وأُمٍّand many a mother يفوزُsucceeds بإعلانهاthrough making her known
وأُمٍّ يفوزُ بإعلانها
بنوهاher sons ويُدْهَوْنَand are struck by calamity منfrom سرِّهاher secret
بنوها ويُدْهَوْنَ من سرِّها
And many a mother: making her known brings success
A mother triumphs when her sons
to her sons, while her secret brings them ruin.
Are guided by her secret signs
عجوزٌan old woman ولودٌprolific تَعُدُّshe counts البعولَthe husbands
عجوزٌ ولودٌ تَعُدُّ البعولَ
كثيراًmany وكلٌّand each أبوfirst taker of عُذرِهاher virginity
كثيراً وكلٌّ أبو عُذرِها
A prolific old woman, she counts her husbands
An aging mother counts her husbands
in great numbers, and each has taken her maidenhead.
Many, each with his excuse
إذاif نتجتshe gives birth طامثاًmenstruating كانwould be ذاthat (continued)
إذا نتجت طامثاً كان ذا
كcompletes 'that' أشبهَmore fitting فيin الحزمprudence منthan طُهرِهاher purity
ك أشبهَ في الحزم من طُهرِها
If she gives birth while menstruating, that would be
If she bears a bastard child
more in keeping with prudence than her purity.
Resembling her in temperament
يطاهاlies with her بنوهاher sons وهمwhile they مسلموMuslims (continued)
يطاها بنوها وهم مسلمو
نcompletes 'Muslims' حتىuntil تعودَshe returns إلىto كفرِهاher unbelief
ن حتى تعودَ إلى كفرِها
Her sons lie with her while they are Muslims,
Her sons make her convert
until she returns to her unbelief.
To Islam, till to unbelief she returns
تدبِّرهاgoverns her أختهاher sister فيin الرَّضاعsuckling
تدبِّرها أختها في الرَّضاع
فتمضِيso proceed الأمورُaffairs علىaccording to أمرِهاher command
فتمضِي الأمورُ على أمرِها
Her milk-sister governs her,
Her sister arranges her affairs
so affairs proceed according to her command.
And things proceed as she desires
إذاwhen ولدتgives birth بطنُهاher belly للتمامِat full term
إذا ولدت بطنُها للتمامِ
فتىًa youth شَهَرتْهshe displays him علىon ظهرِهاher back
فتىً شَهَرتْه على ظهرِها
When her belly gives birth at full term
When her womb bears to full term
to a youth, she displays him on her back.
A boy she shows off on her back
لهاhers الفخرpride بالذكرin being mentioned والانتسابand tracing one's lineage
لها الفخر بالذكر والانتساب
إليهاto her وتبعدand she stays distant عنfrom ذكرِهاmention of her
إليها وتبعد عن ذكرِها
Her pride lies in being mentioned and in descent
She takes pride in pedigree
traced to her, yet she stays far from mention of herself.
And lineage through him, forgetting herself
Sol 6.1