Sol 6.1

  1. حملتُ للغياب بير زيت

    زيتونةً وصخرةً

    I carried Bir Zeit into absence,

    an olive tree and a rock,

  2. وبيت

    ودمعةً تدني السماء

    and a house,

    and a tear that draws the sky near,

  3. ماطرة

    والله بعدها

    raining,

    and God beyond it.

  4. ورغم أنني امتطيتُ النهر

    ما ارتويت

    And though I rode the river,

    I did not quench my thirst.

  5. حملتُ للمصاب بير زيت

    أنا من الذين أصبحوا بلا وطن

    I carried Bir Zeit into affliction.

    I am among those who came to be without a homeland,

  6. وحفنتي من التراب تفرش الكفن

    وما انحنيت

    and my handful of earth spreads the shroud,

    and I did not bow.

  7. وغابتي من السنين تكسر العصا

    وما اتكأتُ..

    And my forest of years breaks the staff,

    and I did not lean...

  8. ما ارتميت..

    ودمعتي تمنّعت

    I did not fling myself down...

    and my tear held back.

  9. لكنّ بير زيت

    عندما زفّت شهيدها

    But Bir Zeit,

    when she led her martyr in a wedding procession,

  10. وعندما عضّت على انتظارها

    وعندما بدمعها قد بللتْ وداعها

    and when she bit down on her waiting,

    and when she had soaked her farewell with her tears,

  11. وعندما زيتونها قد سال قهراً

    سال صبراً

    and when her olive trees had flowed with anguish,

    flowed with patience,

  12. سال جمراً

    واكتويت

    flowed with embers,

    and I was scorched—

  13. لم تكن وحيدةً

    أنا لأجلها بكيت

    she was not alone.

    I wept for her sake.

  14. حملتُ للصواب بير زيت

    كوفيّةً بيضاء للوضوح

    I carried Bir Zeit toward what is right,

    a white keffiyeh for clarity.

  15. كيف يستطيع وجه الصّدق

    أن يعير ضحكةً

    How can the face of truth

    lend a laugh

  16. لحيلة الوجع؟

    وكيف يخفي عن مشرّدٍ

    to pain's ruse?

    And how can it hide from a displaced person

  17. شرارة الوَلَع؟

    هل كنتُ ضدّي مرغماً..

    the spark of passion?

    Was I compelled to be against myself...

  18. أم كنتُ.. مع.....

    لا.. لستُ من (غَزِيّةٍ) وما غزتْ

    or was I... with...?

    No... I am not of Ghaziyya, nor did she raid,

  19. وما رمتْ أنا الذي رميت..

    بقهر بير زيت.. بصبر بير زيت

    nor did she shoot; I was the one who shot...

    with Bir Zeit's anguish... with Bir Zeit's patience,

  20. بجمرها تحت الرّماد.. بالحصاد.. وانتخيت

    واللهِ صارت عندما انتخيت

    with her embers beneath the ashes... with the harvest... and I rallied in pride.

    By God, when I rallied in pride, she became

  21. ألفَ بير زيت

    حملتُ للجواب بير زيت

    a thousand Bir Zeits.

    I carried Bir Zeit into the answer,

  22. رجالها الرجالَ

    من تدافعوا..

    her men—the men,

    those who surged forward...

  23. وعنوةً تسلّقوا الجبال

    رجالها الشروق

    and by force climbed the mountains.

    Her men—the sunrise,

  24. دائماً من الشروق

    رجالها الصوّانَ

    always from the sunrise.

    Her men—the flint,

  25. والعناد والزناد

    تجوب زهواً بانتمائهم قصائد البلاد

    and defiance and the trigger.

    She roams the land's poems, proud of their allegiance.

  26. وبالخطى..

    مشوا بها جريئةً

    And with their footsteps...

    they walked with her, bold as she was,

  27. ومثلهم مشيت..

    يا بير زيت

    and like them I walked...

    O Bir Zeit,

  28. متى تهبّ للإياب عاصفة؟

    متى أذوب في التراب...

    when will a storm rise for homecoming?

    When will I dissolve into the earth...

  29. قرب والدينِ؟

    وبالترابِ ألثم اليدين؟

    beside my parents?

    And with the earth, kiss both hands?

  30. متى أردّ يا سخيّة اليدين

    بعض دين؟

    When will I repay, O generous-handed one,

    some of the debt?

  31. الحبّ كلّ ثروتي التي جنيت

    وبير زيت

    Love is all the wealth I have reaped,

    and Bir Zeit,

  32. وبير زيت

    وبير زيت

    and Bir Zeit,

    and Bir Zeit.