MAYE SE MO PEN (I WAS ONCE LIKE YOU)

I came across this song in twi three years ago. For some reason I liked the song even though I had no idea what the words meant. For a while I searched for the translation and finally I got it. Quite a great and legendary song by OJ…the song is titled Maye se mo pen

Akwadaa ho daakye a na n’ane agye (When a child perceives the future, he is happy)

 Opanyin twa n’ane a na ne werε aho (When an elderly thinks of the past, he becomes sad) M’awerεho sεm paa na meri ka yi (I share with you what brings me great grief)

Me ntam kεseε me bƆ so yi (I share with you a story I would rather not tell)

Me mmrantebrε mo m’antie afutuo (When I was young, I heeded no one’s good advice)

εnnε me na me nie o (Now, look at me today)

Mmranteε ne mmabawa a mo tie me yi (Young men and women listening to me now)

Anka ma yε sε mo da o (I was once like you)

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh Anka ma yε sε mo pεn (I was once like you)

Suku yi m’awofwƆ de me kƆ bi (My parents put me in school)

Nanso ‘kƆda bƆni sεm nti manyeri me ho ensua adeε (But I played the truant and rebel; I did not study hard)

WƆ ye m’ade kwan so (I was sent out of school as a result)

 Mayε adikan bε di akyere (I have become first from the bottom)

M’afwƆ nyinaa ayε yie agya me (All my colleagues are better off than me now)

Nti ma monfa mo adesua yi nne agorƆ (So, please don’t take your studies lightly)

Ma monfa mo adesua yi nne agorƆ koraa (Don’t take your studies lightly)

Chorus: Anka εmerε bε tumi asan n’akye a (If I could turn back the hands of time)

Anka sa mfomso a me yε yε yi, Nka me nyε biem (I wouldn’t repeat the mistakes I made) (Repeat)

 Verse 2: Ma yε sε mo pεn (I was once like you)

Sika ne ahwƆfε na me wƆ bi o (I had riches and good looks)

 Me de sika yi nyinaa wƆ ma nom (But I failed to invest any of my wealth)

Me de m’ahwƆden nyinaa nso ma mma (I wasted all my youthfulness on women)

 DwamanfoƆ ansamofoƆ me nsa mma mo (I was an indiscriminate womanizer)

εnnε mpo deε aban gye me two yi (Today, I have lost my manliness)

Mafere me mmεma yε mo Ma san mpo akƆ fa yadeε (I have even contracted diseases)

Ma yε sε mo pεn (I was once like you)

Me sii so na me nim nsa wi paa (When I was young, I could drink a lot)

Me wii nsaa ma no twa me foto (I drank so much, I epitomized a drunkard)

Nsa ama ma trofe o (I have no good looks to boast of anymore)

εnnε me sƆ adeε mo a na me nsa εpopu (Today, my hands shake whenever I grip things) 
AhwƆden no nni hƆ biom (All my strength is now gone)

 Na sε afei na wo sua nsanom a, (So if you are learning to drink liquor)

Nka mε tu wo fo sε gyae nnε yiaa (I will advise you to stop)

(Chorus) Verse 3: Ma yε sε mo pεn (I was once like you)

Me kƆ abrokyere no na me swa o (I travelled abroad at a very tender age)

 Nanso krobeaaniagyeε nti (But because I lacked focus)

Ma nnya agyapade biaa wƆ fie o (I have no property to boast of back home)

Nnε m’anyeni ado me mpanyinfie so (Today, I’m in my old age)

Abrokyere tena afonu me o (I’m tired of living abroad)

Na nso me ntumi nkƆ menkyi biem (But I can’t return home)

Ma ba abε ka obi man so (I’m now stranded in strange land)

Agya ei, Agya ei, Agya ei, Agya ei Boa me, Nana Nyame boa me Agya ei Boa me, Nana Nyame boa me (Father, Father, please God, help me)

Verse 4: Onipa hu Nyame ntεm a onya ahotƆ (When one seeks God early, he finds comfort)

Me fa Yesu ntεm anka ma mmrε (If I accepted Christ early, I would not have suffered all these)

 Azaa ne lalasulala yi (This life of lies and swindling others)

WƆ kyεε me asaase ma me tƆn yε (I had gifts of land, but I sold it all)

M’antumi mpo anse fie o (I could not even build a house)

 NkrƆfo fie mo atenatuo (I used to hop from place to place, renting apartments)

Me nnya baabi nfa me ten to (Now I have no place to lay my head)

Me konkƆn obi mantwa te sε adoe (I hang in peoples’ kitchens like a monkey)

Mo ntie m’afotu sεm yi (Take a cue from this)

(Chorus) Agya ei Boa me, Nana Nyame boa me [2x] (Chorus)