Tag Archives: yoruba

ỌRỌ ÌYÀNJÙ (WORD OF ADVICE): Ẹni tólèdè lóni ayé ibi ti wọn ti nsọ

2 Replies

ỌRỌ ÌYÀNJÙ (WORD OF ADVICE)

Ẹyin ọmọ Odùduwà ẹjẹ ki a ran rawa létí wípé “Ẹni tólèdè lóni ayé ibi ti wọn ti nsọ”.  Mo bẹ yin  ẹ maṣe jẹki  a tara wa  lọpọ nitorina ẹ maṣe jẹki èdè Yorùbà parẹ. Èdè ti a kọ silẹ, ti a ko sọ, ti a ko fi kọ ọmọ wa, piparẹ ni yio parẹ.  Ẹjẹ ki a gbiyanju lati ṣe atunṣe nipa sísọ èdè Yorùbà botiyẹ kasọ lai si idaru idapọ pẹlu  èdè miran.

Yorùbá lọkunrin ati lobirin ẹ ranti wipe “Odò to ba gbagbe orisun rẹ, gbigbe lo ma ngbe”   Lágbára Ọlọrun, aoni tajo sọnu sajo o, ao kere oko délé o (Àṣẹ).

ENGLISH TRANSLATION Continue reading →

Share Button

Originally posted 2013-01-31 20:18:56. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

“BÍ A TI NṢE NI ILÉ WA…”: MICHELLE OBAMA’S DRESSING AT OSCAR 2013

1 Reply
Michelle Obama Academy Award Edgy Dress

Image is from MSNBC (http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/02/25/a-cover-up-by-the-iranian-press-michelle-obama-has-no-right-to-bare-arms/) They covered the story on the Iranian Press Agency that found Michelle Obama’s dress a little too over the edge.

“Bí a ti nṣe ní ilé wa, ewọ ibòmíì”: “Our ways at  home, a taboo for others” — one man’s meat is another man’s poison.

Òwe yi fihàn wípé bí ọpọlọpọ ti sọ wípé imura Obìnrin Akọkọ ni ìlú America Michelle Obama (ni OSCAR 2013) ti dara tó, ewọ ni ki obinrin Iran mura bẹ.  Awọn obinrin Iran nilati bo gbogbo ara pẹlu “Hijab” nitori wọn o gbọdọ rí irun, apá tàbí ẹsẹ obìnrin ni gbangba.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

This Yoruba proverb: “Our ways at  home, a taboo for others”, shows that even though many people thought the First Lady Michelle Obama’s dressing for the Oscar was stunning, it might be a taboo for an Iranian woman to dress like that. Iranian women must cover all their bodies with “Hijab” because women’s hair, arms or legs must not be exposed in the public.

Share Button

Originally posted 2013-02-26 18:17:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

ORÚKỌ ỌJỌ́: Days of the Week in Yoruba

1 Reply

Below are the Yoruba days of the week. Of course it is worth noting that very few native Yoruba speakers use these words in conversation.

 

SUNDAY                               ÀÌKÚ

MONDAY                             AJÉ

TUESDAY                             ÌṢẸ́GUN

WEDNESDAY                      ỌJỌ́RÚ

THURSDAY                          ỌJỌ́BỌ̀

FRIDAY                                 ẸTÌ

SATURDAY                          ÀBÁMẸ́TA

Share Button

Originally posted 2013-03-19 22:33:05. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Ọ̀tún wẹ Òsì, Òsì wẹ Ọ̀tún, Lọwọ́ fi Nmọ: Right Washing The Left & The Left Washing The Right Makes For Clean Hands

Leave a reply
Washing hands

There is a Yoruba saying that, the right hand washes the left, and the left washes the right for clean hands. Image is courtesy of Microsoft Free Images.

