Kabbashada Cilmiga Gaaban Waa Lagu Kadeedmaaye Sipping a Little Knowledge Could Create Hardship

Kabbashada Cilmiga Gaaban Waa Lagu Kadeedmaaye

Xaqdarrada karoortaa mar bay, kadinka jiidhaaye,
Siyaadow karbaashkii dillaac, ay kabkabayeene
Haddaa kaahii soo baxay intay, qoysay kebeddiiye;
Kacaankii aan ku aamminay naftan iyo, ciiddan koboceeda
Een idhi: ’kanaa kayd u dhigi, kiinna dhalan doona,’
KGB haddaan uga baqdiyo, kaariyadan Ruushka,
Kitaabkii cuslaa iyo ma furin, dhaarti kululeeyde.
 
Kacaankiyo xisbina waa waddani, keenni oo run ahe
Hadba kaynta uu doorbido ayuu, keennu furayaaye
Hantiwadaagna keligii dal leh oo, keeney muu jirine
Oo kuma qabsado dawladdaan, kiisa saacidine
Waad korin dhaqaalahoo dhismaha, kor ugu qaaddaaye,
War ninkii Keremliinka siinayow, Kuubba iyo Ruushka
Koodaba ha doonteen hadday, kanniba saluugeene.
 
Wixiise kal hore aan sheegey baa, maanta soo kudaye
Kartidaa Siyaad iyo halkuu, uunku kohanaayo
Haddii ay kulmaan waxa ka dhalan, kayd aan madhanayne
Balse inay killaal nagu noqdeen, koobbiyadii Ruushka
Oo Kaastaro iyo Birishineef, koodu soconaayo
Oo aan karkaba Ina Siyaad, kaaga cidiba siinnin.
 
Kacaan iyo waddanigii inuu, kadinka boobaayo
Kuwa dhoofay mooyiye intii, keennan weli joogtay
Sida koron-dhabiilaha inuu, kediyey awrkiiba
Kambalka iyo reerkii inaan, kaynta uga yaacnay
Oo koor na loo xidhay tidhaa, ’kaa innaga eega’,
Oo koona-koonaha ishuun, kuluc ka siinaynno
Haddii uu kartiba leeyahoo, talaba keenaayo,
Kollayba anigu waa mid aan ogaa, waayo keligeeye
Kutubtaasaa ii marag ah iyo, koobbiyada yaalle
Kasbashada xisbigu inay xaq tahay, kooxdii lagu qaatay
Iyo inay kashkaash iyo gurteen, kooke daba-qaade,
Kormeer baa ku filan soo dulmara, kulammadoodiiye.
 
Anna yaan karaarine haddaan, koobo hadalkiiba;
Kudladdaa xisbiga maammushiyo, kooxdan maran eegey
Kacaan-diid waddani buu ahaa, maammul kaarahaye,
Kala-gooyayaal baan arkiyo, kud iyo waabeeye
Katame iyo Amxaaraa fadhida, show kuraasyadane
Kaxna waxaa ka dhigey uummiyii, kayn isu ekeeyne.
 
Kur-gooyada tacliintii la baday, kaalinta ay gaadhay
Korodhsiimo daayoo adoon, kiisa dhexe joogin
Markii Kaafka iyo Woowga uun, kooras lala aaday
Korkana lagaga soo dhacay naxwihii, kaydka dunidoo dhan,
Haddii aanad ka dhigin maalintaa, oonad kululaannin
Kansabkii ka soo baxay halkaa, kadabsan maayaane
Waa kararaggii sida duqsiga, dhamay karuur geele.
 
Kabbashadana cilmiga gaaban waa, lagu kadeedmaaye,
War kol mid gaadhay Moosko kaad, kooras yar u qaadday
Oo kowsi sheekada warkoo, kooban lagu siiyey
Oo keennan yimid oo haddana aad, kaalin adag saartay
Kursigana u qaba inay dhigeen, Kuubba iyo Ruushka
Oo kedis go’aankii ku yahay, kooxdan lagu saaray
Kalfadhiggana ruuxii ayida, karahsan oo diiddan
Kalsoonida Siyaad loo qabo iyo, koonka madaxdiisa
Kalbaxniga xisbiga uummiyii, kowda sugi waayay
Ee soo kallahay oo ayiday, kaalinta uu muujay
Kuwii naga baxsaday maalintii, Kuubba la eryaayay
Ee kulanka weyn iyo shirkii, koodba iman waayay
Ee koona-koonaha dadka uun, kala kaxeeynaayay,
Haddaan kiis intoo lagu dallaco, kaabad lagu tiirin
Markay koronkortay aasayaan, kobocdo ay naaxdo
Kacaanka iyo geeddiga wallee, waa kufinayaane.
 
