DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49270#0046
26
M. M. 'Abd Allah
Songs at Siwah. All the songs given below are those sung by the men, for it is not
easy to collect any songs of women, because they do not come to consult the doctor. The
stories were also from men.
1. The song while working in the palm trees.
O thou Palm tree, tall and hard to climb! In vain have many people tried to climb you, but could
not and died without tasting your fruit. I have climbed you.
(He then begins to complain to the tree, his love, but in this complaint he shows his
courage, saying —)
If my illness from love was not severe and was of short duration, I would not have complained, but
would have kept it secret. But my illness will last forever, and so will it change and consume me.
(He then addresses his love directly saying —)
0 beautiful creature! Thou whom I cannot leave at all, like my inability to put aside my clothing
and go bare! Thou for whom I weep the night long, look on me and have pity on my love!
(He then says—)
If you find a blind man do not show him the way; if you find a man doing wrong, do not tell him the
right, for every man must taste the result of his acts.
(Then the man — he is frbm the West of Siwah 88— says —-)
All we Westerners have agreed together. We are strong and ready for fighting. Western Siwah
has nurtured (?) us and nurtured (?)our grandfathers. Can any Eastern Siwiah come and fight with us?
2. Song when intoxicated.
Do not heed my love — let one and all come up to my house.
I drink no spirits, but palm wine is my best drink.
If I went not to you, yet my soul went to you: it has never been absent from you a single day.
(My love says) ‘ I cannot come to you; my kinsmen ate Arabs, and you must win their consent. My
kinsmen have keen eyes: without their consent I cannot come.’
O my love, whatever you ask of me, I come running with it.
3. Song on drums and pipes.
I do not admire anyone, either in Siwah or elsewhere, except you.
What am I going to do now? My love has left me. He loved me once; but it seemed that my
beloved afterwards despised my love and changed.
Pity, pity, O my Love! I cannot say that you are not my love!
I belong to you my Love! I, my sons and my property, all are under your command.
I have made my couch and waited, but my beloved boy did not come.
By Allah, I love this lad. This lad has fine rings on his fingers, and a charming beauty in his face.
88 Between the West and East Siwans exists an old and bitter feud, which again and again has resulted in serious
faction fights. The origin of this enmity is not known, but despite the outward quiet imposed on the Oasis by the
pax Britannica, the old hatreds are still alive, such songs as this contributing to keep them green.
M. M. 'Abd Allah
Songs at Siwah. All the songs given below are those sung by the men, for it is not
easy to collect any songs of women, because they do not come to consult the doctor. The
stories were also from men.
1. The song while working in the palm trees.
O thou Palm tree, tall and hard to climb! In vain have many people tried to climb you, but could
not and died without tasting your fruit. I have climbed you.
(He then begins to complain to the tree, his love, but in this complaint he shows his
courage, saying —)
If my illness from love was not severe and was of short duration, I would not have complained, but
would have kept it secret. But my illness will last forever, and so will it change and consume me.
(He then addresses his love directly saying —)
0 beautiful creature! Thou whom I cannot leave at all, like my inability to put aside my clothing
and go bare! Thou for whom I weep the night long, look on me and have pity on my love!
(He then says—)
If you find a blind man do not show him the way; if you find a man doing wrong, do not tell him the
right, for every man must taste the result of his acts.
(Then the man — he is frbm the West of Siwah 88— says —-)
All we Westerners have agreed together. We are strong and ready for fighting. Western Siwah
has nurtured (?) us and nurtured (?)our grandfathers. Can any Eastern Siwiah come and fight with us?
2. Song when intoxicated.
Do not heed my love — let one and all come up to my house.
I drink no spirits, but palm wine is my best drink.
If I went not to you, yet my soul went to you: it has never been absent from you a single day.
(My love says) ‘ I cannot come to you; my kinsmen ate Arabs, and you must win their consent. My
kinsmen have keen eyes: without their consent I cannot come.’
O my love, whatever you ask of me, I come running with it.
3. Song on drums and pipes.
I do not admire anyone, either in Siwah or elsewhere, except you.
What am I going to do now? My love has left me. He loved me once; but it seemed that my
beloved afterwards despised my love and changed.
Pity, pity, O my Love! I cannot say that you are not my love!
I belong to you my Love! I, my sons and my property, all are under your command.
I have made my couch and waited, but my beloved boy did not come.
By Allah, I love this lad. This lad has fine rings on his fingers, and a charming beauty in his face.
88 Between the West and East Siwans exists an old and bitter feud, which again and again has resulted in serious
faction fights. The origin of this enmity is not known, but despite the outward quiet imposed on the Oasis by the
pax Britannica, the old hatreds are still alive, such songs as this contributing to keep them green.