خَيَّمَ ٱلْحُزْن وَٱلتَّوَتُّر عَلَى مُعْظَم حَفَلات رَأْس ٱلسَّنَة فِي ٱلْعَالَم ٱلْعَرَبِيّ، بِسَبَب ٱلْعُدْوَان ٱلْإِسْرَائِيلِيّ اَلدَّمَوِيّ عَلَى غَزَّة. وَٱحْتَار ٱلْمُغَنُّون وَٱلْفَنَّانُون بِأَمْر حَفَلاتِهِم اَلَّتِي تَدُرُّ عَلَيْهِم أَمْوَالًا طَائِلَة فِي هٰذِهِ ٱللَّيْلَة بِٱلذَّات. لٰكِن كُثْرًا مِنهُم أَبَوا أَنْ يُغَنُّوا وَيَحْتَفِلُوا، مُتَّخِذِين مَوَاقِف تَضَامُنِيَّة وَدَاعِين ٱلْعَالَم إِلَى نُصْرَةِ أَهَالِي غَزَّة اَلَّذِينَ يَتَعَرَّضُون لِأَبْشَع ٱلْاِعْتِدَاءَات ٱلْوَحْشِيَّة مِن قِبَل ٱلْقُوَّات ٱلْإِسْرَائِيلِيَّة. فَعَدَا عَمَّا نَشَرَتْهُ «اَلْحَيَاة» أَمْس، أَلْغَت ٱلْمُغَنِّيَّة لَطِيفَة ٱلتُّونُسِيَّة جَمِيع اِرْتِبَاطَاتِهَا ٱلْفَنِّيَة وَحِوَارَاتِهَا ٱلتِّلِفِزْيُونِيَّة اَلَّتِي كَانَت مُقَرَّرَة اِحْتِفَالًا بِرَأْس ٱلسَّنَة، تَضَامُنًا مَعَ أَهَالِي غَزَّة. وَأَكَّدَت لَطِيفَة أَنَّهُ لا يُمْكِنُهَا ٱلْاِحْتِفَال بِحُلُول عَامٍ جَدِيد وَأَهْل غَزَّة يُذْبَحُون بِٱلْجُمْلَة وَسْطَ صَمْتٍ مُرِيب.
Sadness and tension prevailed over most New Year parties in the Arab world because of the bloody Israeli aggression against Gaza. Singers and artists were unsure what to do about their parties which generate [lit. flow] a lot of money for them on this particular night. But a large number of them declined to sing and celebrate taking up stands of solidarity and calling on the world to support the people of Gaza who are being subjected to the vilest of brutal aggressions by the Israeli forces. And besides what Al-Hayat published yesterday [about cancelled parties] the singer Tunisian Latifa cancelled all her artistic engagements and television talks which were scheduled in celebration of the New Year in solidarity with the people of Gaza. Latifa affirmed that it was not possible for her to celebrate the advent/arrival of a new year while the people of Gaza were being wholesalely slaughtered amid a suspicious silence.
يَحْتَفِلُ مَسِيحِيُّو مِصْر اَلْيَوْم بِذِكْرَى ٱلْمِيلاد ٱلْمَجِيد (ذِكْرَى مَوْلِد ٱلسَّيِّد ٱلْمَسِيح) وَتَأْخُذُ ٱلْكَنَائِس زِينَتَهَا ٱلسَّنَوِيَّة ٱلْمُعْتَادَة فِي مِثْل هٰذَا ٱلْيَوْم مِن كُلّ عَام، تَأَهُّبًا لِٱسْتِقْبَال أَبْنَائِهَا لِلصَّلاة، يَتَضَافَر مَعَ هٰذَا ٱلْمَشْهَد ٱلرُّوحَانِيّ، مَشْهَد مَتَاجِر ٱلْمَلابِس ٱلْمُزْدَحِمَة بِمَنْ يَشْتَرِي «مَلابِس ٱلْعِيد»، كَمَا تَجِد ٱلْمَخَابِز وَقَد ٱمْتَلَأَت بِٱلْكَعْك وَٱلْحَلْوَى لِيَفْطُرَ بِهَا ٱلْمَسِيحِيُّون بَعْدَ صِيَامِهِم عَنهَا مُنْذُ أَوَاخِر شَهْر نُوفِمْبِر. وَرَغْم تَنَوُّع مَظَاهِر ٱلْاِحْتِفَال بِعِيد ٱلْمِيلاد إِلَّا أَنَّهَا تَتَشَابَهُ فِي مُجْمَلِهَا مَعَ ٱلْأَعْيَاد ٱلْإِسْلامِيَّة، فَهُنَاكَ كَعْك يُعَدُّ بِمُنَاسَبَةِ ٱلْعِيد، كَمَا أَنَّ وَجْبَةَ ٱلْإِفْطَار اَلَّتِي يَتَنَاوَلُهَا ٱلْمَسِيحِيُّون بَعْدَ أَدَاء ٱلصَّلاة فِي ٱلسَّاعَات ٱلْأُولَى مِن صَبَاح يَوْم سَبْع يَنَايِر تَتَكَوَّن مِن ٱللُّحُوم اَلَّتِي ٱمْتَنَعُوا عَن تَنَاوُلِهَا لِفَتْرَةٍ تَزِيدُ عَلَى شَهْرٍ وَنِصْف، كَمَا تَتَبَادَلُ ٱلْأُسَر، مَسِيحِيُّون وَمُسْلِمُون اَلزِّيَارَات وَٱلتَّهَانِي بِٱلْعِيد اَلَّذِي جَاءَ بَعْدَ «ٱلصِّيَام ٱلصَّغِير»، وَكَعَادَتِهِم يَفْرَحُ ٱلْأَطْفَال «بِٱلْعِيدِيَّة».
The Christians of Egypt today celebrate the anniversary of the Glorious Birth (the anniversary of the birthday of Christ). Churches take on their customary annual decoration on this day of every year in preparation for receiving their people [lit. children] for prayers. Coming together with this spiritual scene is the scene of clothes shops crowded with those buying festival clothes Just as you will find bakeries which have been filled with pastries and sweets for Christians to break the fast with after their abstaining from them since the end of the month of November. Despite the diversity of the manifestations of the celebration of Christmas nevertheless they resemble as a whole Islamic festivals as there are pastries prepared on the occasion of the festival and also the meal for breaking the fast which Christians have after performing prayers in the early hours of the morning of 7 January is made up of meats which they abstained from having for a period exceeding a month and a half. Also families Christians and Muslims exchange visits and greetings at the festival which comes after the Small Fast and as is usual for them children delight at the money gift [given at festivals].
كَانَ يُمْكِنُ رُؤْيَةُ ٱلدِّمَاء، وَهِيَ تَرْشَحُ مِن خَلْف ٱلضِّمَادَة اَلَّتِي غَطَّت فَخِذ ٱلْجَرِيح اَلَّذِي كَانَ يَتَأَوَّهُ مِن شِدَّةِ ٱلْأَلَم، بَيْنَمَا كَانَ يَمُرُّ ٱلْمُمَرِّضُون وَٱلْأَطِبَّاء مِن حَوْلِهِ مُسْرِعِين صَوْبَ طِفْلَةٍ تَبْلُغُ مِن ٱلْعُمْر أَرْبَع أَعْوَام أَطْلَقَ ٱلْجُنُود ٱلْإِسْرَائِيلِيُّون عَلَيْهَا ٱلنَّار فَأَصَابُوهَا فِي صَدْرِهَا بِشَكْلٍ مُبَاشِر. وَقَالَ أَحَد ٱلْمُمَرِّضِين لـِ«اَلشَّرْق ٱلأَوْسَط» إِنَّ تَوَاصُل نَزْف ٱلدَّم مِن ٱلْجَرِيح يَعُودُ إِلَى ٱلنَّقْص فِي ٱلْعَقَاقِير اَلَّتِي تَعْمَلُ عَلَى تَجَلُّط ٱلدَّم فِي ٱلْمُسْتَشْفَى ٱلصَّغِير اَلَّذِي يَخْدُم مِائَتَيْن وَخَمْسِين أَلْف نَسَمَة فِي ٱلْمِنْطَقَة ٱلْوُسْطَى. وَبِسَبَب ٱلْعَدَد ٱلْكَبِير مِن ٱلْجَرْحَى، وَقِلَّةِ ٱلْإِمْكَانَات ٱلْمُتَوَفِّرَة، فَإِنَّ ٱلْمُمَرِّض اِعْتَرَف بِأَنَّ ٱلطَّوَاقِم ٱلطِّبِّيَّة فِي ٱلْمُسْتَشْفَى تُرَكِّز عَلَى ٱلْجَرْحَى اَلَّذِينَ هُنَاكَ أَمَلٌ فِي شِفَائِهِم.