Balse inaan kamma’ay oon lumoon, haatan kululaaday
Iyo inay kadeed soo wadaan, koox aan ka hadlaayay
Kol kalaa la faalleeyn wallee, kaaha soo baxaye
Kulligoodna inay wada yihiin, keennan cadowgiisa
Oon kalax yar loo darin waddani, koobna laga siinnin.
 
Inta Keremalliin soo baxshee, kaar sare u dhiibey
Ee Kuubba loo soo diree, keebka nagu hayso
Kalooniga raggeenii waxaa, gowda kaga saaray
Kumanyaalka le’diyo intaa, kaynta wada jiifta
Kolkaad eegto nimankaad ilmada, kobo’ ka siinayso
Korneyllada la wada dhaawacee, Kuubba naga laysay
Kadab muu xasuusteen nimay, kibis wadaageene
Kudladdani ma eegaan waxaa, kaday dalkoodiiye
Kursigiyo waxay dhawrayaan, kaalintaa adage.
 
Anna yaan karaarine haddaan, koobo hadalkiiba
Kur-gooyada cadliga ay badeen, kaalinta ay gaadhay
Bal dembiga ninkii kula kohdee, kiiska kugu oogay
Kursigana fadhiistoo isagii, koodhki kugu qaaday
Oo keligii maammuloo waxani, aniga waa ii kow.
 
Bal kaxeeyntii askari buu ahaa, keeniddii hore        
Markii xigayna xeer-koobiyihii, ii kitaab dayay
Markii xigayna maraggii igu kabay, kii uu keensadaye
Markii xigayna koodhkaba hayihii, kiiska maammulayay,
Kalsoonay ka haystaan markaa, kaabadaha adage
Haddii markaa kormeer soo galiyo, kedis la eegaayo
Kelyo uma lahaadeen raggani, shay kur-gooyo ah,
Anigase iyo kooxdan yare, koodhka wada joogta
Een kaayagii galay dembiga, kiiska lagu qaadin
Aniguna kadeed iyo waxaan, kadayo mooyaane,
Kufraan ahay haddaan dhexgalo, shay kacaannimo’e
Kedis yaanay ku noqon uummiyihii, waaba kalagguure.
 

Sipping a Little Knowledge Could Create Hardship

This boneyard of injustice could wake, break the chains of abuse.
Siyaad! A patch mending a cracked whip that’s come apart;
The carpet, wet with dew, is caressed by first light.
I’ve committed to revolution; to cultivation and prosperity.
I’ve made a covenant: ‘this revolution will save our children,’
So what if I fear the KGB or Russia’s combat tanks?
Then I take my oath too casually. I swore on the Qur’an.
 
The party consists of patriots; they are constant and ours.
The coming future’s up to them – they act and direct.
No single country invented socialism: none can claim it’s theirs,
Don’t quarrel with other countries about how they construe it:
It’s simply a construct for raising the common economic standard.
Hey, you! You want to hand land to the Kremlin, Russia and Cuba?
Stand by your contemptible choice, pay no consideration to ours.
 
What I speak of comes on rapidly - leaps forward with compulsion.
Siyaad contributes talent; mankind craves to make life better.
Combine these factors, it should create constant improvement
But our country’s becoming a prison cell, copying Russian ideology
Where only Castro and Brezhnev’s views can be permitted;
Siyaad’s thoughts or considerations are considered irrelevant.
 
Revolutionaries are fleeing power’s corridors,
And not those who migrated - those still in the country.
We are a gelded camel, carefully plotting to surprise a he-camel.
We escape from homes and camps into the forest,
Bells circling our necks, their clanging means: ‘look out’.
We are looking through the corners of our eyes, cagey with fear.
Let me not chatter on, but cut back on words:
Who can condone these valueless administrators?
Anti-revolutionaries are patriots who can’t stand an administration.
What I’ve seen are separatists, crammed with malice; deadly,
But cunning: seats hold look-alikes of Katame and Ahmaras.
What cuts is the pretence of caring for the nation.
 
