DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0044
28
HARVARD AFRICAN STUDIES
qga nus biyd qdmna
galdn biyd''fin tola
qga nu ’'ngdlla bardna
nd himz'era Abba Sangd
105 mannl Wattd qarqdrra
hinni gard qarbatd
firakie "nbusln g^de
hadakie ''ngatin gqde
Guma qilh'ensa wdru
110 Guma^nafin na g$de
Hannakie^nbusin g$de
$ga nus blya qdmna
galdn biyd'fin tola
fyga mifingdlla bardna
115 yo Waqayd nuf g^de
1 Oh Surama, my lord. 2 The fertile and rich land 3 today has become fit for monkeys
(only)! 4 The land, rest of the mulatto, 5 today pays tribute for the cow’s enclosure!
6 To the land, bed of Tirfi, 7 today, weeding the way I desire to return there (literally,
today I weeded on its way). 8 Therefore I am a vagabond lion! 9 To return to one’s own
country is good. 10 Come! I will return to my land, 11 Hanna, enclosure (of the cows)
of Gafare, 12 the land of King Abba Bara! 13 Today call us dog, 14 the sons of Hanna
Gafare. 15 Already called us, my lord, 16 the sons of this Guma. 17 “This is a sorcerer!”
they say to us. 18 I long for my country! 19 The bad contest 20 comes out of women’s
cause, (literally, comes out of women’s way). 21 The bad rain 23 comes at daybreak
(literally, comes out of daybreak’s way). 24 The bad rain 25 comes at daybreak 26 if the
cdmsitu is not there (to keep it back). 27 The bad contest 28 comes out of women’s cause
29 if the man is not there (to keep it back). 30 O Lion, my dear (horse) with (fine) tail!
31 Come! like an elephant I will roar! 32 Come! I will look where I may go. 33 If I
could go to the country of Danno, 34 the country of the wild-beast of the Bibra (family)!
35 In the morning he gives presents to a man. 36. In the evening he takes back from this
man (his presents)! 37 If I could go to the country of Garbf, 38 the country of the wild
beast (son) of Gilo! 39 The brave rest and slumber. 40 The vile drink the hydromel.
40 If I could go to Gimma, 41 Gimma (the country) of Abba Gif ar Sana! 42 This (land)
I hated and left it. 43 The girl rises and comes. 44 The man stretches for her the skin for
a bed! 45 If I could go to Kaffa, 46 Kaffa (the country) of Gallftto Kamo, 47 the country
of the kings of Busasie. 48 This (land) I hated and left it. 49 All wear (on their heads)
the gomfo. 50 All go into the woods 51 like the sons of the baboon. 52 I hated these and
left them. 53 We will go towards the king (Abba) Bara 54 if the land of Guma is bad.
55 “ After being in exile, 56 perhaps you will be sold also! ” 57 O Tucco Danno Biera
58 then we will go to your country. 59 If God has spoken (thus) in our behalf, 60 I desire
to return! 61 O Roba (son) of the black Wane, 62 please, I will call you! 63 Follow the
tracks of Roba 64 like a wounded elephant! 65 He is an obstacle which makes one fall
back 66 like an angry elephant! 67 O Robe (daughter) of Roba "bba Tullu! 68 Do you think
that she eats what she milled herself? 69 (The slaves) work by constraint and she eats.
70 O Robe (daughter) of Roba'bba Tullu, 71 beautiful, chosen among the girls with fine
teeth! 72 Since the death of her husband, 73 she has been in Lower Hanna. 74 She has
HARVARD AFRICAN STUDIES
qga nus biyd qdmna
galdn biyd''fin tola
qga nu ’'ngdlla bardna
nd himz'era Abba Sangd
105 mannl Wattd qarqdrra
hinni gard qarbatd
firakie "nbusln g^de
hadakie ''ngatin gqde
Guma qilh'ensa wdru
110 Guma^nafin na g$de
Hannakie^nbusin g$de
$ga nus blya qdmna
galdn biyd'fin tola
fyga mifingdlla bardna
115 yo Waqayd nuf g^de
1 Oh Surama, my lord. 2 The fertile and rich land 3 today has become fit for monkeys
(only)! 4 The land, rest of the mulatto, 5 today pays tribute for the cow’s enclosure!
6 To the land, bed of Tirfi, 7 today, weeding the way I desire to return there (literally,
today I weeded on its way). 8 Therefore I am a vagabond lion! 9 To return to one’s own
country is good. 10 Come! I will return to my land, 11 Hanna, enclosure (of the cows)
of Gafare, 12 the land of King Abba Bara! 13 Today call us dog, 14 the sons of Hanna
Gafare. 15 Already called us, my lord, 16 the sons of this Guma. 17 “This is a sorcerer!”
they say to us. 18 I long for my country! 19 The bad contest 20 comes out of women’s
cause, (literally, comes out of women’s way). 21 The bad rain 23 comes at daybreak
(literally, comes out of daybreak’s way). 24 The bad rain 25 comes at daybreak 26 if the
cdmsitu is not there (to keep it back). 27 The bad contest 28 comes out of women’s cause
29 if the man is not there (to keep it back). 30 O Lion, my dear (horse) with (fine) tail!
31 Come! like an elephant I will roar! 32 Come! I will look where I may go. 33 If I
could go to the country of Danno, 34 the country of the wild-beast of the Bibra (family)!
35 In the morning he gives presents to a man. 36. In the evening he takes back from this
man (his presents)! 37 If I could go to the country of Garbf, 38 the country of the wild
beast (son) of Gilo! 39 The brave rest and slumber. 40 The vile drink the hydromel.
40 If I could go to Gimma, 41 Gimma (the country) of Abba Gif ar Sana! 42 This (land)
I hated and left it. 43 The girl rises and comes. 44 The man stretches for her the skin for
a bed! 45 If I could go to Kaffa, 46 Kaffa (the country) of Gallftto Kamo, 47 the country
of the kings of Busasie. 48 This (land) I hated and left it. 49 All wear (on their heads)
the gomfo. 50 All go into the woods 51 like the sons of the baboon. 52 I hated these and
left them. 53 We will go towards the king (Abba) Bara 54 if the land of Guma is bad.
55 “ After being in exile, 56 perhaps you will be sold also! ” 57 O Tucco Danno Biera
58 then we will go to your country. 59 If God has spoken (thus) in our behalf, 60 I desire
to return! 61 O Roba (son) of the black Wane, 62 please, I will call you! 63 Follow the
tracks of Roba 64 like a wounded elephant! 65 He is an obstacle which makes one fall
back 66 like an angry elephant! 67 O Robe (daughter) of Roba "bba Tullu! 68 Do you think
that she eats what she milled herself? 69 (The slaves) work by constraint and she eats.
70 O Robe (daughter) of Roba'bba Tullu, 71 beautiful, chosen among the girls with fine
teeth! 72 Since the death of her husband, 73 she has been in Lower Hanna. 74 She has