Oshé Bara

nº 233 of 256

The tongue, the whip of humankind —the most dangerous opening is the mouth—: the Awó does not die while his things stay alive.

23 patakíes 9 eewó 11 ebbós and works 14 proverbs

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Oshé Bara is Odù number 233 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Oshe family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 23 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 11 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 233 of 256
Composition: Oshe over Obara
In the Diloggún: 5-6 · Oshé tonti Obara
Orishas that speak: Shangó · Oshún · Egun · Eshu · The Ibeyis e Ideu · Obatalá · Aggayú · Ozain

What Ifá says in this sign

Oshé Bara — also called Oshé Bara La Nube — hands down the most quoted sentence about speaking: the tongue is the whip of humankind — whoever talks a great deal errs a great deal, and of the openings of the body, the most dangerous is the mouth. Its teacher is the bell: the frame is the mouth and the clapper the tongue — for it to sound well, it has to speak well.

Its family parable is the pumpkin: the vines run out and the fruit is born far from the stem — the children go away from their parents and even set themselves against your partner: make sure of your children's future before the vines run too far. And learn from the agere, the pot full of holes: it lets out only one drop through each little hole, not the whole of it — that is how secrets are handled.

«The bell sounds well when it speaks well — the tongue of Oshé Bara is either his whip or his music.»The pulse of Oshé Bara

Its luck has a sound: there is money put away and the chest of coins speaks — great luck with money, but the money is sounded in your pocket, not wrapped in paper. Oshún's little stone gives the orders: as it is looked after, so you prosper — whoever throws it away dies poor and alone. And do not take fright after you ask: you get what you ask for.

Its delicate ground: you know who killed or they gave you the weapon of the crime to keep — get free of that with a work —; there is war with a mayombero; the woman is accused of adultery, like Oshún with the twins — and she was innocent; the strange dreams come from a hermit Egun. The children of this odu are travelers: they can die — ebbó is made for them in time.

Its rules of trade: you want to be everything and you change religion, work and position — you have to go back to your old trade; the Awó of this sign does not work after six in the evening, because he loses his riches, and should make Ifá if he is not a horse of Egun or of Osha. Its comfort is lasting: the Awó does not die while his things stay alive.

The sign in one line

Speak little and speak well, let your money sound in your pocket and look after Oshún's little stone — Oshé Bara does not die while his things stay alive.

The prayer of Oshé Bara · Yoruba

Oshe Bara Baralanube Egun Omaye Orun Obaniayeawo Oshe Omo Oshe Bawami Ifa Ori Layeo Oba Made Iku Egun O Bebeye Awo Orun Iku Kofilere Ashe Ona Eshu Atokun Orun Koniwede Enishe Mayele Iku Ori Wabaye Ofo Omoleri Omonifa Mana Lori Omo Koniku Omoloyu Kaferefun Orunmila, Lodafun Shango.

Súyere
Ayoro Enu Eluti Eñi Oforo Ni Ope Oforo.

Ifá says — what Oshé Bara tells you

An Ifá of the tongue and of slander: the tongue is the whip of humankind and whoever talks a great deal errs a great deal. The Ifá of the pumpkin (eleguedé): the vines run out and the fruit is born far from the stem; the children go away from their parents. An Ifá of a complete change of life, work included: you have to go back to your old trade. A traveling Odù for children: they can die; ebbó has to be made for them. An Ifá of the spiritist and the diviner: Oshé Bara should make Ifá if he is not a horse of Egun or of Osha. The Ifá where the Awó does not die while his things stay alive: when the owner of an Oshé Bara dies, all his asheses are buried with him.
You talk too much and people talk about you in good and in ill: be careful with insult, your tongue is your worst part.
The bell speaks: the frame stands for the mouth and the clapper for the human tongue; for it to sound well, it has to speak well.
You see someone killed or you know who killed, since they gave you the weapon of the crime to keep.
You have money put away; the chest of coins speaks: great luck with money, but you should sound it in your pocket and not wrap it in paper.
It speaks of strange dreams through the pull of a hermit Egun.
The woman is accused of adultery, like Oshún with the twins.
The woman has multiple births; blue-eyed women are osobo.
The children go away from their parents and set themselves against your partner; the parents have to make sure of their children's future.
You take fright after you ask, since you get it.
There is war with a mayombero.
You let go of the Santos and of your trade; you want to be everything and you change religions, jobs and standing.
You are let down by the results because you promise and do not keep your word: Elegbá puts you in a tight spot and they rob you.
The illnesses of this Odù: trouble in the belly, the gall bladder, the liver, the heart and the circulation; the hand is operated on.
The Awó of this sign must not work after 6 in the evening: doing it costs him his wealth.
The pumpkin (eleguedé) speaks, whose fruit is born far from the stem: the children go away.
The bell, the mouth and the tongue speak: the eweses of this Odù are raspalengua and languelo.
The plantain tree speaks, which Ikú was after and which was saved with ebbó.
The skull by the roadside speaks, who talked too much, and the agere, the pot with holes that stands for the firm joining of the secrets of life: it lets out only one drop through each little hole, not the whole of it.
The salvadera speaks, cursed by Obatalá when its seeds burst and made him get wet in the rain.
Oshún's little stone speaks: as it is looked after, so you prosper; whoever throws it away dies poor and alone.

