لامية الشنفرى

Pull up the chests of your mounts, O sons of my mother, for I incline toward another people than you.

Ẹ gbé àyà Ràkúnmí yín sókè, ẹ̀yin ọmọ ìyá mi, nítorí èmi yóò máa lọ sí ọdọ àwọn ènìyàn míìràn tí wọn dá jù yín lọ.

Needs have become urgent, and the night is moonlit, while camels and saddles are bound for distant journeys.

Àwọn bukaata ti di dandan, òru sì ta òṣùpá, a sì ti de àwọn ràkúnmí àti gàárì fún àwọn ìrìn àjò jinjin.

In the land there is a retreat for the generous from harm, and in it there is a seclusion for one who fears estrangement.

Nínú ilẹ̀ ayé, ibi ìsádi wà fún alapọnle láti yẹra fún ìpalára, ibi ìpámọ́ wà fún ẹni tó bẹ̀rù ìkórìíra.

By your life, the earth is not hard for a person who journeys by night, whether desiring or fearing, while he possesses reason.

Mo fi ẹ̀mí rẹ jẹ́, ilẹ̀ kò ní ifun pínpín fún ẹni tó bá rìn lálẹ́, bí ó ṣe wù kí o jẹ́ ẹni tí n wá ayé tàbí tí n bẹrù rẹ, tí òye rẹ̀ sì wà pẹ̀lú rẹ̀.

For I have, apart from you, a family: a smooth-bodied wolf, a swift speckled snake, and a thick-necked mother of Hyena.

Mo ní, yàtọ̀ sí yín, àwọn ẹbí mi: Wolufu tí ara rẹ̀ dán, Ejò òní tototo dudu lara tó si yára, àti ìyá ìkòkò tí ọrùn rẹ̀ nípọn.

They are the family: a trust of secret is not disclosed with them, nor is the offender abandoned for what he has done.

Àwọn ni ẹbí: àṣírí tí a fi sí ọ́dọ̀ wọn kí tú, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni a kì í kọ ẹni tó ṣẹ̀ sílẹ̀ nítorí ohun tó ṣe.

Each is proud and courageous, except that when the first of the quarries appears, I am bolder.

Gbogbo wọn jẹ́ adúróṣinṣin àti akọni, àyàfi pé nígbà tí ohun ọdẹ àkọ́kọ́ bá hàn, èmi ló túbọ̀ gbóyà.

If hands are stretched toward the provision, I am not the most hasty among them, for the most greedy of people is the most hasty.

Bí a bá na ọwọ́ sí oúnjẹ, èmi kì í ṣáájú wọn, nítorí ẹni tó jẹ́ olojukokoro jù nínú àwọn ènìyàn ni má ṣáájú wọn.

That is only a generosity from abundance shown to them, and the best is the one who shows favor.

Ìyẹn kò jẹ́ nǹkan mìíràn ju lilàwọ́ làti inú rere sí wọn, ẹni tó dára jù lọ ni ẹni tó ń ṣe oore.

And indeed, the loss of one who neither returns kindness nor offers comfort in his closeness has been enough for me.

Èmi pẹ̀lú, àìní ẹni tí kì í fi rere san ẹ̀sán, tí kò sí ni ìtùnú nínú ìsúnmọ́ rẹ̀, ti tó fún mi.