Meaning: Do not put a grass turban on my head

Context: Do not flatter me falsely

Meaning: Do not insult the midwives while childbirth still continues

Context: Do not scorn those whose services you might need in the future

Meaning: The face of one who has received a favor is cast down

Context: A recipient of kindness should be humble

Meaning: The face of a fish does not feel the spices

Context: It is useless to try to influence someone who is insensitive or unresponsive

Meaning: The lies of a witch doctor are a relief to the sick person

Context: A false hope is sometimes better than no hope at all

Meaning: The lie of the homeowner is not the truth of the passerby

Context: An insider's biased falsehood carries more weight than an outsider's objective truth

Meaning: The beauty of an ornament casket is only a piece of wood inside

Context: Beauty is only skin deep

Meaning: A face is created for showing shame

Context: One's face should show modesty and conscience

Meaning: Do not travel by your friend's star

Context: Do not rely on another person's luck; make your own way

Meaning: If you do not fill a crack, you will end up building a whole wall

Context: A stitch in time saves nine

Meaning: Do not forget how to be a sailor because you are a captain

Context: Do not forget your roots or basic skills when you rise in status

Meaning: Do not wake someone who is sleeping; you will fall asleep yourself

Context: Do not disturb someone's peace, lest you lose your own

Meaning: Do not eat with a blind person and then touch their hand

Context: Do not do things that will arouse suspicion in a vulnerable person

Meaning: Do not roast baobab seeds and leave them for those with teeth to chew

Context: Do not start trouble and leave others to deal with the consequences

Meaning: Do not pretend to be a white chicken

Context: Don't put on airs; be yourself

Meaning: Do not quarrel with the coconut climber; the coconut was eaten by the moon

Context: Do not fight with someone who is not the real cause of your problem

Meaning: Do not play with a lion by putting your hand in its mouth

Context: Do not take foolish risks or overstep dangerous boundaries

Meaning: Do not abandon your own old mat for a passing prayer mat

Context: Do not give up something certain for something uncertain that seems better

Meaning: Do not neglect unsetting a caught trap for the sake of setting new ones

Context: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

Meaning: When you are seized, hold on tight yourself

Context: When you get an opportunity, make the most of it