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Mahmoud Darwish (13 March 1941 – 9 August 2008): Think of Others, 2005: translation via TheSemiClassicalLimit, 10 August 2012
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Suruc, Turkey. Thousands of Syrian refugees, mostly tired and devastated, enter Turkey at Yumurtalik crossing gate. Over 200,000 people fleeing the Islamic State militant advance on Kobani, Syria have arrived in the last four days: photo by Burhan Ozbilici/AP via The Guardian, 24 September 2014
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and while you are going to war,
think of others
don’t forget those seeking peace
and as you pay your water bill,
think of others
those who drink the clouds
and while you are returning home,
your home,
think of others
don’t forget the people of the tents
and as you sleep and count the stars,
think of others
those who don’t have a space to sleep
and as you liberate yourself with metaphors,
think of others
those who have lost their rights to speak
and while you are thinking of others far away,
think of yourself
and say: I wish I was a candle in the dark
Mahmoud Darwish (13 March 1941 – 9 August 2008): Think of Others, 2005: translation by Fayeq Oweis via oweis, 8 September 2010
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New Delhi, India. A homeless man takes a morning bath in the old city area: photo by Bernat Armangue/AP via The Guardian, 22 September 2014
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Mahmoud Darwish (13 March 1941 – 9 August 2008): Think of Others, 2005: translation by Hamish Kinnear via The Edinburgh Arab Initiative, 12 February 2012
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The Red Sea. Guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke launches a Tomahawk cruise missile, as the US and allied forces began air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syrian territory: photo by Carlos M. Vazquez/US Navy/EPA via The Guardian, 23 September 2014
Mahmoud Darwish: Think of Others … فكِّر بغيركَ
| As you prepare your breakfast, think of others. Don’t forget to feed the pigeons. As you conduct your wars, think of others. Don’t forget those who want peace. As you pay your water bill, think of others. Think of those who only have clouds to drink from. As you go home, your own home, think of others don’t forget those who live in tents. As you sleep and count the planets, think of others there are people who have no place to sleep. As you liberate yourself with metaphors think of others those who have lost their right to speak. And as you think of distant others think of yourself and say “I wish I were a candle in the darkness.” | وأنتَ تُعِدُّ فطورك، فكِّر بغيركَ لا تَنْسَ قوتَ الحمام وأنتَ تخوضُ حروبكَ، فكِّر بغيركَ لا تنس مَنْ يطلبون السلام وأنتَ تسدد فاتورةَ الماء، فكِّر بغيركَ مَنْ يرضَعُون الغمامٍ وأنتَ تعودُ إلى البيت، بيتكَ، فكِّر بغيركَ لا تنس شعب الخيامْ وأنت تنام وتُحصي الكواكبَ، فكِّر بغيركَ ثمّةَ مَنْ لم يجد حيّزاً للمنام وأنت تحرّر نفسك بالاستعارات، فكِّر بغيركَ مَنْ فقدوا حقَّهم في الكلام وأنت تفكر بالآخرين البعيدين، فكِّر بنفسك قُلْ: ليتني شمعةُ في الظلام |
Mahmoud Darwish (13 March 1941 – 9 August 2008): Think of Others, 2005: translation via TheSemiClassicalLimit, 10 August 2012
Suruc, Turkey. Thousands of Syrian refugees, mostly tired and devastated, enter Turkey at Yumurtalik crossing gate. Over 200,000 people fleeing the Islamic State militant advance on Kobani, Syria have arrived in the last four days: photo by Burhan Ozbilici/AP via The Guardian, 24 September 2014
Sanliurfa, Turkey. A Kurdish woman runs away from a water cannon near the Syrian border after Turkish authorities temporarily closed the border near Suruc: photo by Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images via The Guardian, 22 September 2014
Suruc, Turkey.Turkish soldiers stand guard as Syrian refugees wait behind the border fences near the southeastern town of Suruc: photo by Stringer/Turkey/Reuters via The Guardian 17 September 2014
Mahmoud Darwish: Think of Others … فكِّر بغيركَ
while preparing your breakfast,
think of others
don’t forget the aliment of the doves
while preparing your breakfast,
think of others
don’t forget the aliment of the doves
and while you are going to war,
think of others
don’t forget those seeking peace
and as you pay your water bill,
think of others
those who drink the clouds
and while you are returning home,
your home,
think of others
don’t forget the people of the tents
and as you sleep and count the stars,
think of others
those who don’t have a space to sleep
