الْمَقَامَةُ الدِّمْيَاطِيَّةُ

English: I said: If you wish, then hasten, hasten!

Yoruba: Mo wí pé: Bí o bá fẹ́, yára, yára!

English: And return quickly!

Yoruba: Kí o sì padà kíákíá!

English: He said: You'll find my return to you.

Yoruba: Ó sọ pé: Ìwọ yóò rí ìpadàbọ̀ mi sọ́dọ̀ rẹ.

English: Faster than your gaze returning to you.

Yoruba: Yára ju bí ojú rẹ ṣe ń padà sí ọ lọ.

English: Then he rushed off like a horse on the racetrack.

Yoruba: Lẹ́yìn náà ó sáré lọ bí ẹṣin lórí pápá eré.

English: And he said to his son: Hurry, hurry!

Yoruba: Ó sì sọ fún ọmọ rẹ̀: Yára, yára!

English: We didn't think he had deceived.

Yoruba: A kò rò pé ó ti tàn wá jẹ.

English: And sought to escape.

Yoruba: Tí ó sì ń wá ọ̀nà láti sá lọ.

English: We waited for him as we wait for festivals.

Yoruba: A dúró de bí a ti ń dúró de àjọ̀dún.

English: And sought news of him through those that were coming and going

Yoruba: A sì ń wá ìròyìn rẹ̀ láti ọ̀dọ̀ àwọn tí ń bọ wá àti àwọn tí wọ́n ń lọ