الْمَقَامَةُ الْبَرْقَعِيدِيَّةُ

English: I yearned to know its composer

Yoruba: Mo fẹ́ láti mọ olùdá rẹ̀

English: And the embroiderer of its banner

Yoruba: Àti ẹni tí ó ṣe àmì rẹ̀

English: Then the thought whispered to me that the connection to him is the old woman

Yoruba: Nígbà náà èrò sọ fún mi pé àsopọ̀ sí i ni obìnrin arúgbó náà

English: And advised me that the reward for the introducer is permissible

Yoruba: Ó sì gbà mí níyànjú pé èrè fún olùfihàn jẹ́ ohun tí ó yẹ

English: So I watched her as she examined the rows, row by row

Yoruba: Nítorí náà mo ṣọ́ ọ bí ó ṣe ń ṣàyẹ̀wò àwọn ìlà, ìlà kan lẹ́yìn èkejì

English: And sought donations from hands, hand by hand

Yoruba: Ó sì ń wá ìfúnní látọwọ́ àwọn ọwọ́, ọwọ́ kan lẹ́yìn èkejì

English: But no effort was successful for him

Yoruba: Ṣùgbọ́n kò sí akitiyan tí ó yọrí sí rere fún un

English: And no vessel dripped into her hand

Yoruba: Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni kò sí àpò owó kan tí ó tẹẹ lọwọ́ rẹ̀

English: When her appeal for sympathy failed

Yoruba: Nígbà tí ìbẹ̀wẹ̀ rẹ̀ fún àánú kùnà

English: And her circling exhausted her

Yoruba: Àti kíkiri rẹ̀ mú kí ó rẹ̀