الْمَقَامَةُ الْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ

English: Saruj is my home where I was born, and my lineage is Ghassan when I trace my ancestry.

Yoruba: Saruj ni ilé mi níbi tí a bí mi sí, ẹ̀yà Ghassan sì ni mo jẹ́ nígbà tí mo bá ń ṣe ìtàn ìdílé mi.

English: My occupation is study and delving deep into knowledge; this is my quest, and how excellent a pursuit it is!

Yoruba: Iṣẹ́ mi ni ẹ̀kọ́ àti wíwà jìnlẹ̀ nínú ìmọ̀; èyí ni àfojúsùn mi, ó sì dára púpọ̀ láti máa lépa rẹ̀!

English: My capital is the magic of words, from which poetry and speeches are crafted.

Yoruba: Ohun ìní mi ni ọgbọ́n ọ̀rọ̀, èyí tí a fi ń ṣe ewì àti ọ̀rọ̀ àsọyé.

English: I dive into the depths of eloquence, selecting and choosing its pearls.

Yoruba: Mo jindo sínú ọ̀gbun ọ̀rọ̀ dídùn, mo ń yan àwọn ohun iyebíye nínú rẹ̀.

English: I pluck the ripe, fresh fruit of speech, while others gather mere twigs.

Yoruba: Mo ń ka èso dídùn àti tútù ti ọ̀rọ̀, nígbà tí àwọn mìíràn ń kó igi gbígbẹ.

English: I take words as silver, and when I craft them, they're said to be gold.

Yoruba: Mo mú ọ̀rọ̀ bí fàdákà, nígbà tí mo bá sì ṣe é tán, wọ́n a máa pè é ní wúrà.

English: I used to gain wealth through my acquired literature, and milk it for sustenance.

Yoruba: Mo ti ń rí ọrọ̀ gbà nípasẹ̀ lítíréṣọ̀ tí mo kọ́, mo sì ń lo ó fún ìgbésí ayé mi.

English: My feet would mount, for its excellence, ranks above which there are no ranks.

Yoruba: Ẹsẹ̀ mi yóò gun, nítorí ọlá rẹ̀, àwọn ipò tí kò sí ipò kan tó ga jù wọ́n lọ.

English: How often gifts were brought to my abode, yet I was not satisfied with every giver.

Yoruba: Ọ̀pọ̀ ìgbà ni a ti mú ẹ̀bùn wá sí ilé mi, síbẹ̀ inú mi kò dùn sí gbogbo ẹni tó fún mi ní ẹ̀bùn.

English: Today, he to whom hope clings, finds literature the most stagnant thing in his market.

Yoruba: Lónìí, ẹni tí ìrètí dì mọ́, ó rí lítíréṣọ̀ bí ohun tó jẹ́ aláìlọ́wọ́ jù ní ọjà rẹ̀.