The context of this song is the sectarian violence of the Lebanese civil wars throughout the 1980s, where religion was used a tool to stir people up and make them want to fight with each other. This song is aimed at the religious and political leaders who used religious identity to instigate violence for their own political interests. The word I am translating here as "heathen" is "kaafir (كافر)," which in Arabic can be sometimes translated as "unbeliever" or "infidel" and is a derogatory term for those who deny Islam. Of course throughout different stages and places in history the word has had different meanings, meaning pagans, or atheists, or Christians and Jews, and even in South Africa was used as a derogatory term for black people. Here I've chosen "heathen" because its a translation that fits and English language context without destroying the original negative connotations of the Arabic word's meaning.
Ziyad Rahbani - I'm not a heathen
I'm not a heathen, but hunger is heathen
I'm not a heathen, but disease is heathen
I'm not a heathen, but poverty is heathen
And humiliation is heathen |  |
I'm not a heathen, but what do you want me to do for you
When, all things heathen combine within me
I'm not a heathen
Those who pray on Sunday
And those who pray on Friday
Keep plowing us throughout the week
Just imagine he's the one who said he's religious and
I'm the heathen
Take another look at the holy books
Take another look at the word of God
I'm not a heathen
I'm not a heathen, but the country is heathen
I'm stuck in my home and unable to get out
You're eating my food right out my mouth while your food is right in front of you man
And if I'm ungrateful you say I'm heathen
I'm announcing to all the Western countries and notifying all police stations
I'm not a heathen
I'm not a heathen, you're the heathen
I'm not a heathen, so long as you're the heathen
I'm not a heathen, we've said who's the heathen
And they know who's the heathen
I'm not a heathen, just as I'm telling you
You're putting it on me, your being the Sheikh of the heathens
Amen
رياد رحباني - انا مش كافر
أنا مش كافر بس الجوع كافر
أنا مش كافر بس المرض كافر
أنا مش كافر بس الفقر كافر و الذل كافر
أنا مش كافر لكن شو بعملك
أذا اجتمعوا فيي كل الإشيا الكافرين
أنا مش كافر…
يللي بيصلي الأحد و يللي بيصلي الجمعة
وقاعد يفلح فينا علطول الجمعة
هو يللي دين قال و أنا يللي كافر عال
راجعوا الكتب السماوية راجعوا كلام القادر
أنا مش كافر…
أنا مش كافر بس البلد كافر
أنا مقهور ببيتي و مش قادر هاجر
و عم تاكل اللقمة بتمي و أكلك قدامك يا عمي
و اذا بكفر بتقللي كافر
معمم عالدول الغربية و مبلغ كل المخافر
أنا مش كافر هيدا انت الكافر
أنا مش كافر مادام انت الكافر
أما مش كافر قلنا مين الكافر
و عرفوا مين الكافر
أنا مش كافر متل ما عم قللك
عم بتحطها فيي كونك شيخ الكافرين
و أمين
Shohag
Wednesday, November 5, 2008