يا مَعمَرُ يا ابنَ زَيدٍ حينَ تَنكِحُها

يا مَعمَرُ يا ابنَ زَيدٍ حينَ تَنكِحُها

وَتَستَبِدُّ بِأَمرِ الغيِّ والرَشَدِ

وَتَستَبِدُّ بِأَمرِ الغيِّ والرَشَدِ

O Maʿmar, O son of Zayd, when you wed her

O Ma'amar, O Ibn Zayd, when you marry her

and take sole charge of matters of error and right judgment,

And take control of the wrong and right

أَما تَذَكَّرتَ صَيفيّاً فَتَحفَظَهُ

أَما تَذَكَّرتَ صَيفيّاً فَتَحفَظَهُ

أَو عاصِماً أَو قَتيلَ الشعبِ مِن أُحُدِ

أَو عاصِماً أَو قَتيلَ الشعبِ مِن أُحُدِ

did you not remember Sayfi and show him due regard,

Don't you remember Saifiyya, so guard her

or Asim, or the man slain in the ravine of Uhud?

Or Asim or the martyr of Uhud's ravine

أَكُنتَ تَجهَلُ حَزماً حينَ تَنكِحُها

أَكُنتَ تَجهَلُ حَزماً حينَ تَنكِحُها

أَم خِفتَ لا زِلتَ فيها جائِعَ الكَبِدِ

أَم خِفتَ لا زِلتَ فيها جائِعَ الكَبِدِ

Were you ignorant of prudence when you wed her,

Were you not wise when you married her

or were you afraid? May your liver ever hunger for her!

Or were you afraid, still with a hungry liver

أَبَعدَ صِهرِ بَني الخَطّابِ تَجعَلُهُم

أَبَعدَ صِهرِ بَني الخَطّابِ تَجعَلُهُم

صِهراً وَبَعدَ بَني العوّامِ مِن أَسَدِ

صِهراً وَبَعدَ بَني العوّامِ مِن أَسَدِ

After marriage ties with the sons of al-Khattab, do you make them

After the in-laws of Bani Khatab you make them

in-laws—and after the sons of al-Awwam of Asad?

In-laws, and keep away Bani Awwam from Asad

هَبها سَليلَةَ خَيلٍ غَيرِ مُقرِفَةٍ

هَبها سَليلَةَ خَيلٍ غَيرِ مُقرِفَةٍ

مَظلومَةً حُبِسَت لِلعَيرِ في الجَدَدِ

مَظلومَةً حُبِسَت لِلعَيرِ في الجَدَدِ

Suppose her the offspring of horses of unmixed breed,

Give her away, a mare's offspring not yet mounted

wronged, confined for an ass on hard, level ground.

Wronged, imprisoned for the camels in the meadows

فَكُلُّ ما نالَنا مِن عارِ مَنكَحِها

فَكُلُّ ما نالَنا مِن عارِ مَنكَحِها

شَوىً إِذا فارَقَتهُ وَهيَ لَم تَلِدِ

شَوىً إِذا فارَقَتهُ وَهيَ لَم تَلِدِ

So all the disgrace her marriage has brought upon us

So all the shame we got from marrying her

is a trifle, if she leaves him without having borne a child.

Is burning when she leaves and has not given birth