Chapter 10

الْمَقَامَةُ الرَّحْبِيَّةُ

131

فَإِذَا فِيهَا مَكْتُوبٌ: قُلْ لِوَالٍ غَادَرْتُهُ بَعْدَ بَيْنِي. سَادِمًا نَادِمًا يَعَضُّ ٱلْيَدَيْنِ.


English

And inside was written: "Say to the governor whom I left behind after our separation, grieving, regretting, and biting his hands."

Yoruba

Òdìní tí ó wa nínú rẹ̀ sọ pé: "Sọ fún ọ̀gá tí mo fi sílẹ̀ lẹ́yìn jí jìnnà wa, tí ó n wáa bínú, tí ó sì ń gé ìka abamọ jẹ

132

سَلَبَ ٱلشَّيْخُ مَالَهُ، وَفَتَاهُ لُبَّهُ فَٱصْطَلَىٰ لَظَىٰ حَسْرَتَيْنِ.


English

The old man took his wealth, and the youth stole his heart, so he was burned by the flames of two regrets."

Yoruba

Àgbàlagbà náà gba àwọn ohun-ìní rẹ̀ lọ, ọdọmọkùnrin náà sì jà ọkàn rẹ̀ gbé, nítorí náà ìná ìbànújẹ́ méjì gbé ọ̀kàn rẹ̀ jì.

133

جَادَ بِٱلْعَيْنِ حِينَ أَعْمَىٰ هَوَاهُ عَيْنَهُ.


English

He wept when his desire blinded his eyes."

Yoruba

Ó rọ àwọn omijé nígbà tí ìfẹ́ rẹ̀ gbé ojú rẹ̀ dànù."

134

وَكَفَيْتَ الْوَالِيَ الِافْتِتَانَ بِطُرَّتِهِ؟


English

And have you spared the governor from being enchanted by his forelock?

Yoruba

Ṣé o ti dá gómìnà náà nídè kúrò nínú lílo fàyàbà pẹ̀lú irun iwájú rẹ̀?

135

فَقَالَ: لَوْ لَمْ تُبْرِزْ جَبْهَتَهُ السِّينَ. لَمَا قَنْفَشَتْ الْخَمْسِينَ.


English

He said: If his forehead hadn't revealed the letter Sin, the fifty wouldn't have been ruffled.

Yoruba

Ó sọ pé: Tí iwájú rẹ̀ kò bá ti fihàn lẹ́tà Sín, àádọ́ta kò ní jẹ́ rírù.

136

ثُمَّ قَالَ: بِتِ اللَّيْلَةَ عِنْدِي لِنَطْفِئَ نَارَ الْجَوَى. وَنُدِيلَ الْهَوَى. مِنْ النَّوَى.


English

Then he said: Stay the night with me to extinguish the fire of passion, and we'll alternate between love and separation.

Yoruba

Lẹ́yìn náà ó sọ pé: Dúró ní alẹ́ yìí pẹ̀lú mi láti pa iná ìfẹ́, a ó sì yí padà láàrin ìfẹ́ àti ìyapa.

137

فَقَدْ أَجْمَعْتُ عَلَى أَنْ أَنْسَلَّ بِسَحْرَةٍ. وَأُصْلِيَ قَلْبَ الْوَالِي نَارَ حَسْرَةٍ!


English

For I have resolved to slip away at dawn and set the governor's heart ablaze with regret!

Yoruba

Nítorí mo ti pinnu láti yọ̀ lọ ní àfẹ̀mọ́júmọ́ kí n sì mú ọkàn gómìnà náà jó pẹ̀lú ìbànújẹ́!

138

قَالَ: فَقَضَيْتُ اللَّيْلَةَ مَعَهُ فِي سَمَرٍ. آنَقَ مِنْ حَدِيقَةِ زَهْرٍ. وَخَمِيلَةِ شَجَرٍ.


English

He said: So I spent the night with him in pleasant conversation, more delightful than a flower garden or a leafy grove.

Yoruba

Ó sọ pé: Nítorí náà mo lo alẹ́ náà pẹ̀lú rẹ̀ nínú ìṣọ̀rọ̀ dídùn, ó dùn ju ọgbà òdòdó tàbí igbó tó kún fún ewé lọ.

139

حَتَّى إِذَا لَأْلَأَ الْأُفُقُ ذَنَبَ السِّرْحَانِ. وَآنَ انْبِلَاجُ الْفَجْرِ وَحَانَ.


English

Until the horizon glimmered like a wolf's tail, and the break of dawn approached and arrived.

Yoruba

Títí tí ojú ọ̀run fi dàn bí ìrù ìkookò, tí ìmọ́lẹ̀ òwúrọ̀ sì ń sún mọ́ tòsí.

140

رَكِبَ مَتْنَ الطَّرِيقِ. وَأَذَاقَ الْوَالِيَ عَذَابَ الْحَرِيقِ.


English

He mounted the road and made the governor taste the torment of burning.

Yoruba

Ó gun ọ̀nà lọ, ó sì mú kí gómìnà náà tọ́ ìyà jíjóná wò.

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