It was possible to see the blood seeping from behind the bandage which covered the thigh of the wounded man who was groaning from the intensity of the pain while nurses and doctors were passing around him rushing in the direction of a child aged four years old who Israeli soldiers had opened fire on striking her directly in her chest. One of the nurses said to Asharq Alawsat that the continued bleeding from the wounded man was due to the lack of drugs which work on the clotting of blood in the small hospital which serves two hundred and fifty thousand people in the central region. And due to the large number of wounded and the lack of available facilities the nurse confessed that the medical teams in the hospital were concentrating on the wounded for whom there is a hope of recovery.
«أَنَا مُتَأَكِّدَة أَنَّ كُلّ لَحْظَة تَمُرّ تُقَرِّبُنِي أَنَا وَأَوْلادِي ٱلثَّلاثَة وَزَوْجِي مِن ٱلْمَوْت ٱلْمُحَقَّق، بُيُوت جِيرَانِي قُصِفَت. مِن ٱلنَّوَافِذ شَاهَدتُ جُثَث نِسَاء أَعْرِفُهُنّ وَأَطْفَالَهُنّ مُلْقَاة عَلَى قَارِعَةِ ٱلطَّرِيق، بَعْضُهُنّ قُتِلنَ أَثْنَاءَ تَحَرُّكِهِنّ فِي ٱلشَّارِع. وَٱلْبَعْض ٱلْآخَر دَفَعَ ٱلْقَصْف اَلَّذِي اِسْتَهْدَفَ مَنَازِلَهُنّ بِجُثَثِهِنّ لِلشَّارِع. جُدْرَان بَيْتِي لا تَتَوَقَّف عَن ٱلْاِهْتِزَاز. وَكُلَّمَا سَمِعتُ صَوْت صَارُوخٍ يَنْطَلِق مِن طَائِرَةٍ أَوْ مِدْفَعِيَّة، أَشْعُرُ أَنَّهُ سَيَسْقُط عَلَى بَيْتِي. كُونُوا عَلَى ثِقَة بِأَنِّي لا أَبْكِي جَزَعًا مِن ٱلْمَوْت، لٰكِنَّ مَا يُثِيرُ ٱلْمَرَارَةَ فِي نَفْسِي أَنْ أَمُوتَ دُون أَنْ أَرَاكُمْ». هٰذَا جُزْء مِمَّا يُشْبِهُ «ٱلْوَدَاع ٱلْأَخِير» اَلَّذِي جَاءَ عَلَى لِسَان عُلا عَلَيَّان، اَلَّتِي تَقْطُنُ فِي ٱلتُّخُوم ٱلشَّرْقِيَّة لِمُخَيَّم جَبَالِيَا شَمَال قِطَاع غَزَّة، عِنْدَمَا تَمَكَّنَت أَوَّل مِن أَمْس مِن ٱلْاِتِّصَال بِأُمِّهَا وَإِخْوَانِهَا وَأَخَوَاتِهَا اَلَّذِينَ يَقْطُنُون مَدِينَة دَيْر اَلْبَلَح، وَسَط غَزَّة.
;I am sure that every moment which passes brings me closer me and my three children and husband to certain death. The houses of my neighbours were bombed. From the windows I saw the bodies of women I knew and their children lying [lit. thrown] in the open road. Some of them were killed as they moved in the street. And others - the bombing which targeted their houses propelled their bodies to the street. The walls of my house dont stop shaking. And whenever I hear the sound of a missile fired from an aircraft or artillery I feel that it will fall on my house. Be sure that I dont cry from fear of death but what causes bitterness in my soul is that I should die without seeing you. This is a part of what resembles a final farewell which came to the lips [lit. tongue] of Ola Alayyan who lives in the eastern limits of the Jabaliya [refugee] camp in the north of the Gaza Strip when she was able the day before yesterday to contact her mother brothers and sisters who live in the town of Deir al-Balah in the centre of Gaza.
لَمْ يَكُن مَشْهَد ٱلشُّرْطِيَّات مَأْلُوفًا فِي ٱلنَّجَف، حَتَّى بِدَايَةِ ٱلشَّهْر ٱلْجَارِي، عِنْدَمَا ٱنْتَشَرَت عَشَرَات ٱلنِّسَاء لِحِرَاسَةِ ٱلْمُشَارِكِين فِي ذِكْرَى عَاشُورَاء، وَهُنَّ يَرْتَدِين زِيَّهُنّ ٱلْعَسْكَرِيّ تَحْتَ عَبَاءَتِهِنّ اَلتَّقْلِيدِيَّة اَلسَّوْدَاء. وَيَقْتَصِرُ عَمَل ٱلشُّرْطِيَّات حَالِيًّا عَلَى تَفْتِيش ٱلنِّسَاء ٱلدَّاخِلَات إِلَى ٱلْمَدِينَة ٱلْقَدِيمَة، أَوْ زُوَّار ٱلْأَضْرِحَة، وَبَعْضُهُنّ يَعْمَلنَ فِي مَجَال ٱلْاِسْتِخْبَارَات وَتَقْدِيم ٱلْمَعْلُومَات إِلَى ٱلْأَجْهِزَةِ ٱلْأَمْنِيَّة. وَخَضَعَت ٱلشُّرْطِيَّات لِدَوْرَةٍ مُكَثَّفَة دَامَت ثَلاثَةَ أَشْهُر، تَدَرَّبنَ خِلالَهَا عَلَى عَمَلِيَّات ٱلدَّهْم وَٱلتَّفْتِيش وَمُطَارَدَةِ ٱلْعَنَاصِر ٱلْخَارِجَةِ عَن ٱلْقَانُون. آمَال إِحْدَى ٱلشُّرْطِيَّات وَهِيَ أُمٌّ لِطِفْلَيْن قَالَت لـِ«اَلْحَيَاة» إِنَّهَا لَمْ تَكُن تَسْعَى إِلَى أَنْ تَكُونَ شُرْطِيَّة وَلَمْ يَكُن هٰذَا طُمُوحُهَا. وَرَضِيَت بِٱلْوَاقِع لِأَنَّهَا تُرِيد «تَوْفِير لُقْمَةِ ٱلْعَيْش وَدَفْع إِيْجَار ٱلْمَسْكَن».
The sight of policewomen was not a familiar one in Najaf until the beginning of the current month when dozens of women were deployed [lit. spread out] to guard people taking part in the anniversary of Ashura [Husseins martyrdom on 10th Muharram 60 AH] wearing their military uniform under their traditional black abaya [=cloak]. The work of the policewomen is confined currently to searching women entering into the old city or visitors of the tombs. And some of them work in the field of the secret service and of providing information to the security agencies. The policewomen were subject to an intensive course which lasted three months during which they were trained on raid and search operations and pursuing lawless elements. Amal one of the policewomen and who is mother to two children said to Al-Hayat that she had not aspired to be a policewoman. This hadnt been her ambition. But she had accepted the fact because she wants to provide a living and pay the rent.
