Section

Archive for April, 2009

The Personal Pronouns

April 22nd, 2009
II amAna
You (ms)You are (ms)Inta
You (fs)You are (fs)Inte
HeHe isHuwwe
SheShe isHiyye
WeWe areNiḣna
You (p)You are (p)Into
TheyThey areHinne

In Lebanese, the mention of a personal pronoun could imply the verb to be, unless it is followed by another verb explicitly or implicitly.

Note: The symbol (fs) stands for feminine singular, (ms) for masculine singular and (p) for plural whether for feminine, masculine or both. The gender refers to the gender of the person or object the pronoun represents. In Lebanese, most common words have an associated gender even when they designate neutral objects.

Pronouns

Ya Ahl Ddar

April 22nd, 2009

Of
Ṫille ya ḣilwe ṫille
Ya ġalle b sint l ille
Jaye mne jjird l ḣassun
Yi`ṫof w yxabbe ssalle

N kannak ṫamix bi zzaytun
Ġṡuno xam tibke xa ġṡun
Cu raḣ ti`ṫof  ya ḣassun
W l ixda sar`o l ġalle

W jaye mne jjird l ḣassun
Yi`ṫof w yxabbe ssalle

Of
La badna kayf w la xras
W la yiḣko w la y`ulo nnas
Mannoc raḣ bii ru` l kaas
Ġir ma yfill l xismalle

W jaye mne jjird l ḣassun
Yi`ṫof w yxabbe ssalle

oof oof
Bukra byiṫlax xinna l fill
W btirjax l xyad thill
W l xismalle baddo yfill
W ṫiṫlax bi raṡo l falle

Ah ya Ḣassun!

Wan ṡar l akil ya Zahiyya
Jixna

Ya ahl ddar
Ṫaxmuna
Ya ahl ddar
W ṡ`una
Biixuna cii
Biixuna
Ya ahl ddar

Ya ahl ddar
Ṫallo ṫallo l ḣabayib
Cixlane nnar
W ssikkar albo dayib

Ya ahl ddar
Darit fiina l xilliyye
Wil ward zraar
Ḣinno xal ward ḱṫayye

W ya bint l jaar
La tjure ktiir xlayye
Ṡar lle ṡar
Ṡar lle ṡar
Wil xomr ṫṫayyib ṫaayib

Ya ahl ddar
Ṫallo ṫallo l ḣabayib
Cixlane nnar
W ssikkar albo dayib

Ḣubbik ġile ya dar xa albe ġile
W xan`udik l ġawi xala immo ḣile
Inte bi bale byut ḣilwe mcarraxa
W iidayn tiġzol nar yawm l marjale

Baxit mirsal
Yis`al xan bint żġiire
Al yawma al
Kan yinṫirha bil jiire

W ya faḋe l bal
Ma tdu` ncalla l ġiire
Mayyal ḱiyyal
Wi nḱaṫbit inta w ġayib

Ya ahl ddar
Ṫallo ṫallo l ḣabayib
Cixlane nnar
W ssikkar albo dayib

Lyrics

Excerpts from Ḱaliil Rukuz

April 22nd, 2009

Niḣna b xomor hirben asrax min ġazel
La tḋayxii b mḣallale w mḣarrame

We live in an age fleeing faster than a deer
Do not waste your days with banned and allowed

La tḋayxi forṡit wujudik bil jidel

Do not waste the opportunity of your existance in argument

B afwit ḱabar majhul naṫorna zzaweel

Behind an unknown event, our end awaits

Zikrik maxii mitl l xaṡaayi la ḋḋariir

I carry your memory like the blind man carries his walking stick

Caw`i la ruḣik caw` minfi la ddiyaar

I long to your soul as an exile longs for home

Darb l bideeyi min kitir daxs ddhur
Nixmit w min ġabraatha ceb zzamen

The path of our beginning has become smooth
From the passing of time upon its route
And from its dust, time grew its white hair

Tmarrad ḋamiir ṫṫiin w nfak l lḣeem

The conscious of dirt has revolted, and it broke the weld

Ya rayt eedir icbul nhaari sini
W yintihi xomri l mlattam b żżalaam
Bala jmiiltik…riddi traabik ya dini
Afḋal ili ma cuf nees mxazzabiin
W b kil cibr traab xaḋm w jimijmi

I wish I could compress my years in a day
And my life in darkness would end today
I don’t want your charity… take your dust back, oh life,
It’s better than seeing tortured people
And in every foot of earth, a skull and a bone

