Fanm pote lavi
Woman carry life
piwo pase fetay solèy
higher than beams of sunlight
Nan voye wòch monte
In a stone throw's rising
Bwote dlo desann
And bringing water down
Nan lakou plètil
At the courtyard of "yes,sir"
Fanm leve nechèl wotè van
Women raise a ladder high as the wind
K'ap bale wouze
Sweeping the dews.


Nan peyi malfini
In the land of hawks
Fanm charye douvan jou-l
Women transport day break
Sou tèt kamyon bwat
Atop the wooden backs of trucks
madan sara fè ovètay
Market women doing overtime 
pou po pistach
for peanuts


Lè fanm ap goumen ap
When a woman fights
Kòtakòt ak gason
Alongside man
Bab-pou-bab ak ranyon dife
Toe to toe with rags of fire
Lè fanm pran sèt so
When a woman falls seven times
Anvan'l di alatraka 
Before she cries uncle
Fò ou konnen Konbyen kalfou
You must know how many crossroads 
Jipon-l janbe
Her petticoat has seen
Konbyen flanm li travèse
How many flames she's traversed
Anvan bonèt li chavire
Before her bonnet tips over

Fanm mennen lavi
Woman leads life 
Nan sous dodo meya
To the source of well being
Kwape lamizè
She scares off misery
Twaze dyòl maldyòk 
Stares down the bad mouths 
Dwèt madichon fanm
Woman's accusing finger
Pa respekte pè pap
Fears neither pope nor priest

Lè fanm vanyan ap mache
When a woman's out walking
Li sanble tèt koupe ak manzè lavi
She's Mistress Life's spitting image


Lesiv defigire men-l
Laundry disfigures her hands
Kout batwèl
The strokes of her clothes-beater
Ant salyè e valyè
Between collarbone and hollow
Trese riban
Braid ribbons
Nan boukan pen kotidyen-l
In her bonfire of daily bread
Semèl jounen-l
The shoe-soles of her days
Manje pousyè
Eat dust
Vale kalfou
Swallow up croassroads
Twoke twokèt pou chay
Give up the buffer for the load
Fanm O!
Pa gen baryè
O Woman!
Pou mezire kouray-ou
Nothing can fence in you courage