Kábiọ́òsí (x2)
Who’s capable of questioning you? (x2)
Arúgbó ọjọ́
Ancient of days
A-dàgbà-má-tẹ̀pá
One-who-is-old-but-never-crutched
Kábiọ́òsí
Who’s capable of questioning you?
We worship you Kábiọ́òsí
We worship you Kábiọ́òsí
We worship you Kábiọ́òsí
We worship you Kábiọ́òsí
Arúgbó ọjọ́
Ancient of days
A-dàgbà-má-tẹ̀pá
One-who-is-old-but-never-on-crutches
Kábiọ́òsí
Who’s capable of questioning you?
Wọn ò mú ẹ lọ ilédì
No one took you to the shrine
Kí wọ́n f’ewé akòko lé ọ lórí ńbẹ̀
With akòko leaves to your head
Kó s’àwọn tó gbìmọ̀ pọ̀
With gathered initiates
Láti sọ pé “ẹ jẹ́ á fi jọba”
Who say “let’s make him king!”
Àb(í) àwọn wo ló dúró
Or, who are those who stand
T(í w)ọ́n ní wọn a má jọba ní ìdílé wọn gan?
To say they come from a lineage of kings?
Àwọn wo ló fi ọ́ jẹ tóo fi ń j’ọ́ba?
Who are those who made you king before you got on the throne?
K(í w)ọ́n dá wa lóhùn!
Let them answer us!
Ta lẹni ìṣaájú tó mú wọn wá sinú ọ̀run?
Who’s the primordial person who brought you into heaven?
Ta lẹni tó fà ọ́ ní ìtẹ̀tẹ́
Who dragged you gingerly
Wọnú ayé pé kóo wá dáyé?
Into the earth so you can create the world?
Óyá k’ẹ̀nìkan fi bàbá tàbí ìyá rẹ hàn wá ò.
Now, let someone show us your father or mother.
Kábiọ́òsí
Who’s capable of questioning you?
Arúgbó ọjọ́
Ancient of days
A-dàgbà-má-tẹ̀pá lórúkọ rẹ̀
One-who-is-old-but-never-on-crutches — is your name.
Kábiọ́òsí
Kábiọ́òsí
Ó lóyún ara rẹ̀
He conceived himself
Ó bí (a)ra ẹ̀
Gave birth to himself
Ó sọ (a)ra ẹ̀ lórúkọ
He named himself
Ipá tí ò ṣeé bi léèrè
A power that can’t be questioned
Ẹni tí ò ṣeé yípadà
A being that can’t be changed
Ìtẹ́ rẹ lọ́run kìí ṣí
His throne in heaven can’t be moved
Onípò táa ò lè rọ̀ lóyè
One whose position can’t be relieved.
Arúgbó ọjọ́ ni ọ́
You are the ancient of days
A-dàgbà-má-tẹ̀pá o
One-who-is-old-but-never-on-crutches
Ìwọ ni kábiọ́òsí
You are kábiọ́òsí.
Rírú omi òkun pọ̀
The rumblings of the ocean is plenteous
Ńjẹ́ wọn ò ní dákẹ́ tóo bá lótó?
But won’t they quiet when you say it’s enough?
Iyanrìn náà tún wà
Then there are the sands…
Tóo bá káyé tán ṣé wọn ò ní parẹ́?
If you fold up the earth, won’t they disappear?
Ìgbà tohun gbogbo táa kọ́ bá di wíwó palẹ̀
When everything that was build becomes relegated to their roots
Ìwọ ni yóò kù o
Only you will remain.
Arúgbó ọjọ́
Ancient of days
Onílù a lù lát’ọ̀run o
One with a drum beaten from heaven
Eee kábiọ́òsí
Eeeh, who’s capable of questioning you?
Ó kọ́ dá ayé ẹ̀rù ba ayé
You created the world and the world feared
Pé kí ló fẹ́ wà nínú òhun.
That what are you coming to do inside of it?
Ìgbà tó o dá ayé tán
After you’ve created the world
O m’óhun gbogbo saàyẹ̀e ẹ
You put everything in its place
k(í w)ọ́n máa j’ó(rú)kọ wọn
So each can bear their individual names
O ti ń gbé’bìkan kóo tó kọ́ ọ̀run
You lived somewhere else before you built heaven
Ààrè ńlá ni ọ́, oò ṣe é tú.
You’re one giant wonder that can’t be unraveled.
Àìlètúwò
Impossible-to-open-up
Adáhunrọ̀
Suspended-in-space
Adáhunsọ
One with monopoly of speech
Olúnkọ́gun ni ọ́.
The giant warrior you are.
Arúgbó ọjọ́ ni ọ́
You’re the ancient of days
A-dàgbà-má-tẹ̀pá o
One-who-is-old-but-never-on-crutches
Ìwọ ni kábiọ́òsí
You are kábiọ́òsí
Ọ̀mọ̀mọ̀ tó moyún sínú aláboyún
The knower who knows the fetus from the pregnant woman
Tó forí, fetí fẹnu si
He put the head, the ear, the mouth in
Ó fimú, ó fohun gbogbo sibẹ́
He put the nose, he put everything there
Ó dẹ̀ dìgbà kan ó mí
Then at some point, he put breath.
Ṣébí tó ò bá (sọ) pé kí mímí ó máa mí
Isn’t it that when you ask man to breathe
Ta ni ń jẹ́ bẹ́ẹ̀ o?
Only you are capable?
Ìwọ ni kábiọ́òsí
You are kábiọ́òsí
Agbára rẹ pọ̀, ó jù t(i) àrá lọ
Your power is plenty, bigger than thunder
Ìwọ lo dá àrá.
You created thunder.
Okun rẹ pọ̀ kò dẹ̀ leè pin
Your might is much and can’t end
O ní ìmí ìyè.
You have the breath of life.
Ìwọ lo mí ìmí ìyè sí amọ̀ lásán
You were the one who breathed life into ordinary clay
Tó padà wá d’ènìyàn.
Which turned and became human.
Eee kábiọ́òsí.
Eeeh kábiọ́òsí.
Ọba tí ń fọba jẹ
A king that enthrones other kings
Ọba tó leè rọ ọba lóyè
A king that can retire other kings
Tó le ní kó má mǐ mọ́
Who can command others to stop breathing
Ọba tá ò gbọdọ̀ bi
A king we can’t question
Bó bá ṣe ń ṣe iṣẹ́ ọwọ́ rẹ̀ sí
How he does the work of his hands.
Òjò ń rọ́, ọyẹ ń mú
The rain falls, harmattan falls,
Bẹ̀ẹ́ l’oòrùn ń ràn lásìkò ẹ̀ o!
Likewise, the sun shines in its time!
Agbara rẹ pọ̀ o
Your power is mighty
Kábiọ́òsí.
Kábiọ́òsí.
Mo ni kábiọ́òsí.
I say kábiọ́òsí.
Kábiọ́òsí.
Kábiọ́òsí.
(K)ábiọ́òsí.
(K)ábiọ́òsí.
Alágbádá iná
One with garments of fire
Aláwọ̀tẹ́lẹ̀ oòrùn
One with an underwear of sunlight.
Kábiọ́òsí.
Kábiọ́òsí.