يداكِ أبرُّ بهذا السوار

يداكِ أبرُّ بهذا السوار

فإن صارَ في يدِ أخرى انفصمْ

فإن صارَ في يدِ أخرى انفصمْ

Your hands are kinder to this bracelet;

Your hands are kinder to this bracelet;

for if it comes to rest on another hand, it will snap.

For if it passes into another hand, it breaks.

وصدركِ أولى بمن هو منهُ

وصدركِ أولى بمن هو منهُ

فؤاداً ونفساً ولحماً ودمْ

فؤاداً ونفساً ولحماً ودمْ

And your bosom has the first claim on one who is part of it—

And your breast has greater claim to one who is of it—

in heart and soul, in flesh and blood.

In heart and soul, in flesh and blood.

ومن فيكِ تُبعثُ فيهِ الحياة

ومن فيكِ تُبعثُ فيهِ الحياة

ويسقمهُ غيرهُ كلُّ فمْ

ويسقمهُ غيرهُ كلُّ فمْ

And he who lies within you—life is kindled in him;

And from your mouth life is awakened in him;

every mouth but yours makes him ill.

And every other mouth makes him ill.

وما الطفلُ لا زيادةُ بطن

وما الطفلُ لا زيادةُ بطن

لجدٍّ وأبٍّ وخال وعمْ

لجدٍّ وأبٍّ وخال وعمْ

And a child is but one more belly

And the child is merely an extra belly

to grandfather, father, maternal uncle, and paternal uncle.

To a grandfather, a father, a maternal uncle, and a paternal uncle.

فإن تعطِ طفلكِ للخادمين

فإن تعطِ طفلكِ للخادمين

فما زدتِ إلا عديدَ الخدمْ

فما زدتِ إلا عديدَ الخدمْ

For if you hand your child over to servants,

For if you give your child to the servants,

you have only swelled the servants’ ranks.

Then you have only increased the number of servants.