Progression in education is cancelled out; can’t be repaired:
We can’t reach for intermediate, let alone higher education.
A little knowledge of K and W, the student can take further courses -
Instead of learning from the bottom, it comes top down.
If no-one warns of the coming danger and turns up the heat,
Their scholarly skills won’t benefit the country.
They’re green-bottles boozing on sour camel’s milk.
 
And sipping a little knowledge could create hardship.
It’s crazy: you send someone to a course in Moscow
And the course is given - concise, speedy -
And he’s flown back to our country and assigned authority
And considers himself installed to the seat by Cuba and Russia.
He’s surprised by the expulsion of Cubans and the Soviets,
Despises those who decided at the party congress,
And people’s confidence in Siyaad and the nation’s leaders -
The party-conference started early; couldn’t wait for one o’clock:
They crowded in at daybreak to cheer the party’s agenda.
Those who ran away the day we expelled the Cubans,
Those who didn’t show at the party conference,
Destroying the party’s coherence; carving people into groups,
Must be indicted for treason, tied up for capital punishment.
When they cultivate animosity, it’s cancerous.
They deliberately obstruct and crush the revolution.
 
Maybe I’m just confused, my emotions too complex,
But these traitors contrive to catalyse violence.
Consequences will be noted: one day people will comprehend
How they’re enemies of their kin and the country
And were never the constant or loyal kind.
 
The Kremlin shipped armoured combat-vehicles to Ethiopia
And sent Cubans as proxies, carefree with the trigger,
Our armed forces were captured and killed,
Countless warriors collapsed in the forest.
When you look at these soldiers you can’t help but cry:
Colonels injured or killed by the Cubans.
We were never their co-workers or comrades,
But some don’t care about the plight of their country:
Their concern’s violently clutching state power.
 
Don’t let me carry on too long.  Let me be concise.
This group condones injustice; because of this it climbs.
They charge you with an offence, claim you’ve committed crime,
Take you to court, then convert to prosecutor and judge -
Yes, they alone judge crimes, on evidence I can’t see.
 
First it was their cop who brought me to court,
Their prosecutor carried proceedings against me,
Their witness gave a concocted testimony
And lastly, their judge came to the incorrect verdict.
This group had the confidence of those above them -
If they’d been checked, inspected without being cautioned,
They wouldn’t have acted to convict an innocent man.
Unless accuser and accused had an unbiased court,
The legal case must be heard by a clean judge.
And perhaps it’s my character; how I’ve handled concerns,
But if this miscarriage continues, my revolutionary act concludes.
You can’t be surprised: it seems these times create change.
 

Sipping a Little Knowledge Could Create Hardship

An injustice piled up could one day jolt into motion and break the chains of abuse,
Hey Siyaad! A patch used to mend the whip that has had cracks and split into separate parts
The dew that moistened the mat has received the first glimmer of light;
The revolution that I’ve entrusted myself and the growth and prosperity of this land
I said: ‘It will be this revolution that will make a considerable savings for the future generations,’
And what if I get frightened of the KGB and the Russian armoured vehicles
Then I took lightly to my oath to Allah earlier and I’m accountable to my promise and it did matter taking a solemn promise on the Holy Qur’an.
 
The revolutionaries and the party members are genuine patriots and they are truly ours
It’s up to them – again and again – the course of action they take and the direction they choose
There’s no single country that invented socialism alone and claimed it as theirs
Never quarrels over with other countries which do not support its interpretation of socialism
It’s simply a system of nation-building and raising the economic standard of the people,
Hey, you! Anyone of you who wants to hand over his land to the Kremlin, Russia, and Cuba
Let they decide to pick up their choice if they are despised and pay no attention to ours.
 
What I've said earlier has progressed rapidly and leaps about with great force
The talent that enables Siyaad to achieve a great deal and all the human beings’ strive for good life
If one brings both and combine together it will create everlasting deposit bonuses
But it looks that it became like a prison cell that only works the copies of the Russian ideology
And only Castro’s and Brezhnev’s viewpoints are permissible
Siyaad’s attitude of considering a matter and the fact of not being regarded his views as relevant.
 