Reading Material

Jbeel W Asraar-Teelit Lawḣa: “Bixtirif”

April 8th, 2009

Jbeel W Asraar-Teelit Lawḣa

Copyright Hicham Khalil Bourjaili, January 2007, April 2009, May 2009

Bixtirif

Manṡur cabb raṡiin min xaylit nees caġġiile. Kill xumro byekol min xara` jbiino. Lamma bayyon meet, Abu Ḱaliil, Alla yirḣamo, keeno kill wleedo zġaar. Immon mara adiira w bitġaar xlayon. Bas la waḣda cu badda tlaḣḣi`. Hiyye keenit tictiġil w hinne min awwal ṫalxiṫon biseexduwa. Aṡlon min xinna, min l jabal. Leekin tarako ḋḋayxa min zameen wi `leel lli bi`yo ycufuwon. Hal wleed ribyo yateema bas iid bil iid, mitḋamniin, biseexdo w biḣibbo baxḋon. Immon xa raason, w hinne bikarrmuwa. Ballaco yictiġlo min hinne wi zġaar bil xamaar. L feexil l amiin wi ccaaṫir keen ilo iimto.

Bi haydiik l iyyeem, bil ḱamsineet wi ssittineet, keenit Bayrut baxda bsetiin. Fiya laymun, w zaytun, wi fweeke. Fiya ḣraac min ṡṡnubar, wi xyuun mayy, w xaalam btictiġil. Cajar rrimeen xal muuḋa, w cajar zziine kameen mitl l kiina xa bulvaar Kamiil Camxun. Fiya byut ḣawla janeeyin zhur. La ḣadd l yawm baxd fi asar bil aseeme min haydiik l iyyeem l adiime lammin keenit l arḋ wi nnees xeyciin sawa: Xayn Rrimeene w Xayn Ttiine, Nnabxa wi Nnahr, Ṡṡnubra wi Jjimayze, Ṫṫayyune wi Ṫṫiḣwiiṫa, l Mazraxa wil Maṫaaḣin, Ḣirc Bayrut w Ḣirc Teebit, Sahil Kfar Ciima wi Ccwayfeet, Aṡr Ṡṡnubar w Sinn l Fiil, Tallit l Ḱiyyaaṫ w Wede Bu Jmiil. Ṡṡḱur kameen ila aseeme, mitl Rrawce, yimkin li anna Raas bi Ssiryene mitl Roc, aw tizkaar min li Franj xala nasa` Le Rocher.

Mansur w iḱiwto ṡaaro yiltizmo wirac. Warce baxd warce, macrux baxd macrux, bineeye wara bineeye, maxeerif min hawn w maxeerif min hawniik, min hawn la hawn, ṡaf`a baxd ṡaf`a, ha ccabeeb xeemo faw` rriiḣ. Ṡaaro milyoneriyye. Baxd xazeeb ṫṫufuule wi ccabeeb, ka anno nfataḣit ddine bi wijjon. Mitl ma min`ul: lli byizrax bilee`e. Bi haydiik l iyyeem lli keen baddo yaxmil ci min ḣeelo keen byi`dir.

L balad keen bi izdihaar xala rroġm min Sawrit li Tmeene w Ḱamsiin (1958). L Amarken nizlo xa Libnen w haddo l waḋix. Laa ṡaar l balad jiz` min Surya w laa min Miṡr, w laa min l Jumhuriyye l Xarabiyye l Muttaḣide hille ḋammit bi haydek l wa`it hal baladayn la fatra. Ka anno Libnen hal balad zzġiir baddo yḋallo yi`nax ḣeelo bi wujuudo wi ḱṡuṡiyyaato. Marraat iza byinsa, ġayro bizakkro. Min iyyeem l Faraaxne lal yawm Miṡr bitḣinn la ilo. Min iyyeem Acuur w Beebil, l Firs w Maqdunia wil Yuneen, l Xarab wil Umawiyye wil Xibbesiyye, Ṡṡalibiyye wil Ayyubiyye, l Mamaliik wil Xismeniyye, l Jazzar wi Mḣammad Xali Baaca, Napoleon I w Napoleon III, Charles De Gaulle w Woodruf Wilson, Aal Suxuud w Aal Bahlawe, ġayron w ġayron, ha l balad mḣibbiino ktaar ta nsammiyon. Ḱallina nirjax baxd marra wi n`ul la nafsna w la ilon: law ḣabbaynekon w ḣabbaytuna, baytna biḋall baytna w baytkon baytkon, w ahla w sahla fikon bi dyarna. Mitl ma bit`ul Fayruz: zuruna kill sine marra. Ḣaram! Ma cceexir l xarabe kameen bi`ul “mina l ḣubbi ma qaṫal”. Wille biḣibb ccixr ma byi`tol cceexir w biḣarrim ccuxuur aw byiḣro` arḋ l ilheem. Wa laww, ma cceexir, wi ccuxuur, wil arḋ wil ilhem ilon ḱeeli`. Hille byictom maḱlu` byitḣadda Rabb l Xaalamiin.

