When the World is Crazy, You Be Sane: Yorùbá Poem

[Olùkọ́ Ọbádélé]

When the World is Crazy, You Be Sane: A Yorùbá Poem in Translation
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Tí Ayé Bá ñ Dàrú...


Tí gbogbo bá ñ gö, ægbôn l’a máa ñ pè é
Taját÷ran «iwèrè, orí pípé l’àá ñ pè é
Ayé gbogbo bá ñ «àìsàn, ara yíyá jê bêë
T’ó bá mæramærí, o ó «oríire ayé
Tí ÷ bá ñ rómùgö, ÷ má fara wé e
¿ni t’ó bá ñ «ìnà, ÷ má «e tëlé e
Àtèmi, àtìwæ àti gbogbo ayé, ÷ni t’ó bá ñ «ìnà, ÷ má mà tëlé e

Mùjúmùwà gö, ìmö l’a kà á sí
Ará ayé ñ «àrùn, á dara líle
Tí ögöörö bá ñ sínwín, orí pípé l’àá ñ pè é
Tí o bá ñ rí asínwín, ÷ má fara wé e
¿ni t’ó bá ñ «ìnà, ÷ má «e tëlé e
Àtèmi, àtìwæ àti gbogbo ayé, ÷ni t’ó bá ñ luko, ÷ má mà tëlé e

Tí àgbáyé bá ñ dàrú, ÷ má fara mô æn
Olúkúlùkù ñ yödë, ÷ má dara pö mô æn
¿gbêkêgbê l’ó máa ñ kó bá ‘ni, nípa bêë kí a máa sôra ‘ni
T’á bá ñ róhun t’ó burú, k’á má fi í «èdötí rêra ‘ni
Tí ÷ bá ñ rí dìndìnrìn, ÷ má fara wé e
¿ni t’ó bá ñ «ìnà, ÷ má «e tëlé e
Àtàwa, àtëyin àti gbogbo ayé, ÷ni t’ó bá ñ «ìnà, ÷ má «e tëlé e

Bêë sì ni, a kìí bá öbæ jáko
Örê mi, k’o má «e tëlé e
Bí ÷ bá «e bêë, ÷ ê ko àgbákò
Örê mi, k’o má fara wé e
Àtèmi, àtìwæ àti gbogbo ayé, ÷ni t’ó bá ñ «ìnà, ÷ má mà tëlé e
Tí ÷ bá ñ rómùgö, ÷ má fara wé e
Àtèmi, àtìwæ àti gbogbo ayé,
¿ni t’ó bá ñ «ìnà, ÷ má «e tëlé e

Æbádélé Kambon

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When the World is In Confusion...

If everyone is acting stupid, wisdom is what they'll call it
If everybody becomes a lunatic, good sense is what it is known as,
If the whole world is sick, "good health" is what it becomes
But a person with self-knowledge will be successful in life
So if y'all see a lunatic, don't y'all act like him/her
Somebody who's lost, don't y'all follow behind him/her
So for me, and for you and for everybody else; somebody who's lost, don't y'all follow behind

If every single person is being idiotic, it's counted as knowledge
If the folks of the world are all ill, they'll turn it into perfect health
If many folk go nuts, common sense is what they call it
But if y'all see a nut, don't y'all imitate him/her
Somebody that's lost, don't y'all follow behind
So for me, and for you, and for everybody else; somebody that's gone astray, don't y'all follow behind

If the whole world goes crazy, don't be down with that
If everyone becomes an imbecile, don't you join up with everyone
Joinin' up with knuckleheads gets folk in trouble, that's why WE should guard against it
If we see what's jacked up, we shouldn't just be like, "I'm cool with that"
If we happen to see a complete dunce, we shouldn't imitate him/her
Somebody that's lost, don't y'all follow after
So for us and for y'all and for everybody else; somebody that's lost, don't y'all follow after

We don't join the monkey in roaming through the bush
Don't y'all follow after
We don't act like a retarded nut
Don't y'all imitate him/her
So for me and for you and for the everybody else; somebody that's lost, don't y'all follow behind indeed
Somebody that's lost, don't y'all follow behind indeed