ظَلَمَwronged الرِجالُthe men نِساءَهُمtheir wives وَتَعَسَّفواand acted tyrannically
ظَلَمَ الرِجالُ نِساءَهُم وَتَعَسَّفوا
هَلdo لِلنِساءِwomen have بِمِصرَin Egypt مِنany أَنصارِchampions
هَل لِلنِساءِ بِمِصرَ مِن أَنصارِ
Men have wronged their wives and acted tyrannically.
Men oppressed their wives and were tyrannical
Do women in Egypt have any champions?
Do Egyptian women have any supporters?
ياO مَعشَرَcompany of الكُتّابِwriters أَينَwhere بَلاؤُكُمyour efforts
يا مَعشَرَ الكُتّابِ أَينَ بَلاؤُكُم
أَينَwhere البَيانُeloquence وَصائِبُand soundness of الأَفكارِideas
أَينَ البَيانُ وَصائِبُ الأَفكارِ
O company of writers, where are your efforts?
O community of writers! Where is your affliction?
Where are eloquence and sound ideas?
Where is eloquence and wisdom of thought?
أَيَهُمُّكُمdoes it concern you عَبَثٌfrivolity وَلَيسَwhile it does not يَهُمُّكُمconcern you
أَيَهُمُّكُم عَبَثٌ وَلَيسَ يَهُمُّكُم
بُنيانُbuilding of أَخلاقٍcharacter بِغَيرِwithout جِدارِwalls
بُنيانُ أَخلاقٍ بِغَيرِ جِدارِ
Does frivolity concern you, while you care nothing for
Is it nonsense to you, you don't care
the building of character without walls?
About building morals without foundation?
عِنديI have عَلىconcerning ضَيمِthe oppression of الحَرائِرِfreeborn women بَينَكُمamong you
عِندي عَلى ضَيمِ الحَرائِرِ بَينَكُم
نَبَأٌnews يُثيرُthat stirs ضَمائِرَthe consciences of الأَحرارِfree men
نَبَأٌ يُثيرُ ضَمائِرَ الأَحرارِ
I have, concerning the oppression of freeborn women among you,
I have news for you about the injustice to women
news that stirs the consciences of free men,
That stirs the conscience of the virtuous
مِمّاfrom what رَأَيتُI saw وَماand what عَلِمتُI learned مُسافِراًwhile traveling
مِمّا رَأَيتُ وَما عَلِمتُ مُسافِراً
وَالعِلمُand knowledge بَعضُone of فَوائِدِthe benefits of الأَسفارِtravels
وَالعِلمُ بَعضُ فَوائِدِ الأَسفارِ
from what I saw and learned while traveling—
Of what I saw and learned while traveling
and knowledge is one of travel's benefits.
And knowledge is some benefits of journeys
فيهِin it مَجالٌroom لِلكَلامِfor discussion وَمَذهَبٌand an avenue
فيهِ مَجالٌ لِلكَلامِ وَمَذهَبٌ
لِيَراعِfor the pen of باحِثَةٍBahitha وَسِتِّand Sitt (Lady) of الدارِal-Dar (the House)
لِيَراعِ باحِثَةٍ وَسِتِّ الدارِ
In it there is room for discussion and an avenue
It's an opportunity to speak and a doctrine
for the pen of Bahitha and Sitt al-Dar.
For a researcher and lady of the house
كَثُرَتgrew numerous عَلىat دارِDar (Abode) of السَعادَةِal-Sa'ada (Felicity) زُمرَةٌa group
كَثُرَت عَلى دارِ السَعادَةِ زُمرَةٌ
مِنfrom مِصرَEgypt أَهلُowners of مَزارِعٍfarms وَيَسارِand wealth
مِن مِصرَ أَهلُ مَزارِعٍ وَيَسارِ
A crowd has swelled in Dar al-Sa'ada,
Many groups came to Dar Al Saadah
of Egyptians possessing farms and wealth.
