Last updated: February 17, 2026
Yoruba Wisdom
Ọmọ ẹni kìí burú títí kí a fi fún ẹkùn pajẹ
Literal Translation
One’s child cannot be so bad that one gives them to the tiger to eat as atonement.
Refined Rendering
No matter how flawed one’s child may be, you do not hand them over to destruction in punishment.
Interpretation
This proverb is a declaration of unconditional loyalty.
It acknowledges something uncomfortable: children can err. Deeply. Publicly. Embarrassingly. Yet even then, there is a boundary no parent crosses.
You correct.
You discipline.
You grieve.
You rebuke.
But you do not sacrifice your own.
The “tiger” here symbolizes irreversible harm, public humiliation, abandonment, or excessive punishment. The proverb draws a moral perimeter around love.
Correction must never become annihilation.
Context & Cultural Meaning
In Yoruba culture, lineage is sacred. A child is not merely an individual but a living extension of ancestry and continuity.
This proverb is often invoked when:
- Someone seeks harsh revenge against their own
- A parent is pressured to disown a child
- Public shame tempts overreaction
- Leadership turns punitive instead of restorative
It reminds the community that discipline has limits. Blood is not discarded. Even when a child stumbles, they remain inside the circle.
Moral Reflection
This saying protects against cruelty disguised as righteousness.
It warns against letting anger outrun love.
A child’s failure does not nullify belonging.
A mistake does not erase identity.
To offer your own to the tiger is to injure yourself.
The proverb insists that justice without compassion becomes savagery.
Application
This wisdom extends beyond parenting:
- Leadership: Do not destroy team members for one mistake
- Community: Do not exile your own to appear morally superior
- Family: Correct privately, protect publicly
- Faith spaces: Restore before you condemn
- Personal growth: Do not self-sabotage over past errors
It is a philosophy of proportion.
Broad Theme
Unconditional loyalty with responsible correction
Supporting Themes
- Limits of punishment
- Protection of one’s own
- Mercy within justice
- Family honor and lineage
- Compassion over excessive retribution
Closing Reflection
The tiger is always hungry. But love must not become its supplier.
A child may falter, wander, or even disgrace the house. Still, the door remains theirs.
Yoruba wisdom speaks gently yet immovably:
We discipline our own.
We do not devour them.
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