Sirjbeel - The Village of Sirjbeel

Sirjbeel

Ya Jbeel xindik asraar bi xibbik mḱabbeeye
Xindik mnilta`a w la xindik l micwaar
L mubtaġa wil ġeeye, minnik l fiḱḱaar
Wi mwayyit li jraar, w munitna mxabbeeye

Ramlik xinna mreyeet, brii`na milyeen ḣkeyeet
Zaytna w xara`na min baxil krumik mazġul
Baxd haweekii ma fi hawa ṫarii w ḱajul
Janbik nazil ssurur, hayṡaat, ra`ṡaat w dabkeet

Xal ḱaatir w xal beel, ismik mitl sreej miḋwiyye
Xa tall baxdo tall, caxbik lli ma fall, mxalli` wardiyye
La jraasik li mḣibbiin ktaar, xa idayon xallamit asaar

Ṡṡnubar ibaro nasar, caxar jeeyiin n`ul
Ntiirak la saajna w ḱibizna l mahlul
Jaaritna w jaarna, l feexil wil fayyeet


Copyright July 11, 2009 Hicham Khalil Bourjaili
Our Lady of Lebanon, Waterbury, Connecticut, USA


English Version

The Village of Sirjbeel

Mountains, you hide mysteries in your chest
You are the place where we meet and travel to
You are what we desire and our goal, pottery comes from you
And the water in the jars, and our abundant stocks

Your sand became mirrors in our homes, our drinking water vase is full of stories
Our olive oil and anisette bear the flavor of the vineyard drought
No breeze could compare to yours, smooth and shy
Your sides bring us pleasures, cheers, old and new dances

Always in the mind, your name is like a burning oil lamp
Over a hill that stills a hills, your people that did not go, hang the rosary
Your bells have many lovers marked on their hands (1)

The pine trees threw their needles (2), they felt we were coming to say
Give us your needles so we burn it for making our bread
For our neighbors, the workers and the shadows


Notes:

1) In Lebanon, many churches still have a rope attached to the church bell and men usually would take turns ringing the bell and take honor in doing so as well. They would compete who could with a stroke of the rope cause the bell to ring the highest number of times, or who could keep ringing it for the longest time, or even who could make the bell ring with one hand only. Men would go up and down with the rope and have a stone specially positioned so they could improve their posture while at labor. Women and the young ones could eye the most talented unwed men. The married ones could boast about their husbands. Children watch and participate in the show too. They might be allowed to try ringing the bell.

2) Baking the bread in many Lebanese homes, often in villages, is an event of its rights, or used to be in the past. It involves all the members of the family, the neighbors and even foreigners who happened to be around. The dough is prepared on the evening of the baking day, and left with leaven so it leavens. A room is usually designated for baking, and in the morning women will start baking the bread. Men could have assisted in preparing the dough. A sequence is followed to make the bread, each bearing a name: first the dough is arranged in pieces that would produce the bread in the desired size (called ti`ṫṫiix l xajiin in Lebanese); second it is flattened on a piece of wood to become thin and in the shape of a disc with flower added to it along this step so the dough would not stick (called rra` in Lebanese); it is then elongated with successive and fast beats of hands so the disc becomes larger and thinner ( called l hall in Lebanese); it is then put on a pillow with final touches to the very thin disc-like dough borders so they fit the pillow’s round shape and the pillow is tuned over a heated piece of metal in the shape of a cone called saaj in Lebanese. Once baked, usually in few seconds, the bread is taken from over the saaj and either put on the side for later consumption or offered to the attending people for breakfast and hospitality purposes. It is eaten hot with olive oil, thyme, cheese, yogurt or whatever the guests wish. This traditional bread is called ḱibiz saaj or mar`u`. The dry needles of the neighboring pine trees are the fuel of choice for baking. Often children go to the pine woods and collect it for the day of baking. It burns quickly and easily and provides enough heat for baking when mixed with other dry branches. The verb nasar means to disperse but also to write in prose; the verb caxar means to feel but also to write poetry; and the dry and fallen pine needles name is ntiir that could also be traced to the root nasar.


Copyright August 2, 2009 Hicham Khalil Bourjaili
Our Lady of Lebanon, Waterbury, Connecticut, USA