Egyptian farmers and people of wealth
يَتَزَوَّجونَthey marry عَلىin addition to نِساءٍwives تَحتَهُمalready married to them
يَتَزَوَّجونَ عَلى نِساءٍ تَحتَهُم
لاnot صاحِباتِwomen practicing بُغىًunchastity وَلاnor بِشَرارِat all wicked
لا صاحِباتِ بُغىً وَلا بِشَرارِ
They marry other women alongside their wives,
Marrying women under them
who are neither unchaste nor wicked.
Who are neither immoral nor wicked
شاطَرنَهُمthey shared with them نِعَمَthe blessings of الصِباyouth وَسَقَينَهُمand gave them drink
شاطَرنَهُم نِعَمَ الصِبا وَسَقَينَهُم
دَهراًfor an age بِكَأسٍwith a cup لِلسُرورِof joy عُقارُwine
دَهراً بِكَأسٍ لِلسُرورِ عُقارُ
These wives shared youth's blessings with them and gave them drink
Who shared their prime youth and gave them
for years, from a cup whose wine was joy.
For ages a cup of joyful wine
الوالِداتُthe mothers of بَنيهُمُtheir sons وَبَناتِهِمand their daughters
الوالِداتُ بَنيهُمُ وَبَناتِهِم
الحائِطاتُthe protectors of العِرضَhonor كَالأَسوارِlike ramparts
الحائِطاتُ العِرضَ كَالأَسوارِ
Mothers of their sons and daughters,
Mothers, their sons and daughters
guarding their honor like ramparts,
Modesty itself like walls
الصابِراتُthe women patient لِضَرَّةٍwith a co-wife وَمَضَرَّةٍand harm
الصابِراتُ لِضَرَّةٍ وَمَضَرَّةٍ
المُحيِياتُthose keeping alive اللَيلَthe night بِالأَذكارِwith devotional remembrance
المُحيِياتُ اللَيلَ بِالأَذكارِ
patient with a co-wife and with harm,
Patient with adversity and affliction
keeping the night alive with remembrance of God.
Spending the night with prayers
مِنamong كُلِّevery ذيman of سَبعينَseventy years يَكتُمُhe conceals شَيبَهُhis gray hair
مِن كُلِّ ذي سَبعينَ يَكتُمُ شَيبَهُ
وَالشَيبُand gray hair فيat فَودَيهِhis two temples ضَوءُthe light of نَهارِday
وَالشَيبُ في فَودَيهِ ضَوءُ نَهارِ
Among them, each man of seventy conceals his gray hair,
Everyone past seventy hides their grey hair
though the gray at his temples is daylight.
Though it shines on their cheeks like daylight
يَأبىrefuses to allow لَهُhim فيin الشَيبِold age غَيرَanything but سَفاهَةٍfolly
يَأبى لَهُ في الشَيبِ غَيرَ سَفاهَةٍ
قَلبٌa heart صَغيرُpetty in الهَمِّits concerns وَالأَوطارِand desires
قَلبٌ صَغيرُ الهَمِّ وَالأَوطارِ
Nothing but folly in old age is allowed him
Except for frivolity, their hearts admit no grey hair
by a heart petty in its cares and desires.
Small in concerns and dignity
ماnot حَلَّهُdwelt in it عَطفٌaffection وَلاnor رِفقٌgentleness وَلاnor
ما حَلَّهُ عَطفٌ وَلا رِفقٌ وَلا
بِرٌّkindness بِأَهلٍtoward family أَوor هَوىًlove لِدِيارِfor homes
بِرٌّ بِأَهلٍ أَو هَوىً لِدِيارِ
Neither affection nor gentleness has dwelt in it, nor
No tenderness restrains them, or kindness
kindness to family or love of home.
