Ofún Nágbe

nº 242 of 256

Where the fluids of the body were born, whose King is the semen: Obatalá is above every head to save it — the mouth is what ruins this person.

35 patakíes 9 eewó 10 ebbós and works 18 proverbs

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Ofún Nágbe is Odù number 242 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ofun family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 35 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 10 ebbós and works and the signs it shows in the consultation — with the full eewó in plain sight; the detail of iré and osogbo and the full recipes open with The Notebook, in English.

The sign at a glance

Order in Ifá: Odù 242 of 256
Composition: Ofun over Ogbe
In the Diloggún: 10-8 · Ofún tonti Eyeunle
Orishas that speak: Obatalá · Oyá (Yansá) · Oshún · San Lázaro (Azojuano) · Oshósi (Oddé) · Shangó · Ogún · Orun y Odduduwa

What Ifá says in this sign

Ofún Nágbe is a sign with intimate beginnings: here the fluids of the human body were born — the air, the spit, the juice of the stomach and the semen, which is their King — and so was the Law of results you did not mean to cause: like Orunmila with Olofin's melons, here you pay even for the harm you did not want to do. The comfort is a high one: Obatalá is always above everyone's head to save them.

Your mouth is your sentence: this person cannot drink and cannot give away his secrets, because his mouth is his ruin — the drunkard of this sign lost his three wives and his fortune over what he said. And his calling is settled beforehand: he was born to be great in the land of Osha, not in Ifá — greatness he has, but it has to be planted in its own ground.

«Your mouth is your ruin: the drunkard of Ofún Nágbe lost three wives and a fortune by talking.»The pulse of Ofún Nágbe

What you inherit here is real: this is the Ifá of an inherited curse in the blood — children inherit the vices and the virtues of their parents and change the way their parents changed: clean yourself so you can clean those who come after you. That is also why there is a law for parents: do not put on your children things that are not in their destiny — without meaning to, you can bring death on them.

The women of this sign need care in surgery and in love: no scrapings of the womb — they can kill, above all with twins — and no marrying soldiers or men who drink — they can kill her; there is a dead woman who was in love and now follows this person around and breaks up marriages: she is sent away with a work. The family bleeds too: children who let their parents down, one brother who steals from or destroys the other — the closeness of this sign has to be worked at, not taken for granted.

Its marks on the body and at night: the stomach hurts badly — touch your belly and blow outward, because that is how the punishment of Babá is cleaned off — humps and deformities warn that something was left undone with the Orishas and with Eshu, and going out at night must be watched: Ikú hunts at those hours — the black moth warns at night that death is circling. Read with good faith, not for applause: whoever looks for victory in applause ends up dressed in rags.

The sign in one line

Do not drink, do not give away secrets, and plant your greatness in Osha — because Obatalá is above the head of Ofún Nágbe to save him.

The prayer of Ofún Nágbe · Yoruba

Ofún Nágbe Ayere Yireo Ayeri Gui Ofa Pereguiki Obbá Oshún Lodafún Ofún Odafo Obbá Nuba Ogbe Donlara Ofún Ikordié Meta Elebo; Ebeyo Owo Elebo.