Àṣà àtọwọ́dọ́wọ́, ọwọ́ ni a fi njẹ ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ oúnjẹ Yorùbá, nítorí kò si ṣíbí tó dára tó ọwọ́ lati fi jẹ oúnjẹ òkèlè bi iyán, èyí jẹ kó ṣe pàtàkì lati fọ ọwọ́ mejeji lẹ́hìn oúnjẹ.  Fífọ ọwọ́ kan kòlè mọ́ bi ka fọ ọwọ́ mejeji.

Ọ̀rọ̀, “ọ̀tún wẹ òsì, òsì wẹ ọ̀tún, lọwọ́ fi nmọ” wúlò lati gba àwọn ènìà níyànjú wípé àgbájọwọ́ lãrin ẹbí, ọ̀rẹ́ àti ará ìlú lérè.

Yorùbá ni “Àgbájọ ọwọ́ la fi nsọya, ajẹjẹ ọwọ́ kan ko gbe ẹrú dórí”, ọmọ Yorùbá nílélóko, ẹ jẹ́kí a parapọ̀ tún ílú ṣe.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION Continue reading →

Share Button

Originally posted 2013-04-10 02:30:45. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

IMULO ÒWE YORUBA: APPLYING YORUBA PROVERBS

Leave a reply

“A NGBA ÒRÒMỌDÌYẸ LỌWỌ IKÚ O NI WỌN O JẸ KI OHUN LỌ ATAN LỌJẸ” 

A le lo òwe yi lati kilọ fun ẹni to fẹ lọ si Òkèokun (Ìlu Òyìnbó)  lọna kọna lai ni ase tabi iwe ìrìnà.  Bi ẹbi, ọrẹ tabi ojulumọ to mọ ewu to wa ninu igbesẹ bẹ ba ngba irú ẹni bẹ niyanju, a ma binu wipe wọn o fẹ ki ohun ṣoriire.   Bi ounjẹ ti pọ to l’atan fun oromọdiyẹ bẹni ewu pọ to.  Bi ọna ati ṣoriire ti pọ to ni Òkèokun bẹni ewu ati ibanujẹ pọ to fun ẹniti koni aṣẹ/iwe ìrìnà.  Ọpọlọpọ nku sọna, ọpọ si nde ọhun lai ri iṣẹ, lai ri ibi gbe tabi lai ribi pamọ si fun Òfin. Lati pada si ile a di isoro nitori ọpọ ninu wọn ti ta ile ati gbogbo ohun ìní lati lọ oke okun. Bi iru ẹni bẹ ṣe npe si l’Òkèokun bẹni ìtìjú ati pada sile se npọ si.

Òwe yi kọwa wipe ka ma kọ eti ikun si ikilọ, ka gbe ọrọ iyanju yẹwo ki a ba le se nkan lọna totọ.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

“WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE THE CHICK FROM DEATH, ITS COMPLAINING OF NOT BEING ALLOWED TO GO TO THE DUMPSITE” — “A NGBA ÒRÒMỌDÌYẸ LỌWỌ IKÚ O NI WỌN O JẸ KI OHUN LỌ ATAN LỌJẸ”

Continue reading →

Share Button

Originally posted 2013-02-19 22:08:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Ẹ̀YÀ ARA – ÈJÌKÁ DÉ ẸSẸ̀: PARTS OF THE BODY – SHOULDERS TO TOES

Leave a reply

You can also download the mp3 by right clicking here: Parts of the body in Yoruba – shoulders to toes (mp3)
Continue reading →

Share Button

Originally posted 2013-04-23 21:34:14. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Bί a bá ránni ni iṣẹ ẹrú: One sent on a slavish errand (on man’s inhumanity to man)

1 Reply


The Mido Macia Story courtesy of NEWSY reporting from multiple sources and giving a broader view

