Ìwà l'ẹwà — Character is beauty
Category: Proverbs
One of the most widely cited Yorùbá proverbs, valuing good character above physical appearance.
This proverb is frequently invoked in Yorùbá moral and social teaching.
The proverb plays on the idea that ẹwà (beauty) is fleeting and skin-deep, while ìwà (character) is what actually endures and earns someone lasting respect — a direct challenge to judging people by appearance alone.
It pairs naturally with "Sùúrù ni baba ìwà" (patience is the father of good character) — together the two sayings frame good character as something built with effort and time, not something you're simply born with.
Example: Má ṣe gbéraga nítorí ẹwà rẹ; rántí pé ìwà l'ẹ́wà. — "Don't be too proud of your beauty; remember that character is beauty."
Related words:
- Ẹwà — Beauty
- Ìwà — Character, conduct