الْمَقَامَةُ الدِّمَشْقِيَّةُ

This vile statement provoked me to pursue him and to engage in a matter that I would not have chosen.

Ọ̀rọ̀ búburú yìí mú mí pinu láti ṣe àwárí rẹ̀, kí n lè wọlé sínú ohun tí mi ò fẹ́ láti ṣe lára rẹ̀.

So I set out at night to the village, in a disguise.

Nítorí náà, mo lọ sí ilé ọtí náà ninu oru náà, pẹ̀lú ìrísí mìíràn.

And behold, this old man in a fine robe, surrounded by wine jars and a winevat

Ní mo ba rí baba yìí nínú àṣọ tí ó tó bíbí, tí ó wà láàrín awọn igo ọtí àti ibi tí wọn ń ṣí ọtí wá.

Around him were servers dazzling in beauty, candles glowing, myrtle, and jasmine.

Ní ẹgbẹ́ rẹ̀, àwọn olu bú ọtí wà, ati fìtílà, àti igi aláwọ èwe àti oòrùn,

There were flutes and lutes, and he was sometimes drinking from the jars, sometimes playing the instruments.

Pẹ̀lú fèrè àti gòjé. Nígbà miran yóò bu ọtí mú, asi tún má fún fèrè àti goje

At one moment he was inhaling the basil, at another he was flirting with the gazelles.

Nígbà náà, ó ń faa òórùn amáratuni, nígbà mìíràn á tún má bá àwọn ẹtu ṣeré,

When I saw his condition and how different his day was from yesterday,

Nígbà tí mo rí ìdọwọru rẹ̀ àti bí ọjọ́ rẹ̀ ti yàtọ̀ sí ànọ rẹ,

I said: Woe to you, O cursed one! Have you forgotten the day of Jaeroun?

Mo wí pé: Ṣiọ rẹ, ìwọ èèyàn tí ó burú! Ṣé o ti gbàgbé ọjọ́ Jairuni bí?

He laughed in astonishment, then recited melodiously:

Ó rẹrìn-ín pẹ̀lú ìyàlẹ́nu, nígbà náà, ó kọ orin pẹ̀lú ìtura:

I have committed to journeys, traversed barren lands, and shunned hostility to gather joy.

Mo ti jẹ́wọ́ ìrìn-àjò, mo kọjá aginjù, mo sì fi ìbínú sílẹ̀ láti ṣàkójọ ayọ̀.