CMA

Sleep

Sleep

English
1Tormenting Cares
Sleep, sleep today, tormenting cares
Of earth and folly born!
Ye shall not dim the light that streams
From this celestial morn.
Tomorrow will be time enough
To feel your harsh control;
Ye shall not violate this day,
The sabbath of my soul.
Sleep, sleep for ever, guilty thoughts!
Let fires of vengeance die;
And, purged from sin, may I behold
A God of purity!
Fon
Linlin yadonumɛ tɔ́
Damlɔ, damlɔ égbé, mi linlin yadonumɛ tɔ́ è mì.
Ayikúngban kpo xlonɔnú kpo wɛ jì mi!
Mi ma cí wěziza é ɖo sisa wɛ tɔ ɖɔhun e ó, é
Gosín zǎnzǎn jixwé tɔn élɔ́ mɛ é.
Sɔ hwenu na kpé.
Bo na dó sè ɖɔ emi ɖò acɛ kpa dó emi wɛ syɛnsyɛn;
Mi ma gba azǎn énɛ́ ɔ́ ó;
Gbɔjɛzán lindɔ̌n ce tɔn.
Damlɔ, damlɔ kaka sɔyi, mi linlin hwɛhuhu tɔn lɛ!
Hlɔnbiba sín myɔ ní cí;
Bonú, è ni slá wǔ nú mì sín hwɛhuhu mɛ, nú má mɔn
Mawu mímɛ́ ɔ́ kpɔ́n!
French
Soucis tourmentants
Dormez, dormez aujourd’hui, soucis tourmentants
Nés de la terre et de la folie!
Vous ne ternirez pas la lumière qui jaillit
De ce matin céleste.
Demain sera bien assez tôt
Pour sentir votre dure emprise;
Vous ne profanerez pas ce jour,
Le sabbat de mon âme.
Dormez, dormez à jamais, pensées coupables!
Que les feux de la vengeance s’éteignent;
Et, purgé du péché, puissé-je voir
Un Dieu de pureté!
Yoruba
Ironu Ipọnju
Sun, sun loni, idaamu oloro
Ti aye ati asan bi!
Ẹ ko ni dinku ina ti n tàn
Lati owurọ ọrun yi.
Ọla yoo to fun akoko
Lati ni agbara lori yin;
E ko ni ba ọjọ yi jẹ;
Ọjọ isin ẹmi mi ni.
Sun, sun lailai, ero ẹsẹ!
Jẹ ki iná ifaseyin ku;
Ati pe, ki a si sọ mi di mimọ kuro nu ẹsẹ, ki ẹmi le ri
Olọrun mimọ!
Date: 2026-04-10