L xamaar assar bi Bayrut ktiir, la daraje inno kill injeez mixmeere keen yiṫbax manṫa`to killa. Kill ḣayy, kill jiire ṡaaro maxrufiin bi isim bina mxayyan. Nnees btiḣke ci xan birj, ci xan jisr, mitl Birj Ḣammuud w Jisr l Baaca, marraat xan ci saraay, aw ci hotel, ci dawra ṡaarit Ddawra, w dikkeene Ddikweene, ci hawniik sidd xiṫe Sidd l Bucriyye w ḣaddo bina jdiid maxruf bil Jdayde. Bi alb Bayrut ṡaar fi Seeḣit l Birj w Seeḣit Ccuhada, w Seexit li Mdawwar. Ma tinso kameen l Matḣaf, Suu` Ṡṡaaġa w Suu` Nnuriyye, Hotel Dieu w Mistacfa Rrum, Mistacfa l Jimmayze wi Ssaint Charles l Fiyyaḋiyye, wil Xazariyye hille hiyye maytam, Madrasit li Freer bi Firn Ccibbeek wil Ma`aaṡid, Galerie Simxeen bil Ḣezmiyye w Seeḣit Sesiin bil Acrafiyye, l Ḣikme aw La Sagesse wil Jeemxa l Amirkiyye, Li Mdiine Rriyaḋiyye wi Ssaba`, l Xadliyye wil Meliyye, Badaaro wil Marfa`, l Maṫaar w Izeexit Libnen, Dar l Fatwa w Seeḣit l Barbiir, Autostrad l Uzeexe w Ḱalde, l Ḣimmeem l Xaskare w Taxawuniyyit Ddarak, Sspines wil Ḣamra, w baxd.

L maxeebid ila markaza kameen bil ḣayeet l ijtimexiyye, l waṫaniyye wi rruḣiyye. Bas ad ma ṡaar fi oteleet l weeḣid lli ma byaxrif l balad ṡaar biḋiix. Matalan, Mar Mḱeeyil kniise cahiira. Mar Jiris kameen. Bas Ssaint Georges otel! Ḣatta Finii`ya, ṡaaret kameen otel machur. Halla` bayn Mar Jiris w Finii`ya, xal aliile l Fini`iiyye kill xumron tijjaar. Leekin Mar Jiris: ya xayb ccum!

Jiryos keen cabb abaḋaay min Bayrut ḣasab iṡṡit ḣayeet hal iddiis mitl ma byiḣkuwa l Ortodoks. W keen fi bi Bayrut tinniin xam bihaddid kill ci fi ṡabaaya wil kniise kameen. Bas Jiris baṫal. Xa ḣṡano ḣeemil rimḣo w imeeno, heejamo la ttiniin w atalo. W min baxd ma atalo la ttinniin ṡaar fi saleem bi Bayrut w ḣirriyye. Hayde l iṡṡa lli xam niḣkiya ṡaaret abl ma ija Barbar Aaġa. Cu zekrit l xaalam aṡiire! Hayk byaxmlo bil iddisiin? Wloo! Bayneetna mic bass l ġuraba ṡaaro xam biḋiixo bi hal balad. Lil asaf, ṡaar fi nees min l balad ma ba`a yaxirfo l far` bayn li kniise wil masbaḣ. Cu baxd manna niḣke: baxd fi aseeme w iṡaṡ ktiir, ahlan bi lli baddo yiḣkiiha w yicraḣa. Ṫaalama killil iṡaṡ bitballic wi btiḱlas bi Fayruz, heet nġanne maxa wi n`ul: rjaxe ya Bayrut. Aaḱ! Ma aḣleek ya winis, ya Riḋa.