قُنْبُلَة تَنْفَجِرُ فِي ٱلسَّمَاء فَتَتَنَاثَرُ عَنهَا حُمَم مَسْكُوبَة، كَأَنَّهَا فُوَّهَةُ بُرْكَانٍ تَنْفَجِرُ فِي ٱلْهَوَاء. تَكَرَّرَ هٰذَا ٱلْمَشْهَد عَلَى شَاشَات ٱلتَّلْفَزَة كَثِيرًا خِلالَ ٱلْعُدْوَان ٱلْإِسْرَائِيلِيّ عَلَى غَزَّة، فَأَثَارَ نِقَاشًا عَمِيقًا. فِي ٱلْبِدَايَة، لَمْ يَكُن مِن ٱلْمُسْتَطَاع تَحْدِيد سَبَب ذٰلِكَ ٱلْمَشْهَد ٱلْاِنْفِجَارِيّ. ثُمَّ تَبَيَّنَ أَنَّهُ نَوْعٌ مِن ٱلْقَنَابِل لَمْ تَأْلَف ٱلْأَعْيُن رُؤْيَتَهَا فِي ٱلْحُرُوب ٱلْإِسْرَائِيلِيَّة اَلسَّابِقَة. ثُمَّ شَرَعَ ٱلْمُسْعِفُون وَٱلْأَطِبَّاء فِي غَزَّة، بِٱلْحَدِيث عَن أَنْوَاع غَيْر مَأْلُوفَة مِن ٱلْحُرُوق تَظْهَرُ فِي أَجْسَاد مَنْ يَصِلُهُم مِن ٱلْمُصَابِين. وَوَصَفُوا تِلْكَ ٱلْإِصَابَات بِأَنَّهَا بَالِغَةُ ٱلْأَثَر فِي ٱلْأَنْسِجَة، مَا يُعَرِّضُ ٱلْمُصَابِين إِلَى مَخَاطِر مُتَنَوِّعَة. وَسُرْعَانَ مَا تَرَدَّدَ أَنَّهَا قَنَابِل مِن ٱلْفُوسْفُور. وَوَصَفَ مَسْؤُول ٱلْأُونْروَا فِي غَزَّة تِلْكَ ٱلْمَوَادّ بِأَنَّهَا «تَشْتَعِل مِثْلَ ٱلْفُوسْفُور وَتُصْدِر رَائِحَة نَفَّاذَة مِثْلَ ٱلْفُوسْفُور، لِذَا أَقُول أَنَّهَا قَنَابِل فُوسْفُور».
A bomb explodes in the sky. Pouring lava scatters from it as though it was the mouth of a volcano exploding in the air. This scene was repeated frequently on television screens during the Israeli aggression against Gaza and caused deep discussion. In the beginning it wasnt possible to determine the cause of that explosive scene. Then it became clear that it was a type of bomb which eyes were not accustomed to seeing in previous Israeli wars. Then paramedics and doctors in Gaza started talking about unfamiliar types of burns appearing on the bodies of those who came to them from among the injured. They described those injuries as having a serious effect on tissues something which exposes the injured to various risks. And before long it was being repeated that they were phosphorus bombs. An UNRWA official in Gaza described those materials [saying] that: They burn like phosphorus and give off a penetrating smell like phosphorous. Therefore I say that they are phosphorus bombs.
يَذْكُرُ هٰذَا كُلَّهُ، وَيَذْكُر أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَحْسُدُ ٱلْأَرَانِب اَلَّتِي كَانَت تَخْرُجُ مِن ٱلدَّار كَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنهَا، وَتَتَخَطَّى ٱلسِّيَاج وَثْبًا مِن فَوْقِه، أَوْ اِنْسِيَابًا بَيْنَ قَصَبِهِ، إِلَى حَيْثُ تَقْرِضُ مَا كَانَ وَرَاءَهُ مِن نَبْتٍ أَخْضَر، يَذْكُرُ مِنه اَلْكُرُنْب خَاصَّة. ثُمَّ يَذْكُر أَنَّهُ كَانَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْخُرُوج مِن ٱلدَّار إِذَا غَرَبَت ٱلشَّمْس وَتَعَشَّى ٱلنَّاس، فَيَعْتَمِدُ عَلَى قَصَب هٰذَا ٱلسِّيَاج، مُفَكِّرًا مُغْرِقًا فِي ٱلتَّفْكِير، حَتَّى يَرُدَّهُ إِلَى مَا حَوْلَهُ صَوْت ٱلشَّاعِر قَد جَلَسَ عَلَى مَسَافَةٍ مِن شِمَالِه، وَٱلْتَفَّ حَوْلَهُ ٱلنَّاس وَأَخَذَ يُنْشِدُهُم فِي نَغْمَةٍ عَذْبَةٍ غَرِيبَةٍ أَخْبَار أَبِي زَيْد وَخَلِيفَة وَدِيَاب، وَهُم سُكُوتٌ إِلَّا حِينَ يَسْتَخِفُّهُم ٱلطَّرَب أَوْ تَسْتَفِزُّهُم ٱلشَّهْوَة، فَيَسْتَعِيدُون وَيَتَمَارَون وَيَخْتَصِمُون، وَيَسْكُتُ ٱلشَّاعِر حَتَّى يَفْرُغُوا مِن لَغَطِهِم بَعْدَ وَقْتٍ قَصِيرٍ أَوْ طَوِيل، ثُمَّ يَسْتَأْنِفُ إِنْشَادَهُ ٱلْعَذْب بِنَغْمَتِهِ اَلَّتِي لا تَكَادُ تَتَغَيَّر.
All this he remembers. And he remembers that he used to envy the rabbits which would go out of the house just as he went out of it but they would traverse the fence by leaping over it or by slipping between its reeds to where they would nibble what was behind it in the way of green vegetation of which he remembers cabbage in particular. Then he remembers that he used to like going out from the house when the sun set and people were having dinner and he would lean on the reeds of this fence thinking - immersed in thought until he was brought back to his surroundings by the voice of a poet who had sat down some distance to his left. [whom] the people gathered around and he started reciting to them in an extraordinary mellifluous [lit. sweet] tone stories [lit. news] of Abu Zayd and Khalifa and Diab. They were totally silent except when delight transported them or passion roused them and they would call for a repetition and would quarrel and argue and the poet would fall silent until they had done with their clamouring after a time [which might be] short or long. Then he would resume his mellifluous recitation in a tone which barely changed.
رَغْم مَا يُعَانِيه مِن إِعَاقَةٍ فِي رِجْلِه، ظَلَّ وَاقِفًا لِأَكْثَر مِن سَاعَتَيْن، فِي ٱلطَّابُور ٱلطَّوِيل أَمَامَ ٱلْمُحَاسِب، وَعِنْدَمَا جَاءَ دَوْرُهُ لِتَسَلُّم ٱلرَّاتِب، فَإِذَا بِهِ يُفَاجَأ بِأَنَّ ٱلْمُحَاسِب يُسَلِّمُهُ رُبْع ٱلرَّاتِب فَقَط. عَبَثًا حَاوَلَ ٱلرَّجُل إِقْنَاع ٱلْمُحَاسِب بِأَنْ يَمْنَحَهُ عَلَى ٱلْأَقَلّ نِصْف ٱلرَّاتِب، لٰكِنَّ ٱلْمُحَاسِب أَبْلَغَهُ أَنَّ تَعْلِيمَات إِدَارَةِ ٱلْبَنْك تَنُصُّ بِشَكْلٍ وَاضِح عَلَى تَسْلِيم ٱلْمُوَظَّف مَبْلَغ مِائَتَي دُولار فَقَط مِن ٱلرَّاتِب، بِغَضّ ٱلنَّظَر عَن حَجْمِه، لِعَدَم تَوَفُّر ٱلسُّيُولَةِ ٱلْمَالِيَّةِ ٱللّازِمَة فِي ٱلْبُنُوك، فِي ظِلّ رَفْض إِسْرَائِيل اَلسَّمَاح بِنَقْل أَمْوَال بِعُمْلَتَي اَلشِّيكَل وَٱلدُّولار مِن ٱلضِّفَّةِ ٱلْغَرْبِيَّة إِلَى قِطَاع غَزَّة. وَيَتَقَاضَى ٱلْمُوَظَّفُون حَالِيًّا وَبِسَبَب اِنْدِلاع ٱلْحَرْب ٱلْأَخِيرَة رَاتِب شَهْر دِيْسَمْبِر (كَانُون ٱلْأَوَّل) اَلْمَاضِي، رَغْم أَنَّ شَهْر يَنَايِر (كَانُون ٱلثَّانِي) يُوشِك عَلَى ٱلْاِنْتِهَاء.
