الْمَقَامَةُ الْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ

Neither the honor of its sons is preserved, nor is kinship or lineage respected among them.

Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni a kò pa ọlá àwọn ọmọ rẹ̀ mọ́, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni a kò bọ̀wọ̀ fún ìbátan tàbí ìdílé láàrín wọn.

As if they were corpses in their courtyards, from whose stench one distances oneself.

Bí ẹni pé wọ́n jẹ́ òkú nínú àgbàlá wọn, tí òórùn búburú wọn ń lé ènìyàn jìnnà sí.

And is avoided. My mind was bewildered by what nights had inflicted upon me, and their vicissitudes are wondrous.

A sì ń yẹra fún, Ọkàn mi dàrú nítorí ohun tí àwọn ìgbà ti ṣe sí mi, àwọn ìyípadà wọn sì jẹ́ ìyanu.

My patience wore thin due to my poverty, and worries and distresses assailed me.

Sùúrù mi ti tán nítorí òṣì mi, àwọn ìdààmú ọkàn àti ìpọ́njú sì kọlù mí.

My blameworthy fate led me to conduct that nobility would deem disgraceful.

Àyànmọ burúkú mi fà mí sí ìwà tí ẹbí yóò kà sí ẹ̀gbin.

I sold until I had neither hair nor belonging to return to.

Mo ta títí tí kò fi ku irun tàbí nkankan tí mo lè padà sí.

I borrowed until I burdened my neck with a load of debt beneath which lies ruin.

Mo yá owó títí tí mo fi di ọrùn mi pẹ̀lú ẹrù gbèsè tí ìparun wà ní abẹ́ rẹ̀.

Then I folded my innards over hunger for five days, and when hunger exhausted me,

Lẹ́yìn náà mo ká ikùn mi mọ́ra lórí ebi fún ọjọ́ márùn-ún, nígbà tí ebi sì ti mú mi dákú,

I saw no option but to offer her trousseau for sale, roaming about and agitated in selling it.

Kò sí ohun tí mo rí yàtọ̀ sí láti ta ẹrù ìgbéyàwó rẹ̀, mo ń rìn káàkiri pẹ̀lú ìdààmú láti tà á.

I roamed with it while my soul was reluctant, my eye tearful, and my heart depressed.

Mo rìn káàkiri pẹ̀lú rẹ̀ nígbà tí ọkàn mi kò fẹ́, ojú mi kún fún omijé, ọkàn mi sì ń bànújẹ́.