• Tọ́jú ìwà rẹ ọ̀rẹ́ mi
      Ọlá a máa ṣí lọ nílé ẹni
      Ẹwà a sì máa ṣí lára ènìyàn
      Ṣùgbọ́n ìwà ní í bá ‘ni dé sàárè

      Èéfín nìwà, rírú ní í rú
      Ènìyàn gb’ókèèrè níyì
      Ṣùgbọ́n súnmọ́ ni, l’a fi ń mọ̀’ṣe ẹni
      Ìwà kò ní í foníwà sílẹ̀

      Ìwà ọmọ l’ó ń sọmọ lórúkọ
      Ọmọ dára ó ku ìwà
      Ara dára ó ku aṣọ
      Ẹsẹ̀ dára ó ku bàtà

      B’énìyàn dára tí kò níwà
      Ó padanù ohun ribiribi
      Ìwà rere l’ẹ̀ṣọ́ ènìyàn
      Ṣùúrù baba ìwà, ìwà baba àwúre

      English Translation…

      Preserve your character my friend
      Honour can depart from a house without notice
      Beauty can be lost from a once beautiful body
      However, our character follow us to the grave

      Character is synonymous to smoke, it will ultimately rise to the surface
      Somebody far away may be perceived as honourable
      But proximity exposes a person’s true actions
      Character stays with its owner forever

      A child’s character is what gives the child a befitting name
      No matter how good a child is, character is still needed
      No matter how gorgeous the body is, clothes are still needed
      No matter how good the feet are, shoes are still needed

      If a person looks good but lacks character
      The person is missing a very precious thing indeed
      Good character is like a personal bodyguard
      Patience is the father of character, character is the father of blessings