Mansur ṫuulo wasaṫ, kteefo xraaḋ, iday smeek, xindo cwayyit bans, wijjo reyi`, zalame meekin, byismax w bifakkir. “Ṡaar wa`it titjawwaz ya Mansur” l kill leeḣ`iino. Huwwe kameen byixjbo l mawḋux. Ṡaḣiiḣ manno ḣleewa w laa amarje. Laa ward byi`ṫof w laa zhur bi`addim. Laa mḣannak, laa m`aṫṫax w laa mwaṡṡal bas byaxrif cu baddo. Kilimto law basiiṫa, kilme. Bine ḣeelo bi ḣeelo li anno naziih wi nḋiif. Bas ṡṡabaya bi hal iyyeem, mitl ma baxḋ nnes bi`ulo, byixjibon Simon Templar, « The Saint », w James Bond. Hille la Simon w la Bond, baddo ykun xal aliile mitl Xomar Ccariif ta yiṫallaxo fii. Wa illa, ya tixtiiro. Leekin Mansur meekin, wil meekin mliiḣ mitlo, ṡṡabaya byaxmlulo exception.

Iido btil`aṫ l irc w ma bitxud tirḱii. Asmar, afandi, Mansur xlay ṡiit, ṡiit l biḱil. Leekin, mitl kill cii ḣasab baxḋ nnees, l biḱil relatif. Lli bibazzir bi samme l adiir baḱiil. Ṡaḣiiḣ l fo`r wil juux min iyyeem l Majeexa li Kbiire bi sint 1914, wil ma`eese lli abla w baxda, tarako jirḣ kbiir bi nafs l Libneniyye ajmaxiin. Layc ta niḣkom. L inseen iza mara` bi ṡxubaat biṡiir yiḣsibla. Kiif manna nlumo? Smixto ḣada cii bilum Buḱale` l Jaaḣiż? Laa`, maa ḣada bilumon, bas mnidḣak xalayon. Ḋiḣik mic mitl l lawm. Wa laww, ma niḣna kameen min`ul max l kees wi cceexir l xarabe: “daxx xanka lawme”. W baxdein mitl ma faylasuuf l Yuneen Arisṫo bi`ul, ḋḋiḣik miizit l inseen. Bas ya rayt Sskandar tilmiizo keen yaxrif yimzaḣ ci cway. Keen mitl ttawr xindo arnayn.

Ccab min baxd l fo`r wil bahdale ṡaar fii yitjawwaz lli baddo yeeha, aḣla bint min aḣla xayle. Ṡaar Mansur ḣakwaje max l xaalam, biḱabbir xan naweyee w byiḣke xan injezeeto. Kiif ṫaylax hal bineeye, kiif aḱad hal macrux, kiif sallam xa ra`iis haydiik ccirke lli mhimme, kiif haydeek l amiir l ḱaliije ṡaar yxizzo baxd ma aḱad minno haydiik l warce, w cu xindo ci`a` w amleek. Ḱabriyyeet ktiire bijiib siirita, bas l mawḋux l ahamm ṫabxan biḋall huwwe zeeto: ya maḣla l inseen ylee`e bint l ḣaleel. « Wara kill rijjel xażiim mara », hayde jimilto l mufaḋḋale. Hille byaxrfuu la Mansur byaxrfo inno hayde l ḣa`ii`a. Law ma immon waraahon la ha ccabeeb, mnayn keeno najaḣo bi ḣayeeton mitl ma najaḣo? W halla`, mitl baxd kill ḣadiis wajiih, jeeye ssiyyara w dawra, cii eeḱir model hayk w ci eeḱir ṫiraaz min aḣsan min hayk. W Bu Saliim Bu Saliim, wi Dwayk Dwayk! Aaḱ, ya raytak baxdak maxna ya Cuucu! Riḋa, xuudak rinnen, w inta waynak ya Fihmeen? Ddinye heik.

Mitl kill cabb abl ma yjiib l mademwazeel, baddo yjiib siyyara, yirkab fiya w yiḣke xanna iddem l kill w iza fii bicaffit cwayy, biḣiṫṫilla zammur ġayr cikil, binaḋḋifa w bihafhifa mitl l Liira. Ma lli baddo y`um bi ḣilwe bi hal iyyeem baddo ybarhin fii yihtamm fiya, mitl ma byihtamm bi siyyarto. Baxdayn l ḣilwiin btilba`lon siyyaraat ḣilwe. Max`ul ḣada yiṫlob ḣilwe xan ḋahr li ḣmaar? Max inno li ḣmaar cayḱ ddaweeb w rikib xlay Sayyidna l Masiiḣ w Immo, Maryam l Xadra, bi hal iyyeem rrijeel byirkab bi ssiyyara w marto btirkab xa ḋahro, xafwan, bijuz iza bi`e maḣall baxd ttiḣwiije btirkab ḣaddo! Fi kaleem ma fiina n`ulo abl ma nitjawwaz. Leekin baxd zzaweej ma bixud y`assir. Ma kill caḱṡ byaxrif inno zzaweej jaweez wi jjaweez zaweej. Miin smixto inno nlaġa zaweejo iza eel xan marto inno btirkab xa ḋahro? Bas iza eel la wiḣde abl zzawej ḣeej tirkabe xa ḋahre, seexita biṡiir mackal, la dahro w ra`bto kameen.

