Ta l’oloko to wa mi wa s’aye

(Who brought me to this world)

Ta l’oloko to wa mi wa si’le aye

(Who brought me to this world)

F’osu mesan gbako inu ta ni mo gbe

(For nine months, in whose womb did I sojourn)

Abiyamo ti ki i f’omo sere

(Affectionate mother)

Asoja mora bi ihamora Ologun

(Protective mother)

Iya ni wura eh eh eh aah

(Mothers are precious jewels)

Abiyamo ododo

(Motherhood incarnated)

O gbekun omo ta ti were

(Quick to hearken to her crying baby)

Alabaro ni, Olugbowo ni

(A confidant, A sponsor)

Ki ni mo le fi s’akawe mama to bi mi

(To what can I compare my mother)

Bawo ni mo se le san ore ti iya se fun mi

(How can I repay her good deeds towards me)

Ore to se ko se d’iye le

(Her good deeds are priceless)

Mo kan sara si e o mama mi

(I honor you my dear mother)

Iya abiye o seun

(Thank you for raising me)

Ah ah ah ah. Eh eh eh eh eh eh

Iya ni wura, baba ni jigi

(Mothers are jewels, fathers are mirrors)

Bi ko ba si t’isu, ki la fe ma pe n’iyan

(Without yam, there is no pounded yam)

Bi ko ba si t’agbado to tape ni yeri ile

(Without the maize, growing in the backyard)

To se ‘rugbon yeri yeri, ki la fe ma pe l’eko yangan

(With its darzling crown, there would be no cornmeal)

Amala dun lati je, sugbon ko sehin elubo

(Amala is delicious, but exists because of yam flour)

Bi ko ba si t’obi mi, bus stop ni mba duro si

(Without my parents, I’ll still be lurking around heaven’s bus stop)

Oluwa to f’ omo si ike obi, O mo ohun to nse

(God who blessed children with parents, knows His craft)

Modupe lowo obi mi, ti won ko wo se (wash) mi danu

(I thank my parents for not aborting me)

Won bi mi si’le aye tan, won tun se toju to to

(They gave birth to me and gave me a good life)

Nigba o jo, nigba erun won ofi nkan kan won mi

(Come rain come shine, they did not deprive me)

Orisun omo l’obi je, Orisun ma le gbagbe

(Parents are irreplaceable earthly sources for children)

Ta l’oloko to wa mi wa s’aye

(Who brought me to this world)

F’osu mesan gbako inu ta ni mo gbe

(For nine months, in whose womb did I sojourn)

Abiyamo ti ki i f’omo sere

(Affectionate mother)

Asoja mora bi ihamora Ologun

(Protective mother)

Osu mesan lo fi ru mi kiri

(She carried me around for nine months)

Iya a b’oja gboro gboro

(Mother with her long baby wraps)

Odun meta lo fi gbe mi pon

(She carried me on her back for three years)

Emi ko le sai ma ranti

(I will always remember)

Gbogbo wahala iya mi

(All my mama’s toils)

To ntoju mi t’osan t’oru

(Caring for me day and night)

Ninu ebi ninu ayo

(Through hunger or surfeit)

Ninu ekun ninu erin

(Through sadness and joy)

Moni ninu ebi ninu ayo se

(Again, through hunger or surfeit)

Ninu oungbe ninu ayo

(Through thirst or satiation)

Mama mama

B’ebi ng p’omoi, a wa ounje lo

(When your child is hungry, you hunt for food)

B’omo o jeun, ko ni jeun

(If the child won’t eat, you don’t eat)

Ah agborodun bi ire s’owon

(Your compassion is rare)

Agborandun bi iya ko si

(There’s no one as compassionate as a mother)

Alagbo omo ni iya je

(Mothers are house nurses)

Omo ti ko n’iya ki degbo eyin ni won nwi

(A motherless child dares not be trouble prone)