No righteousness towards family or longing for home
كَمhow many a ناهِدٍbudding-breasted maiden فيamong اللّاعِباتِthe girls at play صَغيرَةٍyoung
كَم ناهِدٍ في اللّاعِباتِ صَغيرَةٍ
أَلهَتهُshe distracted him عَنfrom حَفَدٍgrandchildren بِمِصرَin Egypt صِغارِlittle
أَلهَتهُ عَن حَفَدٍ بِمِصرَ صِغارِ
How many a young, budding-breasted girl among those at play
How many playboys are distracted from grandchildren
has distracted him from his little grandchildren in Egypt!
By flirting with juvenile girls
مَهماwhenever غَداhe went out in the morning أَوor راحَwent out in the evening فيon جَولاتِهِhis rounds
مَهما غَدا أَو راحَ في جَولاتِهِ
دَفَعَتهُshe pushed him خاطِبَةٌa matchmaker إِلىto سِمسارِa broker
دَفَعَتهُ خاطِبَةٌ إِلى سِمسارِ
Whenever he goes out, morning or evening, on his rounds,
Wherever he goes out on his ramble
a matchmaker steers him to a broker.
A matchmaker pushes him to a broker
شُغِلَwere occupied المَشايِخُthe old men بِالمَتابِwith repentance وَشُغلُهُand his occupation
شُغِلَ المَشايِخُ بِالمَتابِ وَشُغلُهُ
بِتَبَدُّلِwith changing الأَزواجِwives وَالأَصهارِand in-laws
بِتَبَدُّلِ الأَزواجِ وَالأَصهارِ
Elders are occupied with repentance, while his occupation
Elders are busy with contracts and he with
is changing wives and in-laws.
Changing spouses and in-laws
فيin كُلِّevery عامٍyear هَمُّهُhis concern فيwith طَفلَةٍa little girl
في كُلِّ عامٍ هَمُّهُ في طَفلَةٍ
كَالشَمسِlike the sun إِنif خُطِبَتshe is sought in marriage فَلِلأَقمارِthen for the moons
كَالشَمسِ إِن خُطِبَت فَلِلأَقمارِ
Each year his thoughts are on a little girl,
Every year his mind is on a child
like the sun—if courted, it should be by moons.
Like the sun, if proposed to, it's for the moons
يَرشوhe bribes عَلَيهاfor her الوالِدينَthe two parents ثَلاثَةًthree of them
يَرشو عَلَيها الوالِدينَ ثَلاثَةً
لَمdid not أَدرِI know أَيُّهُمُwhich of them الغَليظُthe coarse one الضاريthe ravening one
لَم أَدرِ أَيُّهُمُ الغَليظُ الضاري
He bribes her parents for her; of the three,
The parents shower three on her
I know not which of them is the coarse, ravening brute.
I don't know which is harshest
المالُmoney حَلَّلَmade lawful كُلَّeverything غَيرِnot مُحَلَّلِpermitted
المالُ حَلَّلَ كُلَّ غَيرِ مُحَلَّلِ
حَتّىeven زَواجَthe marriage of الشيبِthe gray-haired بِالأَبكارِto virgins
حَتّى زَواجَ الشيبِ بِالأَبكارِ
Money has made everything forbidden lawful,
Money made the unlawful lawful
even the marriage of gray-haired men to virgins.
Even old men marrying young brides
سَحَرَbewitched القُلوبَhearts فَرُبَّso many a أُمٍّmother قَلبُهاher heart
سَحَرَ القُلوبَ فَرُبَّ أُمٍّ قَلبُها
مِنthrough سِحرِهِits magic حَجَرٌa stone مِنَamong الأَحجارِstones
مِن سِحرِهِ حَجَرٌ مِنَ الأَحجارِ
It has bewitched hearts; many a mother's heart
It has bewitched hearts, so many a mother
is, through its magic, a stone among stones.
