(Praising the Spirit of the River)
A tun eri eni ti o sunwon se. Alase tun se a kí nla oro bomi.
Witness of a person’s ecstasy renewed. Once again in command of things, she greets the most important matter in the water.
Ipen obinrin a jo eni ma re. Osun ma je mo aiye o jó le li eri.
Most o can burn a person, Spirit of the River don’t let the world dance evil on my head.
Ala agbo ofe a bi omo mu oyin. Otiti li owó adun ba soro po. O ni ra mo ide.
Caring without fee, she gives the healing, honeyed water to the child. Rich as She is, She speaks sweetly to the multitude, She has bought all the secrets of copper.
O ro wanwan jó wa. O jo lubu ola eregede.
Here she comes dancing, making her bracelets tinkle like the forest brook. She is dancing in the depths of underwater riches. My mother has hollowed out something in the sand.
Alade obrinin sowon. Afinju obinrin ti ko a ide.
Crowned woman is very, elegant in the way she handles money.
Osun olu ibú ola, Olo kiki eko.
The Spirit of the River, master of the depths of wealth, Owner of innumerable parrrot feathers.
Ide fi ojú ta iná.
The flash of brass in the fire of her eyes.
Oni ro wanranwanran wanran omi ro. Afi ide si omo li owo. Ase.
Water murmuring over stones is the Spirit of the River dancing with her jewels of brass, dancing with her tinkling rings of brass. Only the children of the Spirit of the River have such copper bracelets on their arms. May it be so.
——
Osun Owner-of-sweet-waters
Osun Queen worthy to be praised
To make a crown of water in the womb
Is the gift of the compassionate mother
To waft breezes from the splendour of brass fans
The way to cool and make calm weeping Water
As golden-amber honey flows from bees
So love flows sweetly from Owner-of-streams
Osun whose tears make plea
That love is not enough in the world
It is said Water once set out to seduce Iron
To leave the exile of a dense forest home
That day covering a love-stricken face Ogun returned to
Clearing fields cutting pathways opening roads
In faded blue cloth water-washed white
Osun steps subtly from the stream to dance
Illustrious-Queen modest-woman in one
Osun makes playful music with bangles of brass
Without Water
My life is aimless blown-dust on the road
Without Water
Mourning-eyes lacking recompense of tears
Osun worthy to be Queen
Osun worthy to be praised
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