مقصورة ابن دريد

Is like the age in which it appeared.

Ó dà bí àkókò tí ó hàn nínú rẹ̀.

People are like plants: among them are splendid ones.

Àwọn ènìyàn dà bí ọgbìn: àwọn kan dára gan-an.

Fresh and green, though its fruit is bitter.

Títun àti aláwọ̀ ewé, ṣùgbọ́n èso rẹ̀ kì í dùn.

And some repel the eye, yet.

Àwọn míì ń yọjú kúrò, ṣùgbọ́n…

If you taste its fruit, it flows sweetly in the throat.

Tí o bá jẹ èso rẹ̀, ó dùn ní ẹnu àti ọfun.

The youth can be corrected from his deviation.

Ọdọ́ lè ṣe àtúnṣe kúrò ní ìṣìnkú rẹ̀.

So what bent in him becomes straightened.

Nítorí náà ohun tí ó yí sílẹ̀ di títọ́.

But the elder, if you correct his deviation.

Ṣùgbọ́n àgbàlagbà, tí o bá ṣe àtúnṣe sí ìṣìnkú rẹ̀.

No discipline will straighten what has already bent.

Kò sí ìtọ́nisọ́nà tó lè mú ohun tí ó ti yí padà di títọ́.

So too the branch, its bend is gentle.

Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni ẹ̀ka igi, ìyí rẹ̀ rọrùn.