The revolutionaries and the patriots are fleeing and running away from the corridors of the party
Excluding those who fled and migrated, but those who still remain in the country
We are like the gelded camel showing careful forethought to surprise the he-camel
We are running away from our homes and dwellings into the forest
Bells were attached to our necks giving a ringing sound which says, ‘keep an eye on them’,
Looking at things out the corner of our eyes because of been too frightened.
 
Let me not be excessively talkative and just try to summarize my expression;
As I looked these organized group of people administering the party who is meaningless and having no value
An anti-revolutionary is himself a patriot who has just disliked an administration
What I’ve seen are separatists, who are full of malice and very deadly,
But, on the contrary they are the look-alikes of Katame and Ahmaras who are sitting on these chairs
What makes people upset at this situation is when one starts pretending and keeping up appearances of doing something for the good of the nation.
 
The progress that we made in the education system is now been destroyed and cannot be repaired
Still not reaching the intermediate level let alone furthering his education
Just knowing a very little knowledge of K and W and this allowed the person to go further courses
Instead of one learning from bottom up one comes with the top down approach,
If you don’t give a warning of the impending danger and turn the heat up on them
The skills and the scholarly attainments they achieve would not be benefited
It is like the green bottle fly used to booze a lot of sour camel’s milk.
 
And sipping a little knowledge could create hardship,
The strangest thing is that you try to send someone to a course to Moscow
And the course was performed to him in a concise speedily manner,
And later was flown him back to our country and been assigned to an important position of authority
And thinks he is installed to the seat by Cuba and Russia
For him it is a surprise the decision of the expulsion of Cubans and the Soviet personnel
Disliking and having antipathy for anyone supporting the decision taken at the party congress
And the confidence people have towards Siyaad and the leaders of the nation
The people attended the annual conference of the party early in the morning not been able to wait till one o’clock
Set off at daybreak and supported the party’s agenda,
Those who run away from us the day we expelled the Cubans
And who didn’t turn up and make a showing at the party conference
Destroying the unity of the party and dividing the people into groups,
If we don’t indict for treason and take them to tie and shoot at the execution poles,
When they start breeding rapidly their animosity and ill will and it flourishes
Then they will deliberately obstruct and definitely sabotage the revolution.
 
Whether I’m just mistaken and my emotion screwed up and got lost
Or whether the people mentioned above are preparing to instigate violence
The consequence of their actions will one day come to the people’s attention and will genuinely expressed an opinion
And that they are the enemies of the people and the country
And they were never nourished with the novel virtue of patriotism.
 
The Kremlin shipped to the Ethiopians with heavy armoured fighting vehicles
And sent Cubans as proxies inclined to behave recklessly with the trigger
Our armed forces were hunted down and killed
Thousands of slain warriors lying in the forest
When you look at these soldiers you shed tears
Colonels who were all injured and killed by the Cubans
One never acted as a friend to these people by offering them support,
But unfortunately this group is unconcerned in the plight of their country and people
The only thing that the group is concerned and waiting to act accordingly is by violent means of grabbing the power of the state.
 
Let me not be loquacious and try to summarize my point;
The group has encouraged injustice to increase and it has since then been on the rise
Started to charge you with an offence and claim that you have done something wrong
And takes you to court and become the prosecutor and judge
It is the group and the group alone that administers the whole judgement which I’ve never ever seen it before.
 
First it was a cop who brought me to court
Then the public prosecutor instituted the legal proceedings against me
And then a witness brought by them gave a fabricated sworn testimony
And lastly it was the judge, who gave me the wrong verdict,
The gang had a full confidence and support from the upper echelons of the state
If this group was monitored and inspected without giving a prior notice
They would never have acted unlawfully and carried out the conviction of an innocent person.
But unless either me or the gang group who was present at the court was not brought to an appropriate and unbiased court of justice
And the legal case between the two opposing parties – the defendant and the accuser – is heard and real judgement is made by a true judge
And I don’t know whether it’s my overall attitude of handling my anxiety,
I swear to God that I’ll never ever involve and take part any revolutionary activities if this miscarriage of justice prevails
Let not the people be unexpected because it seems that we are in a time of transition.
 

This translation was commissioned by The Somali Week Festival which is organised by Kayd and supported by Arts Council England.

Original Poem by

Muse Cali Faruur

Translated by

Maxamed Xasan ‘Alto’ with Clare Pollard Language

Somali

Country

Somalia/Somaliland