Her heart for it became stone
دَفَعَتshe thrust بُنَيَّتَهاher little daughter لِأَشأَمَinto the most ill-omened مَضجَعٍbed
دَفَعَت بُنَيَّتَها لِأَشأَمَ مَضجَعٍ
وَرَمَتand cast بِهاher فيinto غُربَةٍexile وَإِسارِand captivity
وَرَمَت بِها في غُربَةٍ وَإِسارِ
She thrust her little daughter into the most ill-omened bed,
She handed her daughter to a decrepit bed
and cast her into exile and captivity.
And threw her into isolation and captivity
وَتَعَلَّلَتand she made an excuse بِالشَرعِwith religious law قُلتُI said كَذِبتِهِyou misrepresented it
وَتَعَلَّلَت بِالشَرعِ قُلتُ كَذِبتِهِ
ماnot كانَwas شَرعُthe law of اللَهِGod بِالجَزّارِa butcher
ما كانَ شَرعُ اللَهِ بِالجَزّارِ
And she pleaded religious law; I said, 'You have misrepresented it!'
Justifying it by law, I said she lied
God's law was never a butcher.
God's law isn't by the butcher's knife
ماnot زُوِّجَتwas married off تِلكَthat الفَتاةُgirl وَإِنَّماbut rather
ما زُوِّجَت تِلكَ الفَتاةُ وَإِنَّما
بيعَwas sold الصِباyouth وَالحُسنُand beauty بِالدينارِfor dinars
بيعَ الصِبا وَالحُسنُ بِالدينارِ
That girl was not married off; rather,
The girl wasn't married but her youth and beauty
youth and beauty were sold for dinars.
Were sold for dinars
بَعضُsome الزَواجِmarriage مُذَمَّمٌreprehensible ماno بِالزِناin adultery
بَعضُ الزَواجِ مُذَمَّمٌ ما بِالزِنا
وَالرِقِّand slavery إِنif قيساthe two were compared بِهِwith it مِنany عارِdisgrace
وَالرِقِّ إِن قيسا بِهِ مِن عارِ
Some marriages are so vile that adultery
Some marriages are as vile as adultery
and slavery, if compared with them, bear no disgrace.
And slavery, if compared for dishonor
فَتَّشتُI searched لَمdid not أَرَI see فيin الزَواجِmarriage كَفاءَةًcompatibility
فَتَّشتُ لَم أَرَ في الزَواجِ كَفاءَةً
كَكَفاءَةِlike the compatibility of الأَزواجِspouses فيin الأَعمارِages
كَكَفاءَةِ الأَزواجِ في الأَعمارِ
I have searched, and found no compatibility in marriage
I searched but found no aptness in marriage
like that of spouses matched in age.
Like aptness of spouses in age
أَسَفيmy sorrow عَلىfor تِلكَthose المَحاسِنِbeauties كُلَّماwhenever
أَسَفي عَلى تِلكَ المَحاسِنِ كُلَّما
نُقِلَتwere moved مِنَfrom الباليal-Bali (unclear here) إِلىto الدَوّارِthe country manor
نُقِلَت مِنَ البالي إِلى الدَوّارِ
My sorrow for those beauties whenever they
I lament for those beauties whenever
are moved from al-Bali to the country manor!
Taken from decline to the vortex
إِنَّindeed الحِجابَthe veil عَلىupon فُروقٍcrowns of heads جَنَّةٌa paradise
إِنَّ الحِجابَ عَلى فُروقٍ جَنَّةٌ
وَحِجابُand the veil of مِصرَEgypt وَريفِهاand its countryside مِنof نارِfire
وَحِجابُ مِصرَ وَريفِها مِن نارِ
Indeed, the veil upon some heads is a paradise,
Indeed, the veil over classes is a paradise
but the veil of Egypt and its countryside is of fire.
While Egypt's veil is of fire
وَعَلىand for وُجوهٍfaces كَالأَهِلَّةِlike crescent moons رُوِّعَتwere terrified
وَعَلى وُجوهٍ كَالأَهِلَّةِ رُوِّعَت
بَعدَafter السُفورِunveiling بِبُرقُعٍby a face veil وَخِمارِand a head veil
بَعدَ السُفورِ بِبُرقُعٍ وَخِمارِ
And for faces like crescents, terrified
And over faces like moons were terrified
after unveiling by a face veil and a head veil.