CMA

The World

The World

English
1Written On A Marble
The world’s something bigger,
But just of this figure
And speckled with mountains and seas;
Your heroes are overgrown schoolboys
Who scuffle for empires and toys,
And kick the poor ball as they please.
Now Cæsar, now Pompey, gives law;
And Pharsalia’s plain,
Though heaped with the slain,
Was only a game at taw.
Fon
È Wlan Ðò Awinnya Ðé Jí
Gbɛ̀ ɔ cí nǔ ɖaxó ɖé ɖɔ́hùn,
Amɔ̌, kɛ́n elɔ kɛɖɛ wɛ.
É ɖó wuntun só lɛ́ɛ kpódó xu kpó;
Akɔwé towe lɛ nyí wemaxɔmɛví e sù zɛ xwé wu lɛ é,
Mɛ e nɔ xò hun nu axɔsuɖuto lɛ́ɛ kpódó ayihúnnú lɛ́ɛ kpó jí é,
Bo nɔ xò bɔlu wamamɔnɔ ɔ lee é jló ye gbɔn é.
Dìn ɔ, Sezáa, ee nyí Pompée dìn é wɛ nɔ na sɛ́n;
Bɔ Fasalíi sín ayǐkúngban wɛnjɛ ɔ́;
È na bo kplé mɛ e è hu lɛ́ɛ kplé ɔ́,
É nyí ayihun awǐnnya jí ɖé kpowun.
French
Écrit sur un marbre
Le monde est quelque chose de plus grand,
Mais tout juste de cette forme,
Et moucheté de montagnes et de mers;
Vos héros sont de grands écoliers
Qui se querellent pour des empires et des jouets,
Et frappent la pauvre balle comme bon leur semble.
Maintenant César, maintenant Pompée, dicte la loi;
Et la plaine de Pharsale,
Bien qu’entassée de morts,
N’était qu’un simple jeu de bille.
Yoruba
A kọ ọ Lori Okuta Iyebiye
Aye jẹ nkan ti o tobi ju,
Sugbon o ni irisi yi nikan
Ati ti o kun fun awọn oke ati okun;
Awọn akoni yin jẹ awọn ọmọ ile-iwe ti dagba ju
Ti wọn nja fun awọn ijọba ati awọn nkan isere,
Ati ti wọn npa bọọlu talaka naa bi wọn ṣe fẹ.
Bayi Kiasari, bayi Pompeii, fi ofin lelẹ;
Ati pe pẹtẹlẹ Pharsalia,
Bi o tilẹ kun fun awọn ti a pa,
Jẹ ere ori okuta didan nikan.
Date: 2026-04-10

CMA

Her Writing

Her Writing

English
1‘On A Lady’s Writing
HER even lines her steady temper show;
Neat as her dress, and polish’d as her brow;
Strong as her judgment, easy as her air;
Correct though free, and regular though fair:
And the same graces o’er her pen preside
That form her manners and her footsteps guide.
Fon
Ðò Nyɔnu ɖé sín Nǔwlanwlán Jí
Xwitlɛ́tlɛ́ tɔn lɛ́ nɔ ɖè jujɔ tɔn xlɛ́
É nyɔ́ ɖɛkpɛ ɖi awu tɔn ɖɔhun, bo lɛ́ kɔ́n ɖi nukúnmɛ tɔn ɖɔhun;
Hwɛɖiɖɔ tɔn syɛn ɖì é ɖésu nɔ ɖɔhun, é
Bɔkun gbɛjɛ tɔn ɖɔhun;
É sɔgbe có é nyí vɔ̌nu, bo lɛ́ sɔgbe có é ka sɔgbe:
Bɔ fɛ́nú ɖokpó ɔ́ lɛ́ɛ wɛ nɔ kp’acɛ dó wětín tɔn jí.
Enɛ wɛ nɔ bló walɔ tɔn lɛ kpo afɔ e é nɔ ɖè lɛ é kpo.
French
Sur l’Écriture d’une Dame
Ses lignes égales montrent son humeur paisible;
Soignées comme sa robe, polies comme son front;
Fermes comme son jugement, aisées comme son maintien;
Correctes quoique libres, régulières quoique belles:
Et les mêmes grâces président à sa plume
Qui forment ses manières et guident ses pas.
Yoruba
Lori Iwe Obinrin
Ila rẹ deede fi ihuwasi rẹ títọ han;
O mọ bi aso rẹ, ati didan bi iwaju rẹ; o
L’agbara bi idajọ rẹ, rorun bi afẹfẹ rẹ; o
Dídáṣeyọ ni títọ, ati deede bi ẹwa;
Ati pe ore ọfẹ kanna n dari ikọ rẹ
Ti o nṣe irisi iwa rẹ ati n tọ igbesẹ rẹ.
Date: 2026-04-10

