Yorùbá Moral Philosophy - The Ethics of Ìwà (Character)

It is not an overstatement to say the Yorùbá are master wordsmiths when it comes to poems, proverbs, aphorisms etc.

After all, Òwe lẹshin ọ̀rọ̀, ọ̀rọ̀ lẹshin òwe, bì ọ̀rọ̀ ba sọnù, òwe la fi nwaa.

Literally - “Proverb is the horse on which the word rides and word is the horse on which the proverb rides. If the word is missing, we use proverb to find it.”

i.e - It is through proverbs that the meaning of words can be understood and vice versa.

The philosophical concept of Ìwàpẹ́lẹ́ (Good Character) cannot be fully understood without the basic knowledge of Ìwà and what other way can this be explained other than through a beautifully crafted Yorùbá poem...

Tọ́jú ìwà rẹ ọ̀rẹ́ mi
Ọlá a máa ṣí lọ nílé ẹni
Ẹwà a sì máa ṣí lára ènìyàn
Ṣùgbọ́n ìwà ní í bá ‘ni dé sàárè

Èéfín nìwà, rírú ní í rú
Ènìyàn gb’ókèèrè níyì
Ṣùgbọ́n súnmọ́ ni, l’a fi ń mọ̀’ṣe ẹni
Ìwà kò ní í foníwà sílẹ̀

Ìwà ọmọ l’ó ń sọmọ lórúkọ
Ọmọ dára ó ku ìwà
Ara dára ó ku aṣọ
Ẹsẹ̀ dára ó ku bàtà

B’énìyàn dára tí kò níwà
Ó padanù ohun ribiribi
Ìwà rere l’ẹ̀ṣọ́ ènìyàn
Ṣùúrù baba ìwà, ìwà baba àwúre

English Translation…

Preserve your character my friend
Honour can depart from a house without notice
Beauty can be lost from a once beautiful body
However, our character follow us to the grave

Character is synonymous to smoke, it will ultimately rise to the surface
Somebody far away may be perceived as honourable
But proximity exposes a person’s true actions
Character stays with its owner forever

A child's character is what gives the child a befitting name
No matter how good a child is, character is still needed
No matter how gorgeous the body is, clothes are still needed
No matter how good the feet are, shoes are still needed

If a person looks good but lacks character
The person is missing a very precious thing indeed
Good character is like a personal bodyguard
Patience is the father of character, character is the father of blessings