الْمَقَامَةُ الْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ

English: When I tampered with it, I did not exceed the limit of mutual consent, lest anger arise.

Yoruba: Nígbà tí mo ń ṣe é, èmi kò kọjá ààlà ìfọ̀kànsọ̀kan, kí ìbínú má ba à wáyé.

English: If it angered her to imagine that my fingers earn through composing poetry,

Yoruba: Tí ó bá jẹ́ pé ó bà á nínú jẹ láti rò pé ìka ọwọ́ mi ń rí owó gbà nípa títa ewì,

English: Or that when I resolved to propose to her, I embellished my words for my desire to succeed,

Yoruba: Tàbí pé nígbà tí mo pinnu láti fẹ́ ẹ, mo ṣe ọ̀rọ̀ mi lọ́ṣọ́ kí ìfẹ́ mi lè yọrí sí rere,

English: By Him to whose the caravans journey to his ka'bat, urged on by noble camels,

Yoruba: Ní orúkọ Ẹni tí àwọn olólùfẹ́ ń lọ sí Ka'ba rẹ̀, tí àwọn ràkúnmí ọ̀wọ́ ń rọ̀ wọ́n,

English: Deception of chaste women is not in my nature, nor are pretense and lies my motto.

Yoruba: Ẹ̀tàn sí àwọn obìnrin onitiju kò sí nínú ìwà mi, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni èké àti irọ́ kì í ṣe àmì mi.

English: Since I grew up, my hand has been attached to nothing but the sharpness of pens and books.

Yoruba: Láti ìgbà tí mo ti dàgbà, ọwọ́ mi kò mọ̀ ohun kan yàtọ̀ sí mímú kálámù àti ìwé.

English: Rather, my thoughts string necklaces of poems, not my hand, and my poetry is composed, not mere babble.

Yoruba: Kàkà bẹ́ẹ̀, èrò mi ni ó ń to ẹ̀gbà ewì, kì í ṣe ọwọ́ mi, ewì mi sì jẹ́ ohun tí a gbé kalẹ̀ dáadáa, kì í ṣe ọ̀rọ̀ asán.

English: This is the profession pointed to, by which I used to possess and acquire.

Yoruba: Èyí ni iṣẹ́ tí a ń tọ́ka sí, èyí tí mo fi ń ní àti rí nǹkan gbà tẹ́lẹ̀.

English: So permit my explanation as you permitted hers, and do not hesitate to judge as is necessary.

Yoruba: Nítorí náà, fún mi láààyè láti ṣàlàyé bí o ṣe fún un, má sì ṣe lọ́ra láti ṣe ìdájọ́ bí ó ti yẹ.

English: He said: When he had perfected what he had built, and completed his recitation.

Yoruba: Ó sọ pé: Nígbà tí ó ti ṣe ohun tí ó kọ́ ní pípé, tí ó sì parí ewì rẹ̀.