Yorὺbá nί “Bί a bá ránni nί iṣẹ ẹrú, a fi tọmọ jẹ”.  Ọlọpa tί o yẹ ki o dãbo bo ará àti ẹrú nί ìlú, nhuwa ìkà sί àwọn tί o yẹ ki wọn ṣọ.  Ọlọpa South Africa so ọdọmọkunrin ọmọ ọdún mẹta dinlọgbọn – Mido Gracia, mọ ọk`ọ ọlọpa, wọ larin ìgboro, lu, lẹhin gbogbo eleyi, ju si àtìm`ọle tίtί o fi kú.  Ọlọpa wọnyi hὺ ìwà ìkà yί nίgbangba lai bìkίtà pe aye ti lujára. Eleyi fi “Ìwà ìkà ọmọ enia sί ọmọ enia han”.   Ọlọpa South Africa ṣi àṣẹ ti wọn nί lὸ, wọn rán wọn niṣe ẹrú, wọn o fi tọmọ jẹ.  Sὺnre o Mido Macia.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Yoruba proverb says that, “One sent on a slavish errand, should deliver the message with the discretion of an heir”. Continue reading →

Share Button

Originally posted 2013-03-02 00:25:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Àjùmòbí kò kan tãnu… Same parentage does not compel compassion…

1 Reply
Ajumomobi o ko ti anu

Same parentage does not compel compassion.

Òwe Yorùbá ní “Àjùmòbí kò kan tãnu, ẹni Olúwa  bá rán síni ló nṣeni lõre”.  Òwe yi wúlò lati gba àwọn ènìà tí o gbójúlé ẹbí níyànjú.  Ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ rò wípé ẹ̀tọ́ ni ki ẹni tí ó bá lówó nínú ẹbí tàbí tí ó ngbe ni Òkè-Òkun bá wọn gbé ẹrù lai ro wípé ẹbí tí o lówó tàbí gbé l’Ókè-Òkun ní ẹrù tiwọn lati gbé.

Yorùbá ní “Òṣìṣẹ́ wa lõrun, abáni náwó wà níbòji”, ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ agbójúlẹ́bí wọnyi, ma mba ẹni tí o nṣiṣẹ ka owó lai rò wípé ẹni tí ó nṣiṣẹ yi, nlãgun lati rí owó.  Iṣẹ́ lẹ́ni tí ó wa l’Ókè-Òkun/Ìlú-Òyìnbó nṣe nínú òtútù.  Fún àpẹrẹ: níbití olówó tàbí àwọn tí ó ngbe Òkè-òkun tí nṣe àwọn nkan níwọnba bí – ọmọ bíbí, aṣo rírà, ẹ̀rọ ìbánisọ̀rọ̀, àti bẹ̃bẹ lọ, ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ agbójúlẹ́bí á bímọ rẹpẹtẹ, kó owó lé aṣọ, bèrè ẹ̀rọ ìbánisọ̀rọ̀ olówó nla tí ẹni tí ó wà l’Ókè-Òkun ó lè kó owó lé lórí àti gbogbo àṣejù míràn.

Ẹbí olówó tàbí tí ó ngbe Òkè-òkun kò lè dípò Ìjọba.  Ọ̀dọ̀ Ìjọba tí ó ngba owó orí lóyẹ kí á ti bèrè ẹ̀tọ́, ki ṣe lọ́wọ́ ẹbí.  Ẹbí tóní owó tàbí gbé Òkè-òkun lè fi ojú ãnu ṣe ìrànlọ́wọ́, ṣùgbọ́n ki ṣe iṣẹ́ ẹni bẹ̃ lati gbé ẹrù ẹlẹ́rù.   Ẹjẹ́ ká rántí òwe yi wípé “Àjùmọ̀bí kò kan tãnu, ẹni Olúwa bá rán síni ló nṣeni lõre”, nítorí aladugbo, àjòjì, ọ̀rẹ́, àti bẹ̃bẹ lọ, lè ṣeni lãnu bí Olúwa bá rán wọn.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

A Yoruba saying goes that “same parentage does not compel compassion, only those sent by God show compassion”.  This proverb can be used to advice those dependent on family member.  Many dependents think it is a right for rich or family members living abroad to carry their responsibilities. Continue reading →

Share Button

Originally posted 2014-11-18 18:00:26. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