Proverbs of Oshé Bara · Òwe

“Mind your own, and other people's afterward.”
“A child is not the parents' happiness.”
“A hammer, a knife and a sharp arrow is the man who bears false witness against his neighbor.”
“The tongue is the whip of the body.”
“Whoever talks a great deal errs a great deal.”
“Of the two openings of the body where the bad comes out, the most dangerous is the mouth.”
“Put away from you the wrongdoing of the mouth and keep from you the wrongdoing of the lips.”
“The drunk man thinks one thing and the shopkeeper another.”
“The habit does not make the monk; his deeds do.”
“Whoever eats sweet speaks sweet.”
“Blood is the fuel of the body.”
“Night for sleeping, day for working.”
“I give you a lift and you want to drive.”
“You throw the stone and hide your hand.”

11 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 Oshé Bara · Ìbí

The loss of memory through overusing your own faculties.
Awó Oshé Omó Oshenifá studied at night, the Egun came near his light and the grey matter left his brain.
The unsettling of the personality.
The Awó went to church on the excuse of studying for the priesthood and was studying law: he changes religion and wants to be everything.
That to crown Santo the newcomer has to be taken to the river to be bathed.
Olofin's ruling after Oshún's twins: to be cleaned of everything bad before the consecration.
Hanging a bunch of plantains at the door of the Igbodún of Osha.
The oguedé, so it is known that Shangó recognizes that birth; and the malanga leaf and the ewé Iroko, to cover everything bad.
The load of Shangó's asheré.
Awó Sheshere saved the plantain tree from Ikú with the asheré covered in shells, loaded with a rooster's beak and claws, sixteen ero, sixteen picapica seeds and afoshé of osun naború.
That the tongue is the whip of humankind and that whoever talks a great deal errs a great deal.
The skull by the roadside said so: it was there for talking too much.
Multiple births, and that there is no adultery in them.
Olofin ruled that any woman may give birth to twins and triplets with no unfaithfulness, like Oshún with Shangó.
That you have to keep prendas.
The father of Oshé Bara put his dead into an igba and talked with them every day; the son inherits something from his dead father (Odil Poli).

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

It forbids working at night and sleeping with a light on.
The dead roam loose at night and gather where they see a light, and that disturbs the person.
Do not talk about your private matters or about the plans you have in mind.
They will be torn apart on you.
Do not get wet in the rain, and avoid frights, even if there are explosions.
Obatalá cursed the salvadera because it made him get wet in the rain.
The Awó cannot work after 6 in the afternoon.
He loses his riches; the sacrifice of Oguno is done in the dark, but daily work is not.
Do not forget to keep your commitments.
The King who broke his promise to Oshún lost the chest and the rule over his people.
Do not fight with your spouse.
The children move away and they set you against your partner.
Avoid excess of alcoholic drinks.
The drunk man thinks one thing and the shopkeeper another: keep your word.
If you are a woman, mend your clothes; do not lend them or give them away to anyone.
Rule of this Ifá.
Be careful with what you ask for.
Your mouth is very dangerous: you get frightened after you ask, because you get it.

Ebbós of Oshé Bara · The sacrifices that open the road

Beating enemiesSecret of the little jar to settle situations🔒 The Notebook MoneyLittle jar of the six quail to obtain the power🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesTo tie the tongues of the enemies🔒 The Notebook HealthEbbó of the memory (band of seso vegetal)🔒 The Notebook SpiritualFor Egun and to win Eshu over🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesElegbá against the arayé🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Oshé Bara · The workings of the sign

SpiritualInshé Ozain of the wild cane (Oshé Bara)🔒 The Notebook SpiritualOzain of Yemayá and of Obatalá🔒 The Notebook SpiritualOzain of Shangó (the turtles)🔒 The Notebook Keeping death awayThe tin of Aggayú (nine holes)🔒 The Notebook SpiritualThe sacrifice of Oguno (Odil Poli)🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Oshé Bara · The roads of the Odù

1The loss of memory

Awó Oshé Omó Oshenifá studied at night with candles lit, and the Egun, led by Eshu Atokun, gathered around him until his head was troubled; his brother Awó Obebeye fed them at the door, Eshu took fright at the dove's blood, and with Shangó's seso vegetal, the oparaldo and seven days without working, he got his memory back.

At the head of the land of Oshé Baralanube was Awó Oshé Omó Oshenifá, omó Oshé Bara and also omó Shangó. A man of great intelligence, he never stopped studying, day or night, the secrets of that land, which were Orun. Shangó complained to him about that sleeplessness, because at night all the Egun of that land were loose: they gathered in their meetings and came close to any lit light, with Eshu Atokun as their guide.

Every time he was going to study, Awó Oshé Omó Oshenifá lit 3 itaná to Orun, went down on his knees and called on him like this: "Orun Agba Iku, Ara Orun, Osha Egun, Elegbe Orun Oshe Omo Oshenifa Ipori Odara Bi Awo". When the study was over sleep overcame him, and all the Egun gathered at his side. So many came that his head grew clouded; with time he was losing his memory and did nothing but ask himself why what he had learned was being wiped out.

