لاَ تَنكِحَنَّ الدَّهرَ إن كُنتَ نَاكِحاً

لاَ تَنكِحَنَّ الدَّهرَ إن كُنتَ نَاكِحاً

مُلَفَّفَةً مِمَّا تَضُمُّ الدَّسَاكِرُ

مُلَفَّفَةً مِمَّا تَضُمُّ الدَّسَاكِرُ

Never in your life, if you are to wed, marry

Do not marry this ever-changing world, even if you are eager for marriage,

A swathed woman from among those the villages shelter.

Wrapped in what the quivers contain,

وَنُبِّئتُهَا تَسرِى إذَا اللَّيلُ جَنَّهَا

وَنُبِّئتُهَا تَسرِى إذَا اللَّيلُ جَنَّهَا

بجَوخَى وَهَل تَسرِى بِجَوخَى الحَرَائرُ

بجَوخَى وَهَل تَسرِى بِجَوخَى الحَرَائرُ

And I was told she travels by night when night conceals her,

And I told her she could walk freely when night spread its gown,

In Jawkhā—and do freeborn women travel by night in Jawkhā?

With pride - and do free women walk with pride?

لَها مِغزلٌ حَنَّانُ حِينَ تُدِيرُهُ

لَها مِغزلٌ حَنَّانُ حِينَ تُدِيرُهُ

ومِن كَامِخِ الفَرهَى جِرَارٌ حَوَادِرُ

ومِن كَامِخِ الفَرهَى جِرَارٌ حَوَادِرُ

She has a spindle that hums plaintively when she turns it,

She has a lovely spindle when she turns it,

And bulging jars of farhā relish.

And from supple pillows, round flasks.