Ẹni à ń torí ẹ̀ gbàwẹ̀ tó ń j’ọ̀sán — Yoruba Wisdom on Misplaced Sacrifice and Moral Imbalance

Last updated: January 25, 2026

Yoruba Wisdom

Ẹni à ń torí ẹ̀ gbàwẹ̀ tó ń j’ọ̀sán

Literal Translation

The person for whose sake we are fasting all day is the one eating in the afternoon (breaking their own fast at midday).

Expanded Rendering

The very person on whose behalf sacrifices are being made is the one violating the discipline, restraint, or commitment that others are enduring for him.

Interpretation

This saying exposes a deep moral irony: collective sacrifice being undermined by the very beneficiary of that sacrifice.

It speaks to situations where loyalty, restraint, or suffering is undertaken for someone else, only for that person to act carelessly, selfishly, or irresponsibly, rendering the sacrifice meaningless.

The power of the saying lies in its quiet accusation. It does not shout betrayal; it simply reveals imbalance. Those carrying the burden are disciplined, while the one being protected lacks restraint.

Context & Cultural Meaning

In Yoruba moral imagination, fasting (àwẹ̀) is not merely about food. It symbolizes restraint, solidarity, endurance, and shared responsibility.

To fast for someone implies intercession, loyalty, and communal support. For that person to eat openly at midday is not just hypocrisy, it is moral carelessness.

This saying is often used to caution against misplaced sacrifice, blind loyalty, or supporting someone who does not honour the cost others are bearing on their behalf.

Moral Reflection

There is a quiet cruelty in benefiting from sacrifices you do not respect.

This saying reminds us that not all suffering is noble, and not all sacrifice is wise. When discipline is one-sided, resentment follows. When responsibility is unequal, trust collapses.

Sometimes, the lesson is not to fast harder, but to reassess who you are fasting for.

Application

This wisdom applies sharply in modern life:

• In leadership, where followers suffer for leaders who act recklessly
• In families, where sacrifices are made for those who squander them
• In workplaces, where teams carry discipline that decision-makers ignore
• In activism, where supporters endure costs while figureheads lack restraint

It warns against sustaining systems where accountability is uneven.

Broad Theme

Misplaced sacrifice and moral imbalance

Supporting Themes

• Hypocrisy in leadership
• Unequal responsibility
• The cost of blind loyalty
• Discipline without reciprocity
• Betrayal through carelessness

Closing Reflection

When those who suffer are disciplined, but those they suffer for are careless, the problem is not endurance; it is alignment.

A sacrifice that is not honoured becomes a burden. A fast ignored by its beneficiary becomes an insult.