Fatma Zahra

1

ana etkeren telhieko we't 'asmera         I've performed in Keren and in Asmara

wetbaSE telhieko we mendefera           I've also played in Massawa and Mendefera

wetseney telhieko we'abarara               I've performed in Tesseney and Abarara

et aklogzay telhieko dib embasoyra       And  played in Aklogzay at Ambasoyra

temsalki ir'iko faTma zahr                       But I've never seen like you Fatma Zahra

temasla er'iku faTma zahra                    I have not seen the like of Fatma Zahra

enjH mesl anjba endtkatra                    Snow white are her even teeth

kebotaya QeTintu wala a'gara               Narrow is her waist, and legs

maHwatu mlu'tu lbie saTra                    That are full, captivated my heart

faTma zahra                                           Fatma Zahra

bAl shamki Hawanitki kara                     Your lover is defeated

HaQoK mote witQebera                         He is dead and burried

malet mset  Aynet ashashara                Since last night crazed

adamyie dib sheK aba sara                   My people consulted the shiek

weshKiye teshbaHtitu kera                    And my sheik put out his beads

webiela amr ysetra                                And declared in the open was my deeds

shamatu shamata AChmetu sabera       Her love is taking a toll on his bones

ftiha dib lbu sewera                               And her love is engraved in his heart

biela sheKye ab jaEfera                        Thus said my sheik ab jaEfera

samn yom teHaSeb mn degela              Shower eight days using ointment from her hair

Hams yom atnn mn Chegara                And five days inhale the incense of her hair

sels yom tehajek dib jefera                  And  three days sit closer and talk to her

elitu dewel eblu zekra                          This was the medicine he prescribed

al'amin Haqu dibki kera                        Al'amin has now put his fate in your hands

Haqo letoweba wostaQfera::                 And he asks for forgiveness and has repented

 2

wlad Aje Hasbokum                               I beg you children of my country,

r'iekuma mn geb'etgebeykum               If you meet her in your way

selam bola glye emanetkum                 Give her my greetings

wlad keren wo'asmera                          Children of keren and asmera

r'iekuma mn geb' et mayzara                 If you meet her at mayzara

selam bola glye faTna zahra                Greet her for me, Fatma Zahra

selam bola glyie selam bola                 Greet her for me and greet her again

teHasoba glyie wed kotola                  Beg her and plead with her

mnde semaAkum asu'ula                     Tell her if she listens to you

teAyene bola wolbu zola                     Tell her he lost his heart and mind

dawa Ad wekden teHalela                    He even tried medicine from home and beyond

srayie hta : ta wobaka hala                 She has my medicine and she is my remedy

wobola eyie al'amin teAzara                 Tell her al'amin is indisposed

Hmamyie weqebayie itamera                And no one knows his sickness and his secret

lbyie lshhad l'b sefelal Hara                  Witness to that is my longing heart

WoEnche tshhed leanabAa Chera          And witness are my wet eyes

elitu ftiki faTma zahra                          This is what your love has done  FaTma Zahra

Haziekum mn geb' Haberieta             If you want to know her looks,

beAl shamyie qeyHatat grm ta          My love is beautiful, in the skin light

fanus Hayie et lmojeta                    Her forehead glows with light

fenajil kububat Entietata                 Big round and glowing eyes

embel kHlet kHul Hawejbeta             And no make up needs her eye brows

Sgiedaye reym wo'afa bafta             Her neck is long, and  white is her [teeth?]

shelil gaml Sgiedaya sabra            The hefty hair is a burden on her delicate neck

akUb ruman tekl dib naHra               And round breasts sit on her chest

kebotaye qeTin weteAtera              A thin waist that fits into a single hand-grip