L muhimm, Mansur stadall xa hawniik farfura w raaḣ ḣike fiya la ahla, lli min ahil Bayrut l aṡliyye. Wil farfura ammura, miin byaxrif iza diḣkit xlay. Mansur maġrum. L araayib naṡaḣuu : « Ya Mansur mic ilak hal bint ? M`aṫṫaxa mwaṡṡale, raḣ bitkaḣkḣak ? » Bas l ġaraam byixme, wil maġrum byiṫrac. Mic inno iza faḣaṡo l ḣakiim byiṫlaxo dinay aw xinay bihon cii. Laa`, bas l ġaraam mitl l maraḋ, awwilto carda`a, w eeḱirto xaṡr haḋim. W hayk ṡaar. Riḋe ahla bil maṡaare w aḱada. Baddu ykun riḋyet hiyye kameen. Li anno bi Libnen, ṡaaro nnisween yifiksuwa. Aḣsanlak tirḋe l mara abl zzaweej, wa illa biṡiir baddak miin yirḋiik iddem l xaalam killa baxdayn.

Ijit l ḣarb bi ssabxineet. Miin maa ntakas bi hal ḣarb aw raḣlo ḣada? Alla yirḣam killil mawta. Bi hal intikeese ktiir Libneniyye seefaro. Hilli keen xindo mihne w ciġil diġre twaffa` cii xa Fransa aw Canada, cii xa Ostraalia aw xal Braziil, ci xa Ameerka. Minnon dabbaro burṡaat xa bleed ccuyuxiyye, ġayron raaḣo xal Ḱaliij aw bi`yo hawniik. Fi nees hejarit xa Afrii`ya aw bildeen Oropa. L Libneniyye tṫaycaru xa wijj l arḋ. Kill weeḣid ṡaar bi maḣall w bi dine. Marraat keen yruḣ rrijel w tlee`ii marto wil wleed baxdayn. Bi hal wa`it keeno yib`o max ahla aw ahlo. Marraat l xayle keen yṡirla truḣ killa sawa. Fi nees keen xinda jinsiyyeet ajnabiyye, fi nees ṡaarit ddabir viaz cu ma keen, w fi nees bas rikbet l babur aw ṫṫiyyara w lammin yuṡalo xa maḣall yiṫilbo l lujuu`. Fi xizzeebe biḣibbo l muġamareet w ṫollaab badda tkammil xilma. Kill inseen baddo ydabbir ḣeelo. Ta y`ammno ḣeelon fi nees beexo arḋon, aw bayton, aw jiz` min amleekon. Marraat keeno yḱallo amleekon wi ywakklo ḣada fiya. W fii lli bi`yo bil balad.

Mansur bi`e max xaylto. Ṡaḣiiḣ ḱisir kam ci“a bi ddamaar, wi ssir`a, wi nnhiib, aw bil muṡaadara. Fi leej`iin Libneniyye bi alb baladon thaccalo min hawn w ṡaaro hawniik. W fi leej`iin Flasṫiniyye sta`balon Libnen w fakkaro l balad baladon. Fa lli ṡaar xal Libneniyye ṡaar bi nniheeye xlayon, wi lli ṡaar xlayon ṡaar xal Libneniyye, bi lli mniiḣ w lli wḣiic. Yille hinne abaḋayeet xa ahl l manta`a lli btista`bilon byeeḱdo lli baddon bi ssleeḣ. Ya imma nnees bi ḱalluwon bi kill basaaṫa yi`ixdo bi l maṫaariḣ lli faaḋye. Yimkin hal maḣalleet l faaḋye keenit byut nees mitlon, w ṡaaro mitlon, w bijuz lammin hinne ijo min hawn la hawniik, ha nnees raaḣo min zeet l hawniik la zeet l hawn. L balad ṡaar fi farz sikkeene. Mansur bi`yit amleeko w keen yneewil ccabeeb hilli ḱalluu ykammil ccira wil bayx, wi ylimm ajareet min lli maa keeno abaḋayeet. Mansur mi`ric: byekol w biṫaxme, w bi hal iyyeem fi ṡaf`aat ktiire. Fa ḱalluu.