and as you liberate yourself with metaphors,
think of others
those who have lost their rights to speak
and while you are thinking of others far away,
think of yourself
and say: I wish I was a candle in the dark
Mahmoud Darwish (13 March 1941 – 9 August 2008): Think of Others, 2005: translation by Fayeq Oweis via oweis, 8 September 2010
New Delhi, India. A homeless man takes a morning bath in the old city area: photo by Bernat Armangue/AP via The Guardian, 22 September 2014
Marikina city, Philippines. Residents wade through floodwater brought by Typhoon Fung-Wong. The tropical storm has triggered widespread floods in and around the Philippine capital: photo by Francis R. Malasig/EPA via The Guardian, 19 September 2014
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Manila, Philippines. A boy stands in a window overlooking burnt houses following a fire near the international airport in Pasay city. Over a hundred families were left homeless after a blaze that destroyed shanties: photo by Francis R. Malasig/EPA via the Guardian, 16 September 2014
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Manila, Philippines. A boy stands in a window overlooking burnt houses following a fire near the international airport in Pasay city. Over a hundred families were left homeless after a blaze that destroyed shanties: photo by Francis R. Malasig/EPA via the Guardian, 16 September 2014
Lagos, Nigeria. Muslim women on route to Mecca undergo health checks for the ebola virus at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos: photo by Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via The Guardian 17 September 2014
Islamabad, Pakistan. A displaced teenager sleeps outdoors to escape the heat in his home: photo by Muhammed Muheisen/AP via The Guardian, 22 September 2014
Mahmoud Darwish: Think upon Others
قصيدة محمود درويش
فكّر بغيرك
وأنت تُعدُّ فطورك، فكر بغيركَ
لا تَنْسَ قوتَ الحمام
وأنتَ تخوضُ حروبكَ، فكَر بغيركَ
لا تنس مَنْ يطلبون السلام
لا تَنْسَ قوتَ الحمام
وأنتَ تخوضُ حروبكَ، فكَر بغيركَ
لا تنس مَنْ يطلبون السلام
وأنتَ تسدد فاتورةَ الماء، فكَّر بغيركَ
مَنْ يرضَعُون الغمامٍ
وأنتَ تعودُ إلى البيت، بيتكَ، فكَّر بغيركَ
لا تنس شعب الخيامَ
مَنْ يرضَعُون الغمامٍ
وأنتَ تعودُ إلى البيت، بيتكَ، فكَّر بغيركَ
لا تنس شعب الخيامَ
وأنت تنام وتُحصي الكواكبَ، فكرِّ بغيركَ
ثمَّةَ مَنْ لم يجد حيّزاً للمنام
وأنت تحرّر نفسك بالاستعارات، فكَّر بغيركَ
مَنْ فقدوا حقَهم بالكلام
ثمَّةَ مَنْ لم يجد حيّزاً للمنام
وأنت تحرّر نفسك بالاستعارات، فكَّر بغيركَ
مَنْ فقدوا حقَهم بالكلام
وأنت تفكر بالآخرين البعيدين، فكِّر بنفسكَ
قُل: ليتني شمعة في الظلام
قُل: ليتني شمعة في الظلام
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When you prepare your breakfast, think upon others
Do not forget to feed the pigeons
When you engage in your wars, think upon others
Do not forget to demand peace
As you pay your water bill, think upon others!
Who seek sustenance from the clouds, not a tap
And when you return to a house -– your house -– think upon others
Such as those who live in tents
When you fall asleep counting sheep (planets), think upon others
Who cannot find a space for sleeping
And as you search for meaning with fancy metaphors, think upon others
Who have lost their right to words
And while you think of faraway others, think of yourself
And say: I am a candle to this darkness
Mahmoud Darwish (13 March 1941 – 9 August 2008): Think of Others, 2005: translation by Hamish Kinnear via The Edinburgh Arab Initiative, 12 February 2012
Kabul, Afghanistan. A displaced girl from Helmand Province stands outside an adobe house: photo by Xinhua/Landov/Barcroft Media via The Guardian, 19 September 2014
Jerusalem. A Bedouin boy herds sheep in the West Bank village of Al-Eizariya: photo by Ammar Awad/Reuters via The Guardian, 19 September 2014
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Gaza City. Young Palestinian students at their school, which was damaged during the recent conflict with Israel, on the second day of the school year: photo by Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via the Guardian, 16 September 2014
Gaza City. Young Palestinian students at their school, which was damaged during the recent conflict with Israel, on the second day of the school year: photo by Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via the Guardian, 16 September 2014
Hebron, West Bank. People gather at the site where Israeli troops shot dead Palestinians Marwan Kawasme and Amar Abu Aysha. The Israeli military said they were Hamas members responsible for killing three Israeli youths in June: photo by Ammar Awad/Reuters via The Guardian, 23 September 2014