«بَلْ فِكْرِي تَنْظِمُ الْقَلَائِدَ لَا كَفِّي»
It is my thought, not my hands, that strings the necklaces—necklaces of language.
The “necklaces” are made through naẓm, a verb naturally associated with stringing pearls but also with composing verse. The husband corrects the assumption of a material jewelry trade by claiming literary craftsmanship.
The construction “rather ... not” is central: this is a clarification of meaning. An accurate translation preserves the physical image while marking its transferred reference. It does not automatically prove that the craft provides adequate income.
Translation exercise
Contrast literal necklaces with composed verse and show what the corrective bal rejects.