Ifá says — what Ofún Nágbe tells you

It is an Ifá that stands firm in bad things: Ofún Nágbe runs the risk of dying burned or swept away by water. It is an Ifá of an inherited curse in the blood: children inherit the vices and the virtues of their parents, and the child changes the way the father or the mother changed. It is the Ifá of the Law of results you did not mean to cause: like Orunmila with Olofin's melons. It is an Ifá of epidemics and of illnesses caused by ogú. It is an Ifá where you are born to be great in the land of Osha, since you will never be anyone in Ifá: that is why Ifá is not made for an omó Ikú. It is the Ifá of the secret told while drinking: the drunkard loses his three wives and his fortune over what his mouth says.
He should touch his belly and blow outward: this comes from the punishment Babá gave the man who stole his goat.
The obiní have a bad smell from the obó and their monthly blood is not good.
A woman falls in love with a man and is turned down; when she dies she follows him as an enemy and as a lover, and she even breaks up his own marriage.
The obiní gets back at her husband over the mistreatment the children suffer: no one should be mistreated.
She must be careful with scrapings of the womb, which can kill her, above all if there are twins.
The obiní should not marry military men or men given to drink: she runs the risk of being killed. Her tendency is to die by weapons or by the harshness of the weather.
This Odù points to the birth of a girl; milk does harm.
Children let their parents down and lie to them; one brother steals from the other, and even from the father, and one brother kills or destroys the other.
It is an Ifá of humps on the body, from things left undone with the Orishas and with Eshu, and from deformities that come from birth or later.
This person suffers strong stomach pain and trouble with the digestive system.
It speaks of lies and blackmail against the woman; here comes up the inherited curse of the alakuatas, the adodí and the men whose wives are unfaithful.
Parents cannot put on their children things that are not in their destiny, because without meaning to they can bring death on them.
He must take care of his nerves because of his stubbornness: passing fits of madness.
This person only believes in his own spiritual power and looks down on other religions; he reads without good faith, looking for applause, and in the end sees his seeming victory fall apart, dressed in rags, if he does not hold to the road of Ifá.
He must be careful going out at night, because Ikú hunts him at those hours; the black moth warns at night that Ikú is circling.
The semen speaks, King of the fluids, and so does the making of sperm: the X chromosome that decides the sex.
The unicorn and the buffalo (Gidígidí) speak: the woman who changes shape, who looks like one thing and is another.
The porcupine speaks, whose dry half turned into a woman, and who, because of her husband's insults, turned her children into porcupines and left him alone.
The elephant speaks: the man who takes off his wrinkled skin; that is why eating its meat was forbidden.
The gourd of the cocoa butter speaks (Igbarí): its three companions from Heaven can destroy the head the way the gourd is destroyed.
The buzzard speaks (Igún), whom no disaster touches: Olodumare will always bring her something to eat.
The black moth, the wasp and the colored butterfly speak: the oldest one's envy cost her her life, and the black one was sentenced to come out only at night, warning that Ikú is circling.
The ewé of this Odù are: tua tua, umbrella plant, curse-remover and gray nickernut; and the power sticks Eyereyibó (cypress), Ayeregiodón (tamarind) and Peregún Iguí Obá (peregún of Oshún).

Proverbs of Ofún Nágbe · Òwe

“The fence has to be strong in case they pull on the vine.”
“The thought of a wolf is enough to kill a sheep.”
“No disaster touches the buzzard.”
“Money and women have no brothers.”
“Cocoa butter melts and destroys the gourd that holds it, and your head can be destroyed the same way.”
“The sickness carries him to the burial.”
“Olodumare will always bring you something to eat.”
“Corn stalks laid over us make us look like a dead man, but they cannot make us work with the spirits.”
“Whoever walks with a heavy foot rarely slips and falls.”
“Worthy is the man who is compared to a child.”
“There is no apple more sour than the apple of spite.”
“Acting on impulse carries the mistake on its back.”
“Whenever it rains, it clears up.”
“Whoever throws curses is badly guided or his head is sick.”
“Between one great man and another nothing is lost, if they know how to respect each other.”
“The two poles are the same even though they are apart.”
“The tail never joins the head.”
“Keep swallowing, even if it is only spit.”

15 proverb interpretations in this Odù, locked.Every proverb explained: which road it comes from and how it applies.Unlock →

Iré and Osogbo

8 iré and osogbo readings in this Odù, locked.The iré and osogbo of the sign, sorted by subject — health, money, love, death, loss…Unlock →

What is born in Ofún Nágbe · Ìbí

The fluids of the human body: the air, the spit, the juice of the stomach and the semen, whose King is the semen.
Of the three brothers, only Ató (the semen), the youngest, made the ebbó of the ten hens: that is why his business always comes out well.
The making of sperm and the ashé of Orí.
Ofún Nágbe, the first of those separated from Ofun Meyi, matches the X chromosome, the one that sets the sex: that is why in this Ifá the births of females are the most common.
That Obatalá carries 8 otá.
A birth of this Odù.
Envy among the Awoses.
From the road of Yampó Bolodé and the Ifá of the omó Ikú: that is why Ifá is not made for a child of Death.
The Law of results you did not mean to cause.
Orunmila got the melons loaded with riches from the other divinities without telling them what they meant.
The bad smell of the obó.
A curse from Oyá when she was found out: the monthly blood is not a good thing and the bad smell comes from there.
Giving akukó fun fun to Obatalá.
A birth of this Odù.
Orunmiela, «Our Savior».
Orun placed his son Elá in the center of the new Sun: Orun-mi-Elá, the eye of the Sun, the word, the wise one, the understanding one.
Being great in the land of Osha, since he will never be anyone in Ifá.
From the road of Ominigún, who went out into the world without a head and therefore has no throne: the diviner Agbigbá (Oguega) only gets ahead if he has his own Ifá.

