الْمَقَامَةُ الْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ

When I tampered with it, I did not exceed the limit of mutual consent, lest anger arise.

Nígbà tí mo ń ṣe é, èmi kò kọjá ààlà ìfọ̀kànsọ̀kan, kí ìbínú má ba à wáyé.

If it angered her to imagine that my fingers earn through composing poetry,

Tí ó bá jẹ́ pé ó bà á nínú jẹ láti rò pé ìka ọwọ́ mi ń rí owó gbà nípa títa ewì,

Or that when I resolved to propose to her, I embellished my words for my desire to succeed,

Tàbí pé nígbà tí mo pinnu láti fẹ́ ẹ, mo ṣe ọ̀rọ̀ mi lọ́ṣọ́ kí ìfẹ́ mi lè yọrí sí rere,

By Him to whose the caravans journey to his ka'bat, urged on by noble camels,

Ní orúkọ Ẹni tí àwọn olólùfẹ́ ń lọ sí Ka'ba rẹ̀, tí àwọn ràkúnmí ọ̀wọ́ ń rọ̀ wọ́n,

Deception of chaste women is not in my nature, nor are pretense and lies my motto.

Ẹ̀tàn sí àwọn obìnrin onitiju kò sí nínú ìwà mi, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni èké àti irọ́ kì í ṣe àmì mi.

Since I grew up, my hand has been attached to nothing but the sharpness of pens and books.

Láti ìgbà tí mo ti dàgbà, ọwọ́ mi kò mọ̀ ohun kan yàtọ̀ sí mímú kálámù àti ìwé.

Rather, my thoughts string necklaces of poems, not my hand, and my poetry is composed, not mere babble.

Kàkà bẹ́ẹ̀, èrò mi ni ó ń to ẹ̀gbà ewì, kì í ṣe ọwọ́ mi, ewì mi sì jẹ́ ohun tí a gbé kalẹ̀ dáadáa, kì í ṣe ọ̀rọ̀ asán.

This is the profession pointed to, by which I used to possess and acquire.

Èyí ni iṣẹ́ tí a ń tọ́ka sí, èyí tí mo fi ń ní àti rí nǹkan gbà tẹ́lẹ̀.

So permit my explanation as you permitted hers, and do not hesitate to judge as is necessary.

Nítorí náà, fún mi láààyè láti ṣàlàyé bí o ṣe fún un, má sì ṣe lọ́ra láti ṣe ìdájọ́ bí ó ti yẹ.

He said: When he had perfected what he had built, and completed his recitation.

Ó sọ pé: Nígbà tí ó ti ṣe ohun tí ó kọ́ ní pípé, tí ó sì parí ewì rẹ̀.