Cuddoon Harmony

Cuddoon

Gugoo curtay cuudkii oo dhalayoo
Caleentii baxdoon carjabin weliyoo
Cagaarkiyo dooggu uu cusubyoo
Intuu cokan yahay biyii cabbayoo
Calcalyadu ceegaagto kadimmada.
 
Halkaad cagta saarto ciiraysoo
Rayskuna celinaayo cidhibtaadoo
Shimbiruu ciyayaan cod kala jaadoo
Cabbaar dabadeed rahuna u ceshoo.
 
Balambaallis cardhiinya lehoo cosobsatay
Celcelinaysa baalal calammo lehoo
Neecawda cabbaysa carafteedoo
Casuuntay intii la caynad ahayd.
 
Ubaxoo cutub-cutub cillaansamay
Curubta caaraddeedu simantahayoo
Caydhkii tumay cawadii hore oo
Hoobaantu casuus casaan yartahoo
Canbuushiyo midhuhu ciireenoo
Caashiyo isa saaray cidhifyadoo
Curdankii u bislaaday cayn-cayn,
Cunahay maraysana ka caagaynoo
Cuyuunkii arkaan cadhoonaynoo
Cindiga sanna caajis gelahayn.
 
Caynadday u egtahay cajiib badanaa
Caqliga aadamaan caddeeyn karinoo
Carrabka ruux ku sheegey baan curinoo
Cadarkiyo ka udgoon cambarka la shitoo
Cuudkaan ku masaalay carafteedee.
 
Afartaa ku cabbiray cimilo wacanoo
Carrigaan u dhashaa ku caanbaxayoo
Ciiddiisaa dahaboon cid gooynaynoo
Caynaaniyo waa cawiyo nabadoo
Caawaba waanigaa ku ciidaayee,
Caddaalad ku caafimaad qaba!
 
Cirkoon caad iyo cirjiidho lahayn
Daruuri cudhanaynnin ceeryaan lihi
Jeegaan ku caweermin laba cayn lihi
Cadceed subax uun la caynad ahoo
Caddiyo dayax lagu caweysimoo.
 
Dhallintu isu cugteen ciyaartiiyoo
Cagtiyo jiibtu ay is celiyeenoo
Cureejiyo Caalin marayaanoo
Wiilashii carbisnaa cartamayaanoo
Cadrado luuqdii u celiyeenoo
Golihii cammirmoo cidhiidh yahay baa
Cakuye! Libdhadii caddaan noqotoo,
Ciyaartii ku dhammaatay caynkaa.
 
Hablihii Canab iyo Cambaro laa
Dhiilihii culaygiyo catiriyeenoo
Caanihii loogu shubay carruurtiiyoo
Ciirtii lulayaan cuddoon dumaroo
Codcodkuna ubbadii ku cigan yahay.
 
Calooshoo nadiif ah lays casumoo
Cashiiradu nabad ku wada ceeshtoo
Ciyigii laysa siiyey ceebli'iyoo
Colaad raagtiyo cabsiyi jirinoo
Cuqaal iyo culimmo talinaysoo
Caam ahaan cafis beeshu kala tahay.
 
Afartaa ku cabbiray cimilo wacanoo
Carrigaan u dhashaa ku caanbaxayoo
Ciiddiisaa dahaboon cid gooynaynoo
Caynaaniyo waa cawiyo nabadoo
Caawaba waanigaa ku ciidaayee,
Caddaalad ku caafimad qaba!
 
Carraabuu galabtii is ciirsadoo,
‘Ceelkii ka warrama cidihii kale!'
Cawdiyo salligii ciyaalku dhigoo
Cidhiidhiyo aan cardoof jirinoo
Cafiif tahay sheeko caarif ahoo
Cabsiyo aan la qabin caloolyow.
 
Caabudaadda Alliyo cibaado gutoo
Cilmiga diinta iyo casharkii subciyoo
Cisiyo sharaf Caaddil ugu deeqyoo
Caynkaan u daydaba naftani calmatee,
Allow ha ka celin nimcadan u cammiran!
 
 London, 26.02.2009
 

Harmony

When the spring rains come the livestock give birth
Each lush new leaf stays plump
The fresh green grass is luscious and rich
Everyone gorges on water, drinking their fill
While the fresh rain falls evenly all around
 
With each step your footprints sink into the ground
And the soaked soil sucks at your heels
Birds sing their own songs all at once
And then the frog starts to join them
 
Brightly-patterned butterflies flit around new blossoms
Their beating wings like vivid flags flapping back and forth
As they drink in the aromatic breeze like water
Inviting everyone to come along and join them
 
Flowers seem to have been etched with henna
And they all spring upwards at once
After the heavy rain that fell the night before
Their ripe fruit glows deep red and nut-brown
Berries and fruit hang thickly from the shrubs
All tightly packed together
Many different fruits now ripen all at once
No throat they slip down would ever protest
No eyes that see them could complain
All this goodness can never be restrained
 
This magnificent sight
Is beyond human comprehension
It's beyond the power of human description
More fragrant than the most precious incense
I can only compare this perfume to sandalwood
 
In these four verses I tell of a perfect environment
Once my country was famous for its loveliness
Its soil is gold beyond price
A sanctuary, it's a place of peace and safety
Tonight I celebrate my country
And may it be healed by justice!
 
