Milena Atanasova Feb 20, 2021:

@Saliha18 :) Glad it's useful.

Saliha18 (asker) Feb 19, 2021:

Thank you Milena, this makes perfect sense!!

Milena Atanasova Feb 18, 2021:

@Diya Takrouri I suspect it's a back translation (English to Arabic and now back to English).
Thank you so much - you're right in everything you say, of course.

Diya Takrouri Feb 18, 2021:

@Milena Atanasova As it appears from the style of the given excerpt, which sounds a modern free prose Arabic writing, rather than strict fus·ha, الفصحى, I believe the best approximation would be "ways", or something in that line, i.e. something modern in the sense that عبث الشيطان برأسها. However, there is still another consideration to think about; that is if the writer is using سبل as a verb rather than as the plural of سبيل. This is especially for the fact, that the writer is starting the phrase with a preposition, a non-standard Arabic structure. In strict Arabic writing structure, the sentence reads – or what we call تقديرها:
1. سُبلُ الشيطان برأسها, or
2. سبَّلَ الشيطان برأسها
In light of the above, the final say can be deduced from the overall style of the article/story…etc, and the writer’s locale, background as well as the technique s/he is known to use in writing.

Milena Atanasova Feb 17, 2021:

the Devil's ways (always) on her mind Just an idea, starting from here:
https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/on-your-somebody-s-mi...
she'd never get her thoughts off the devil's ways
her mind always busy with the devil's ways.
And the general meaning should be "she was constantly thinking of how to get into trouble", "she was always thinking/entertaining sinful thoughts"