meHawata mul' lbie seTra                Her legs captivated my heart

elat wewlad faTma zahra                 This is  FaTma Zahra

Haberehie habkokum me 'amera         This is how she looks like

r'iek uma mn geb' etgebeykum          If you see her in your way

selam bola glyie emanetkum             Give her my greetings

wlad keren wo'asmera                    Children of Keren and Asmara

r'iekuma mn geb' et mayzara            If you meet her at Mayzara

selam bola glye faTma zahra            Greet her, FaTma Zahra

wlad seraye mendefera                   Children of Seraye and Mendefera

re'ikuma mn geb' etmayzara             If you meet her at Mayzara

selam bola glyie faTma zahra           Greet her,  FaTma Zahra

wlad akele ambasoyra                    Children of Akele and Ambasoyera

r'iekuma mnmn geb' etmayzara         If you meet her at Mayzara

selam bola glyie faTma zahra::        Greet her, FaTma Zahra

3

faTma zahra                                       Fatma Zahra

smki Hlayta 'glake cra                     Your name is a song for the poet

wesmki qur'anta 'glazakra                And your name is prayer for the pious

wesmki nabrata 'glasafra                 And your name is food for the hungry

wesmki tesfata 'gle'asbera               And your name is hope for the patient

itsttora                                             Do not keep it a secret

itstora                                              Do not keep it a secret

lilit meSet bielew faTma zahra          They said faTma zahra came last night

lilit meSet bielew dib asmera            Last night she came to Asmera

Ada gl tganeH we'agwara                To visit her people and neighbours

noshima re'iekwo le'asura                 I saw the tracks she left behind

wedela lamra Hd beshara                  And those who knew exchanged the good news

ytstora                                               Don't keep it a secret

lilit meSet biel ew faTma zahra            faTma zahra came last night

lilit meSet Alet dib asmera                  Last night, she came to Asmara

fetaya le'abala ferHa wo'asrara           Whoever loves her was joyful

wo'abaya legb'a dib mdr agbab Hafra   But her enemies went down hiding

wedela le'abeki gedm Emru HaChra      And whoever hates you, his day are numbered

faTma zahra                                       faTma zahra

ela senet tHalf imesleni ela senet        This year will not go by

tHalf imesleni embel bsharet               Without hearing the good news

rebi jemAni msl berhet                        And God will bring me with Barehet

edagma ana kula leHalfet                    And may be I will talk about the past

gahyie weHazenyie geb' ferHat         And may be my agony and sorrow, will change to joy

faTma zahra::                                   faTma zahra

4

faTma zahra                                      FaTma zahra

HaQoki yttneber asmera                  Asmara can not be a home in your absence

HaQoki yttneber asmera                  Asmara can not be a home in your absence

EChet gamlet qrS SnuE Sewra          Evergreen tree strongly rooted

esit senet Haben bieta wodara       An exemplary woman, the glory of her house and home

metthagey tesemE agwara              Whose word is valued by her neighbors

abaye ltfenate mnzahra                  Alienation from Zahra is only wished for the enemy

HaQoki ynebra asmera Asmera          Can not be my home in your absence

HaQoki ittneber asmera                   Asmera can not be a home in your absence

biet Selmetet qesna mnla lenura       The lights are off and the house is dark

dmnet geb'et Afsht shehat sahbara   It is bare and abandoned

Anekb Hablietu alrora                      And the spiders waved their webs

woAneChit kmnnrabs sarera             And the rats are jumping in it

HaQoki yttneber asmera                  Asmera can not be a home in your absence

HaQoki ynebra asmera                    Asmera can not be a home in your absence

nabra beyn detey yQedra                A lonely life is a burden for me

begsko mekayje yt'amera                I am going, where to? I don't know

glHaziki Sm'k wosefra                      Looking for you in thirsty and want

wo'akanki lbyie nsu l'amra                To where you're, only my heart knows

HaQoki yttneber asmera                  In your absence Asmera is no more a home

wulajie wowladki wozahra                Oh zahra! My children and yours

absefelal anabOm Charara               Are crying, and their tears flowing

edhom medowm egl ksaw gwara       Waiting for the charity of the neighbours

mergemtu iyew  ek fenTara             It is a curse that separated us

mdbiet Hfn serna edbn nabra           Away from  the warmth of our houses ,

                                                        here we are living in abandoned dwelling

 Rumana

welat keren SaEda                                   Daughter of the wonderful Keren

sefalelkina                                               we long so much for you

moday kofo hala aKbar hebina                 Come tell us the news of the times

ab zhale thaleki tbSHaki selamie                  Greetings to you wherever you are

