الْمَقَامَةُ الْمَرَاغِيَّةُ

He asked him to join his inner circle

Ó bẹ̀ ẹ́ láti darapọ̀ mọ́ àwọn ẹgbẹ́ rẹ̀

And to take charge of his composition bureau

Kí ó sì mójútó ilé-iṣẹ́ ìṣẹ̀dá rẹ̀

So he considered it a gift

Nítorí náà ó kà á sí ẹ̀bùn

But his pride kept him from the governorship

Ṣùgbọ́n ìgbéraga rẹ̀ dá a dúró láti gba ipò gómìnà

The narrator said: I had known the wood of his tree

Olupatan náà sọ pé: Mo ti mọ igi ẹ̀ka rẹ̀

Before the ripening of its fruit

Kí èso rẹ̀ tó pọ́n

And I almost pointed out his high status

Mo fẹ́rẹ̀ẹ́ sọ nípa ipò gíga rẹ̀

Before the illumination of his full moon

Kí òṣùpá rẹ̀ tó tan

He hinted to me with a blink of his eye

Ó ṣàpẹẹrẹ sí mi pẹ̀lú ìṣẹ́jú oju rẹ̀

Not to unsheathe his sword from its scabbard

Kí n má ṣe yọ idà rẹ̀ kúrò nínú àkọ̀ rẹ̀