#aworoogun

Ǹjẹ́ o gbọ́ Ifá o

Therefore Ifá you have heard

Ìwọ lawo

You are the knowledgeable

Èmi lọ̀gbẹ̀rì

I am the novice

Bo o bá ríre kóo wí

Please say if you read good tidings

Bó o bá ríbì kóo sọ

Please say if you see bad omens

Mọ́ fibi pe ire

Do not read evil and say it is good fortunes

Mọ́ fire pe ibi

Do not read good fortune and say it is evil

Kó o mọ́ fòlòlò fọhùn

Do not leave anything unsaid

Iwájú Ọpọ́n o gbọ́

The front of the tray you have heard

Ẹ̀yin Ọ̀pọ́n o gbọ́

The rear of the tray you have heard

Olùmú lọ́tùún

Olùmú on the right side

Ọlọ̀kànràn lósì

Ọlọ̀kànràn on the left

Aarin Ọpọ́n ìt ọ̀run

The center of the Ọpọ́n is the front yard of Heaven

Ìbà Ilẹ̀ ọ̀gẹ̀rẹ́ afọkọ́yẹrí

Reverence to Mother Earth, you that uses the hoe to comb your head

Ìbàa bàbá

Reverence to you all fathers

Ìbàa yèyé

Reverence to you all mothers

Ìbà Olúwo

Reverence to you all Oluwos

Ìbà Ojugbọ̀nà

Reverence to you all Ojugbonas

Ìbà àtiwáyé ọ́jọ́

Reverence to the Dawn that ushers in a new day

Ìbà àtiwọ̀ Oòrùn

Reverence to the sunset

Àdáṣe níí hun ọmọ o

Unsupported actions bring evil repercussions

Ìbà ò gbọdọ̀ hun ọmọ o

But reverence before actions cannot bring evil repercussions

Báa bá fẹ́mọ lójú

When we blow off the dirt from the eye of a child

A ríran

He definitely must see

Ǹjẹ́ Ifá ọ̀hún rèé o

Therefore this is the Ifá that will speak

(Bí àwọn Babaláwo bá ń bẹ níbẹ̀ gbogbo wọ́n ó si dáhùn pé àdáṣẹ!)

The best source of Iwure is Ifá verses. They are categorized for every situation imaginable Let’s start with a practical one for starting your day from Odu Mimo Oyeku Meji. We start prayers at dawn because the forces that create each day are the forces that create ire - good fortune and blessings for us.


Iwure Oyeku Meji - collected by Chief FAMA


Mo berin jà, mo derin

Mo bẹ́fọ̀n jà, mo si dẹ́fọ̀n

Mo bọlọrun Ọ́lọ́run jà

Ọ́lọ́run ló dá mi silé Ayé

Ẹni Ọ́lọ́run dá ko se da lóró

Adifá fún Ọ̀gá tíí se ọmọ Olódùmarè

Iré ajé témi n wá

Ọwọ́ mi ò tó o

Ègbo yẹ̀yẹ̀, Ifá yóò gbo ire Ajé

Temi wá fún mi

I wrestled with Elephant, I threw him to the ground

I wrestled with Water Buffalo, I threw him to the ground.

I wrestled with God.

It was God who threw me onto the earth

Ifá divination was performed for Ọ̀gá, the offspring of God

The blessing of money that I am craving for,

My hands have not reached it

Ègbo yẹ̀yẹ̀, it is Ifá that would direct the blessing of money

Oruko mi ni Fasola Akinyemi Oguntunde.

I am a Babalawo and Olorisa  Ogun initiated in Ibadan and Oyo State Nigeria.

I was born in Harlem, NYC, raised in the Boogie Down Bronx and spent most of my adult life in Downtown Crooklyn before fleeing to a slower pace.

I’m updating this Tumblr with some instructions and practicums on how to study Ifa and this whole Esin Orisa Ibile. 

Next post will translate some of those Yoruba terms I used to show off.

This Oriki is from my own Oluwo’, Fayemi Abidemi Fakayode of Ibadan, Nigeria. You can find him on facebook under Fayemi Abidemi.

Ògún lakaye Ògún famous in the world Onija ole the strongest fighter Ejemu Oniwonran the blood drinker of Iwonran village (in ancient Ifẹ̀) Adigirigiri rebi ija the one clever in fighting Koko eti odo ti ro minimini the river bank grass sounds gently Egbe leyin omo kan he favors lonely children Egbe leyin omo adaloro he favors the orphan Onile kangun kangun ona Orun the owner of many shaped houses in heaven Mo ni Ògún Onire oko mi I said Ògún Onire my beloved! Mo ni meje lÒgún mi I said there are seven Ògún of mine Ògún Alara nijaja Ògún Alara eats dog Ògún Onire won a j’agbo Ògún Onire eats ram Ògún ikola ni je igbin Ògún Ikola eats snail Ògún Molamola ni yekuru funfun Ògún Molamola eats white baked beans Ògún Gbondogbondo eja ni won je Ògún Gbondogbondo eats fish Ogu Onigbajamo irun ni je Ògún Onigbajamo eats hair Ògún Alapata ni jeje eran Ògún Alapata eats animal blood Ojumo Oni mo Kalapata mo mo je eje eran The Butcher who eats animal blood every blessed day Ejigbojo omo yawu kotoyagi Ejigbojo who breaks the smithy before breaking trees Atamuyan alagbe abi emi selele Atamunyan the blacksmith who has razor scissors