شَرٌّ عَلى المَرأَةِ مِن حَمّامِها

شَرٌّ عَلى المَرأَةِ مِن حَمّامِها

إِرسالُكَ الفاضِلَ مِن زِمامِها

إِرسالُكَ الفاضِلَ مِن زِمامِها

Worse for a woman than her bathhouse

A woman's wickedness is worse than her folly,

is your letting out the slack of her rein,

Though your noble missive curbs her wantonness,

وَمَشيُها تَضرِبُ في أَكمامِها

وَمَشيُها تَضرِبُ في أَكمامِها

يَفوحُ رَيّا الطيبِ مِن أَمامِها

يَفوحُ رَيّا الطيبِ مِن أَمامِها

and her walking, swinging her arms within her sleeves,

As she walks, her sleeves brush her forearms,

the fragrance of perfume wafting before her,

The scent of perfume wafts from before her,

زائِرَةَ المَسجِدِ في إِلمامِها

زائِرَةَ المَسجِدِ في إِلمامِها

تأَتَمُّ وَالخَيبَةُ في اِئتِمامِها

تأَتَمُّ وَالخَيبَةُ في اِئتِمامِها

visiting the mosque on her brief call.

Visiting the mosque in her prayer shawl,

She follows in prayer—with disappointment in her following—

She wails in affected piety,

بِأَحدَلٍ ما عَفَّ عَن كِمامِها

بِأَحدَلٍ ما عَفَّ عَن كِمامِها

أَعاذَها الخالِقُ مِن إِمامِها

أَعاذَها الخالِقُ مِن إِمامِها

behind a crooked-necked man who showed no restraint toward her coverings.

With languid eyes unveiled by any kerchief,

May the Creator protect her from her imam!

May God protect her from her imam,

وَريقُها الشَروبُ في صِمامِها

وَريقُها الشَروبُ في صِمامِها

سِمامُ أَفعى بانَ مِن سِمامِها

سِمامُ أَفعى بانَ مِن سِمامِها

And her saliva, pleasant to drink, in her stoppered mouth,

Her saliva is wine in her mouth’s lock,

is an adder's venom, emerging from its openings.

The venom of a viper flows from its fangs,

إِن نَزَلَت عَصماءُ مِن شِمامِها

إِن نَزَلَت عَصماءُ مِن شِمامِها

فَلا سَقاها الطَلُّ مِن غَمامِها

فَلا سَقاها الطَلُّ مِن غَمامِها

If a white-legged mountain goat descends from her Shimām,

Though she descends protected by her veil,

then may the dew from her clouds never water her

No rain could quench her burning thirst,

إِذا اِحتَوى الريمُ عَلى رِمامِها

إِذا اِحتَوى الريمُ عَلى رِمامِها

لُزومُها البَيتَ مَعَ اِهتِمامِها

لُزومُها البَيتَ مَعَ اِهتِمامِها

when the grave encloses her decayed remains.

When the spear includes her among its targets,

Her keeping to the house, with her cares,

She stays home feigning anxiety,

حَتّى يَجيها الوَفدُ مِن حِمامِها

حَتّى يَجيها الوَفدُ مِن حِمامِها

وَحَملُها المِغزَلَ في إِتمامِها

وَحَملُها المِغزَلَ في إِتمامِها

until the delegation from her death comes to her,

Until the delegates come from her bath,

and her carrying the spindle at full term,

Bearing her spindle to accomplish her scheme,

أَوفى بِما تَعقُدُ مِن ذِمامِها

أَوفى بِما تَعقُدُ مِن ذِمامِها

are truer to the pledges she binds herself to.

Fulfilling her every whim and desire.