الْمَقَامَةُ الْبَرْقَعِيدِيَّةُ

I yearned to know its composer

Mo fẹ́ láti mọ olùdá rẹ̀

And the embroiderer of its banner

Àti ẹni tí ó ṣe àmì rẹ̀

Then the thought whispered to me that the connection to him is the old woman

Nígbà náà èrò sọ fún mi pé àsopọ̀ sí i ni obìnrin arúgbó náà

And advised me that the reward for the introducer is permissible

Ó sì gbà mí níyànjú pé èrè fún olùfihàn jẹ́ ohun tí ó yẹ

So I watched her as she examined the rows, row by row

Nítorí náà mo ṣọ́ ọ bí ó ṣe ń ṣàyẹ̀wò àwọn ìlà, ìlà kan lẹ́yìn èkejì

And sought donations from hands, hand by hand

Ó sì ń wá ìfúnní látọwọ́ àwọn ọwọ́, ọwọ́ kan lẹ́yìn èkejì

But no effort was successful for him

Ṣùgbọ́n kò sí akitiyan tí ó yọrí sí rere fún un

And no vessel dripped into her hand

Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni kò sí àpò owó kan tí ó tẹẹ lọwọ́ rẹ̀

When her appeal for sympathy failed

Nígbà tí ìbẹ̀wẹ̀ rẹ̀ fún àánú kùnà

And her circling exhausted her

Àti kíkiri rẹ̀ mú kí ó rẹ̀