Mansur ṡaar xindo wleed. Ṡaḣiiḣ biḣibbon mitl killil ahl. Huwwe minhimik kiif baddo yeḱidon wi yjiibon. L waḋix bi ḋallo minfijir, marra hawn w marra hawniik, w marraat wayn ma keen. Kill ahl biḱeefo xa wleedon w baddon yiḣmuwon min l ḣarb w yxaycuwon bi ameen. Ḣasab l waḋx, l xayle btiṫlax xal jabal aw btinzal xa Bayrut. Bteeḱod calee hawn xal xeele aw hawniik xa caṫṫ l baḣir. Micc hayyne xal ahl w micc hayyne xal wleed. L ahl bifakkro xam byaxmlo weejbeeton, w add ma macġuliin marraat btimro` iyyeem ma byiḣko max wleedon lli maxon. Binee`co li kbaar bayn baxḋon aw iddem wleedon min duun ma li wleed yiṫlaxlon dawr aw kilme ḣilwe, aw cwayyit ṡabir, aw cariḣ byifhamuu, aw iḣtiraam la ṫufuuliton, aw cabeebon aw maceexiron aw maceekilon. Inta skoot, inte fuute xal uuḋa, into ma badde ismax nafaskon, iza ma btismax l kilme btaxrif cu biṡiir fiik, xibaaraat add ma baddak hayda iza ma falat l kaleem w marraat li mla“. Alla yseemiḣ l ahl lli nisyo wleedon wil wleed lli nisyo ahlon. Mansur ximil weejbeeto ḣasab ma byifhama: ḱalleehon ṫaybiin w baxaton xa mdeeris mniiḣa. Li wleed mitl kill wleed byistanzro ṫabxan kill lli ammano Mansur, wa la cakk. Leekin fi icya ma btincara w ma ila taman. Layk ma aḣleehon, Maryam w Yasux, w Mar Yusif. Keeno fu`ara w mxaṫariin, bas albon kbiir w milyeen.

Fi fatra ṡaar fiya hidne. Mansur tarak l balad w xaylto, w raaḣ ta yibrom ddine la waḣdo. Kill ḣayeeto keen xam byiḣlam yruḣ xa Montreal w Toronto, Ottawa w Las Vegas, Los Angeles w San Diego, Miami w New York, Rio de Jenero w Sao Paulo, Nice w Monte Carlo, Paris w Casa Blanca, Washington wil Bayt l Abyaḋ, w kameen Sydney. Vegas, w Las Vegas, yeeh, cu hal ism rrinneen. Yimkin li anna mdiinit maṡaare aw li anno l maṡaare btictre fiya kill cii. L waaḣad byinbisiṫ w byitsalla, bass lammin byilfoz isma! Mansur xeeyiz yġayyir jaww w ynaffis cwayy. Fi nees bi Libnen keenit truḣ xa Casino Libnen. Ad ma ykun, Libnen zġiir. Baxdayn Mansur ṡaar xindo maxeerif bi Ameerka, Ostraalia w Oropa, wi ‘raaybo fi minnon wayn ma keen. Bi rrajxa mayyal xa Oropa, w nizil bi « Les Champs-Elysées » bi otel Ssaint-Georges mitl xa iyyeem Bayrut. Ḣawwal xa Roma w xa Atina, w nizil bi Obros. Mansur rijix mabsuṫ maxxo hadeeya lal xayle wil aṡḣaab w iṡaṡ muġaamareet ktiir, min hilli byinḣako bayn l xaalam wi lli ma byinḣako. “Cu ya Mansur, ya malak?” keen fi nees t`ul. “Aḣla micwaar, leezim inta truḣ taxmlo” keen yridd. Mitl aġlab nnees lli irfit l ḣarb w rutiin l xinf wil fażaxa, Mansur keen xeeyiz yfassiḣ wa laww cwayy xan ḣeelo.