One day his brother Awó Obebeye, omó Shangó, came to that land and stopped by to see him. He found him desperate, unable to remember anything. He did Osode for him: Oshé Baralanube came out, and there Eshu appeared leading the procession of all the Egun. Awó Obebeye then called Shangó with this chant: "Shango Baba Ile Konileo Orun, Awo Oshe Omo Oshenifa Awo Shubu, Onifa Olokore Ifa Ori Awo Sodide". Shangó came, took vegetable brain and placed it on Awó Oshé Omó Oshenifá's head.

With a jio jio and an eyelé, Awó Obebeye posted himself at the door of the house. Just then all the Egun were arriving with Eshu at the front. He put down a chain and fed them the jio jio and the eyelé outside the door while he said this prayer: "Oyekun Egun Iku, Orun Obayeru Aya, Lewa Oni Oshe Ewa, Obani Egun Iku Olorun Olordumare". All the Egun ate; as for Eshu, as soon as he saw the blood of the eyelé, he got scared and ran off.

Afterward Awó Obebeye did oparaldo for his brother with the osiadié and right away made ebbó for him, and with that Awó Oshé Omó Oshenifá kept getting better. Shangó said to Awó Obebeye: "Stay with him 7 days to take care of him and to keep him from working." When the 7 days were done the memory was back, and Shangó told him: "You cannot study or work at night any more, so Egun does not get in your way, and you always have to feed me, who am the power, together with Orun, an akukó so everything comes out well. Also, every now and then give jio jio and eyelé to all the Egun at the door, so they do not bother you. And always call Awó Obebeye to work with you and help you: that way he will look out for you, you will have the blessing of Orun and you will be able to live without problems on Earth."

Notes: the gray matter left the brain. The Awó of this sign should call another Awó every so often, to look out for him and make ebbó for him. It speaks of strange dreams from the influence of a hermit Egun.

2Oshé Bara and the plantain tree

When Shangó left that land, Ikú wanted to destroy the plantain tree; Awó Sheshere saw Oshé Bara for her and saved her with the ebbó of Shangó's asheré covered in shells: the Odù is prayed to beat whoever is against you.

When Ikú wanted to destroy the banana tree, Awó Sheshere saw Oshé Bara for it; this was the time when Shangó had gone out to look for someone for that land. The ebbó that Awó Sheshere ordered carried Shangó's asheré, covered with cowries, and two eyelé. The load of the asheré is beak and claws of akukó, 16 ero and 16 picapica seeds, with plenty of afoshé of osun naború. To beat the opponent, the Odù is prayed.

Work against arayé: on the iyefá marked with the sign, Elegbá is mounted; right there an akukó is given to him, the request is made naming the arayé and the prayer of the Odù is said over him.

Note: there is a dead man lying across the door of the house, who died of hunger and is asking for food. An oparaldo is called for, with a mottled osiadié and 9 colored ribbons; at the door, amalá with malvaté is placed.

3The relatives of Oshé Bara were dying

The father of Oshé Bara could not understand why his relatives were dying; when they died he put them into an igba and talked with them every day: you have to keep prendas.

Oshé Bara's father never understood why his relatives had to die. As they died on him one after another, he kept them in an igba and talked to them every day.

Note: you have to have prendas.

4The salvadera seeds🔒 The Notebook 5Oshún's little stone🔒 The Notebook 6The priest who changed his trade🔒 The Notebook 7The unsettling of the personality is born🔒 The Notebook 8The King's broken promise to Oshún🔒 The Notebook 9Oshún gives birth to twins and is accused of adultery🔒 The Notebook 10The eleguedé and her children🔒 The Notebook 11The newborn child🔒 The Notebook 12The skull that talked too much🔒 The Notebook 13The shopkeeper and the drunk man🔒 The Notebook 14The tin of Aggayú with nine holes🔒 The Notebook 15Warning of a journey🔒 The Notebook 16Kanepo beat his enemies thanks to Oguno🔒 The Notebook 17When Oshún had twins (the land of Iyesha Modo)🔒 The Notebook 18The tongue is the whip of the body🔒 The Notebook 19The crown of Osha🔒 The Notebook 20The curse of Ikoko Odu🔒 The Notebook 21The dove and the sijú🔒 The Notebook 22The cat's humiliation🔒 The Notebook 23The güijes of the salvadera🔒 The Notebook

20 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 Oshé Bara in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Oshé Bara

What does the Odù Oshé Bara mean in Ifá?

The tongue, the whip of humankind —the most dangerous opening is the mouth—: the Awó does not die while his things stay alive.

What number is Oshé Bara among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Oshé Bara is Odù number 233 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Oshe family.

Which orishas speak in Oshé Bara?

In the Odù Oshé Bara these orishas speak: Shangó, Oshún, Egun, Eshu, The Ibeyis e Ideu, Obatalá, Aggayú, Ozain.

What is a proverb of the Odù Oshé Bara?

One of the proverbs of Oshé Bara says: «Mind your own, and other people's afterward.».

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