A Practical Ijúbà When Working With Ifá
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!)
(Lifting the Ifá up for all to see and if Babaláwos are present, they would answer in a chorus, ‘Adase’, May you divine correctly)