الْمَقَامَةُ الْوَاسِطِيَّةُ

Then run with him to the market, like the run of the eager.

Lẹ́yìn náà, sáré pẹ̀lú rẹ lọ sí ọjà, bí ìsáré ẹni tí ó ń fẹ́ràn.

And exchange him for the fertile one, the corrupter and reformer, the gloomy and joyful, the enriching and relieving, the one with burning breath.

Pàrọ̀ rẹ pẹlú ólóyún tí ń fún ní lóyún, ẹni tí ó ń ṣe ìbàjẹ́ tí ó sì ń tún nkán ṣe, ẹni tí ó ń ṣòfò tí ó sì tún mú ayọ̀ wá, ẹni tí ó ń fún ní oúnjẹ tí ó sì ń mú irọrùn wá, ẹni tí ó ní ẹ̀mí tí ń jó.

And the radiant fetus.

Ati ọmọ inu ti o tan imọlẹ.

And the convincing word.

Ati ọrọ ti o ni idaniloju.

And the enjoyable Nile.

Ati odò Nílí ti o dun.

Which, when struck, thundered and flashed, and revealed itself in flames, and breathed into the rags.

Ẹni tí, nígbà tí a bá lu, yóò sán àrá àti yóò tan imọlẹ̀, tí yóò sì ṣí ìkọ̀kọ̀ rẹ̀ pẹlú iná, tí yóò sì fẹ́ sínú àwọn àkísà.

He said: When the roaring ceased, and nothing left but the going of wished to go.

Ó sọ pé: Nígbà tí ariwo náà dúró, kò sì òun tó kù ju lilọ èèyàn tí Ó fẹ lọ.

A young man appeared, swaying, with no companion. I saw it as a muscle playing with minds, enticing entry into curiosity.

Ọmọkùnrin kan farahàn, tí ó ń yí, láìsí ẹlẹgbẹ́. Mo rí i bí iṣan tí ń ṣeré pẹ̀lú ọpọlọ, tí ó ń fa ìwọlé sínú ìfẹ́ ìmọ̀.

So I followed the boy, to understand the essence of the speech.

Nítorí náà, mo tẹ̀lé ọmọ náà, láti mọ ìtúmọ̀ ọ̀rọ̀ náà.

He kept moving like a demon, inspecting the rows of shops.

Ó ń lọ bí ẹ̀mí burúkú, tí ó ń ṣàyẹ̀wò àwọn ìlà àwọn ilé ìtajà.