"The Migrating Bird" ("الطير المهاجر") by Mohammed Wardi | English Translation

The Sudanese musical classic “The Migrating Bird,” written by Salaah Ahmad Ibraheem and sung by Muhammad Wardi. It’s reported that Wardi came across the poem while in Kosti in 1963, and was particularly touched by its themes due to the then-recent flooding of Wadi Halfa, which led to massive displacement of the Halfawi people.

Follow us:
Instagram:   / channel  
Facebook:   / soundsofsudan  
Twitter:   / soundsofsudan  

Lyrics:
غريب
ghareeb
He’s a stranger
وحيد في غربتو
waheed fi ghurbatu
And he’s alone in his foreignness
حيران
hayraan
He’s lost
يكفكف دمعتو
yikafkif dam’atu
He wipes his tears
حزنان
haznaan
He’s miserable
يغالب لوعتو
yighaalib law’atu
He struggles with his despair
يتمنى
yitmanna
He wishes
يتمنى بس لي أوبتو
yitmanna bas ley aoobatu
He wishes only for his return
طال بيه الحنين
taal beyhul-haneen
Homesickness has overwhelmed him
فاض بيه الشجن
faad beyhush-shajan
Sorrow has drowned him
(طال بيه الحنين)
(taal beyhul-haneen)
(Homesickness has overwhelmed him)
(فاض بيه شجن)
(faad beyhush-shajan)
(Sorrow has drowned him)
واقف يردد من زمن
waagif yiraddid min zaman
He’s been hesitating for a while now
بالله يا الطير المهاجر للوطن
billahi yat-teyr al-muhaajir lil-watan
Please, oh bird, who is migrating to the homeland
زمن الخريف
zaman al-khareef
In the season of autumn
(زمن الخريف)
(zaman al-khareef)
(In the season of autumn)
تطير باسرع
tateer basra’
Fly as fast as you can
تطير ما تضيع زمن
tateer ma tdaya’ zaman
Fly; don’t waste a second
أوعك تقيف
aw’ak tageef
Don’t you dare stop
وتواصل
wa twasil
Keep going
الليل
alleyl
From tonight
للصباح
lis-sabaah
Until the morning
تحت المطر وسط الرياح
tiht al-matar wast al-riyaah
Through the rain, against the winds
وكان تعب منك جناح
wa kaan ti’ib minnak janaah
And if your wings grow tired
(وكان تعب منك جناح)
(wa kaan ti’ib minnak janaah)
(And if your wings grow tired)
في السرعة زيد
fis-sur’a zeed
Fly faster
في بلادنا ترتاح
fi bilaadna tartaah
In our country, you can rest
ضل الدليب أريح سكن
dul ad-dileyb aryah sakan
7In the shade of the dileyb tree is the most tranquil serenity
فوت بلاد...وسيب بلاد
foot bilaad wa seeb bilaad
Leave a country...abandon a country...
وإن جيت بلاد
wa in jeet bilaad
And when you arrive in a country
وتلقى فيها النيل بيلمع في الظلام
wa talga feehan-neel bilma’ fiz-zalaam
And find in it the Nile, shimmering in the dark
زي سيف مجوهر بالنجوم من غير نظام
zey seyf mujawhar ban-nujoom min gheyr nizaam
Like a sword, bejeweled with stars scattered across the sky
تنزل هناك وتحيي يا طير باحترام
tanzil hinaak wa theyyi ya teyr bey ihtiraam
Land there, oh bird, and greet them respectfully
قول سلام
gool salaam
Say “hello”...
وتعيد سلام
wa ta’eed salaam
And return the greetings of...
على نيل بلادنا
‘ala neel bilaadna
Our country’s Nile
(سلام)
(salaam)
(Hello)
وشباب بلادنا
wa shabaab bilaadna
And our country’s youth
ونخيل بلادنا
wa nakheel bilaadna
And our country’s palm trees
بالله يا طير
billahi ya teyr
Please, oh bird
قبل ما تشرب تمر على بيت صغير
gabli ma tashrab tamur ‘ala beyt sagheer
Before you drink, go and visit a small home
من بابو ومن شباكو بلمع الف نور
min baabu min shubbaaku bilma’ alfi noor
From whose door and windows shine a thousand lights
تلقى الحبيبة بتشتغل منديل حرير لحبيب بعيد
wa talga al-habeeba bitishtaghil mandeel hareer ley habeeb ba’eed
There, you’ll find a sweetheart working on a silk handkerchief for a sweetheart far away
تقيف لديها
tageef ladeyha
Stand by her
بوس إيديها
wa taboos ideyha
Kiss her hand
وانقل إليها وفايا ليها حبي الأكيد
wa angul ileyha wafaya leyha hubbi al-akeed
And send to her my loyalty and my unwavering love