Watch Out and Be Warned
Recited by Ḥājj Dākōn and recorded by Sam Liebhaber at home, al-Ghaydha, January 27, 2004.
Sung by Ḥājj Dākōn and ʿAskarī Ḥujayrān at ʿAskarī Ḥujayrān’s home, al-Ghaydha, September 25, 2003.
| Poem | Translation |
|---|---|
| 1) heḏḥ w-ḥeḏḏūr…men tettōma bī ḥesdēt | Watch out and be warned…against listening to those who envy me |
| ʾān ʾāmōrem hūk // hōh ḏ-īšġawyen men srūk | If they tell you // I love someone else |
| hēm ḏ-ībōdī būk // w-yḥaymem hīn fetnēt | They’re lying to you // They want strife to come between us |
| 2) heḏḥ w-ḥeḏḏūr…men tettōma bī ḥesdēt | Watch out and be warned…against listening to those who envy me |
| ġeyrem bī w-būk // ḥesdem tī w-ḥesdem tūk | They’re jealous of me and you // They envy me and envy you |
| wēt ġlōkī šūk // yemtenyem tī lemēt | When they see me with you // They hope I’ll die |
| 3) heḏḥ w-ḥeḏḏūr…men tettōma bī ḥesdēt | Watch out and be warned…against listening to those who envy me |
| bōlī ʾāmūr // kēḏə-l-ād menhem ḥeḏḏūr | As for the gossips // Who ever isn’t on guard against them |
| menhem ġatyūr // we-ḳlōbem lēh nyēt | Is changed because of them // They turn his desire upside down |
| 4) heḏḥ w-ḥeḏḏūr…men tettōma bī ḥesdēt | Watch out and be warned…against listening to those who envy me |
| mēken bēr hlūk // men fnīnī we-fnūk | Many have been worn down by them // Even before you and me |
| w-ḏēd yḥawźeb lūk // l-ād yḳawder lekmēt | The one who craves you // Can never hide it |
| 5) heḏḥ w-ḥeḏḏūr…men tettōma bī ḥesdēt | Watch out and be warned…against listening to those who envy me |
| aḥamk tehmā // w-tettōma līhem lā | I want you to listen [to me] // And not to listen to them |
| fōza men tḳā // hīhem fēdī w-kelṯēt | I’m worried that you’ll be // Their sacrifice or just another story |
| 6) heḏḥ w-ḥeḏḏūr…men tettōma bī ḥesdēt | Watch out and be warned…against listening to those who envy me |
| bīhem ḫeyr lā // bōlī ġaybet ān tdā | There’s nothing good about them // In case you don’t know about gossips |
| beyn eġā w-ġā // yedsīsem ʾādəwēt | Even between brother and brother // They could poison them with hostility |