التمثال

“The Statue”

Pronounced: Altemthal

Kuwaiti Poem

Written by Hamid Zaid

عفا الله عن خطا غدر الخناجر والضلوع ابطال

May God forgive the mistakes of betrayals of daggers while the ribs are heroic

A’afa Allah an khta gadhr al khanajer weldloo’ abtal

باسامح واتركك تحت الظلام الحالك… لحالك

I’ll forgive and leave you under the pitch-black darkness… Alone

Basameh w’atrekek taht aldalam al halek

دخيلك وفر دموعك ترى هدر الدموع اذلال

For God’s sake, spare your tears, for wasting tears is humiliation

Dkheelk wafr dmoo’ak tra hadr al dmoo’ athlal

وترى مافيه احد يصبر مثل صبري بغربالك

And there’s no one who endured like I did in your burdens

W’tra mafeh ahad yasbr mthl sabry b’ghrbalek

انا عيب علي انقض كلامي والرجال افعال

It’s shameful for me to break my word, for men are actions

Ana aib alay angth kalamy welrjal af’al

واذا قلت اقطع حبالك تراني بقطع حبالك

And if I say I’ll cut your ties, it means I will cut your ties

W’tha glt agta hbalk trany bagta hbalk

عشان اكسب هدب عيني تجرعت العذاب اشكال

To win the lashes of my eyes, I’ve endured all kinds of pain

Ashan aksb hadab ainy tejarat alathab ashkal

وليتك تراف بحالي علشان اراف بحالك

And I wish you would show mercy to my state so I can show mercy to yours

Wlaytk traf b’haly alashan araf b’halek

مسوي في حياتي شي مايذكر ولا ينقال

You’ve done something in my life I cannot mention or say

Msawy fe hayaty shayin ma ythkar wla yngal

حتى العدو واهو العدو ما يعمل اعمالك

Even an enemy, though he’s an enemy, doesn’t do what you do

Hata alado wahow alado mayamel a’amalik

تمسيني على الهم وتصبحني على الغربال

You leave me (night) with worries and wake me (morning) with burdens

Tsameny ala alham w’tsabhny ala al gherbal

تقلطني فناجيلك وتقصر عني دلالك

__ your “fanajeen” and fall short with me with your “dalas”

Tgltny fnajeelk w’tgsar any dlalk

تحملت التعب لاجلك وانا حملي يهد جبال

I’ve endured exhaustion for you, and my strength collapses mountains

Tehamalt al ta’ab lajlek wana hmly yhd ejbal

رحلت من العذاب وما وقفت الا على جالك

I left the pain, and I stopped only when I reached your side

Rehalt mn al athab w’ma wgaft ela ala jalk

علامك كلما اجيك متواضع جيتني تختال

What’s with you? Every time I come to you humbly, you come __

Alamek klma ajeek mtwade’ jeetny tekhtal

معاك اليا متى باصبر وصبري معك يحلى لك

With you, how long will I endure? And you like my patience with you

Ma’ak elya mta basbr w’sabry ma’ak yehlalik

مثل ما اقبلت لعيونك لزوم تلدلي باقبال

Just as I came for you, you must come to me with the same eagerness

Mithl ma egblt layoonek lzoom teldly bgbal

ومثل ما قد حشمتك حس واحشم قلبي اشوالك

And just as I honored you, feel and honor my heart, no matter your intentions

W’mthl ma gid hshamtik hes wahshm galby ashwalk

انا محد بجابرني اساير معك هالمنوال

No one is forcing me to follow with you this cycle

Ana mahad bjabrny asayr ma’ak halmenwal

ترى ماني تبيع لك ولاني اصغر عيالك

For I am not your follower, nor am I the youngest of your children

Tra many tabee’n lek wlany asghar e’eyalek

انا جيت اعشقك نبض ومشاعر ما اعشقك تمثال

I loved to cherish your pulse and feelings, not to idolize a statue

Ana jeet a’ashegik nabd w’mshaar ma a’ashegik tmthal

انا جيت اسكنك واحياك وابقى فيك وابقى لك

I came to inhabit you, revive you, and stay in you, and stay for you

Ana jeet askink wahyak wabga fek wabgalik

انا جيت اب ظمى عاشق تعب يطرد سراب اللال

I came to quench the thirst of a lover, tired of chasing the mirage of illusions

Ana jeet eb’thma ashig te’ab yatrd srab alal

انا جيت استفز رضاك من فرقاك والجا لك

I came to provoke your satisfaction from your separation and return to you

Ana jeet astfz rdaak mn frgak walja lek

انا ما همت بك عاقل انا كنت اعشقك بخبال

I didn’t love you with brains, I loved you with madness

Ana ma hmt bek agel ana knt ashegek bkhbal

انا ما كنت احبك حي انا كنت اعشقك هالك

I didn’t love you alive, I adored you as if I was done for

Ana ma knt ahebk hay… Ana knt ashegk halek!