What is forbidden · Eewó

The full eewó of this Odù, open to everyone — with the road each ban came out of.

You cannot drink alcoholic drinks of any kind, nor allow your wife to do so.
Through drink secrets are revealed and fortune, women and house are lost; Babalú Ayé threw the drinking Ofún into the sea.
You cannot tell your secrets to anyone, nor reveal anything while drunk.
The hunter lost the unicorn, Gidígidí and Yansá for revealing the secret while drunk.
You must not eat wild melon.
Sentence of Olodumare: everyone who eats melon loses his power and authority, except Orunmila.
Do not eat with too much salt, and it is forbidden to give Obatalá food with salt.
Obatalá refused to offer the salt and the squash, and was left with a hunched back: that is why he never eats it.
You cannot cross or jump over holes, and you must take care of your sight.
You can have a deadly accident, like Awó Ofó, who fell into the hole with his eyes covered.
You must not smell strong scents.
Because of the buzzard of this Ifá.
Do not mistreat anyone.
The porcupine's wife took revenge for the mistreatment of her children, and the man died alone and of sadness.
Milk does you harm.
Rule of this Odù.
Do not make Ifá for your son if he is omó Ikú.
Elegbara sentenced: «This happens for wanting to turn a son of Ikú into an Awó of Orunmila».

Ebbós of Ofún Nágbe · The sacrifices that open the road

LoveThe three ebbós of Nágbe🔒 The Notebook Keeping death awayEbbó for the two children (the slave and the freed man)🔒 The Notebook HealthEbbó of the stomach (the euré of Babá)🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesThe three balls of ground meat🔒 The Notebook LossEbbó of the hunter and the elephant man🔒 The Notebook SpiritualEbbó of the three deities of the womb🔒 The Notebook MoneyEbbó of Olofin's hunter🔒 The Notebook

7 ebbós in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes.Unlock →

Works of Ofún Nágbe · The workings of the sign

SpiritualEshu Labborní, the slave of Oshún🔒 The Notebook HealthWorks of Oshún and the kofiborí🔒 The Notebook SpiritualSecret for madness🔒 The Notebook

3 works in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes.Unlock →

Patakíes of Ofún Nágbe · The roads of the Odù

1Oyá and the colored fish

Oyá watched over the beautiful fish Olofin brought to her bend in the river day and night, until her nerves broke down from not eating or sleeping; in a fit she cursed the fish and went off into the woods to get her sleep and her health back.

Oyá had her home in a bend of the river. Olofin arranged that one day fish of many colors would arrive there, and the place suited them so well that they stayed.

Oyá found them extremely beautiful and took charge of them at once. She went so far as to block anyone from passing through that part of the river, and she kept watch by day just as by night, afraid the fishermen would take them away.

She spent so many days awake and without a bite to eat that her health broke down completely and even her nerves failed. Then, in a fit of rage, she threw a curse on those fish that had come to settle there. Once that was done, she went into the bush, where nobody would give her worries and she could get her sleep and her health back.

2Babalú Ayé throws the drinker Ofún Nágbe into the sea

Ofún Nágbe used to lie down drunk on Babalú Ayé's mat and cover it with vomit, making his sores worse; one night Babalú watched for him, rolled him up inside the mat and threw it into the sea: Ofún drowned.

Ofún Nágbe shared a hut with Babalú Ayé, and between the two of them living together was not going badly at all. Things changed when Ofún took to drink: he would come home drunk, throw himself down to sleep on Babalú Ayé's mat and leave it covered in vomit.

One day Babalú noticed that his sores flared up every time he slept there, and he forbade Ofún to lie on that mat again. Ofún respected the ban for a while, until one night he came back drunk and lay down on it again. In the morning, Babalú found the mat dirty with vomit, but there was no sign of Ofún. He washed it and decided to stay awake all night, watching.

Ofún came home drunk again and lay down where he should not. Babalú, who was waiting up for him, wrapped Ofún Nágbe inside the mat and threw the bundle into the sea. That is how Ofún died, drowned.

