الْمَقَامَةُ الْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ

English: Neither the honor of its sons is preserved, nor is kinship or lineage respected among them.

Yoruba: Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni a kò pa ọlá àwọn ọmọ rẹ̀ mọ́, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni a kò bọ̀wọ̀ fún ìbátan tàbí ìdílé láàrín wọn.

English: As if they were corpses in their courtyards, from whose stench one distances oneself.

Yoruba: Bí ẹni pé wọ́n jẹ́ òkú nínú àgbàlá wọn, tí òórùn búburú wọn ń lé ènìyàn jìnnà sí.

English: And is avoided. My mind was bewildered by what nights had inflicted upon me, and their vicissitudes are wondrous.

Yoruba: A sì ń yẹra fún, Ọkàn mi dàrú nítorí ohun tí àwọn ìgbà ti ṣe sí mi, àwọn ìyípadà wọn sì jẹ́ ìyanu.

English: My patience wore thin due to my poverty, and worries and distresses assailed me.

Yoruba: Sùúrù mi ti tán nítorí òṣì mi, àwọn ìdààmú ọkàn àti ìpọ́njú sì kọlù mí.

English: My blameworthy fate led me to conduct that nobility would deem disgraceful.

Yoruba: Àyànmọ burúkú mi fà mí sí ìwà tí ẹbí yóò kà sí ẹ̀gbin.

English: I sold until I had neither hair nor belonging to return to.

Yoruba: Mo ta títí tí kò fi ku irun tàbí nkankan tí mo lè padà sí.

English: I borrowed until I burdened my neck with a load of debt beneath which lies ruin.

Yoruba: Mo yá owó títí tí mo fi di ọrùn mi pẹ̀lú ẹrù gbèsè tí ìparun wà ní abẹ́ rẹ̀.

English: Then I folded my innards over hunger for five days, and when hunger exhausted me,

Yoruba: Lẹ́yìn náà mo ká ikùn mi mọ́ra lórí ebi fún ọjọ́ márùn-ún, nígbà tí ebi sì ti mú mi dákú,

English: I saw no option but to offer her trousseau for sale, roaming about and agitated in selling it.

Yoruba: Kò sí ohun tí mo rí yàtọ̀ sí láti ta ẹrù ìgbéyàwó rẹ̀, mo ń rìn káàkiri pẹ̀lú ìdààmú láti tà á.

English: I roamed with it while my soul was reluctant, my eye tearful, and my heart depressed.

Yoruba: Mo rìn káàkiri pẹ̀lú rẹ̀ nígbà tí ọkàn mi kò fẹ́, ojú mi kún fún omijé, ọkàn mi sì ń bànújẹ́.