تخيل من كثر ما اخاف تلقى للزعل مدخال

Imagine how much I feared, you might find an entryway for sadness

Tekhayal mn kthr makhaf telga lelza’al medkhal

اخاف اخطي على طيفك وادوس برجلي ظلالك

I’m afraid of wronging your spirit, and stepping on your shadow with my foot

Akhaf akty ala taifk wadoos brjly dlalek

تبعتك والعرب تتبع رعود البارق الهمال

I followed you, and the Arabs follow the thunder of the rainstorms

Tebatk welarab ttba r’ood albarg alhamal

وانا شفت المطر يتبعك في حلك وترحالك

I saw the rain following you in your ease and travels

Wna sheft al matar ytba’ak fe helk w’trhalek

كأن الي خلق حسنك خلقني مع جسدك ظلال

As if the one who created your beauty created me as your body’s shadow

Ka’an elly khelag hesnk khlagny ma’jsadk athlal

وصرت اقرب جسد يمشي معك باقفاك واقبالك

And I became the closest body walking with you, behind you and in front of you

W’srt agrab jesad yamshy ma’al b’gfak w’egbalek

ابي قلبك يحس انه فقد بمحبته رجال

I want your heart to feel that it has lost a man

Aby galbk yehs enah fegad b’mhabetah rejal

ملكته من هدب عين وخسرت ارضاه باهمالك

You owned him from the lashes of his eyes and lost him through your neglect

Mlaktah mn hedab ain w’khsart erdah behmalk

صحيح ان الفراق اقسى ولكن الوصال محال

It’s true that separation is harsh, but reunion is impossible

Saheeh en al frag agsa wlakn alwesal mhal

وانا صعب على ارضي غرورك واضعف قبالك

And it’s hard for me to satisfy your pride and be weak in front of you

Wana sa’bin alay ardy groorak wadaf gbalik

بعد ما حققت عيني فبعدك للرقاد امال

After my eyes achieved in your absence many hopes for sleep

Ba’ad ma hagigat ainy fe bodek llrgad amal

اعود للسهر؟ ياخوي فال الله ولا فالك

I return to sleeplessness? Oh my brother, may God’s will be better than yours

A’awed lelsahar? Yakhooy! Fal Allah wla falek!

ببدل نظرتك فيني واجي لك كل يوم بحال

I will change your view of me and come to you every day in a different state

Babadel nadretk feeny wajy lek kel yom bhal

باكون اقرب من ثيابك عليك ولا اتهيالك

I’ll be closer to you than your clothes, but you won’t realize it

Bakoon agrab mn thyabek alaik wla t’hayalek

بالمك وانثرك واجمعك وارجع وانثرك باهمال

I’ll embrace you, scatter you, gather you, and return to scatter you carelessly

Balimk w’anthrk w’ajmaak w’arja w’anthrk behmal

باخونك وازعلك وارضيك وازعل منك وارضى لك

I’ll betray you, upset you, please you, get upset with you, and forgive you

Bakhoonek w’aza’elik w’ardeek w’azal mnk w’ardalek

ابرسم بالثرى وجهك وابدفن صورتك برمال

I’ll draw your face in the sky and bury your image in the sand

Abarsm belthra wajhak w’badfn soretik brmal

ابشكي للعرب فرقاك واضحك عند عذالك

I’ll complain to the Arabs about your separation and laugh with your haters

Abashky lelarab fargak wad’hak ind ethalik

ابهديك الوصال فراق واهديك الفراق وصال

I’ll gift you reunion with separation, and gift you separation with reunion

Abahdeek alwsal frag w’ahdeek alfrag wsaal

باسوي مثل ما اشوفك تسوي وافعل افعالك

I’ll do what I see you doing and act the way you so

Basawy methl mashofk tsawy waf’al af’alek

عشان تعرف من فينا الزعول ومن وسيع البال

So you can know who between us is the drama queen and who has a broad endurance

Ashan t’arf mn fena alzo’ol w’men wsee’ al bal

ابيك تذوق فنجالي وانا باذوق فنجالك

I want you to taste my “fenjan” (Arabic coffee cup,) and I’ll taste your “fenjan”

Abeek t’thoog finjaly wana bathoog fnjalek

نصيحه واحتفظ فيها قصر معك الزمن او طال

A piece of advice, keep it, whether time was short or long with you

Nseeha w’htefith feha gsar maak elzman awtal

ابي تسمع كلامي زين وتحطه على بالك

I want you to listen to my words carefully and keep them in your mind

Aby tsma’ kalamy zain wt’heta ala balek

اذا حبك هبال اطفال الك عندي هبال اطفال

If your love is childish games, then you’ll have childish games from me

Etha hobk hbal atfal elik endy hbal atfal

ولا وابشر بعد بهبال حب ماهو بهبالك

And __ you’ll be happy with a kind of love madness that’s not like yours

Wla wabshr ba’ad bhbal hob maho bhbalek

واذا قصدك تهين اسمي عشان تشمت العذال

And if your aim is to insult my name to mock the critics (haters)

Wetha gsadt t’heen esmy ashan tshmt al ethal

حشى لا انت ولا غيرك ولا عشره من اشكالك

Know that not you, nor anyone else, nor ten like you can do it!

Hasha lanta wla ghairk wla ashra mn ashkalk!

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