Naamu from Naamu by Teun Creemers

Chorus:
Iyo n teri! Iyo n teri! Iyo n teri!
Oh my friend! Oh my friend! Oh my friend!

Teriya dun ka gɛlɛn farali kojugu ma!
Friendship makes falling out difficult!

N teri o! Kana wa ka n to!
Oh my friend! Don't go and leave me!

Jeli janyala, à teriya sera à la
Oh! A griot goes far, their friendships overcome it

N badennu
My brethren

Walayi! Teriya juru [[tɛ tunu n na]] lon kelen
By God! The debt of friendship is never lost on me for a day

Iyo! Teri!
Oh! Friend!

Danni gɛlɛman! À fana kojuguya!
Divisions are difficult! And oh so difficult!

-CHORUS-

Bi teriya ka gɛlɛn ɲɔgɔn la bi le ma
Friendship with one another today is difficult nowadays

Ka nin fɔ n terimaw ye, kana sabali
In saying to my friends, (they should) have no patience

-CHORUS-

Woyo, woyo, kɔrɔfɔɲɔgɔn taara ka n to kelen-na-miiri la
Oh, oh, my companion has gone and left me alone with my thoughts

Woyo, woyo! Kelen-na-miiri gɛlɛman funankeni ma
Sitting by oneself and thinking is painful for the little orphan

I! Kelen-na-miiri gɛlɛman!
Yeesh! Being along with your thoughts is difficult!

Wa kelen-na-miiri gɛlɛman funankeni ma
Sitting by oneself and thinking is painful for the little orphan

Ko teriya ka gɛlɛn ɲɔgɔn la bilama
I say that friendship with one another is difficult nowadays

A! N teri!
Oh! My friend!

-CHORUS-

Woyo, woyo! Ɛ! Kɔdɔ/Kɔrɔ!
Oh, oh! Oh my elder!

Woyo, woyo! Ɛ! N tɛ girin i kɔ!
Oh, oh! Hey! I won't charge at you!

-CHORUS-

Woyo, woyo! Taamaɲɔgɔn taara ka n to kelen-na-kuma la
Oh, oh! My fellow traveller has gone and left me speaking (to myself)

Woyo, woyo! Kelen-na-kuma gɛlɛnman kamalen ɲɛ!
Oh, oh! Talking to one's self is difficult for a young man!

Iye! Iyi! Baarakɛɲɔgɔn taara ka n to kelen-na-miiri la
Hey, hey! My co-worker has gone and left me alone with my thoughts

Woyo, woyo! A! Kelen-na-kuma gɛlɛnman!
Oh, oh! Ah! Talking to yourself is difficult!

Wa, n baa kuma
And, when I speak

Mɔgɔ y'à fɔ ko fa bɛ n na!
People said that I'm crazy!

Wa, n'i ma kuma
And, if you don't speak

Mɔgɔ y'à fɔ ko n ye jitɔ ye
People said that I'm a coward

Wa, n'i ma kuma
And, if you don't speak

Mɔgɔ b'à fɔ ko fa bɛ n na!
People say that I'm crazy!

Wa, ni ninnu kumana
If these (people) speak

Mɔgɔ b'à fɔ ko n ye kuma!
(Then) People say that I should speak!

I ma kuma iyé yeela, ɛ Allah
If you stay quiet, you will still be picked on, Oh Allah

I ma kuma iyé yeela, ɛ Allah
If you stay quiet, you will still be picked on, Oh Allah

Ala! Jaa! Kuma kelen son fɔ le di, n teri
Oh God! Wow! I now realize that words are only used to demean other people

-CHORUS-

Bi teriya ka gɛlɛn ɲɔgɔn la bi le ma
Friendship with one another today is difficult nowadays

Kana nin fɔ n terimaw ye, kana sabali!
Don't say to my friends, do not forgive!

-CHORUS-

A! N teri!
Oh! My friend!

A! Jamalu!
Oh! Dear public/audience!

A! Ni n ye nin fɔla terimalu ɲɛ, terimalu ka sabali!
If say this to my friends, may they have patience (with me)!

N Teri, taamaɲɔgɔn (8x)
My friend, fellow traveller (8x)

Bi teriya ka gɛlɛn ɲɔgɔn nenini ma
Friendship should not be a trading of insults

Ja, bi teriya gɛlɛn ɲɔgɔn tereke ye
Friendship today is mutual destruction

Bi teriya ka gɛlɛn ɲɔgɔn nenini ma
Friendship should not be a trading of insults

Bi teriya gɛlɛn i terun nkan sigi
Today's friendship is jockeying for seats (get up so that I can take your seat!)

Bi teriya ka gɛlɛn ɲɔgɔn nenini ma
Friendship should not be a trading of insults

Ja, bi teriya gɛlɛn ɲɔgɔn tereke ye
Friendship today is mutual destruction

Ah, ɲe no fɔla terima lu ye, Allah
Oh, Allah, I am telling this to friends

Aw ya janto teriya la
Value your friendship

Eh teriya duman ɲɔgɔn janfa ma
Friendship is too good to allow betrayal

Gundo kuma kana kasi lonbɛ
Your trust should never be violated

• Jazz
• griot
• mali
• wassoulou
• world
• Netherlands