Ká mú rágbá tagbá, Ìwà. Ká mú rágbá tagbá, Ìwà.
If we take a wooden object made from ragba and strike it against the calabash, let us hail Iwa. If we take a wooden object made from ragba to strike the calabash, let us hail Iwa.
Ká mú rágbá ká fi tàkuta, wà. Ló dífá fún Òrúnmìlà, Baba nlo gbéwà níyàwó. Nigbà tí Òrúnmìlà yóókó gbéyàwó,
If we take a wooden object made from ragba and strike a stone, let us hail Iwa. Ifa divination was performed for the Spirit of Destiny when the father was going to marry Iwa. The first time that the Spirit of Destiny married a wife,
Ìwà ló gbé níyàwó. Ìwà sì rèé, Sùúrù ló bí i. Nígbà tí Òrúnmìlà féé gbé Ìwà níyàwó, Ìwà ní, kò burú,
Iwa was the one he married. Iwa was the daughter of Patience. When the Spirit of Destiny proposed to Iwa, she said it was all right.
Òun ófèé o, Sùgbón kiní kan ni o. Èniyàn kì í lé òun jáde o. Ènyin kì í òun nílò omi òjò Èniyàn kì í fìyàá je òun . . .
She said that she would marry him. There was one taboo to observe. Nobody should send her away from her matrimonial home. She must not be used carelessly as one uses rainwater. Nobody must punish her unnecessarily . . .
Òrúnmìlà ní, 'Háà Olórun máà jé'. Òun á tójú e, Òun ó kèé o, Òun ó gè ó. Ló bá gbé Ìwà níyàwó.
The Spirit of Destiny said; "The Creator will not let me do such a thing." He said that he would take care of her. He said the he would treat her with love, and he would treat her with kindness. He then married Iwa.
Ìgbà tó gbé Ìwà níyàwó, Ìgbà tó p títíítí, ló bá sú u . . . Ló bá bèré síí da Ìwà láàmú. Bó gbé e,
After a very long time, he became unhappy with her . . . he started to worry Iwa. If she did one thing, he would complain that she did it wrong.
A ní kò gbe e 're. Bó sò, A ní kò sò ó re. Nígbà Ìwà rí i pé wàhálà náàá pàpòjù, ni Ìwà bá ní kò burú, Òun á lo sílée baba òun.
If she did another thing, he would also complain. When Iwa saw that the trouble was too much for her, Iwa said that she would go to her father's house.
Àkóbí Olódùmarè sì ni baba rè náà, Sùúrú, baba Ìwà. Ló bá kó jáde nílé, ló bá gbòde Orun lo.
Her father was the first born of the Creator. His name was Patience, the father of Iwa. She gathered her calabash of utensils, and left her home to go live in Heaven.
Nígba tÒrúnmìlà yóó dèé, to se, 'E kú ilé, E kú ilé, E kú ilé. Ìwà kò yojú.
When the Spirit of Destiny returned, he said; "Greetings to the people of the house, greetings to the people of the house, greetings to the people of the house. But Iwa did not respond.
Baba wáá bèèrè pé Ìwà dà? Àwon ará ilé yòóku ni àwon kò rí Ìwà. 'Níbo ló lo? Ó lo ojà ni? Ó se kiní kan ni?'
The father asked for Iwa. The other members of the family said that they did not see her. "Where has she gone? Did she go to the market? Did she go somewhere?
Títítítí, ló bá f ééjì kún eéta, ló bá lo sílé aláwo. Wón wí fún un pé Ìwà ti sá lo ni. Kó máa wá a lo sílé Alárá. Nígbà tó délé Alárá, ó ní,
He asked these questions for a long time until he added two cowries to three, and went to the house of a diviner. They told him that Iwa had run away. He was advised to go and find her in Alara's house. When he arrived at Alara's house he said;
Ká mú rágbá, 'Ká fi tagbá, Ìwà là n wá o, Ìwà.
'If we take a wooden object made of ragba wood, and strike it against the calabash, Iwa is the one we are seeking. Let us hail Iwa. If we take a wooden object made of ragba,
Ká fi tagbà, Ìwà là n wá o, Ìwà. Ká mú ràgbá, Ká fi tàkúta,
and strike it against the calabash, Iwa is the one we are seeking. Let us hail Iwa. If we take a wooden object made from ragba and strike it against stone,
Ìwà là n wá o, Ìwà. Alárá o rìwà fún mi? Ìwà là n wá o, Ìwà.
