Ddibbiyye
Fi tleel mamdude xa ṫul l baḣir wil mada
Saḣbeet w nasmeet xa madd l yamm wi ṡṡaḱir
Byuta seeḣeet li ḋḋayf, wil maxruf, wil ḱamir
Ḱarruba kallal li bsetiin, zaytuna balsama
Jamlu, halla halla, fi layle ṡaarit Layla
Qays xam bidur yfattic xan ḋaww l qamar
L qamar wayn baddu ykun ma zeel fi Layla
W la Layla Qays ṡaar majnun bil muḱtaṡar
Nnaḣil biruḣ bil waxir yo`ṫof aḣla zahra
Nakhit ttall wi cciir, wil madd wil jazir cahda
L xayn, wi ccamis, ṡṡibbayr wil karim, wi nnaḱil
Ddirbakke w kees l iwweele jamxo camilha
Ddabbiike bit`um tir`os, bticrab wi btekol xasalha
Ma aḣla cabeeba wi ṡṡabaaya sawa mitl rramil
Copyright June 18, 2009 Hicham Khalil Bourjaili
Our Lady of Lebanon, Waterbury, Connecticut, USA
English Version
The Village of Dibbiyye
There are hills extending as far as the shore and the sight could go
The land stretches and the breeze whispers along the water and the rocks
Its homes are spacious to the hosts, bountiful and generous in wine
Its Carob trees (1) ornate its gardens, its olive trees (2) provide balms
Jamlu (3) lives in the heart (4), one night she became Layla (5)
Qays (5) is going around searching for the moonlight (6)
Where could the moon be if Layla is there?
For the sake of Layla, Qays became a fool to make the story short
Bees go into the wilderness to seek the most beautiful flower
Bearing the taste of the hills and cliffs, the tides are its nectar
Along with the springs (7), the sun, the cactus and the vineyards, and the palm trees
The drums (8) and the cheers of the singers (9) brought together its people
Dancers (10) are standing and dancing, drinking and eating its honey
What a beautiful sight its youth (11) together like the sands
Notes:
1) The Carob trees are so characteristic of the village of Dibbiyye and its surrounding that the whole area is called the Carob District, Iqliim l Ḱarrub in Lebanese.
2) In Lebanese “zaytun” is a generic word for olive trees and their fruit the olives alike.
3) Jamlu is the name of a popular woman character named in traditional popular songs, zzajal in Lebanese.
4) One of the songs starts like this “Halla, Halla ya Jamlu...” meaning “O Jamlu I miss your company and your love”.
5) Qays and Layla are the names of two Arab lovers. Umru` l Qays is the name of the Arab poet considered among the first Arab poets from the pre-islamic times who wrote a nostalgia poem for the woman he loved and her people. His poem starts with an invitation for two witnesses to stand and cry in memory of his beloved woman Layla and the place where her people tents were built: “Qifaa nabkii...”. Desert like time would erase all souvenirs and man cannot help but cry in company of his pairs. The reference to two witnesses is reminiscent of the Judeo-Christian context in the Arabic Peninsula at that time. Legend holds that Qays became fool because of his desperate love of Layla.
6) The word Qamar in Arabic and Qamar or Amar in Lebanese refer to the moon, to the beloved and to flowers.
7) The word xayn, plural xyun, means eye and spring of water in Lebanese.
8) Ddirbakke is a traditional Lebanese drum.
9) The word iwweel, with the plural form iwweele designates singers of traditional Lebanese songs called zzajal. On popular tunes, the singers could sing known or new songs with often a choir repeating the refrains. The singers of this genre are mainly men, though women are allowed to participate.
10) The word dabbiik, with the same feminine and plural form of dabbiike, refers to the dancers of the Lebanese traditional dance of dabke, characterized by the feet and legs regular strokes of those dancing in groups. The verb dabak means to strike in Lebanese.
11) Youth could be rendered by two Lebanese words one for men, ccabeeb, the other for women, ṡṡabaaya.
Copyright August 1, 2009 Hicham Khalil Bourjaili
Our Lady of Lebanon, Waterbury, Connecticut, USA
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