ماhow أَحسَنَbeautiful الغَيرةَjealousy فيat حينهاits proper time
ما أَحسَنَ الغَيرةَ في حينها
وَأَقبَحَand how ugly الغيرةjealousy فيat كُلِّevery حينmoment
وَأَقبَحَ الغيرة في كُلِّ حين
How fine jealousy is at its proper time,
and how ugly jealousy is at every moment!
منwhoever لمnot يَزَلcease متَّهِماsuspecting عرسَهhis wife
من لم يَزَل متَّهِما عرسَه
مناصباًcontending فيهاover her لريبwith the doubts of الظُنونsuspicions
مناصباً فيها لريب الظُنون
Whoever never ceases to suspect his wife,
at war over her with unsettling suspicions,
أَوشكis likely أَنto يُغريَهاtempt her بِالَّذيinto that which
أَوشك أَن يُغريَها بِالَّذي
يَخافhe fears أَنthat يُبرِزُهاexpose her لِلعُيونto others’ eyes
يَخاف أَن يُبرِزُها لِلعُيون
is likely to tempt her into the very thing
he fears will expose her to others’ eyes.
حَسبُكenough for you منfor تحصينهاguarding her chastity وَضعُهاplacing her
حَسبُك من تحصينها وَضعُها
منكon your part إِلىto عِرضhonor صَحيحunsullied وَدينand faith
منك إِلى عِرض صَحيح وَدين
To guard her chastity, you need only entrust her
to your own unsullied honor and faith.
لاnot تَطَّلِعshe becomes aware منكin you عَلىof ريبةsuspicious conduct
لا تَطَّلِع منك عَلى ريبة
فَيتبعَand so follows المَقرونُthe yoked one حبلَthe rope of القَرينthe companion
فَيتبعَ المَقرونُ حبلَ القَرين
Let her find no cause for suspicion in you,
lest the yoked one follow its companion’s rope.