إنindeed كلall اللُطفgentleness والظرفand grace لقَدsurely
إن كل اللُطف والظرف لقَد
جمعاwere both gathered فيin ذلكthat الجنسsex العجيبwondrous
جمعا في ذلك الجنس العجيب
Indeed, all tenderness and refinement
All gentleness and grace have indeed
have come together in that wondrous sex.
Been gathered in that wondrous sex.
أيهاO الجانيthe wrongdoer علىagainst مرأتهhis wife
أيها الجاني على مرأته
أنتyou واللَهby God منof الذوقrefinement شجيبbereft
أنت واللَه من الذوق شجيب
O you who wrong your wife,
O you who wrong your wife,
you are, by God, deplorably wanting in taste!
You are, by God, bereft of refinement.
بئسvile is منwhoever يفتكwreaks violence بالأنثىupon the female فماfor ... not
بئس من يفتك بالأنثى فما
هيshe الأمثلonly like شاةa ewe وهوand he ذيبa wolf
هي الأمثل شاة وهو ذيب
Vile is he who preys upon a woman—for
Vile is he who savages a woman, for
she is only like a ewe, while he is a wolf.
She is but like a ewe, while he is a wolf.
أيwhat فضلmerit لصقورfor falcons فتكتslaughtered
أي فضل لصقور فتكت
بحمامupon doves أوor لليثfor a lion بربيبupon a fosterling
بحمام أو لليث بربيب
What honor is there for falcons that ravage
What merit have falcons that have slain
doves, or for a lion that ravages a ward?
Doves, or a lion that slays a fosterling?
وإذاand if سلطكgives you power الطبعnature علىover
وإذا سلطك الطبع على
جسمهاher body فالعقلthen reason سلطانa sovereign مهيبawe-inspiring
جسمها فالعقل سلطان مهيب
And if nature has granted you mastery over
And if nature gives you mastery over
her body, reason is a formidable sovereign.
Her body, reason is an awe-inspiring sovereign.
منwhoever غداbecame محكومruled by طبعa disposition ناشفdry; harsh
من غدا محكوم طبع ناشف
باتbecame مرذولاًdespised منby الطبعthe disposition الرطيبmoist; tender
بات مرذولاً من الطبع الرطيب
Whoever comes to be ruled by a harsh nature
Whoever is ruled by a dry, harsh disposition
ends despised by the gentle-natured.
Is left despised by a tender, supple disposition.
إنَّماonly الزوجانthe two spouses ماwhat بينهماbetween them both
إنَّما الزوجان ما بينهما
حقa binding claim عهدa covenant متساوequal لاnot يغيبlapses
حق عهد متساو لا يغيب
Between the two spouses lies nothing but
Between the two spouses there is only
an equal covenantal right that never lapses.
An equal covenant's binding claim, which never lapses.
فعلىso it is incumbent upon ذيthe holder of العهدthe covenant أنto يحفظuphold ماwhat
فعلى ذي العهد أن يحفظ ما
أوجبmade obligatory العهدthe covenant وإنand if خانhe betrays يخيبhe fails
أوجب العهد وإن خان يخيب
Thus whoever bears the covenant must uphold what
So whoever holds the covenant must uphold what
the covenant enjoins; if he proves false, he fails.
The covenant requires; and if he betrays it, he fails.