Toto se bi owe eyin agba iba mo toro

(I seek indulgence from elders for these proverbs)

Laala obi lori omo ko lafi we

(Travails of mothers are unparalleled)

A mu mora iya lori omo po, ko se f’enu so

(Perseverance of mothers are unspeakable)

Lojo ori fifo, (ehn)

(In days of headaches)

lojo inu rirun (ehn)

(In days of stach aches)

Lojo ai r’orun sun o (ehn)

(In days of insomnia)

Nigba t’ebi ba wo ‘nu (ehn)

(When hunger hits)

Nigba igbonara (ehn)

(When fever ensues)

Igba teyin ba ng yo (ehn)

(Through teething pains)

Ambeletase (ehn)

(Let alone)

Ojo bibi omo (ehn)

(The labor pains)

Ori ire lo je f’omo, to gba ‘re l’enu baba re

(A child blessed by his father is fortunate)

Idunnu nla ni f’omo ti baba re sure fun

(It’s a great joy to receive a father’s blessing)

Ako le ki mama, ka mi fi ti baba se

(We cannot praise mothers without acknowledging fathers)

Igi kan ki i da ‘gbo se, Sese kan kii dede se o

(One tree cannot make a forest, things don’t happen without cause)

Eeyan lo ng mbe n’idi oro, t’oro fi n ke

(It’s men’s voices we hear when masquerades sing)

 
Ina o le g’oke odo lai ko ba l’awo lehin

(Fires don’t burn on rivers unstimulated)

Baba lawo ko se omo, se b’ohun la toka

(Fathers are role models, and pathfinders)

Baba l’olugbejo,

(Fathers are advocates)

Oludamonran f’ologbon omo

(Counsellors to wise children)

Oluwa orun on aye, oruko Re ti n’iyin to Baba

(God of heaven and earth, how excellent is Your name)

Ti tobi ninu ola nla Kabi e osi rara

(Great in majesty, no questioning Your sovereignty)

Oun to ba fi fun ni, sebi tori iyonu Reni

(Your tender mercies are over all Your works)

Eyi to ba gba kuro, Oluwa iwo lo ye.

(For the things we lose, You know best)

Olorun mo gba fun O, nko je f’apa jana

(I submit to Your Lordship without protests)

Bridge

Ta l’oloko to wa mi wa s’aye Mama

(Who brought me to this world)

F’osu mesan gbako inu ta ni mo gbe Mama mi ni

(For nine months, in whose womb did I sojourn)

Abiyamo ti ki i f’omo sere Mama

(Affectionate mother)

Asoja mora bi ihamora ologun Mama mi ni

(Protective mother)

Ara Iya ni wura iyebiye, Iya lolugbowo mi, Abiyamo otito

(Brethren, Mothers are precious jewels, my sponsor, motherhood incarnated)

Omo olumushin anakoru,

(Product of industrious Imushin land)

Ti ki i je ounje imele

(Who never eats food of indolence)

Akinkanju obinrin

(Valiant woman)

To se e fi yangan l’awujo

(Pride of her family)

Mama oni wa r ere

(Mother of noble character)

Iye re k’oja iyun

(You’re worth more than rubies

O fowo sise tinutinu

(You worked hard wholeheartedly)

O tun nawo si gbogbo eniyan

(And opened your arms to everyone)

Ogobon lo fi i yanu,

(You speak with wisdom)

Li ahon re lofin iseun

(And faithful instructions are on your tongue)

Alabunkunfun lo je

(Blessed are you among women)

Ara ile re fiyin fun o

(Your children and relatives call you blessed)

Opolopo lon huwa rere

(Many do noble things)

Ise re ta gbogbo won yo

(But you surpass them all)

Iyin to si e mama,

(You have earned our praise)

‘Tori to beru Oluwa

(Because you feared the Lord)

Ise rere re o, Yoo ma yin o lenu bode(Your good works, will speak on your behalf at the gates)