Warabi gami

Warabi gami - Performed as a duet by the great Okinawan singer of NeNes fame, Koja Misako who made this song popular, and contemporary Okinawan singer Natsukawa Rimi. Taken from a TV special. Warabi gami is an Okinawan komori-uta or lullaby.
The song was written and performed by Misako Koja (from the first generation Nenes) who penned it before the birth of her first grandchild in February of 1997.

Ten kara no megumi ukete kono hoshi ni
Umaretaru waga ko inori kome sodate
IRAYOO HEI IRAYOO HOI
IRAYOO Kanashi umi nashiguwa
Nakunayo~ya HEIYOO HEIYOO
Teida no hikari ukete
Yuuiriyo~ya HEIYOO HEIYOO
Sukoya ka ni sodate

Atsuki natsu no hi wa suzukaze wo okuri
Samuki fuyu kureba kono mune ni daite
IRAYOO HEI IRAYOO HOI
IRAYOO Kanashi umi nashiguwa
Nakunayo~ya HEIYOO HEIYOO
Tsuki no hikari abite
Yuuiriyo~ya HEIYOO HEIYOO
Sukoyaka ni nemure

Arashi fuki susamu wataru kono uki yo
Haha no inori kome towa no hanasakaso
IRAYOO HEI IRAYOO HOI
IRAYOO Kanashi umi nashiguwa
Nakunayo~ya HEIYOO HEIYOO
Ten no hikari ukete
Yuuiriyo~ya HEIYOO HEIYOO
Ten takaku sodate
English translation:
LULLABY OF HEAVEN:

A blessing from heaven
Into this world
You are born, my baby,
I will take care of you
Irayo hei, irayo hoi, irayo
My dearest child
Don’t you cry, heiyo heiyo,
May the sun shine on you
Be a good boy, heiyo heiyo
Please grow up
In miraculous health

When summer comes,
I will send you a cool breeze
When winter comes,
I will hold you to my bosom
Irayo hei, irayo hoi, irayo
My dearest child
Don’t you cry, heiyo heiyo,
May the moon shine on you
Be a good girl, heiyo heiyo,
Please grow up
To adulthood

Though stormy winds may blow
As you go through this world
I will shelter you from the storm,
so you may bloom like a flower
Irayo hei, irayo hoi, irayo,
My dearest child,
Don’t you cry, heiyo heiyo,
May the heavens shine on you
Be a good human being,
heiyo, heiyo,
To lead a worthy life

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