Despite what he suffers from in terms of a disability in his leg he remained standing for more than two hours in the long queue in front of the accountant. And when his turn came to receive his salary he was surprised to find that the accountant handed him only a quarter of the salary. In vain the man tried to persuade the accountant to at least give him half the salary but the accountant informed him that the instructions of the banks management stipulate clearly that employees should be given an amount of only two hundred dollars from the salary regardless of its size because of the lack of availability of the necessary financial liquidity in the banks in light of Israels refusal to allow the transfer of funds in the currencies of the shekel and the dollar from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip. Currently employees are receiving due to the outbreak of the recent war the salary for the month of last December (kānūn ~l-;awwal) despite the fact that the month of January (kānūn ~ṯ-ṯānī) is almost over.
يَنْهَضَان فِي ٱلصَّبَاح ٱلْبَاكِر، تَتَكَفَّلُ ٱلْأُمّ بِٱلْأَطْفَال ٱلثَّلاثَة، تُنَظِّفُهُم، تُغَيِّرُ مَلابِسَهُم، وَتُعِدُّ لَهُم شَطَائِر ٱلطَّعَام لِوَجْبَةِ ٱلْغَدَاء فِي ٱلْمَدْرَسَة. يُكَلَّفُ ٱلْأَب بِإِعْدَاد وَجْبَةِ ٱلْفَطُور لِلْجَمِيع. يَتَقَاسَمَان مُهِمَّةَ إِطْعَام ٱلْأَطْفَال، ثُمَّ يَتَنَاوَلَان فَطُورَهُمَا عَلَى عَجَل. تُسَارِعُ ٱلْأُمّ إِلَى إِضَافَةِ آخِر لَمَسَاتِهَا، تُهَيِّئُ ٱلصِّغَار لِلْخُرُوج. تَرْبُط خُيُوط حِذَاء هٰذَا، وَتُرَتِّب ضَفَائِر شَعْر تِلْك، وَتَنْفُضُ فُتَات ٱلطَّعَام عَن قَمِيص ذَاك. تَطْمَئِنُّ إِلَى ٱللَّوَازِم ٱلْمَدْرَسِيَّة فِي حَقِيبَةِ كُلٍّ مِنهُم، بَيْنَمَا يُرَتِّبُ ٱلْأَب بَعْض ٱلْفَوْضَى فِي غُرَف ٱلنَّوْم وَٱلطَّعَام، وَيَرْتَدِي مَلابِسَهُ سَرِيعًا. يَخْرُجُ ٱلْوَلَدَان بِرِفْقَةِ وَالِدِهِمَا فِي ٱلسَّيَّارَة نَحْوَ مَدْرَسَتَيْن بَعِيدَتَين مِن ٱلْمَنْزِل، وَٱلْوَاحِدَة عَن ٱلْأُخْرَى، وَٱلصَّغِيرَة إِلَى رَوْضَةِ أَطْفَالٍ قَرِيبَة.
They get up in the early morning. The mother is responsible for the three children. She cleans them changes their clothes and prepares for them sandwiches of food for lunch at school. The father is charged with preparing breakfast for everyone. They share the task of feeding the children and then have their breakfast hurriedly. The mother rushes to add her final touches getting the young ones ready for going out. She ties the shoelaces [lit. threads] of this one [boy] arranges the plaits of that one [girl] and dusts off the crumbs of food from the shirt of that one [boy]. She makes sure the necessities for school are in the bag of each of them while the father tidies some of the mess in the bedrooms and dining-room and puts his clothes on quickly. The two boys go out in the company of their father in the car towards two schools far from the house and [far] from each other and the little girl [goes out] to a nearby kindergarten.
ثُمَّ يَذْكُر أَنَّهُ كَانَ لا يَخْرُجُ لَيْلَةً إِلَى مَوْقِفِهِ مِن ٱلسِّيَاج إِلَّا وَفِي نَفْسِهِ حَسْرَةٌ لاذِعَة، لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ يُقَدِّرُ أَنْ سَيُقْطَعُ عَلَيْهِ اِسْتِمَاعُهُ لِنَشِيد ٱلشَّاعِر حِينَ تَدْعُوهُ أُخْتُه إِلَى ٱلدُّخُول فَيَأَبَى فَتَخْرُج فَتَشُدُّهُ مِن ثَوْبِه فَيَمْتَنِعُ عَلَيْهَا، فَتَحْمِلُهُ بَيْنَ ذِرَاعَيْهَا كَأَنَّهُ ٱلثُّمَامَة، وَتَعْدُو بِهِ إِلَى حَيْثُ تُنِيمُهُ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْض وَتَضَعُ رَأْسَهُ عَلَى فَخِذ أُمِّه، ثُمَّ تَعْمِدُ هٰذِهِ إِلَى عَيْنَيهِ ٱلْمُظْلِمَتَين فَتَفْتَحُهُمَا وَاحِدَةً بَعْدَ ٱلْأُخْرَى، وَتُقَطِّرُ فِيهِمَا سَائِلًا يُؤْذِيه وَلا يُجْدِي عَلَيْهِ خَيْرًا، وَهُوَ يَأْلَم وَلٰكِنَّهُ لا يَشْكُو وَلا يَبْكِي لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ كَأُخْتِهِ ٱلصَّغِيرَة بَكَّاء شَكَّاء.
Then he remembers that would never go out at night to his place by the fence without there being in his soul a burning sorrow. Because he could foresee that his listening to the chant of the poet would be cut short when his sister would call him to come in and hed refuse. So shed come out and pull him by his clothes and he would resist her so shed carry him in her arms as though he were a plaything [lit. a blade of grass] and run with him to where shed lay him down on the ground and shed put his head on the thigh of his mother. Then this one [i.e. the mother] would attend to his sightless [lit. dark] eyes and open them one after the other and shed drop into them a liquid which hurt him but did him no good. Hed be in pain but he didnt complain and he didnt cry because he wouldve hated to be like his little sister always crying and always complaining.