Li tmenineet ijit w maxa l kaweeris min ṫṫabiixa, wil jiiraan, wil iqtiṡaad. Ttalj mitl l jayc zaḣaf xa Libnen min Siberia. Lamma nnees ṡaaret twa`iffa l ḣaweejiz bil jabal w xa Ḋahr l Baydar, ktaar lli xil`o bi ttalj w meeto min l barid aw maṫmuriin. L xawaaṡif mitl l iḣtileleet wil ijtiyeḣeet, ka annon killon mit`emriin xa ha ccaxb lli zġiir. Suriyya feetit bi ssita w sabxiin (1976) w rawwa`it bi wa`ta l balad cwayy max uwweet rradix l xarabiyye. Isra`iil jteeḣit li Jnub bi ttmeene w sabxiin (1978) w kameen bi ttnayna wi tmeniin (1982) bas xa afżax. Wiṡlit xa Bayrut, w ijit l uwweet dduwaliyye w nsaḣabit l uwweet Ssuriyye wil Flasṫiniyye. Tibxit l insiḣeb l Isra`iile majeezir l jabal baxd majeezir Ṡabra w Catiila. Bayrut rijxit nca“it bil arbxa wi tmeniin (1984), bi Cbaaṫ, baxd ma fallo l`Amarkeen, wil Fransawiyye, wi Ṫṫilyeen. Ṡaarit car`iyye w ġarbiyye xan jdiid mitl xa iyyeem ma keeno li Flisṫiniyye deyriin Bayrut bi awwal l ḣarb bil ḱamsa w sabxiin (1975). Baxdayn ṡaarit ḣarb l muḱayyameet bil ġarbiyye ka anna ṡada ssabxineet, w mitl l ḣarb lli keenit bi ccar`iyye max li Flisṫiniyye. Eeḱir ttmenineet ijit ḣarb ttiḣriir w sa`aṫ ḣayṫ Berliin sint ttisxa wi tmeniin (1989). L xaalam xam tifraḣ bi su`uuṫ ccuyuxiyye w xam btibtihij bil ḣirriyye. Bas Libnen nizil xlay jidaar l ḣadiid baxd awwal ḣarb bil Ḱaliij lli ballacit sint ttisxiin (1990) . Tteriiḱ ma byinkatab bi kam ṡatir. Leekin kiif mumkin ninsa dafn l ḣirriyye bi Libnen lammin l balad ṡaar abir byiḣirso xaskar l iḣtileel? Ddepression jteḣit l balad w bi`yit. Farrit l xubudiyye min Varsovia lli eemit min anqaḋa, w lil asaf rikbit Libnen.

Xada dii`it l ḣarb mitl ma bi ssabxineet, bi ttmenineet tfe`amit l maceekil w zeedit ddii`a l ijtimexiyye. Nnees ma btiḣke illa bi ddolar wil ximleet l ajnabiyye. L Liira l Libneniyye ṡaarit min duun iime. Hille keen xindo maxeec baṫṫal yi`dir yṫaxme wleedo. Fi nees fa`adit sarweeta li anno ma laḣḣa`o yḣawlo miṡriyyaton. Fi nees ṡaaro yilxabo bil maṡaare w xam biraahno iza hal ximle raḣ tziid aw tiḱsaar min iimita. Fi minnon ximlo ṡaf`aat w minnon ṡaaret ṡṡaf`aat xa dahron. Nees baṫṫal fiya tista`jir, nees baṫṫal fiya tidros, nees baṫṫal fiya teekol, nees ma ba`a fiya titjawwaz. Marraat l axmeel sakkarit. Ttixtiir wil juux ḱallo baxḋ nnees yaxmlo lli ma byinxamal. Fi nees feetit bil aḣzeeb bass ta teekol aw ti`dir tfawwit mariiḋ xal mistacfa. Waynik ya baḣbuḣa? Ya Finii`ya w ya Saint Georges? Bi rroġm min ha ttixtiir, fi xaalam mṡayyfe wi mcattiyye bi ccaleheet, minnon ma byiḣko illa bi sski, ci notiik w ci xa ttalj, minnon bisu`o aḣla siyyaraat, w xaalam bteekol aḣla ma`kuleet, btilbos aḣla tyeeb, btiḣke liġġeet, tnayn, tleete w arbxa bil jimle l weeḣde. Kiif? Ya ḣaleel, ya ḣaraam! L waaḋiḣ inno l balad ṡaar xam byif`od ṫṫaba`a l wusṫa w kill inseen ṡaar ya imma ġane, ya imma fa`iir. Mitl l ḣarb: ma ba`a fi ḣall wasaṫ.

