Język Ewe - Ewe language - Eʋegbe

Story of Djoubogbe's grandfather

This is one of the Ewe texts collected by us. It tells the story of Djoubogbe's grandfather, Kodzovi Akpan Afoutou. See below the text for an English translation. Later on we will add the grammatical commentary and audio recordings of the text. Djoubogbe Kossi Afoutou is the author of the text and English translation. Enjoy your lecture!

Ewe version

Tɔgbe nye ŋkɔ enye AFOUTOU Kodjovi Akpan, enye ame dzɛ aɖe si tso Tado, teƒe si le ɣedzepe godzi eye wo nye ame dzesi aɖe le Tado-Domé. Kpui ɖe ko la, enye vodu nɔ gã aɖe tsã vayi, si ɖo vodu hapopo si wɔa kɔnu vovovowo eye dukɔa kãtã nyɛ nɛ. Eda gbe le ame ŋti eye wo poanu kuɖe amegbetɔ ƒe kuɣɛwo ŋti alo eƒe esɔme ŋti alo eƒe vivime ŋti. Ekpa eha vovovowo ɣe doa eƒe vodu la ƒe ŋkɔ ɖedzi eye le woƒe kɔnu wɔwɔ eyiyi hã. Enɔ esia dzi vasɛɖe esime wo trɔ dzime zu Katoliko hɔsetɔ vãvã. Etrɔ dzime alegbegbe be egbe nu le abosãŋ kple eƒe nuwɔna vovovowo gbɔ. Ekpa eha geɖe na Mawu ƒe ŋkɔ dodoɖedzi eye amewo dzina neneŋ ƒe eha wo le tsotsi hɔ alo gbedohɔ me ɣena vivi dodoɖe subɔ subɔ ɖe Mawu ŋti. Amewo nya eƒe hawo ale gbegbe be esi Papa Yohanes Paolo ewe lia va Togo le eƒe akpe ɖeka bla sieke kple enyiʋɔ atɔ le ɣleti enyi lia me (08/1985) la, wo yɔɛ be wɔa va dziha nɛ le eƒe misa me, eye emegbe la eyi Papa gbɔ va dziha nɛ. Edze be ma ɖo ŋku edzi be, le eyiyi ma wome la fada ameve tso Polonyi nɔ Tado-Domé ƒe katoliko hanɔƒea. Eƒe eha vevi dometɔ ɖeka enye « Mawu nya vivi » eye eha ƒe eme nyawo enye :

Mawu nya vivi
Akpan be mawu nya vivi ŋtɔ (2x)
Ameɖe gbe Mawu nya ŋdi kɛnyɛ
Fiɛ sime ɖo afoku la va dzedzie (2x)

chorus:

Edze vivinɔ
Ɣehowa be edze vivinɔ
Dzeɖe gbebe eye ma vivivo
Ye woa sɔ kɔŋgbe aso afo so lidzi.

English translation

The name of my grandfather is Kodjovi Akpa Afoutou, with clear complexion skin; he is a known person from Tado-Domé which located at the East-South side of the country. Shortly, he was animist and had a group of people who worship “Vodu” and who can cure disease, speak about people problem and can read things in future. He has composed many songs to glorify « Vodu » and as well during ceremonies for the same purpose. He had been doing this till he seriously converted into Catholicism. He was truly converted that he finished everything with Satan and its duties. He started compose songs for worshiping God and those song were sung in Church by people to glorify God during the celebration of Mass. People knew his songs and they were useful for the Mass that they invited him to sing during the celebration of Mass when Pope John II came to Togo in August 1985, and then after the Mass he went to sing for Pope. I have to mention that, at that time we have in our village Tado-Domé, two Priests from Poland who were catholic missionaries. One of his best songs was “God’s words are sweet” and the song’s words were:

God’s words are sweet
Akpan says God’s words are too sweet
Somebody refuse the word in morning
In evening he will meet trouble (or accident)

chorus:

Salt is sweet
Yehowa says salt is sweet
The salt that refuse to be sweet
It will be throwing away and walk over.