كَانَ غَاضِبًا جِدًّا مَعَ ٱلْعُمَّال اَلَّذِينَ يَقُومُون بِرَفْع دِعَايَتِهِ ٱلْاِنْتِخَابِيَّة مِن ٱلسَّاحَات وَٱلْأَبْنِيَةِ وَٱلشَّوَارِع.. فَمَرَّةً يَقُول «أَنَا ٱلْمُذْنِب» وَمَرَّةً يَقُول «مَنْ اِتَّبَعَ ٱلسَّرَاب لا يَحْصُلُ عَلَى مَاء» ثُمَّ يَتَسَاءَل «أَيْن أَضَعُ هٰذِهِ ٱلدِّعَايَة اَلَّتِي أَنْفَقتُ عَلَيْهَا مَلايِين ٱلدَّنَانِير وَلَمْ أَحْصُل حَتَّى عَلَى أَلْف صَوْت؟». وَيُضِيفُ ٱلْمُرَشَّح اَلَّذِي فَضَّلَ عَدَم ٱلْكَشْف عَن اِسْمِه إِنَّ «ٱلْمُمَيِّزَات اَلَّتِي يَتَمَتَّعُ بِهَا أَعْضَاء مَجْلِس ٱلْمُحَافَظَة فِي ٱلْمَدِينَة وَرَفْع مُسْتَوَاهُم ٱلْمَعِيشِيّ بِصُورَةٍ سَرِيعَة جَعَلَنِي أُرَشِّحُ نَفْسِي لِلْاِنْتِخَابَات بَعْدَ أَخْذ آرَاء أَصْدِقَائِي بِذٰلِك». وَقَال إِنَّ «هٰذِهِ ٱلدِّعَايَة أَنْفَقتُ عَلَيْهَا ٱلْكَثِير مِن أَمْوَالِي، فَقَد قُمتُ بِبَيْع مَعَامِل ٱلْجِصّ وَٱلطَّابُوق لِسَدّ مَبَالِغ ٱلدِّعَايَةِ وَٱلْأَشْخَاص اَلَّذِينَ قَامُوا بِنَشْرِهَا لٰكِنَّ ٱلْيَوْم لَمْ يَأْتِ أَحَدٌ مِنهُم مَعِي». وَأَمْهَلَت ٱلْمُفَوَّضِيَّة ٱلْعُلْيَا لِلْاِنْتِخَابَات اَلْمُرَشَّحِين أُسْبُوعًا لِإِزَالَةِ مَوَادِّهِم ٱلدِّعَائِيَّة مِن ٱلْأَمَاكِن ٱلْعَامَّة أَوْ مُوَاجَهَةِ غَرَامَاتٍ مَالِيَّة.
He was very angry with the workmen who were taking away his electoral advertising from the squares and buildings and streets... And one time he would say Im the guilty one and another time he would say He who follows a mirage wont get water. Then he would ask himself Where will I put this advertising on which I spent millions of dinars but I didnt even get a thousand votes?. The candidate who preferred not to reveal his name added that: The advantages which the members of the Governorate Council in the city enjoy and the raising of their standard of living in a rapid manner made me nominate myself for the elections after taking the views of friends on that. And he said that: This advertising - I spent a lot of my wealth on it; I sold plaster [Iraqi pron.] and brick factories to cover the costs of advertising and the people who put it up [lit. disseminated it] but today not one of them has come with me. The High Electoral Commission granted a time limit to the candidates of one week to remove their advertising materials from public places or [else] face financial penalties.
كَانَ أَخِي مُظَفَّر رَحِمَهُ ٱلله شَغُوفًا بِٱلسِّيَاسَة وَغَارِقًا بِٱلْقَوْمِيَّةِ وَٱلْوَطَنِيَّة. وَٱلْقَوْمِيُّون وَٱلْوَطَنِيُّون فِي تِلْكَ ٱلْأَيَّام كَانُوا عَلَى ٱلْأَغْلَب نَازِيِين، وَكَذَا كَانَ مُظَفَّر. يَهْرُبُ كُلّ يَوْم مِن ٱلْمَدْرَسَة وَيَذْهَب إِلَى مَقْهَى ٱلدِّفَاع لِيَسْتَمِعَ إِلَى كُلّ ٱلْمُنَاقَشَات ٱلسِّيَاسِيَّة. يَعُودُ مَسَاء إِلَى ٱلْبَيْت لِيُعْطِينَا آخِر أَنْبَاء ٱلسَّاعَة. وَكُلُّهَا طَبْعًا اِنْتِصَارَات وَٱنْتِصَارَات بَاهِرَة تُسَجِّلُهَا ٱلْجُيُوش ٱلْأَلْمَانِيَّة عَلَى سَائِر ٱلْجَبَهَات. كَانَ عَلَى يَقِينٍ تَامّ بِأَنَّ أَوَّل مَا سَيَقُومُ بِهِ هِتْلَر فِي ٱلشَّرْق ٱلْأَوْسَط هُوَ تَحْرِير فِلَسْطِين مِن ٱلْيَهُود. أَخِيرًا، ضَاقَت ٱلسُّلُطَات ذَرْعًا بِهِ وَبِأَمْثَالِه مِن ٱلنَّازِيِين فَأَلْقَت ٱلْقَبْض عَلَيْه وَزَجَّتْهُ فِي ٱلْمُعْتَقَل. وَحَسَنًا فَعَلَت. فَبِدُون ذٰلِك، لَرُبَّمَا بَقِيتُ أَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْه وَأَعْتَقِدُ أَنَّ هِتْلَر هُوَ اَلَّذِي فَازَ فِي ٱلْحَرْب وَأَنَّ ٱلْأَلْمَان قَبَضُوا عَلَى جُورْج ٱلسَّادِس وَأَعْدَمُوهُ رَمْيًا بِٱلرَّصَاص فِي سَاحَةِ ٱلطَّرَف ٱلْأَغَرّ.
My brother Muzaffar may God rest his soul was infatuated with politics and absorbed in nationalism and patriotism. Nationalists and patriots in those days were for the most part Nazis - as was Muzaffar. Every day he would run away from school and go to the Defence Café to listen to all the political discussions. He would return in the evening to the house to give us the latest news of the hour. All of it naturally victories - dazzling victories the German armies were recording on all fronts. He was absolutely certain that the first thing which Hitler would do in the Middle East would be to liberate Palestine from the Jews. Eventually the authorities got fed up with him and his likes from among the Nazis and arrested him and threw him into a detention camp. And well they did so. Because were it not for that then perhaps I would have continued listening to him and Id have believed that it was Hitler who was victorious in the war and that the Germans had arrested George the Sixth and executed him by firing squad in Trafalgar Square.
اِنْسِجَامًا مَعَ حِكْمَتِهِم اَلَّتِي تَقُول «اَلْمَوْت فِي حَوَادِث ٱلطُّرُق لا دَخْل لَنَا فِيه لِأَنَّهُ قَضَاء وَقَدَر»، وَتَحْتَ مِظَلَّةِ «ٱلْأَزْمَةِ ٱلْمَالِيَّةِ ٱلْعَالَمِيَّة» اَلَّتِي عَزَّزَت مَطَالِبَهُم، يَضْغَط مَالِكُو اَلشَّاحِنَات اَلْمِصْرِيُّون وَسَائِقُوهَا عَلَى ٱلْحُكُومَةِ لِتَعْدِيل قَانُون ٱلْمُرُور، وَمَنْع إِجْرَاء تَعْدِيلَات فِي ٱلْقَانُون ٱلْحَالِيّ تَهْدُف لِمَنْع تَسْيِير هٰذَا ٱلنَّوْع مِن ٱلشَّاحِنَات. يُذْكَر أَنَّ ٱلْعَدِيد مِن نُوَّاب ٱلْبَرْلَمَان يُحَمِّلُون هٰذِهِ ٱلشَّاحِنَات مَسْؤُولِيَّةَ ٱلتَّسَبُّب فِي ٱلْحَوَادِث عَلَى ٱلطُّرُق ٱلسَّرِيعَةِ فِي ٱلْبِلاد. فَبَيْنَمَا تُلَوِّح نِقَابَات لِلسَّائِقِين فِي عِدَّةِ مُحَافَظَات بِتَنْظِيم إِضْرَابٍ عَامّ يَوْم ٱلْجُمْعَةِ ٱلْمُقْبِل لِسَائِقِي اَلشَّاحِنَات ذَات ٱلْمَقْطُورَات، اَلَّتِي يَبْلُغ عَدَدُهَا نَحْوَ سَبْعِين أَلْفًا فِي عُمُوم ٱلْبِلاد، نَظَّمَ مَالِكُو اَلشَّاحِنَات حَمْلَةً دِعَائِيَّة فِي ٱلصُّحُف ٱلْمَحَلِّيَّة مُوَجَّهَة إِلَى ٱلْحُكُومَةِ وَٱلْبَرْلَمَان، تَحْتَ عَنَاوِين «نِدَاء إِلَى مَعَالِي رَئِيس ٱلْوُزَرَاء» وَ«ٱسْتِغَاثَة» لِرَئِيسَي اَلْبَرْلَمَان (مَجْلِسَي اَلشَّعْب وَٱلشُّورَى).
