love

songs

in motion

Beledweyn

Vocals by Xasan Aadan Samatar, words by Maxamed Ibraahin Warsame “Hadraawi,” melody by Cabdikariin Faarax Qaaray “Cabdikariin Jiir”

Translation by Abdihakim Omer and Christina Woolner, with a section by Martin Orwin

Oh love, may you live forever!
That it killed Boodhari
I took it for a lie!

Oh love, may you live forever!
An ulcerous wound which hasn’t been salved and
which no one can nurse and
which is in the liver and the heart and
the side is present in you and
that love is [also] a weapon
I took it for a lie!

The river which burst its banks and
watered the farms and
the land on which the pasture land and
the trees which the flowers filled and
the grapes which ripened and
the grains and the maize
from which the ears have been thrown and
the bullo [a dance] and the dances
which [people] spent the night [performing] and
the communities are in the rainy season
did I not, during the time of richness
go to the town of Beledweyn?

On the east side of the town
a queen lives there
who one thinks is water of gold and
in whom the beauty of women and
good fortune was completed and
hair which was at the Achilles tendon and
which seemed to be a male ostrich feather and
which on the top the redness
reached from left to right and
which had been decorated with bul-cad and
on half of which she is sleeping and
on [another] part she is resting her head and
with a side [of which] she is covering herself and
who planted in me longing and
whom I desired to meet?

Late in the morning
on the eight of the month
I and Beerlula
met accidently

Her greetings
and my encounter
at the swinging bridge
in Beledweyn
above the moving waves
right at the centre

It was the cause of the problem,
We promised; then
she said: “Stay tomorrow”

Terrible news
was told to me;
“Today we are leaving”
My group said to me.
“I am very ill
and I cannot go on the journey
so let’s stay tonight and
rehabilitate me,” I responded

A merciless cruel commander
who was not aware of my condition
refused my suggestion

Then when most of
the group
got into the car
I desperately also got in

But because of longing
and yearning
I was busy
praying for a calamity
“May some metal part cease to work
and the petrol tank spring a leak
the road be blocked
and the driver fall ill” I said.

From the break of dawn and
through the first hot morning hours
the massive tree
which was famous in
Beledweyn
called Baar
from a far distance
I stared at it
I heard a noise
[I heard it] calling

Because of disappointment
and worry
I became very sick
and unconscious

During the afternoon travel,
I dreamed of being
In a green leafy place [with Beerlula]
Doing the “Beeray” dance; then
I woke up

It was an unreal situation [a dream],
after glancing at every side,
a fast car
like a flying bird
moving up a mountain
I tried to jump off
putting myself at risk

A man who is in Banaadir and
Who holds to Beledweyn and
I am [someone] who has been put under a spell and
The one looking for the lost [person]
Am I not still searching?

Oh God may Beledweyn be
a prosperous area

Oh God, save Beerlula
from evil

Oh God may Beledweyn
Be a prosperous home;

Oh God may Beerlula live well
for many years

Oh God make Beledweyn
a comfortable garden

Oh God, save
Beerlula from disaster

Bi’i waa jacaylow
Boodhari inuu dilay
been baan u haystee.

Bi’i waa jacaylow
boog aan la dhayinoo
cidi baanan karinoo
beerkiyo wadnaha iyo
bogga kaaga taalliyo
inuu yahay bir caashaqu
been baan u haystee.

Webigoo butaacoo
beeraha waraabshoo
dhulku baadku jiifoo
dhirta ubaxu buuxshoo
canabkii bislaadoo
badarkiyo gelleyddii
laga tuuray baalkoo
Bulladiyo ciyaaraha
lagu waa bariistoo
beeluhu gu’ joogaan
sow beri-samaadkii
Beled-Weyne maan tegin.

Dhanka bari magaalada
saw boqorod joogtoo
biyo dahab la moodoo
bilicdii haweenkiyo
bili loo dhammeeyoo
timo boqonta joogoo
baal goray la moodoo
baarkana casaankii
bidix midig is gaadhoo
bul-cad lagu xiddeeyoo
badh ku seexanaysoo
barkanaysa qaaroo
huuwanaysa baaloo
igu beertay lahashoon
u buseelay maan baran.

Sow goor barqa ahoo
bishu ay siddeed tahay
aniga iyo Beer luli
isku maanan soo bixin.

Sow bariidadaydii
iyo badashadeedii
buundada ciyaartee
Beled-Weyne ku taalee
biyo lulata guudkood
badhtankeeda maahayn.

Sow bixiso weeyee
ballan maanu dhiganoo
berri joog imay odhan.

Sow bayd go’aygii
layguma bushaareyn.
“maantaa la baxayaa”
bulshadii imay odhan.
“Sow waa bastey oo
socod beegsan maayee
ina baaja caawoo
i baxnaansha,” maan odhan.

Sow taliye baasoo
ba’ anoo war moogi
taydii ma beeneyn

Sow badiba kooxdii
goortay badheedhee
baabuurki fuuleen
anna baal kamaan korin.

Boholyow daraaddii
sow baraq nuglaantii
belo lagu ducaystiyo
baryo kuma maqnaynoo
“biri may xumaatuu
baadroolka daadshoo
ka wadaa bukoodoo
bogsan waayo,” maan odhan.

Sow beriga waagiyo
barqo kulul dhexdoodii
geed baaxad weynoo
dherer iyo ballaadh-loo
Beled-Weyn ku caanoo
la yidhaahdo baaroo
bilig dheer hirkiisii
ma bidhaansanaynoo
bulxankiisa yeedhiyo
ma maqlaynin baaqii.

Sow baaxad soorii
iyo laba boglayntii
maan noqon bestey oo
bacadkii ma dheelliman.

Sow galab-boqoolkii
annagoo barwaaqiyo
meel baadle joognoo
tumanayna Beerrey
sow maan baraarugin.

Riyo beena weeyee
saw baalla-daymii
baabuur lalaayood
haad baalle mooddoo
fananaayo buur dheer
isma odhan ka boodoo
nafta sow ma biimayn.

Nin Banaadir joogoo
Beled-weyn la haystoo
waxaan ahay la baabee
sow baadi doonkii
wali baafis maan ihi.

Beled-Weyn Allahayow
ka dhig xero badhaadheed.

Beerlula Allahayow
balaayada hareer mari.

Beled-Weyn Allahayow
ka dhig guri barwaaqeed.

Beerlula Allahayow
beryo samo ku nooleey.

Beled-Weyn Allahayow
ka dhig beerta raaxada.

Beerlula Allahayow
ka barii wax yeellada.