For you, it only ends one way: no matter what, you’ll be to blame.
Their disgrace will always depend
on you.
If you go out, and his desire clings to yours,
they will cry in the streets: why did you go out?
If he mends his ways, they will lay it at your door:
why did you shut yourself in the ark?
— perhaps because of you he might have done teshuvah.
Repeat it to yourself: it is always your fault.
They’ll call you loose,
they’ll pin on you your mother’s deeds.
Let the tongues chase you.
Do not seek judgment,
let go of justice,
and go.

The daughters of the land are waiting.

(translated by Levi Morrow)

אַחַת הִיא לָךְ: כָּךְ אוֹ כָךְ תֵּאָשְׁמִי.
גְּנוּתָם לְעוֹלָם תְּלוּיָה
בָּךְ.
אִם תֵּצְאִי וְנַפְשׁוֹ תִּטָּפֵל לְנַפְשֵׁךְ
יִצְעֲקוּ בַּחוּצוֹת: לָמָּה יָצָאת.
אִם דְּרָכָיו יְשָׂרֵךְ יִטְעֲנוּ לְפִתְחֵךְ
מַדּוּעַ סָגַרְתְּ עַצְמֵךְ בַּתֵּבָה
שֶׁמָּא בְּשֶׁלָּךְ הָיָה שָׁב בִּתְשׁוּבָה.
שַׁנְּנִי לְעַצְמֵךְ: זוֹ תָּמִיד אַשְׁמָתֵךְ
יִקְרְאוּ לָךְ יַצְאָנִית
יְיַדּוּ בָּךְ מַעֲשֵׂי אִמֵּךְ.
תְּנִי לַלְּשׁוֹנוֹת לִרְדֹּף
אַל תְּבַקְּשִׁי אֶת הַדִּין,
הַרְפִּי מִן הַצֶּדֶק
וּצְאִי.

בְּנוֹת הָאָרֶץ מְחַכּוֹת.