In line [lit. harmonising] with their wise saying which says Death in road accidents is none of our business because it is fate and destiny and under the umbrella of the global financial crisis which has strengthened their claims Egyptian owners of lorries and their drivers are pressing the government to modify the Traffic Act and prevent the carrying out of modifications in the current law which aim to prohibit the operating/running of this type of lorry [i.e. lorries with trailers]. It is worth mentioning that many of the Members [lit. representatives] of Parliament hold these lorries responsible for being the cause in accidents on motorways in the country. And while drivers unions in a number of governorates are signalling the organising of a general strike this coming Friday for drivers of lorries having trailers whose number comes to around 70 thousand throughout the country owners of the lorries have organised an advertising campaign in local newspapers directed at the government and parliament under the headings An appeal to His Excellency the Prime Minister and A call for help to the [two] heads of parliament (the Peoples Assembly and the Consultative [Shura] Assembly).
فِي مُحَاوَلَةٍ لِحَثّ ٱلْمِصْرِيِّين عَلَى إِخْرَاج مَا فِي جُيُوبِهِم، وَمَا هُوَ «تَحْتَ ٱلْبَلاطَة» حَسْبَمَا يَقُول اَلْمَثَل ٱلشَّعْبِيّ، وَتَحْتَ مِظَلَّةِ تَدَاعِيَات ٱلْأَزْمَةِ ٱلْمَالِيَّةِ ٱلْعَالَمِيَّة، وَكَوَارِث مَافِيَا تَوْظِيف ٱلْأَمْوَال. دَشَّنَ اِتِّحَاد ٱلْبُنُوك ٱلْمِصْرِيّ حَمْلَةً شَعْبِيَّة تَحْتَ شِعَار «لازِم يَكُون لَك بَنْك» لِإِغْرَاء ٱلْمُوَاطِنِين عَلَى إِيْدَاع أَمْوَالِهِم بِٱلْبُنُوك، مَهْمَا كَانَت ضَئِيلَة، بَدَلًا مِن تَوْظِيفِهَا لَدَى رِجَال أَعْمَالٍ مُغَامِرِين عَرْضَة لِتَقَلُّبَات ٱلسُّوق وَمُنْحَنَيَات ٱلرِّبْح وَٱلْخَسَارَة، كَمَا حَدَثَ أَخِيرًا فِي ٱلْقَضِيَةِ ٱلْمَنْظُورَة أَمَامَ ٱلْقَضَاء ٱلْمِصْرِيّ بِشَأْن ضَيَاع مَلايِين ٱلدُّولارَات اَلَّتِي أَوْدَعَهَا مَشَاهِير لَدَى رَجُل ٱلْأَعْمَال ٱلْمِصْرِيّ صَاحِب شَرِكَةِ أُوبْتِمَا «نَبِيل اَلْبُوشِيّ» اَلْمَحْبُوس حَالِيًّا فِي دُبَيّ. وَوَفْقًا لِمَسْؤُول بِأَحَد ٱلْبُنُوك ٱلْكَبِيرَة فَإِنَّ نِسْبَةَ مَنْ يَتَعَامَلُون مَعَ ٱلْبُنُوك فِي مِصْر تَبْلُغُ شَخْصًا وَاحِدًا مِن بَيْنِ كُلّ عَشَرَةِ أَشْخَاص.
In an attempt to induce Egyptians to get out what is in their pockets and what is under the floor tile as the popular saying goes and under the umbrella of the repercussions of the global financial crisis and the disasters of mafia investments the Egyptian Bank Union has launched a national campaign under the slogan: You must have a bank to entice citizens to deposit their funds with banks however meagre they be instead of investing them with reckless [lit. adventurous] businessmen exposed to the ups and downs of the market and profit and loss curves as happened recently in the case under consideration before the Egyptian judiciary concerning the loss of millions of dollars which celebrities had deposited with the Egyptian businessman owner of the company Optima Nabil el-Boushi currently imprisoned in Dubai. According to an official in one of the large banks the proportion of those who deal with banks in Egypt comes to one person out of every ten people.
بَيْنَمَا كَانَت ٱلْأَصْوَات تَتَعَالَى فِي مَقْهَى «إِيه رَأْيَك» فِي مِنْطَقَةِ وَسْطَ ٱلْبَلَد بِٱلْقَاهِرَة، مَا بَيْنَ طَالِبٍ لِمَشْرُوبِهِ ٱلْمُفَضَّل، وَآخَر يَسْأَل عَن ٱلطَّاوِلَة لِكَيْ يُلاعِب صَدِيقَهُ ٱلْجَالِس أَمَامَه، وَفِيمَا كَانَ صَبِيّ ٱلْمَقْهَى مُنْشَغِلًا بِتَجْهِيز طَلَبَات ٱلزَّبَائِن، فَجْأَة خَفَّ ٱلضَّجِيج، وَٱلْتَفَت ٱلْجَمِيع إِلَى شَاشَةِ ٱلتِّلْفَاز لِيُتَابِعُوا إِعْلان مُسَابَقَةِ «كُرُومْبُو». اَلسُّكُون اَلَّذِي سَادَ ٱلْمَقْهَى بِشَكْلٍ فُجَائِيّ، سُرْعَانَ مَا اِنْفَرَطَ عَقْدُه مَعَ نِهَايَةِ ٱلْإِعْلان، وَتَحَوَّلَ إِلَى مَنْظُومَةٍ سَرْدِيَّة عَلَى حَبْل ٱلدَّرْدَشَةِ وَٱلْمُزَاح.. فَهَا هُوَ أَحَد ٱلزَّبَائِن يَصْرُخُ مُعْلِنًا أَنَّهُ حَلَّ ٱلْمُسَابَقَة، فِي نَشْوَةٍ شَدَّت اِنْتِبَاه ٱلْجَمِيع. «كُرُومْبُو» عِبَارَة عَن مُخْبِرٍ سِرِّيّ مُهِمَّتُهُ ٱلتَّحْقِيق فِي ٱلْقَضَايَا وَٱلْمُشْكِلات اَلَّتِي يَقَعُ فِيِهَا أَصْدِقَاؤُه وَمَعَارِفُه وَيَضَعُ لائِحَة مِن ٱلْمُتَّهَمِين وَيَتْرُكُ ٱلْإِجَابَةَ لِلْمُشَاهِدِين. لٰكِنَّ أَكَادِيمِيِّين يَرَون أَنَّ نَجَاح «كُرُومْبُو» جَاءَ لِسَعْي ٱلْبُسَطَاء لِتَحْقِيق رِبْحٍ سَرِيع فِي ظِلّ ٱلْأَزْمَةِ ٱلْمَالِيَّةِ ٱلْعَالَمِيَّة وَدُونَ مَجْهُود.
As the voices rose in the Whats Your Opinion? café in Cairos city centre what between the person ordering his favourite drink and another enquiring about backgammon in order to play his friend sitting opposite him and as the café boy was busy preparing customers orders suddenly the noise subsided and everyone turned to the television screen to follow the announcement/commercial of the competition Korombo. The silence which had reigned over the café suddenly soon loosened its hold at the end of the announcement and changed into a narrative composition by way of chatting and joking... And here is one of the customers screaming to announce that he has solved the competition with a delight which draws everyones attention. Korombo consists of a private detective whose task is to investigate cases and problems which his friends and acquaintances get into and he lays down a list of the people accused and leaves the answer to the viewers. But academics believe that the success of Korombo came because of simple peoples striving to make a quick profit in the light of the global financial crisis and without effort.
