جَلَدَتني بِكَفِّها

جَلَدَتني بِكَفِّها

بِنتُ مَعنِ بنِ زائِدَة

بِنتُ مَعنِ بنِ زائِدَة

She beat me with her palm,

She struck me with her palm,

the daughter of Maʿn ibn Zāʾidah.

The daughter of Ma'n son of Za'ida,

جَلَدَتني فَأَوجَعَت

جَلَدَتني فَأَوجَعَت

بِأَبي تِلكَ جالِدَة

بِأَبي تِلكَ جالِدَة

She beat me and so caused me pain.

She struck me and caused pain,

May my father be her ransom—that woman who beats!

By my father, that one who strikes!

وَتَراها مَعَ الخَصِي

وَتَراها مَعَ الخَصِي

يِ عَلى البابِ قاعِدَه

يِ عَلى البابِ قاعِدَه

And you see her with the eunuch,

And you see her sitting with the eunuch

sitting at the door.

At the door,

تَتَكَنّى كُنى الرِجا

تَتَكَنّى كُنى الرِجا

لِ بِعَمدٍ مُكايِدَة

لِ بِعَمدٍ مُكايِدَة

She adopts men's honorific bynames,

Behaving coquettishly with sly intent,

deliberately scheming.

She struck me and exceeded the limit,

جَلَدَتني وَبالَغَت

جَلَدَتني وَبالَغَت

ماءَةً غَيرَ واحِدَة

ماءَةً غَيرَ واحِدَة

She beat me and went to extremes:

With more than one stroke,

a hundred blows, less one.

Strike me and I will strike back,

اِجلِديني وَأَجلِدي

اِجلِديني وَأَجلِدي

إِنَّما أَنتِ والِدَة

إِنَّما أَنتِ والِدَة

Beat me, and be resolute;

For you are only a mother to me.

you are only a mother.