Lamma rjxit lta`ayt bi kam ṡadii` bil mahjar w ṡirna niḣke xan fleen wi flayteen mitl iyyeem zameen, cii manna niḋḣak cii manna nibke, cii mabsuṫiin bi baxḋna cii mawjuxiin min waḋixna, sa`alton “Kifo Mansur?”. Ḣada jeewabne “Ḋixaano”. Ṡirt is`al ta axrif aktar, li anno hal kilme waraaha ḱabar mic mliiḣ w caġlitle beele. “Balee hal ḣadiis halla`, please, mniḣke baxdayn”. Hayk tsakkar l mawḋux bass la budd ma yirjax yinfitaḣ.

Ġayr nhar, niḣna w eexdiin xa mnicrab ahwe, rijxit wi nfataḣit ssiire.

“-Mansur xiṫiik ximro.
-Cu ṡaar?
-Raaḣ. Ntaḣar.
-Ḣaraam. Alla yirḣamo wi yseexid xaylto.”

Baxd kam laḣżit ṡamit, sa`alt: “Kiif ntaḣar w layc?”.

« -Minnon eelu keen fi wiḣde biḣibba.
-Ma huwwe mjawwaz ?
-E, bas hayde lli ma tjawwaza.
-Max`ul ?
-Kill cii biṡiir.

-Ġayron eelu innu ḱisir arḋ. Beex ca`fit arḋ keen weerita bi zzameneet, ta ymacce axmeelo, xala amal innu yirjax yictriiha baxdayn lamma biṡiir maxxo maṡaare. Lamma rijix baddo yictiriha xan jdiid, ṡaḣib l arḋ ma keen yirjax ybiixo yeeha. Ma keen fi ṫarii`a yi`naxo wi yġayyirlo ra`yo.
-Mansur zalame cibxeen, amleeko w miṡriyyeeto faw`o w taḣto !
-Bas l arḋ ma btittaman.

-Ġayron, byefhamu ktiir mniiḣ bil axmeel, eelu innu traddad yfut cirke bi xa`d keen xawwamo faw` rriiḣ. Lamma ntabah, keen t`aḱḱar w raḣit xlee. Maa aḱad l xa`id w t`assar ktiir.
-Kill xomro byeeḱod wi byaxmil mceriix. Max`ul macrux waaḣad ma aḱado y`aṡṡirlo xomro?
-L meel w rrobḣ biġirro.
-Zzalme ma ḱisir cii min amleko, la maṡaare, la byut, la cirkeet, la farc, la ḣsebeet bil bank, la ashum aw madḱul. Max`ul xtabar innu ḱisir kill cii bi ha ddine. Leec?
-Iza inseen ḱisir ḣabibto aw arḋo, ma byii`as roġm kill amleeko w ġinee? Iza inseen keen ṫammiix, ma biḣiss innu ficil lammin biḋayyix forṡa mfakkira forṡit xumro? Zzalame keen ṫammiix mitl ma l kill byaxrfo w yimken ḱisir kameen ḣabibto w arḋo. Hammo mic bas yimlok leekin yiġtinim l foraṡ . Lamma btiṫallax xa cu xindak w cu ḣaṡṡalt, maa btinbihir fion. Leekin bit`iis cu keen baxd fiik tṫallix faw`on.
-Ṡoxib xlayye inne ṡaddi`. »

Bixti`id baxd ttiḣliil inno lli ṡaar bi Mansur mitl lli ṡaar bi nnees bil xicrineet wi ttletineet bi Ameerka. Xala asar Ddepression sint 1929, fa`ado amweel, w acġeel, w amleek, w maraakiz ijtimexiyye. Yimken marto wi wleedo keeno xam byiḋġaṫo xlay mic li anno maa biḣibbu bas li anno byistanzro ktiir min l bay, rab l bayt. Yimkin ma heenit xlay min markaz jeeh yinzal waaṫe. Yimkin fakkar inno bijuz yirjax min jdiid fa`iir mitl iyyeem ṫufuulto. Hal ṫilix min kebus bi awwal ḣayeeto wi xta`ad inno ḱallaṡ wleedo minno, bas ḣass hal kebus rejixlo w leeḣ`o, w raḣ yirkabo w yirkab xaylto? Hal ya tura fattac xan baraa`to, xan ḣobbo l barii` w maa lee`ee? Hal tzakkar jdudo w arḋ jdudo bi balad nisiihon, ma ba`a fii yuṡallon min ttihjiir? Hal fattac xan aṡḣaabo w ma le`eehon? Tarakuu? Xa Immo? Fa`ad imeeno? Alla byaxrif, Huwwe rra`uf wi rraḣiim.

Iza ntazax l miliḣ bi cu min malliḣ.

Ḣaraam Mansur!

Bixtirif.

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