selam msl sefelal ketebkwa ab'mbaye        With tears of longing

edl wlawl ll'ka egl tshfeg eglyie                    I entrust my greeting to the wind so it reaches you rapidly

welwal amsuy wobrud akanatki yQewie      Hoping the cold breeze of the evening might know where you are

rumana welat saHl SaEda                            Rumana,daughter of the wonderful Sahil

sefelakina                                                    We long so much for you

moday kofo hala aKbar hebina                   Come tell us the news of the times

ente wlwal Hasabka fina biya abSHake        Oh wind, I have a message for you to take dinebatki k bdetka mdir ytetteSbHa                                                    If it is heavy do not keep it overnight

ethrr ebedol amsuy siefa tHze wosorHa       For it will ask for food and farewell ceremony dib bsota seAma we dib edha wemltHa                                                       Kiss her forehead, hand and cheeks

rumana welat semhar SaEda                    Rumana, daughter of the wonderful Semhar sefalelkina                                           We long so much or you

moday kofo hala aKbar hebina                 Come tell us the news of the times

mn amara rumana sekb mnSenHka            Who knows you may find her sleeping

ytdengS kubuda harsa abmhlaka              Wake her up carefully

webielaye fetayki ab sefelal tehantaka     Tell her her lover longs for her

belE yhala weseti amEytu tetbateka         He is fasting of food and drink

rumana welat barka SaEda                      Rumana, daughter of wonderful Barka

 sefalelkina                                                  we long so much for you

 moday kofo hala aKbar hebina::              Come and tell us the news of the times

Elal Wdeyi Waldayit

Elal wdeyi waldayit                     Ululate Oh mother !

weshadrki lweyi                        Put on your "chadir"

moday bedir aQbala                    Back are the old days

moday bedir aQbala                    Back are the old days

bakat wlad etaya                       Return with your sons and daughters

lama entit welido                        Those who came from your womb

 albab abay salaba                      Have defeated the enemy

lama ekit womerar                       Both the bitter and the evil

abay Hdud teAdaba                     Met the enemy beyond the border

 gedm Hzey wetemneyi                Now is the time to wish and dream

Hasu HSuy te'akeba                    The bethroted are all assembled

wo yom latu kefieki                     Enough for this day onwards

 frH geb'a Azaba                         Replace suffering by joy

bakat wlad etaya                        Return with your sons and daughters

lerefIet eba Ariba                        Be there at the bride's ceremony e

gl tstey Haliba                            To drink from her milk

waldet Hayut entitu                    Mother of braves

HaTer bakti trakeba                     Courage is thy nature

welad barka wosetit                    Children of barka and setit

adal wotegorba                          Of Adal and Tegorba

welad gedm jngerien                    Children of Gedm and Jengerien

kl'ot rorit maskeba                      The daughter of the two highlands

may deArit staya                        Who drinks the water of deArit 

wereHib wada Ansaba                  And The wide valley of Ansaba

welet semhar SaEdata                 Daughter of beautiful Semhar

farHat hliet mnlba                       Joyful in her heart

shenen tibel kem fetiet                She moves about as gracefully as she wishes

ledowenk shamalke bba                Let her leap forward as the wind's wings

msl furas shebaba                       carries her together with her brave youth

Elal waqlu wohoyra                      Ululate loud and sing

welat naQfa worara                     Daughter of Naqfa and the

Rora afAbotat Qorora                   Of Afabet and Qorora

Hge shebab entitu                      You are the shield for the youth

Awete bake azahra                     Victory was ushered by you

welat awlet kebesa                     Daughter of the highland kebesa

Adi qeyH menzala                        Whose home is in Adi qeyeh mendefera

 wo'asmera                                Mendefera and Asmara

moday bedir aQbala                     Back are the old days

TAgala maHbara                          Her council is reconvened

welet bado denkalya                    Daughter of Dankalia

kemshwekm shemal staya             Who feeds on the light breeze

gndl etu kem fetiet                      Gracefully strolling as she wishes

jzayir wemersa Adhuya                 Islands and harbours are her dwellings

Haben lfraH fetaya                       Proud is made whosoever loves her.

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(Translation by Omar Kekia)