CMA

…My Daughter Hannah

…My Daughter Hannah

English
1Upon My Daughter Hannah Wiggin Her Recouery From A Dangerous Feaver
Bles’t bee thy Name, who did’st restore
To health my Daughter dear
When death did seem ev’n to approach,
And life was ended near.
Gravnt shee remember what thov’st done,
And celebrate thy Praise;
And let her Conversation say,
Shee loues thee all thy Dayes.
Fon
Ðò vǐ ce nyɔnu Hannah Wiggin sín ta mɛ; zozozɔn baɖa baɖa ɖé xwɛ nî
Ô, ɖɛxodó nínyí nyǐkɔ towe, mɛ
e vɔ́ nǔ lɛ blóɖó bɔ
Nu lanmɛ na nɔ ganji nú
Vǐ ce nyɔnu wanyinanɔ é,
Hwenu e é cí ɖɔ kú ko sɛkpɔ́ wɛ é,
Bɔ é cí ɖɔ gbɛzán tɔn ko fó ɖɔhun é.
Blǒ bónú é ní nɔ́ flin
Nǔ é e a wa nî lɛ
Bó nɔ́ ɖù susu towe sín xwè;
Bónu walɔ tɔn ní nɔ́ ɖɔ,
É yí wǎn nú we, ɖò Azǎn tɔn lɛ bǐ gbe.
French
Sur ma fille Hannah Wiggin, Sa guérison d’une fièvre dangereuse
Béni soit ton Nom, toi qui as rendu
La santé à ma chère Fille,
Quand la mort semblait même s’approcher,
Et que la vie touchait presque à sa fin.
Accorde-lui de se souvenir de ce que tu as fait,
Et de célébrer ta Louange;
Et que sa conduite dise,
Qu’elle t’aime tous ses Jours.
Yoruba
Lori Arabinrin Mi Hannah Wiggin Imubosipo rẹ kuro lati inu arun iba ti o buru jai
Ibukun ni Oruko Re, Iwo ti o mu
Ọmọbinrin mi to sunmọ ọkan mi pada si ilera,
Nigba ti iku dabi pe o ti sunmo gan,
Ati pe iye fẹẹrẹ parun.
Jẹ ki o ma rántí ohun ti Iwọ ti ṣe,
Ki o ma yin Orukọ Rẹ;
Ki ihuwasi rẹ ma sọ,
Pe o nife Re ni gbogbo ọjọ aye rẹ.
Notes
Date: 2026-04-10

CMA

This Bed

This Bed

English
1Ample Make this Bed.
Ample make this bed.
Make this bed with awe;
In it wait till judgment break
Excellent and fair.
Be its mattress straight,
Be its pillow round;
Let no sunrise’ yellow noise
Interrupt this ground.
Fon
Gblǒgblǒ wɛ à nǐ bló zan élɔ́
Gblǒgblǒ wɛ à nǐ bló zan élɔ́.
Mi bló zan élɔ́ kpódó sísí kpó;
Énɛ́ ɔ́ mɛ ɔ́, mi nɔ te káká jɛ
Hwenu e hwɛɖónúmɛ ná síté dó é
É nyɔ́ ɖɛkpɛ bo lɛ́ sɔgbe.
Zan tɔn ní jlɔ́,
Kɔɖonu tɔn ní hlɔn; nú
Zìngídi koklójó nɔ́
Hwesivɔ tɔ́n ni ma
Dán ayikúngban élɔ́ ó.
French
Large fais ce lit
Large fais ce lit,
Fais ce lit avec crainte révérencielle;
Dans lui, attends jusqu’à ce que
le Jugement se lève,
Excellent et beau.
Que son matelas soit droit,
Que son oreiller soit rond;
Que nul bruit jaune de l’aube
N’interrompe ce sol.
Yoruba
Titobi ni kiIbusun yi Jẹ, ẹ
Titobi ni ki ibusun yi jẹ, ẹ
Si ibusun yi pẹlu ibẹru
Ninu rẹ, ẹ duro titi idajo yoo fi jade
daradara ati pipe.
Ki matiresi rẹ ki o jẹ taara,
Ki irọri rẹ ki o jẹ yika;
Ki ko si ariwo ofeefee oorun
Ti yoo da ilẹ yii lamu.
Notes
Date: 2026-04-10