اِهْتَزَّ ٱلشَّارِع ٱلْمَغْرِبِيّ مُؤَخَّرًا إِثْرَ حَادِث اِنْتِحَار سَيِّدَةٍ فِي عِزّ شَبَابِهَا، أَرْبَع وَثَلاثِين عَامًا. بِٱعْتِرَاضِهَا قِطَارًا سَرِيعًا آتِيًا مِن مَدِينَةِ ٱلْمُحَمَّدِيَّة (جَنُوب ٱلرِّبَاط)، فِي ٱتِّجَاه مَدِينَةِ ٱلدَّار ٱلْبَيْضَاء. وَٱلْمُفْجِع أَيْضًا أَنَّ هٰذِهِ ٱلسَّيِّدَة لَمْ تَكُن فَقَط حَامِلًا بِأُنْثَى، بَل لَهَا ثَلاث بَنَات اِرْتَأَت أَنْ تَأْخُذَهُنّ مَعَهَا فِي رِحْلَةِ ٱلْمَوْت. وَٱلسَّبَب اَلَّذِي دَفَعَهَا إِلَى ٱلتَّضْحِيَةِ بِحَيَاتِهَا وَإِزْهَاق أَرْوَاح فِلَذَات كَبِدِهَا، هُوَ أَنَّ زَوْجَهَا أَعْلَنَ لَهَا عَن نِيَّتِهِ ٱلزَّوَاج بِأُخْرَى بِهَدَف أَنْ يُرْزَق وَلَدًا. فَهَلْ هٰذَا يُعَدُّ مُبَرِّرًا كَافِيًا لِلْإِقْدَام عَلَى ٱلْاِنْتِحَار وَزَهْق أَرْوَاح أَبْرِيَاء بِهٰذِهِ ٱلطَّرِيقَةِ ٱلْبَشِعَة؟ مَا مِن شَكّ أَنَّهُ مِن ٱلنَّادِر أَنْ تَجِدَ اِمْرَأَة تَتَقَبَّل بِسُهُولَة فِكْرَةَ أَنْ يَتَزَوَّجَ عَلَيْهَا زَوْجُهَا وَتُصْبِح لَهَا ضَرَّة، بِٱلرَّغْم مِن أَنَّ ٱلْمَسْأَلَة وَارِدَة جِدًّا، وَلا يَحْتَاجُ ٱلرَّجُل فِي مُجْتَمَعَاتِنَا ٱلْعَرَبِيَّة إِلَى مُبَرِّرَات كَثِيرَةٍ لَهَا.
The Moroccan street was shaken recently following the committing suicide of a lady in the prime of her youth (thirty four years old) by her standing in the way of a fast train coming from the city of Mohammedia (south of Rabat) in the direction of the city of Casablanca. Also tragic was that this lady was not only pregnant with a female but that she had three daughters she decided to take with her on the trip of death. The cause which drove her to sacrifice her life and annihilate/put out of existence the lives of her own children [lit. pieces of her liver] was that her husband had announced to her of his intention to marry another with the aim that he be blessed with a son. Is this considered sufficient justification to embark on suicide and the annihilating of the lives of innocents in this revolting manner? There is no doubt that it is rare that you find a woman who accepts easily the idea that her husband marries over her so she comes to have a ḍarra [=a wife other than the first in plural marriages] although the issue is often found and the man in our Arab societies does not need many justifications for it.
سَابَقَ جَمِيل عَوْكَل وَوَلَدُه اَلرِّيح، وَهُمَا يُهَرْوِلَان مُسْرِعَيْن صَوْبَ رُكَام مَنْزِل ٱلْعَائِلَة اَلَّذِي يَبْعُد مِائَتَي مِتْر عَن مُعَسْكَر «ٱلْخِيَام» اَلَّذِي يَعِيشُون فِيه، بَعْدَمَا تَسَبَّبَت ٱلْعَواصِف ٱلشَّدِيدَة وَٱلْأَمْطَار ٱلْغَزِيرَة اَلَّتِي هَطَلَت بِدُون تَوَقُّف عَلَى ٱلْمِنْطَقَة مَرَّةً أُخْرَى، فِي ٱقْتِلاع ٱلْخِيَام وَتَطَايُرِهَا لِمَسَافَاتٍ بَعِيدَة. وَبِمُجَرَّد أَنْ وَصَلَ ٱلْاِثْنَان إِلَى رُكَام ٱلْمَنْزِل اِحْتَمَيَا فِي غُرْفَةٍ صَغِيرَة فِي طَرَف ٱلْمَنْزِل لَمْ يَسْقُط سَقْفُهَا بَيْنَمَا اِنْهَارَ أَحَد جُدْرَانِهَا، وَوَقَفَ كُلٌّ مِنهُمَا فِي زَاوِيَة مِن زَوَايَا ٱلْغُرْفَة وَظَلَّا يَرْتَجِفَان مِن شِدَّةِ ٱلْبَرْد، حَتَّى أَصْبَحَ ٱلصَّبَاح. جَمِيع نُزَلاء مُعَسْكَر «ٱلْخِيَام» اَلْمُقَام بِحَيّ اَلشُّجَاعِيَّة شَرْقَ مَدِينَةِ غَزَّة، لِإِيْوَاء ٱلْأَهَالِي اَلَّذِينَ أَضْحَوا بِدُون مَأْوَى بَعْدَ أَنْ دَمَّرَت ٱلْحَرْب ٱلْإِسْرَائِيلِيَّة مَنَازِلَهُم، هَامُوا عَلَى وُجُوهِهِم.
Jameel Awkal and his son raced the wind [i.e. they moved quickly] as they strode hurriedly in the direction of the ruins of the family home which lies a distance of two hundred metres from the Tent Camp which they live in after the violent storms and heavy rains which poured down without stopping on the region once again resulted in the uprooting of tents and their flying about over long distances. As soon as the two arrived at the ruins of their house they sought shelter in a small room in an end of the house whose roof hadnt fallen in while one of its walls had collapsed and they each took up position in one of the corners of the room and continued shivering from the intensity of the cold until morning came. All the occupants of the Tent Camp erected in the district of al-Shujaa`iyah east of Gaza city to shelter people who became homeless [lit. without refuge] after the Israeli war destroyed their houses wander about aimlessly.
دَأَبَ أَكْثَر مِن سِتُّمِئَةِ مُتَطَوِّعٍ وَمُتَطَوِّعَة سُعُودِيِّين فِي شَكْلٍ سَنَوِيّ عَلَى ٱلْاِنْتِشَار عِنْدَ شَاطِئ ٱلْخَلِيج ٱلْعَرَبِيّ (شَرْقَ ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة)، لِغَرْس عَشَرَةِ آلاف شَتْلَة مِن نَبَات «ٱلْمَانْغْرُوف» اَلْمُهَدَّد بِٱلْاِنْقِرَاض، وَذٰلِكَ عَلَى بُعْد عَشَرَات ٱلْأَمْتَار مِن أَكْبَر مِصْفَاةٍ نَفْطِيَّة فِي ٱلْعَالَم. وَتُنَفِّذ شَرِكَةُ «أَرَامْكُو اَلسُّعُودِيَّة» اَلَّتِي تُعَدُّ أَكْبَر شَرِكَةِ نَفْطٍ فِي ٱلْعَالَم حَمْلَتَهَا ٱلسَّنَوِيَّة لِزَرْع «ٱلْمَانْغْرُوف» بِٱلْاِسْتِعَانَةِ بِهٰؤُلاء ٱلْمُتَطَوِّعِين اَلَّذِينَ يَنْتَمُون إِلَى جَمْعِيَّاتٍ خَيْرِيَّة وَدُور أَيْتَام وَأَنْدِيَةٍ شَبَابِيَّة. وَيَرْتَدِي ٱلْمُتَطَوِّعُون اَلَّذِينَ تُرَاوِحُ أَعْمَارُهُم بَيْنَ ٱلسَّبْع سَنَوَات وَٱلْأَرْبَعِينَات، زِيًّا مُوَحَّدًا لِلذُّكُور، وَآخَر لِلْإِنَاث، يَطْغَى عَلَيْهِمَا اَللَّوْن ٱلْأَبْيَض، ثُمَّ يَنْطَلِقُون عَلَى طُول ٱلشَّاطِئ مُنْذُ ٱلصَّبَاح ٱلْبَاكِر، وَحَتَّى ٱلْعَصْر، لِزَرْع ٱلشَّتَلات. يُذْكَر أَنَّ «ٱلْمَانْغْرُوف» مِن أَنْوَاع ٱلنَّبَاتَات ٱلشَّاطِئِيَّة اَلَّتِي تَعِيشُ عَلَى ٱلْمَاء ٱلْمَالِح، وَيَكْثُرُ وُجُودُهَا فِي شَوَاطِئ جَنُوب شَرْقِيّ آسِيَا وَٱلْخَلِيج ٱلْعَرَبِيّ وَٱلسَّوَاحِل ٱلْغَرْبِيَّة لِلْبَحْر ٱلْأَحْمَر وَخَلِيج ٱلْعَقَبَة.
