Abasi abat isua.
Translation: The bully plunders the land but God counts the years.

Postproverbial: Oyod adia Abasi abat isua.
Translation: The rat is eating, God is counting the years.
Postproverbial: Idiok owo adia Abasi abat isua.
Translation: The wicked person is eating but God is counting the years.
Nigeria (Efik) Read more

Proverb:  Ko na maŋe ko pa mo, mo boŋe we mo mo yei banzure.
Translation: When things go well for you, you think it is because you know how to marry well.

Postproverbial: Ko na maŋe ko pa mo, ye pa se ko gyi pimpaala.
Translation: When things go well for you, do not turn it into a boast.
Postproverbial: Ko na maŋe ko pa mo, ko lamma.
Translation: When things go well for you, it is good.
Ghana (Kasem) Read more

Proverb:  Gya m’wɛ n’tu, se m’yage lam.
Translation: Come down with good fortune rather than beauty.

Postproverbial: Gya m’wɛ n’tu, ko gara mo na gyege nɔɔna.
Translation: Come down with good fortune, it is better than having people.
Postproverbial: Gya m’wɛ n’tu, n’gya wɛ n’lei.
Translation: Come down with good fortune “and tie up time” (so that you can enjoy your good fortune).
Ghana (Kasem) Read more

Proverb:  Mficha uchi, hazai.
Translation: One who hides his/her private parts cannot bear children.

Postproverbial: Mficha uchi, hajui raha ya mapenzi.
Translation: One who hides his/her private parts does not know the joy of love.
Postproverbial: Mficha uchi, atakuwa amevaa nguo.
Translation: One who hides his/her private parts must have dressed up.
East Africa (Kiswahili) Read more