3Nágbe kills his brother Ofún over his three wives

With Orula's three ebbós, Nágbe got three wives born from the flower, the grass and the rotten log, on the condition that no one know where they came from; he told his brother, who gave the secret away while drunk, and the women left: when Nágbe found out, he killed his brother.

Ofún and Nágbe were brothers; the older of the two was Ofún. Nágbe went one day to be registered by Orula, this Ifá came out, and the word was this: "You think you have no luck with women. Soon you are going to have three. But for this to happen, you have to do three different ebbós and take them to three different places."

Nágbe complied. The first of the ebbós he left next to a beautiful flower growing in rotten mud, and looking at it he said: "If you were a woman, I would marry you." The second he put next to a plant on the riverbank, with those same words; the third, at the foot of a rotten trunk, repeating the phrase.

Back at his house, it was not long before three women showed up, and they set him only one condition: "Here we are for whatever you want, but on the condition that no one knows where any of us came from." They lived with him from then on.

In time, Nágbe told his brother where the three had come from. The older one turned up one day drunk and, finding no food served, got angry and threw their origin in the faces of all three. Hearing him, they left the house.

Alone and understanding nothing, Nágbe went to ask his brother what had happened. The other confessed it to him, and out of that a fierce fight broke out between the two, in which Nágbe ended up killing him.

4The road cursed by what was inherited🔒 The Notebook 5The curse of Oyá (the deer)🔒 The Notebook 6The road of the unicorn (Yansá was the obiní)🔒 The Notebook 7Oddé marries the Gidígidí (buffalo) turned into a woman🔒 The Notebook 8The slave and the freed man🔒 The Notebook 9Adifafún Yansá, who married the drunkard🔒 The Notebook 10Ofún Nágbe stole Obatalá's black goat🔒 The Notebook 11Why Ifá is not made for an omó Ikú🔒 The Notebook 12The old man with three wives🔒 The Notebook 13Obatalá refused to offer the squash and got a hump🔒 The Notebook 14The rooster won the fight against the dog🔒 The Notebook 15The loner and the porcupine🔒 The Notebook 16The skilled hunter and the elephant man🔒 The Notebook 17The cocoa butter melts and destroys the gourd🔒 The Notebook 18The sickness carries him to the burial (the buzzard's ebbó)🔒 The Notebook 19The fluids are born: the semen is the most important🔒 The Notebook 20You have to touch your belly and blow outward🔒 The Notebook 21Ominigún and Olofin's melons🔒 The Notebook 22Orunmila buys Ominigún as a slave🔒 The Notebook 23The three obiní of Ofún Nágbe (Eyereyibó, Ayeregiodón and Peregún)🔒 The Notebook 24The three women of the log, the river and the mud🔒 The Notebook 25The night moth🔒 The Notebook 26Orunmiela, eye of the Sun (Our Savior)🔒 The Notebook 27The ikín beats the dilogún🔒 The Notebook 28Ogún cuts his own navel cord🔒 The Notebook 29The fish and the fisherman🔒 The Notebook 30Olokun goes off to the bottom of the sea🔒 The Notebook 31The disobedient daughter🔒 The Notebook 32The bird left out of the party🔒 The Notebook 33The pact between wolves and sheep🔒 The Notebook 34The dealer and his neighbor🔒 The Notebook 35The hair of Agbani🔒 The Notebook

32 more patakíes in this Odù, locked.Read every road in full with The Notebook.Unlock →

The full treatise is in English. With The Notebook, the whole sign opens on this page in English: the full text of every patakí, the recipes for the ebbós and works, and the iré and osogbo readings. · This page is also available in Spanish: See Ofún Nágbe in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Ofún Nágbe

What does the Odù Ofún Nágbe mean in Ifá?

Where the fluids of the body were born, whose King is the semen: Obatalá is above every head to save it — the mouth is what ruins this person.

What number is Ofún Nágbe among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Ofún Nágbe is Odù number 242 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ofun family.

Which orishas speak in Ofún Nágbe?

In the Odù Ofún Nágbe these orishas speak: Obatalá, Oyá (Yansá), Oshún, San Lázaro (Azojuano), Oshósi (Oddé), Shangó, Ogún, Orun y Odduduwa.

What is a proverb of the Odù Ofún Nágbe?

One of the proverbs of Ofún Nágbe says: «The fence has to be strong in case they pull on the vine.».

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