الْمَقَامَةُ الْمَكِّيَّةُ

Your neighbor is in sanctuary, and your abundance is open to attack

Aládùúgbò yín wà ní ààbò, àti pé ìbùkún yín wà nínú ogun.

No frightened one sought refuge with you and feared the fangs of calamities.

Kò sí ẹni tí ó bẹ̀rù tó wá sí ibi ààbò yín tí ó bẹ̀rù eyín ìjàmbá.

Nor did a hopeful one seek your gift and was disappointed.

Kò sí ẹni tí ó ní ireti tó wá béèrè ẹ̀bùn yín tí wọ́n wá kọ fún.

So turn to my story and make my return good.

Nítorí náà, ẹ yí padà sí ìtàn mi kí ẹ sì ṣe ìpadà mi dáadáa.

If you experienced my life, in my food and drink.

Tí ẹ bá ní irírí ìgbé ayé mi, nínú oúnjẹ àti mímu mi.

You would be saddened by my hardship that delivered me to distress.

Ẹ̀yin yóò bínú pẹ̀lú ìṣòro mi tí ó fi mí sínú ìdààmú.

If you knew my lineage, my ancestry, and my path.

Tí ẹ bá mọ̀ ìdílé mi, ìran mi àti ọ̀nà mi.

And what my knowledge encompasses of the chosen sciences, you would have no doubt that my ailment is my literature.

Àti ohun tí ìmọ̀ mi kọ sínú nípa àwọn àṣayàn, ẹ̀yin kò ní ṣiyèméjì pé àìsàn mi ni ẹkọ lítírésọ mi.

I wish I had not been nursed on the breast of literature.

Mo fẹ́ kí n kò tí ì jẹ́ ọmọ tí wọ́n tọ́ pẹ̀lú àyà mímọ

For its misfortune has afflicted me, and my father wronged me in it.

Nítorí pé àìyọ̀ rẹ̀ ti kó ìparun bá míì, àti pé bàbá mi ti ṣẹ mí nínú rẹ̀.