الْمَقَامَةُ الْحُلْوَانِيَّةُ

English: any novel expression you found pleasing?

Yoruba: àwọn ọ̀rọ̀ tuntun tí o rò pé ó dára?

English: He said: Yes, his saying:

Yoruba: Ó dáhùn: Bẹ́ẹ̀ni, ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀ tí ó sọ pé:

English: As if she smiles revealing pearls arranged,

Yoruba: Bí ẹni pé ó ń rẹ́rìn-ín láti fi iyùn tí a to lẹ́sẹẹsẹ hàn,

English: or hailstones or camomile,

Yoruba: tàbí yìnyín òjò tàbí ewé funfun,

English: for he innovated in the simile,

Yoruba: nítorí ó ṣe àgbékalẹ̀ tuntun nínú àfiwé náà,

English: embedded within it.

Yoruba: tí a fi pamọ́ sínú rẹ̀.

English: He said to him: Oh, how strange!

Yoruba: Ó sọ fún un: Háà, èyí yà mi lẹ́nu!

English: And what a waste of literature!

Yoruba: Àti irú ìsọ̀kúsọ̀ lítíréṣọ̀ wo ni èyí!

English: You've considered fat, O you, what is merely swollen,

Yoruba: Ìwọ ti ka ohun tí ó jẹ́ wíwú sí ọ̀rá,

English: and blown into what is not aflame!

Yoruba: o sì ti fẹ́ afẹ́fẹ́ sí ohun tí kò ní iná!