Poor wretched man who keeps two wives! His plight
Entails an endless squabble, day and night.
Each wife has grievances as dogs have fleas,
Which he can never ever settle quite.

And if there's one he loves and one he'd shun,
He'll be shown up. He must not favour one
Or he'll end up frustrated and ignored.
Ignoring them, he'll prove a figure of fun.

One day she'll be a song bird, sweet and meek,
Charming both friends and strangers for a week.
Next week, she'll stamp and throw ashes about
And, when she sees her husband, will not speak.

If he can't coax her out of all such games
Or call the pair of them by pretty names -
Well, dolts like that are scarcely proper men
So wives plus husband rightly make - three dames!

O Makhtumkuli, let's not that way sink!
Better wed once with understanding. Link
Your life to one. Lord, save us from bad girls,
Or else I'll think - oh, who knows what I'll think...