– Ẹ Máa Pé K’ó Ṣẹ (YORUBA)
(A traditional song for imploring providence to safeguard society.)
Ẹ máa pé k’ó ṣẹ,
A-se!
Ẹ máa pé k’ó ṣẹ,
A-se!
Ode r’oko, ode p’eran,
A-se!
Eran ki l’ode pa?
A-se!
Ode p’eran okete,
A-se!
Iku a re wa kete,
A-se!
Arun a re wa kete,
A-se!
E ma pe ko se,
A-se!
Ode r’oko ode p’eran,
A-se!
Eran ki l’ode pa?
A-se!
Ode p’eran owawa,
A-se!
Owo a wa wa wa’le,
A-se!
Omo a wa wa wa’le,
A-se!
E ma pe ko se,
A-se!
Ode r’oko, ode p’eran,
A-se!
Eran ki l’ode pa?
A-se!
Ode p’eran oya,
A-se!
Iya a ya wa k’oja,
A-se!
Osi a ya wa k’oja,
A-se!
Ẹ máa pé k’ó ṣẹ,
A-se!
Ẹ máa pé k’ó ṣẹ,
A-se-e-e-e-e-e-e-e!
(ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY DELE AJAJA)
Say it shall be so,
It shall be so!
Say it shall be so,
It shall be so!
The hunter slays an animal in the outback,
It shall be so!
What kind of animal does he slay?
It shall be so!
The hunter slays a rodent,
It shall be so!
Death shall omit us promptly,
It shall be so!
Sickness shall omit us promptly,
It shall be so!
Say it shall be so,
It shall be so!
The hunter slays an animal in the outback,
It shall be so!
What kind of animal does he slay?
It shall be so!
The hunter slays a cheetah,
It shall be so!
Money shall patronize our abode,
It shall be so!
Children shall come to our abode,
It shall be so!
Say it shall be so,
It shall be so!
The hunter slays an animal in the outback,
It shall be so!
What kind of animal does he slay?
It shall be so!
The hunter slays a hedgehog,
It shall be so!
Sufferings shall pass over us,
It shall be so!
Poverty shall pass over us,
It shall be so!
Say it shall be so,
It shall be so!
Say it shall be so,
It shall be so-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!
IMAGE: Yoruba youths performing a traditional song in Europe.
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