إِذا رَدَنَت فيما يَعودُ لِطِفلِها

إِذا رَدَنَت فيما يَعودُ لِطِفلِها

بِنَفعٍ فَآمِرها وَرُجِّ إِمارَها

بِنَفعٍ فَآمِرها وَرُجِّ إِمارَها

If she speaks of what will bring her child

If she acts for the benefit of her child

benefit, consult her and hope for her counsel.

Then command her and encourage her rule

وَجَنَّتُكَ الأُلى عَروسُكَ وافَقَت

وَجَنَّتُكَ الأُلى عَروسُكَ وافَقَت

رِضاكَ فَإِن أَجَنَتكَ فَاِجنِ ثِمارَها

رِضاكَ فَإِن أَجَنَتكَ فَاِجنِ ثِمارَها

And your first paradise is your bride, who meets

And your most cherished garden, your bride, has agreed

your approval; if she yields fruit for you, pluck her fruits.

To your satisfaction, so enjoy its fruits

وَما هَذِهِ الدُنيا بِأَهلِ وَديعَةٍ

وَما هَذِهِ الدُنيا بِأَهلِ وَديعَةٍ

فَلا تَأتَمِنها قَد عَرَفتَ أَمارَها

فَلا تَأتَمِنها قَد عَرَفتَ أَمارَها

And this world is no fit keeper of a trust;

This world is not for the meek

so do not trust her—you already know her signs.

So do not trust it, you know its ways

وَلا أَحمَدُ البَيضاءَ تَشرَبُ مَحضَها

وَلا أَحمَدُ البَيضاءَ تَشرَبُ مَحضَها

وَتَسقي بَنيها وَالنَزيلَ سَمارَها

وَتَسقي بَنيها وَالنَزيلَ سَمارَها

Nor do I praise the fair-skinned woman who drinks her pure milk

I do not praise the white camel that drinks the pure milk

and gives her sons and the guest her watered milk.

And gives it to her young, leaving the burning coals

وَتَترُكُ جَمرَ الزَوجِ يَخبو لِرِحلَةٍ

وَتَترُكُ جَمرَ الزَوجِ يَخبو لِرِحلَةٍ

إِلى الرُكنِ وَالبَطحاءِ تَرمي جَمارَها

إِلى الرُكنِ وَالبَطحاءِ تَرمي جَمارَها

And leaves her husband's embers to die down for a journey

For a journey to the shrine and plains where she throws her ropes

to the Corner and al-Baṭḥāʾ, casting her pebbles.

Her home is more deserving than the Kaaba

وَأَولى بِها مِن بَيتِ مَكَّةَ بَيتُها

وَأَولى بِها مِن بَيتِ مَكَّةَ بَيتُها

إِذا هِيَ قَضَّت حَجَّها وَاِعتِمارَها

إِذا هِيَ قَضَّت حَجَّها وَاِعتِمارَها

And her own house is more fitting for her than the House of Mecca,

When she finishes her Hajj and Umrah

once she has completed her Hajj and her ʿumrah.

When she drinks wine, I cannot trust

مَتى شَرِبَت خَمراً فَلَستُ بِآمِنٍ

مَتى شَرِبَت خَمراً فَلَستُ بِآمِنٍ

عَلَيها غَوِيّاً أَن يُحَلَّ خِمارَها

عَلَيها غَوِيّاً أَن يُحَلَّ خِمارَها

Whenever she drinks wine, I do not trust

That a seducer will not unveil her veil

a libertine with her, lest her veil be unfastened.

For with the cup she has shed every beautiful garment

فَقَد عَرِيَت بِالكَأسِ مِن كُلِّ مَلبَسٍ

فَقَد عَرِيَت بِالكَأسِ مِن كُلِّ مَلبَسٍ

جَميلٍ وَأَلقَت في حَشاكَ خُمارَها

جَميلٍ وَأَلقَت في حَشاكَ خُمارَها

For the cup has stripped her of every garment

And cast off her modesty

of beauty, and she has cast her hangover into your heart.

Her affection went to the rising moon

مَعَ القَمَرِ الساري تَعَلَّقَ وُدُّها

مَعَ القَمَرِ الساري تَعَلَّقَ وُدُّها

فَما بَذَلَت لِلخِلِّ إِلّا قِمارَها

فَما بَذَلَت لِلخِلِّ إِلّا قِمارَها

Her love became bound up with the moon that travels by night;

And she did not spare her dice for vinegar

so she offered her beloved nothing but her gambling.

The best women guard their honor

وَخَيرُ النِساءِ الحامِياتُ نُفوسَها

وَخَيرُ النِساءِ الحامِياتُ نُفوسَها

مِنَ العارِ قَبلَ الخَيلِ تَحمي ذِمارَها

مِنَ العارِ قَبلَ الخَيلِ تَحمي ذِمارَها

And the best women are those who guard themselves

Before their horses guard their tents

from shame, before the cavalry defends their honor.

I remain immersed in affairs and have not ceased

أَرانِيَ غِمراً بِالأُمورِ وَلَم أَزَل

أَرانِيَ غِمراً بِالأُمورِ وَلَم أَزَل

أَجوبُ دُجاها أَوأَخوضُ غِمارَها

أَجوبُ دُجاها أَوأَخوضُ غِمارَها

I see myself as a novice in affairs, though I have never ceased

To traverse its darkness or plumb its depths

to traverse their darkness or plunge into their depths.

Better than the strings of a drinking party is a she-ostrich

وَأَفضَلُ مِن مِزمارِ شَربٍ نَعامَةٌ

وَأَفضَلُ مِن مِزمارِ شَربٍ نَعامَةٌ

تُكَرِّرُ في السَهبِ الرَحيبِ زِمارَها

تُكَرِّرُ في السَهبِ الرَحيبِ زِمارَها

And better than a drinking party's pipe is an ostrich

Who repeats her song in the vast plain

repeating its call on the broad open plain.