Arabic → English transcript

Why did you get married so young? I got married to start a family, you know.

تزوجت لأسس عيلة يعني.

I took her young so I could raise her with my own hands. Pardon?

I took her young so I could raise her with my own hands.

I took her young so I could raise her with my own hands.

What do you mean,“ raise her with your own hands”?

That way we understand each other more.

What do you mean,“ raise her”? Tell me, how do you“ raise” your wife?

We understand each other while we are still young. What do you demand of your wife?

What does your wife have to obey you in?

Whatever I tell her, she obeys. Like what?

Tell me, what do you want as a man, as a husband, what do you really want?

She is supposed to listen to whatever I tell her. So what do you tell her?

She washes, she cleans… She fixes up the house… She gets my hot water ready…

She washes, she cleans… She fixes up the house… She gets my hot water ready…

زبط البيت...

بتحضرلي المي السخنة...

She serves my parents… That is all.

بس.

And at the end of the night,

مجبورة تعملي هيدا الشي؟

But I became a married woman, so I have to do this. And if you do not want to?

وإذا ما كان بدك؟

The girl cannot say no. Pardon? The girl cannot say no. Wow.

نعم؟

ما فيا البنت تقول لأ.

أوف.

The daily life of a thirteen- year- old girl.

And if the wife says no, what happens to her? What do they do to her? They hit her.

They hit her. And so they do not hit her, she is forced to say yes.

They hit her. And so they do not hit her, she is forced to say yes.

They hit her. And so they do not hit her, she is forced to say yes.

Yes. And if he hits her,

she has to stay quiet because she does not have a diploma.

Okay, if she has a diploma,

إيه.

جوزك شو اسمه؟

Same as my dad.

Same as my dad.

Did you love him before marriage? I did not know him. Wow. You did not know him?

ما كنت بعرفه.

أوف.

No. When did you see him for the first time?

No. When did you see him for the first time?

No. When did you see him for the first time?

When they came to ask for my hand.

So the first time you saw him was on the engagement day?

The day I saw him was the engagement day. What was your reaction when you saw him?

The day I saw him was the engagement day. What was your reaction when you saw him?

At first I was just scared and nervous. Could you have changed your mind? No.

كنتي فيكي تغيري رأيك؟

لأ.

What bothered you the most? That I did not finish my studies.

إنه ما كفيت دراستي.

What is the hardest thing you are going through today? That I got married

إني تجوزت بهاد العمر.

Why did you not say no? I had no idea it was a marriage. I was happy at first.

ما كان إلي خبر إنه هي تجويزة.

كنت فرحانة أول شي.

I thought it was normal. What did your dad tell you? That this is your husband,

البابا شو قلك؟

you must obey him. I was in my parents’ house…

you must obey him. I was in my parents’ house…

You could not say no?

Did you wear the white dress? Were you happy? Yes. But I was scared.

كنتي مبسوطة؟

إيه.

بس كنت خايفة.

A thirteen- year- old girl is getting married. What were you afraid of?

كنتي خيفانة من شو؟

Ah, I was afraid of the marriage.

Did you know what happens after the wedding is over between…

… between the man and his wife? Yes. Who told you? Madam taught us how it happens.

إيه.

مين قلك؟

المدام علمتنا كيف بيصير.

In which grade did you learn? Sixth grade. What did you learn?

صف السادس.

Animals come together so they can have babies. And the family gets bigger.

Animals come together so they can have babies. And the family gets bigger.

وبتكبر العيلة.

And that is how you knew that is what has to happen on that day? Yes.

And my parents taught me, my mom taught me and my cousin.

And my parents taught me, my mom taught me and my cousin.

And did it happen on that day? Or was it delayed? It was a little delayed.

أو تأخرت؟

تأخرت شوي.

You did not want it? No. I was very scared. And the torment started. Yes.

You did not want it? No. I was very scared. And the torment started. Yes.

كنت خيفانة كتير.

وبلش العذاب.

Did you prefer to stay with your mom and dad? Yes.

Did you prefer to stay with your mom and dad? Yes.

إيه.

Would you have preferred if they had not married you off? Yes.

إيه.

How does your day start when you wake up in the morning? What do you start doing?

In the morning we wake up…

In the morning we wake up…

… we have to mop and do the dishes, have breakfast… … then my husband comes,

we have to give him breakfast…

… and my sister- in- law’s husband comes too… … he wants breakfast…

… and my uncle- in- law too. Then we do the dishes again, and by then it is noon.

… and my uncle- in- law too. Then we do the dishes again, and by then it is noon.

… and my uncle- in- law too. Then we do the dishes again, and by then it is noon.

We have to make lunch, and do the dishes, and mop. Then we sit down a bit.

بعدين منقعد شوي.

Then in the evening we mop again. And then we sleep.

وبعدين مننام.