LADÉJOMORE – How Babies Lost Their Ability to Speak

Leave a reply

A SAMPLE OF AN EKITI VARIANT OF THE FOLK TALE “LADÉJOMORE”

Ọmọ titun – a baby

Ọmọ titun – a baby Courtesy: @theyorubablog

Ladéjomore Ladéjomore1
Èsun
Oyà* Ajà gbusi
Èsun
Oyà ‘lé fon ‘ná lo 5
Èsun
Iy’uná k ó ti l’éin
Èsun
I y’eran an k’ó ti I’újà
Èsun 15
Ogbé godo s’erun so
O m’ásikù bo ‘so lo
O to kìsì s’áède
Me I gbo yùngba yùngba yún yún ún
Èsun

Continue reading →

Share Button

Originally posted 2015-07-12 01:57:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

“Ã Ò PÉ KÁMÁ JỌ BABA ẸNI…”: It is not enough to have a striking resemblance to one’s Father

2 Replies

Yorùbá ní “Ã ò pé kámá jọ Baba ẹni timútimú, ìwà lọmọ àlè”.   Òwe yi bá ọpọlọpọ Yorùbá tí o nyi orúkọ ìdílé wọn padà nítorí ẹ̀sìn lai yi ìwà padà̀ lati bá orúkọ titun áti ẹ̀sìn mu.  Yorùbá ni “ilé lanwo ki a tó sọmọ lórúkọ” nítorí èyí, ọpọlọpọ orúkọ ìdílé ma nbere pẹ̀lú orúkọ òrìṣà ìdílé bi: Ògún, Ṣàngó, Ọya, Èṣù, Ọ̀sun, Ifá, Oṣó àti bẹ̃bẹ lọ.  Fún àpẹrẹ: Ògúnlànà, Fálànà, Ṣólànà ti yi padà sí Olúlànà.  Ìgbà míràn ti wọn bá lò lára orúkọ àwọn òrìṣa yi wọn a ṣe àyípadà si, fún àpẹrẹ: “Eṣubiyi” di “Èṣúpòfo”.

Esupofo, image is courtesy of Microsoft office images

“Esupofo”? Njẹ Èṣù pòfo bí, nígbàtí ẹni ti o yi orúkọ padà sí “Èṣúpòfo” njale. . .

Njẹ Èṣù pòfo bí, nígbàtí ẹni ti o yi orúkọ padà sí “Èṣúpòfo” njale, ṣiṣẹ́ gbọ́mọgbọ́mọ, purọ́, kówó ìlú jẹ, àti bẹ̃bẹ lọ? Ótì o, Èṣù o pòfo, ìwà lọmọ àlè.  Ọmọ àlè ti pọ si nítorí ìwà Èṣu ti pọ si ni ilẹ̀ Yorùbá. Kò sí nkan tí óburú ninú orúkọ yíyí padà, èyí ti o burú ni kí a yí orúkọ padà lai yi ìwà padà.  Ẹ fi ìwà rere dípò ìporúkodà.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

The Yoruba people have a saying that “It is not enough to have a striking resemblance to one’s father, character distinguishes a bastard”.  This proverb refers to Yoruba people that replace their family names without matching change of character to go with the name or religion.  Another Yoruba saying goes that: “home is observed before naming a child” as a result of this, and so family names are derived with a prefix of the name of the gods and goddesses worshiped in the family such as Ò̀̀̀̀̀̀gun – god of iron/war, Ṣango – god of thunder, Oya – Sango’s wife, Eṣu – Satan, Osun – river goddess, Ifa – Divination, Oso – Wizard etc.  For example names like: Ogunlana, Falana, Solana have mostly been changed to “Olulana”.  Sometimes, when part of these gods/goddess names are used it is often changed, for example: “Esubiyi – delivered by Satan” is turned “Esupofo – satan has lost”. Continue reading →

Share Button

Originally posted 2015-01-23 10:15:54. Republished by Blog Post Promoter