More than six hundred Saudi male volunteers and female volunteers annually devote themselves to [the task of] spreading out by the shore of the Arabian Gulf (in the east of Saudi) to plant ten thousand seedlings of the mangrove plant which is endangered [lit. threatened with dying out]. And that is at a distance of [just] tens of metres from the largest oil refinery in the world. The Saudi Aramco company which is considered the largest oil company in the world is implementing its annual campaign for the sowing of the mangrove by seeking the help of these volunteers who belong to charitable associations orphanages and youth clubs. The volunteers whose ages range between seven years old and the forties put on one uniform for the males and another for the females which are both predominantly white [uniforms] and then they set off along the beach from the early morning until late afternoon to sow the seedlings. It is of note that the mangrove is one of the species of coastal plants which live on salt water and is commonly present on the shores of Southeast Asia the Arabian Gulf the western coast of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba.
ثُمَّ يُنْقَلُ إِلَى زَاوِيَةٍ فِي حُجْرَةٍ صَغِيرَة. وَتُنِيمُهُ أُخْتُه عَلَى حَصِير قَد بُسِطَ عَلَيْهَا لِحَاف، وَتُلْقِي عَلَيْهِ لِحَافًا آخَر، وَتَذَرُهُ وَإِنَّ فِي نَفْسِهِ لَحَسَرَات، وَإِنَّهُ لَيَمُدُّ سَمْعَهُ مَدًّا يَكَادُ يَخْتَرِقُ بِهِ ٱلْحَائِط لَعَلَّهُ يَسْتَطِيع أَنْ يَصِلَهُ بِهٰذِهِ ٱلنَّغَمَات ٱلْحُلْوَة اَلَّتِي يُرَدِّدُهَا ٱلشَّاعِر فِي ٱلْهَوَاء ٱلطَّلْق تَحْتَ ٱلسَّمَاء. ثُمَّ يَأْخُذُهُ ٱلنَّوْم، فَمَا يُحِسُّ إِلَّا وَقَد اِسْتَيْقَظَ وَٱلنَّاس نِيَام، وَمِن حَوْلِهِ إِخْوَتُهُ وَأَخَوَاتُه يَغِطُّون فَيُسْرِفُون فِي ٱلْغَطِيط، فَيُلْقِي ٱللِّحَاف عَن وَجْهِه فِي خِيفَةٍ وَتَرَدُّد، لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَنَامَ مَكْشُوف ٱلْوَجْه. وَكَانَ وَاثِقًا أَنَّهُ إِنْ كَشَفَ وَجْهَهُ أَثْنَاءَ ٱللَّيْل أَوْ أَخْرَجَ أَحَد أَطْرَافِه مِن ٱللِّحَاف، فَلا بُدَّ مِن أَنْ يَعْبَثَ بِهِ عِفْرِيتٌ مِن ٱلْعَفَارِيت ٱلْكَثِيرَة اَلَّتِي كَانَت تَعْمُرُ أَقْطَار ٱلْبَيْت وَتَمْلَأُ أَرْجَاءَهُ وَنَوَاحِيه، وَٱلَّتِي كَانَت تَهْبِطُ تَحْتَ ٱلْأَرْض مَا أَضَاءَت ٱلشَّمْس وَٱضْطَرَب ٱلنَّاس.
Then he would be carried to a corner in a small room and his sister would lay him down to sleep on a mat on which had been spread a quilt and shed put over him another quilt and leave him alone. And in his soul thered be such sorrows. He would strain [lit. stretch] his hearing so much he almost pierced the wall with it that he might be able to connect it with those sweet melodies which the poet was intoning in the open air under the sky. Then sleep would overtake him and hed sense nothing until he had woken up when the people were sleeping and around him his brothers and his sisters would be snoring - and snoring excessively. Then hed throw the quilt from his face in fear and trepidation [lit. hesitation] because he hated to sleep with his face uncovered. He was sure that if he uncovered his face during the night or stuck out one of his limbs from [under] the quilt then for sure an ifreet [approx: goblin] from among the many ifreets which inhabited the regions of the house and filled its areas and corners would play around with him and which [ifreets] would descend underground whenever the sun shone and the people were astir.
سَرَت مَزَاعِم بَيْنَ زُوَّار مَهْرَجَان ٱلْجَنَادرِيَّة أَوَّل مِن أَمْس، عَن وُجُود «رَجُلٍ آلِيّ» يَتَجَوَّل بَيْنَ فَعَّالِيَّات ٱلْمَهْرَجَان فِي يُوبِيلِهِ ٱلْفِضِّيّ، لٰكِنَّ ٱلْمَزَاعِم تَحَوَّلَت إِلَى أَقْرَب مَا يَكُون إِلَى ٱلْحَقِيقَة، عِنْدَمَا ٱقْتَحَمَ شَخْصٌ مَجْهُول وَ«مُقَنَّع» اَلْعَرْضَة اَلنَّجْدِيَّة اَلْمُقَامَة فِي جَنَاح مِنْطَقَةِ حَائِل، وَبَدَأَ بِٱلرَّقْص بِطَرِيقَةٍ آلِيَّة مَعَ جُمُوع ٱلْمُؤَدِّين لِلْعَرْضَة. بَعْدَ ظُهُور ٱلشَّخْصِيَّةِ ٱلْغَامِضَة، بَدَأَ عَدَدٌ لا يُسْتَهَان بِهِ مِن ٱلزُّوَّار بِمُطَارَدَةِ «ٱلْمُقَنَّع»، فِي مُحَاوَلَةٍ لِلتَّأَكُّد مِن مَاهِيَّتِهِ، خُصُوصًا أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَرْتَدِي زِيًّا تُرَاثِيًّا، قَبْلَ أَنْ يَزُجَّ بِنَفْسِهِ مِن جَدِيد بَيْنَ أَفْرَاد فِرْقَةٍ شَعْبِيَّة كَانَت تُؤَدِّي رَقْصَةَ ٱلسَّامِرِيّ اَلشَّهِيرَة، وَبِٱلطَّرِيقَةِ ٱلْآلِيَّةِ نَفْسِهَا، وَهُوَ مَا تَسَبَّبَ فِي ٱحْتِشَاد عَدَدٍ كَبِيرٍ مِن ٱلزُّوَّار فِي مَكَان ٱلرَّقْصَة.
Claims circulated among the visitors of the Janadriyah festival the day before yesterday about the presence of a robot [lit. mechanical man] who was moving around among the activities of the festival in its silver jubilee. But the claims turned into the closest thing to reality when an unknown and masked person burst in on the Nejdi performance [which was] being held in the Ha;il region wing and started dancing in a mechanical manner with the groups of people performing the show. After the appearance of the mysterious character a not inconsiderable number of visitors started chasing after the masked [man] in an attempt to ascertain his true nature especially since he was wearing traditional [lit. heritage] dress before he threw himself once again among the members [lit. individuals] of a folk troupe which was performing the famous Samry dance [and acted] in the same mechanical manner something which resulted in the crowding together of a large number of visitors at the place of the dance.