Iwa is the one we are seeking. Let us hail Iwa. Alara, if you see Iwa let me know. Iwa is the one we are seeking, Iwa.
Alàrà lóun ò ríwà, Baba tún d´lè Orangún ile Ilá, Omo eye abiyé hèruhèru. Ó ní, njé ó rìwà fóun? Ó lóun ò ríwà.
Alara said that he did not see Iwa. The father then went to the house of Orangun, king of the city of Ila, offspring of one bird with plenty of feathers. He asked whether Orangun seen Iwa. Orangan said that he had not seen her.
Kò síbi tí bò dé. Nígbà tó pé títí, Ó tún bi òkè ipòríi rè léèrè. Pé òún wà Ìwà títí délé Alárá,
There was hardly any place he didn't go, after a long time, he turned back and inquired from his divination set. He said that he looked for Iwa in the house of Alara.
Òún wá a délé Ajerò, Òún wá a délé Òràngún. Òún wá dódò Ògbérè, awo Olówu. Òún wá a dódò Àseegbá, awo Ègbá. Òún wá a dódò Àtàkúmòsà, awo òde Ijèsà.
He looked for her in the house of Ajero, he looked for her in the house of Orangun, he looked for her in the house of Ogbere, Ifa priest of the Creator.
Òún wá a dódò Òsépurútù, awo òde Rémo. Wón ní Ìwà ti lo òde Orun. Ó ní òún féé loo mú un níbè. Wón ní kò burú, tó bá le se bo.
He looked for her in the house of Osepurutu, Ifa priest of Remo. They told him that Iwa had gone to Heaven. He said that he would like to go and take her from there. They said that was all right, provided he performed sacrifice.
Wón ni kó rú awòn, kó foyin fún Es u. Ló bá foyin rúbo fún lá, Esu. Nigbà tí Esu to oyin lá, Esu ni 'nín ló dùn tó báyìí?
They asked him to offer a net, and said to give honey to the Spirit of the Divine Messenger, He offered the honey and when the Divine Messenger tasted the honey he said; 'What is this that is so sweet?'
Ni Òrúnmìlà bá di Egún, ló bá dòde Orun. Ló bá tún bèré síí korin. Inú èkú l'Òrúnmìlà wà. Látojú àwòon rè ló ti rí Ìwà. Ló bá so mó on . . . Àwon pabi bà sobi dire bá sí aso lójú.
The Spirit of Destiny put on the costume of the Ancestors and went to Heaven, he started to sing again. The Divine Messenger played a trick on him and went to find Iwa.
'Ìwà, o ha sese báun, O si fi'un sílè lóde ayé, olo'. Ìwà ní béè ni, ló jé kóun ósá lo,
The Divine Messenger said that a man has come to Heaven who is looking for you. Iwa left her hiding place,
Kóun ó ní ìfokànbalè'Òrúnmìlàní kó dákun, kó se Sùúrù, kó kálo. Ìwà ò gbà,
She went to meet him where he was singing. The Spirit of Destiny was dressed as an Ancestor, he embraced her . . . Those who change bad luck into good opened his costume.
Sùgbón ó ní kò burú. Ohun tóun óse sì tún kú. Ó ní, 'Ìwò Òrúnmìlà, Kó o maa wáá pada lo sóde ayé o. Tó o bá padà débé.
The Spirit of Destiny asked; 'Iwa why did you behave the way you did? You left me on earth and went away. She said that was true. She said that she left because of the way that she was treated, that was why she had run away.
Gbogbo nnkan tóun ti kà ní èèwò fún o télèt élè, kó o ma se é o. Kó o máa se dáadáa. Kó ohùwà pèlépèlé. Kó o tójú aya,
She left so that she could have peace of mind. The Spirit of Destiny begged her to have patience with him, and to follow him back to earth. She refused. She told him to go back to earth and to honor the taboos she had given him.
Kó o tójú omo. Látòní lo, o ò níí fojú rí Ìwà báyìí. Sùgbón òun ó maa báa yín gbé. Sùgbón bó o bá ti se òun sí, béé ni ayé re ó se máa tò sí. Ase.
She told him to behave with good character, to take care of his wife, to take care of his children, you will see me no more, but I will abide with you and whatever you do to me will determine how orderly your life will be.
May it be so.
Source: Ifa Literary Corpus, Chief Abimbola
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