A Yoruba Poem

Ise Logun ise

Ise Logun ise [Work is the antidote for poverty]
… Mura si se re, ore mi [Work hard and work smart, my friend]
Ise la fi ndeni giga [Hard and smart work brings success]
Bi a ko ba reni fehin ti [When there is no one to rely on]
Bi ole la ri [Its like we are lazy]
Bi a ko ba reni gbekele, [When there is no one to trust]
A te ra mo se ni. [We focus more on our work]
Iya re le lowo lowoh [Your mother might be rich]
Baba re le lesin lekan [Your father might own a thousand and one horses]
Ti o ba gbojule won [If you rely on them]
O te tan ni mo so fun o [In truth, you might be on sinking ground]

Apa lara igupa ni ye kan [families are like the arm, while extended family are like the elbow]
B’aiye ba fe o loni [If you are loved by the world today]
Ti o ba lowo lowo, won a tun fe o lola [If you are still rich, they will love you tomorrow as well]
Abi ko wa nipo atata [If you have an esteemed position]
Aiye a ye o si terin terin [You will be honored with “fake”laughter]
Je ki o deni ti ra ngo [If you unfortunately loose your money or position]
Ko ri bi won ti nyin mu si o [They’ll turn their back on you]

Iya mbe fomo ti ko gbon [There is suffering for the foolish child]
Ekun mbe fomo ti nsare kiri [and there is sorrow for the child that have no plan or vision]
Mafowuro sere ore mi [Don’t waste your formative years, my friend]
Mura sise ojo nlo. [work hard and plan well now, because time waits for no one]

– Author Unknown