Sunan an-Nasa'i
Sunan an-Nasa'i 3230
أَخْبَرَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " تُنْكَحُ النِّسَاءُ لأَرْبَعَةٍ لِمَالِهَا وَلِحَسَبِهَا وَلِجَمَالِهَا وَلِدِينِهَا فَاظْفَرْ بِذَاتِ الدِّينِ تَرِبَتْ يَدَاكَ " .
Ubayd Allah ibn Said reported to us; he said: Yahya narrated to us, from Ubayd Allah, from Said ibn Abi Said, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: ‘Women are married for four things: their wealth, their lineage and standing, their beauty, and their religion. So seek the one who is religious. May your hands be rubbed with dust!’
Translation notes
The report lists four considerations and then urges choosing a woman for her religion. تَرِبَتْ يَدَاكَ is an idiomatic expression of emphasis.
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " تُنْكَحُ النِّسَاءُ لأَرْبَعَةٍ لِمَالِهَا وَلِحَسَبِهَا وَلِجَمَالِهَا وَلِدِينِهَا فَاظْفَرْ بِذَاتِ الدِّينِ تَرِبَتْ يَدَاكَ " .
تَرِبَتْ يَدَاكَ literally means “may your hands be covered with dust” and functions as an idiomatic exhortation.
Should the literal idiom be retained, or replaced by a more positive English equivalent?