Ode to the Prison Shadows

Dedication: To obsessively needing to translate a song that remained with me after curtain call

[Originally posted on the blog Arabic Literature (in English)]

Image from the film 3000 Nights

On Monday, 25 April 2016, I heard a hauntingly beautiful rendition of verses from Najib al-Rayyes in Mai Masri's new feature film 3000 Nights. I quickly jotted down the verses during the screening on the paperback cover of the Song of Solomon in my purse.  That Wednesday, I googled the verses and not only found various musical renditions, including the one by Macadi Nahhas used in the film, but also the larger poem to which they belonged.  I proceeded to translate the entire poem text after midnight.  

I found the final verses confusing, so before going to bed, around 3:30 a.m., I impulsively sent my translation to a mentor.  He suggested what I have kept in a footnote.  The poem text differs slightly from the verses sung in the audio clip in the movie, so I have also included the variation mentioned in the movie in a footnote.

-----------

يا ظلام السجن خيّم
كلمات: نجيب الريس (1922)

يا ظلام السجن خيّم إننا نهوى الظلاما
ليس بعد الليل إلا فجرَ مجدٍ يتسامى

إيه يا أرضَ الفخارِ يا مقّر المخلصينا
قد هبطناكِ شبابًا لا يهابون المنونا

وتعاهدنا جميعًا يومَ اقسمنا اليمينا
لن نخون العهدَ يومًا واتخذنا الصدقَ دينًا

ايّها الحُراس عفوًا واسمعوا منّا الكلاما
متعونا بهواءٍ منعه كانَ حرا مًا

لستُ والله نسّيًا ما تقاسيه بلادي
فاشهد يا نجم أنّي ذو وفاءٍ وودادِ

يا رنينَ القيدِ زدني  نغمةً تُشجي فؤادي
إن في صوتك معنىً للأسى والاضطهادِ

لم أكن يومًا اثيمًا لم أخن يومًا نظاما
انما حب بلادي في فؤادي قد اقاما​

Ode to the Prison Shadows

by Najib al-Rayyes (1898-1952)

This poem was written in 1922 by the Syrian journalist Najib al-Rayyes when he was exiled by the French and imprisoned on Arwad Island, a small island off the Syrian coast, for resisting French colonial occupation during the Mandate period. 

Oh, Prison Shadows, stay a while 

Indeed, we yearn for darkness[1]

It won't be long before the night

Is overcome by glorious dawn

Oh, Land of Pride

Oh, Abode of the Steadfast

We descended upon you while in our prime

Unafraid of death

We made a promise

The day we took the oath:

We would never betray the promise

And have taken integrity[2] as our religion

Oh, Prison Guards, we beg your pardon

Listen to our words

Grant us some air

Forbidding it was (always) forbidden

 

By God, I will not forget

The long-suffering of my country

Bear witness, Heavenly Star

That I am of the loyal and loving

Oh, Rattling Chains, grant me

A melody that grieves my heart

For in your voice[3] are meanings

Of sorrow and persecution

I was never a sinner

I never betrayed the order[4]

Rather the love of my country

Has taken residence in my heart.

---

[1] In Mai Masri’s film, the verse sung translates as “We are not afraid of the darkness,” rather than “Indeed, we yearn for the darkness.” 

[2] In Macadi Nahhas’s rendition, she sings “And we have taken love as our religion,” replacing the word "integrity."

[3] That is, the noise of the chains.

[4] This verse confused me at first.  One explanation I received is that the poet is saying he was not a criminal, a rabble-rouser, or a provocateur.