Arabic Language & Culture

#39 A Poem in Arabic


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Today I do suggest a poem we had at high school. It is called the Sea Sound by Mohamed Zafzaf. Zafzaf was a Moroccan novelist and poet. Enjoy !
PS, I hope my translation did some justice to the poem in Arabic.
صوت البحر
حين نسمع صوت البحر
تنبعث الأرواح
مثل خمرة معتقة  
 
تتفتح وردا، ملحا، صمتا،
لا أدري … غير أن البحر
يحتوينا،
و نداء الأجداد
يحتوينا …
و الغراب الطريد
و الجحيم السفلي الأبدي
و صدى الحروب
يحتوينا …
حين نسمع صوت البحر … صوت الزمن
نعرف اذ ذلك ان العالم يحتوينا
The Sea Sound
When we hear the sound of the sea,
Souls resurrect
Like old wine
Blossom like roses, salt, silence
I do not know … but the sea 
Contain us
And the grandparents’ call
Contain us
And the figutive raven
And the forever underworld hell
And the wars’ echo
Contain us
When we hear the sea …the sound of time
By then we know that the world contains us.
 
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Arabic Language & CultureBy ar-l.org