 Under a clear sky with no hint of haze
Not a cloud to be seen, nor any mist
Not even the colours of a rainbow
Like the clarity of the first light after dawn
Or when the full moon hangs heavy in the sky
 
The best young people are chosen for the dance
Their songs and choruses echo harmoniously
While Cureeji and Caalin join in with delight
The skilful young men are alive with excitement
The graceful divas respond with their chorus
As the circle of dancers leaps with joy
When the climax comes the sun rises up
Bringing the party to a perfect end
 
The girls whose names are Canab and Cambaro
Have purified the churn with charcoal and clean cloths
Ready to be filled with milk for the children
Skilful mistresses of the churning of buttermilk
Their churns are full to the brim with ghee
 
All the people welcome each other with open arms
Families and villages live together in peace
People are generous and receive gifts with delight
There is no enmity, no one fears for their safety
Village elders and religious scholars are leading the way
So the community lives together in peace and fulfilment
 
In these four verses I tell of a perfect environment
Once my country was famous for its loveliness
Its soil is gold beyond price
A true sanctuary, it's a place of peace and safety
Tonight I celebrate my country
And may it be healed by justice!
 
In the evening everyone walks home side by side
Bearing news from the neighbouring communities
Children spread palm leaves and prayer mats on the ground
A spacious place with neither discomfort or tension
Where people talk together honestly and openly
Where they have neither fears nor worries
 
The people are devout in their worship of Allah
They recite the Koran throughout the day
Allah has granted them honour and prestige
When I look at them I am full of admiration and love
May Allah never remove their prosperity and peace!
 

Proportionate (Harmonious)

The Gu' (spring rains) started and the livestock gave birth
The leaves are tender and not yet starting to wither
The green grass is so fresh and new
They are gorged on water and still drinking more
The clean rain water is everywhere
 
With each cautious step footprints soak into the ground
Wet soil cushions your heel
All the birds sing different melodies
After a while the frog returns the song
 
Brightly patterned butterflies flit around new flowers
Its beating wings are flags of colour flapping back and forth
Drinking in the fragrant breeze like water
And inviting all her kind to join her
 
Masses of flowers that seem to have been decorated with henna
Shoots that are all aligned (ie: of equal length)
The heavy rain hammered down the evening before
The ripe fruit which is shades of reddish-brown
The berries and the fruits hung
The throat and the corners of the fruit placed on top of each other (ie: tightly
       packed)
Different types of young fruit have ripened
Any throat which it passes down would not protest
The eyes that see it do not get upset
Good intentions cannot be discouraged
 
It's very amazing the way it looks
The human mind cannot explain it
The human tongue cannot create words for it
It is more fragrant than perfume and incense that is lit
I could only compare its scent to sandalwood
 
In those four I have described a beautiful climate
My land was famous for those things
Its soil is gold that no one can buy
It is sanctuary, safety and peace
And tonight I am celebrating it
May justice heal you!
 
A clear sky without the slightest cover
Clouds are not building, nor is there mist
Nor a coloured rainbow
It looks like the morning sunshine
And the full moon when you can gather at night
 
The youth selected their best for the dance
The performance of call and response proved harmonious
Cureeji and Caalin partaking in the communal dance
The skilled young men so vigorously exited
The graceful divas in response returned the chorus tone of the song-dance
As the dancing ground heaved with joy
With the climax of the dance, huh!
The sun appeared and full daylight arrived
In that way the party came to an end.
 
The girls whose names are: Canab and Cambaro
Have purified the milk vessel with a bundle of dry wood burnt and cleaning cloth
And poured the milk into it for the children
Female masters of the tradition of buttermilk churning produce
Containers lay with overfill solid ghee.
 
The people invite one another boring no ill will
The relatives and the settlements are living side by side peacefully
People give ith generosity and receive without shame
There is no long lasting conflict and no fear for one's safety
Elders and religious scholars are leading
The community is living in peace and amity.
 
In those four I have described a beautiful climate
My land was famous for those things
Its soil is gold that no one can buy
It is sanctuary, safety and peace
And tonight I am celebrating it
May justice heal you!
 
At the end of the day those departing accompany each other home
Reaching their destination they give news about the well and the other
       communities
The children spread the palm leave and prayer mats on the ground
It is a spacious place with no discomfort and no tension
People are having an honest and knowledgeable conversation
And they have no fear and worry.
 
They fulfill the religious devotion and the worship of Allah
Religious verses recited in terms
Allah gave them honour and prestige
Any way I look at it I felt love and admiration
May Allah not take away the overwhelming prosperity that the people are
       experiencing!
 

This translation was produced in one of our community workshops for Somali speakers.

Original Poem by

Asha Lul Mohamud Yusuf

Translated by

The Poetry Translation Workshop, Maxamed Xasan ‘Alto’ with Sarah Maguire Language

Somali

Country

Somalia/Somaliland