After unveiling with hood and veil
وَعَلىand for الذَوائِبِtresses وَهيَand they are مِسكٌmusk خولِطَتwere mingled
وَعَلى الذَوائِبِ وَهيَ مِسكٌ خولِطَت
عِندَat العِناقِthe embrace بِمِثلِwith the like of ذَوبِmolten القارِpitch
عِندَ العِناقِ بِمِثلِ ذَوبِ القارِ
And for tresses—musk itself—mingled
And over locks that are musk were mixed
at the embrace with the like of molten pitch.
When embracing like melting tar
وَعَلىand for الشِفاهِlips المُحيِياتِlife-giving أَماتَهاkilled them
وَعَلى الشِفاهِ المُحيِياتِ أَماتَها
ريحُthe breath of الشُيوخِold men تَهُبُّblowing فيin الأَسحارِthe predawn hours
ريحُ الشُيوخِ تَهُبُّ في الأَسحارِ
And for life-giving lips, slain
And over lively lips, the winds
by old men's breath blowing in the predawn hours.
Of old men blew at dawn and killed them
وَعَلىand for المَجالِسِgatherings فَوقَabove كُلِّevery خَميلَةٍleafy grove
وَعَلى المَجالِسِ فَوقَ كُلِّ خَميلَةٍ
بَينَbetween الجِبالِthe mountains وَشاطِئٍand a shore مِحبارِdelightful
بَينَ الجِبالِ وَشاطِئٍ مِحبارِ
And for the gatherings above every leafy grove,
And over gatherings atop every flirt
between the mountains and a delightful shore.
Between mountains and a lustrous shore
تَدنوdraw near الزَوارِقُthe boats مِنهُto it تُنزِلُbring ashore جُؤذَراًan oryx calf
تَدنو الزَوارِقُ مِنهُ تُنزِلُ جُؤذَراً
بِقِلادَةٍwith a necklace أَوor شادِناًa gazelle fawn بِسِوارِwith a bracelet
بِقِلادَةٍ أَو شادِناً بِسِوارِ
Boats draw near it, bringing ashore an oryx calf
Boats approach unloading filth
with a necklace, or a gazelle fawn with a bracelet.
With a necklace or bracelet
يَرفُلنَthey sweep along فيin أُزُرِwraps of الحَريرِsilk تَنَوَّعَتvaried
يَرفُلنَ في أُزُرِ الحَريرِ تَنَوَّعَت
أَلوانُهُits colors كَالزَهرِlike flowers فيin آذارِMarch
أَلوانُهُ كَالزَهرِ في آذارِ
They sweep along in silken wraps, varied
They strut in silk robes of varied
in color like the flowers of March.
Colors like flowers in March
الطاهِراتُpure in اللَحظِtheir gaze أَمثالَlike المَهاoryxes
الطاهِراتُ اللَحظِ أَمثالَ المَها
الناطِقاتُspeaking الجَرسِin tone كَالأَوتارِlike strings
الناطِقاتُ الجَرسِ كَالأَوتارِ
Pure in their gaze, like oryxes,
The virtuous glances like deer
their speech ringing like strings.
Melodious voices like strings
الدَهرُtime فَرَّقَscattered شَملَهُنَّtheir company فَمُرso command بِهِit
الدَهرُ فَرَّقَ شَملَهُنَّ فَمُر بِهِ
ياO رَبِّmy Lord تَجمَعُهُwill reunite it يَدُthe hand of المِقدارِdestiny
يا رَبِّ تَجمَعُهُ يَدُ المِقدارِ
Time has scattered their company; so command it,
Time separated them, so pass by it
O my Lord, and destiny's hand will reunite it.
Oh Lord, let fate reunite them
Sol 6.1