الْمَقَامَةُ الْمَرَاغِيَّةُ

English: Unless you compose for me before your departure

Yoruba: Àyàfi tí o bá kọ fún mi kí o tó lọ

English: A letter in which you deposit the explanation of your condition

Yoruba: Lẹ́tà kan tí o fi àlàyé ipò rẹ sí

English: The letters of one of its two words are all dotted

Yoruba: Àwọn lẹ́tà ọ̀rọ̀ kan nínú méjì rẹ̀ ní àmì ìpínlẹ̀

English: And the letters of the other have never been dotted

Yoruba: Àwọn lẹ́tà èkejì kò ní àmì ìpínlẹ̀ rárá

English: I have deliberated my statement for a year

Yoruba: Mo ti ṣe àṣàrò ọ̀rọ̀ mi fún ọdún kan

English: Yet it yielded no response

Yoruba: Ṣùgbọ́n kò mú ìdáhùn kankan wá

English: I aroused my thoughts for a year

Yoruba: Mo jí èrò mi fún ọdún kan

English: But it only increased in slumber

Yoruba: Ṣùgbọ́n ó kàn tún sùn sí i

English: I sought help from all writers

Yoruba: Mo wá ìrànlọ́wọ́ lọ́dọ̀ gbogbo àwọn onímọ̀

English: But each of them frowned and repented

Yoruba: Ṣùgbọ́n gbogbo wọn ló fajú ro, wọ́n sì ronúpìwàdà