Poem 5. I await you despite the harshness in your look

By Ahmed Fouad Negm, translated by The Scholar

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Photo by Adrian Dascal on Unsplash

[Standard Translation]

I await you despite the harshness in your look

The moment you escaped, O Rabab, from love when it sought you.

I await you

I await you

Despite the winter, the cold, and the frightening thunder,
I await you.

In the street, busy with muddy sidewalks,
For I have sought our appointment, and I know what deters you.
And I am the one who knows who you remain,
And I am the one who has been patient for years.

I prepare for you a place in the garden of hope,
And with every step,
I extend to you my hand, torn by labor.

Take the steps, my love, and come forward,
And if you fear the path, smile.

O sun, whose laughter is a moon that lights your path,
I am the one whose love for you has honored me,
And you are the one whom my love has dignified.

I await you, my wound, my stubborn dream.
I await you, O Egypt, my only love.

And a day will come when you believe
In my deep love and make true
My beautiful dream and taste
The years I lost waiting for you.

I await you
I await you

باستنظرك رغم القساوة في منظرك
لحظة هروبك يا رباب م الحب لما استنصرك
باستنظرك

باستنظرك
رغم الشـــــتا والبرد والرعد المخيف
باستنظرك
ف الشارع المشغول باوحال الرصيف
أنا اصلي حاســــب موعدك وعارف اللي بيبعدك
وأنا اللي خابر تبقي مين وأنا اللي صابر من سنين
وباعدّ لك مطرح ف بســــتان الامل
وبامدّ لك وف كل خطوة
أمدّ لك ايدي اللي شققها العمل

مدي الخطاوي يا حبيبتي وقــدّمي
وان كنتي خايفه م الطريق اتبسمي
يا شــــمس ياللي ضحكتك قمر ينور ســـكتك
أنا اللي عشقك عزّني وانتي اللي عشقي ستتك

باستنظرك يا جرحي يا حلمي العنيد
باستنظرك يا مصر يا حبي الوحيد
وحتيجي يوم وتصدّقي
عشقي الأصيل وتحققي
حلمي الجميل وتزوقي
عمري اللي ضاع مستنظرك
باستنظرك
باستنظرك

[Translation With Romanization]

I await you, despite the harshness in your look.
باستنظرك رغم القساوة في منظرك
Bastanziruk raghma al-qasaawa fi manzharik.

The moment you escaped, O Rabab, from love when it sought you.
لحظة هروبك يا رباب م الحب لما استنصرك
Lahzat hurubik ya Rabab min al-hubb lamma istansarak.

I await you.
باستنظرك
Bastanziruk.

I await you.
باستنظرك
Bastanziruk.

Despite the winter, the cold, and the frightening thunder,
رغم الشـــــتا والبرد والرعد المخيف
Raghma ash-shita wal-bard wal-ra‘d al-mukhif.

I await you.
باستنظرك
Bastanziruk.

In the street, busy with muddy sidewalks,
ف الشارع المشغول باوحال الرصيف
Fi ash-shari‘ al-mashghul bi-awhal ar-raseef.

For I have sought our appointment, and I know what deters you.
أنا اصلي حاســــب موعدك وعارف اللي بيبعدك
Ana asli hasib mawa‘idak wa ‘arif elli yib‘idak.

And I am the one who knows who you remain,
وأنا اللي خابر تبقي مين وأنا اللي صابر من سنين
Wa ana elli khabir tibqi meen, wa ana elli sabir min sineen.

And I prepare for you a place in the garden of hope,
وباعدّ لك مطرح ف بســــتان الامل
Wa ba‘idd lik matrah fi bustan al-amal.

And with every step,
وبامدّ لك وف كل خطوة
Wa bamidd lik fi kull khatwa.

I extend to you my hand, torn by labor.
أمدّ لك ايدي اللي شققها العمل
Amidd lik eedi elli shaqqaha al-‘amal.

Take the steps, my love, and come forward,
مدي الخطاوي يا حبيبتي وقــدّمي
Middi al-khatawi ya habibti wa qaddimi.

And if you fear the path, smile.
وان كنتي خايفه م الطريق اتبسمي
Wa in kunti khayfa min at-tareeq, ibtasimi.

O sun, whose laughter is a moon that lights your path,
يا شــــمس ياللي ضحكتك قمر ينور ســـكتك
Ya shams, yalli dahkitik qamar yanawwir sikkitik.

I am the one whose love for you has honored me,
أنا اللي عشقك عزّني وانتي اللي عشقي ستتك
Wa ana elli ‘ishqik ‘azzani, wa anti elli ‘ishqi sattetik.

I await you, my wound, my stubborn dream.
باستنظرك يا جرحي يا حلمي العنيد
Bastanziruk, ya jarhi, ya hulmi al-‘anid.

I await you, O Egypt, my only love.
باستنظرك يا مصر يا حبي الوحيد
Bastanziruk, ya Masr, ya hubbi al-waheed.

And a day will come when you believe,
وحتيجي يوم وتصدّقي
Wa hatiji yawm wa tusaddiqi.

In my deep love and make true
عشقي الأصيل وتحققي
‘Ishqi al-aseel wa tuhaqqiqi.

My beautiful dream and taste
حلمي الجميل وتزوقي
Hulmi al-jameel wa tazuqqi.

The years I lost waiting for you.
عمري اللي ضاع مستنظرك
‘Umri elli da‘ mistanzirak.

I await you.
باستنظرك
Bastanziruk.

I await you.
باستنظرك
Bastanziruk.

[Scholars Comment]

Today's poet was recommended by a dear reader of mine, a request I could hardly have said no to. Born in May of 1929 in the Al-Sharqia Governorate of Egypt, Ahmed Fouad Negm was a celebrated Egyptian poet who specialized in vernacular poetry of the Egyptian dialect (as you will hear in the video).

Alongside his compatriot, the composer Sheikh Imam, Negm wrote many poems celebrated not only in Egypt but throughout the entire Arab world. His poem I Await You is just one of many love poems written by Negm, which touches on romance and inevitably includes his love for his homeland, Egypt.

Just as his last name means "star," Negm truly was one of a kind, a star that rose to shine its light on the Arab world.