Modaina

Fatma Zahra

1

ana etkeren telhieko we't 'asmera I've performed in Keren and in Asmara

wetbaSE telhieko we mendefera I've also played in Massawa and Mendefera

wetseney telhieko we'abarara I've performed in Tesseney and Abarara

et aklogzay telhieko dib embasoyra And played in Aklogzay at Ambasoyra

temsalki ir'iko faTma zahr But I've never seen like you Fatma Zahra



temasla er'iku faTma zahra I have not seen the like of Fatma Zahra

enjH mesl anjba endtkatra Snow white are her even teeth

kebotaya QeTintu wala a'gara Narrow is her waist, and legs

maHwatu mlu'tu lbie saTra That are full, captivated my heart



faTma zahra Fatma Zahra

bAl shamki Hawanitki kara Your lover is defeated

HaQoK mote witQebera He is dead and burried

malet mset Aynet ashashara Since last night crazed

adamyie dib sheK aba sara My people consulted the shiek

weshKiye teshbaHtitu kera And my sheik put out his beads

webiela amr ysetra And declared in the open was my deeds

shamatu shamata AChmetu sabera Her love is taking a toll on his bones

ftiha dib lbu sewera And her love is engraved in his heart

biela sheKye ab jaEfera Thus said my sheik ab jaEfera



samn yom teHaSeb mn degela Shower eight days using ointment from her hair

Hams yom atnn mn Chegara And five days inhale the incense of her hair

sels yom tehajek dib jefera And three days sit closer and talk to her

elitu dewel eblu zekra This was the medicine he prescribed

al'amin Haqu dibki kera Al'amin has now put his fate in your hands

Haqo letoweba wostaQfera:: And he asks for forgiveness and has repented



2

wlad Aje Hasbokum I beg you children of my country,

r'iekuma mn geb'etgebeykum If you meet her in your way

selam bola glye emanetkum Give her my greetings



wlad keren wo'asmera Children of keren and asmera

r'iekuma mn geb' et mayzara If you meet her at mayzara

selam bola glye faTna zahra Greet her for me, Fatma Zahra



selam bola glyie selam bola Greet her for me and greet her again

teHasoba glyie wed kotola Beg her and plead with her

mnde semaAkum asu'ula Tell her if she listens to you

teAyene bola wolbu zola Tell her he lost his heart and mind

dawa Ad wekden teHalela He even tried medicine from home and beyond

srayie hta : ta wobaka hala She has my medicine and she is my remedy



wobola eyie al'amin teAzara Tell her al'amin is indisposed

Hmamyie weqebayie itamera And no one knows his sickness and his secret

lbyie lshhad l'b sefelal Hara Witness to that is my longing heart

WoEnche tshhed leanabAa Chera And witness are my wet eyes

elitu ftiki faTma zahra This is what your love has done FaTma Zahra



Haziekum mn geb' Haberieta If you want to know her looks,

beAl shamyie qeyHatat grm ta My love is beautiful, in the skin light

fanus Hayie et lmojeta Her forehead glows with light

fenajil kububat Entietata Big round and glowing eyes

embel kHlet kHul Hawejbeta And no make up needs her eye brows

Sgiedaye reym wo'afa bafta Her neck is long, and white is her [teeth?]



shelil gaml Sgiedaya sabra The hefty hair is a burden on her delicate neck

akUb ruman tekl dib naHra And round breasts sit on her chest

kebotaye qeTin weteAtera A thin waist that fits into a single hand-grip

meHawata mul' lbie seTra Her legs captivated my heart

elat wewlad faTma zahra This is FaTma Zahra

Haberehie habkokum me 'amera This is how she looks like



r'iek uma mn geb' etgebeykum If you see her in your way

selam bola glyie emanetkum Give her my greetings

wlad keren wo'asmera Children of Keren and Asmara

r'iekuma mn geb' et mayzara If you meet her at Mayzara

selam bola glye faTma zahra Greet her, FaTma Zahra

wlad seraye mendefera Children of Seraye and Mendefera

re'ikuma mn geb' etmayzara If you meet her at Mayzara

selam bola glyie faTma zahra Greet her, FaTma Zahra

wlad akele ambasoyra Children of Akele and Ambasoyera

r'iekuma mnmn geb' etmayzara If you meet her at Mayzara

selam bola glyie faTma zahra:: Greet her, FaTma Zahra



3

faTma zahra Fatma Zahra

smki Hlayta 'glake cra Your name is a song for the poet

wesmki qur'anta 'glazakra And your name is prayer for the pious

wesmki nabrata 'glasafra And your name is food for the hungry

wesmki tesfata 'gle'asbera And your name is hope for the patient



itsttora Do not keep it a secret

itstora Do not keep it a secret

lilit meSet bielew faTma zahra They said faTma zahra came last night

lilit meSet bielew dib asmera Last night she came to Asmera

Ada gl tganeH we'agwara To visit her people and neighbours

noshima re'iekwo le'asura I saw the tracks she left behind

wedela lamra Hd beshara And those who knew exchanged the good news



ytstora Don't keep it a secret

lilit meSet biel ew faTma zahra faTma zahra came last night

lilit meSet Alet dib asmera Last night, she came to Asmara

fetaya le'abala ferHa wo'asrara Whoever loves her was joyful

wo'abaya legb'a dib mdr agbab Hafra But her enemies went down hiding

wedela le'abeki gedm Emru HaChra And whoever hates you, his day are numbered



faTma zahra faTma zahra

ela senet tHalf imesleni ela senet This year will not go by

tHalf imesleni embel bsharet Without hearing the good news

rebi jemAni msl berhet And God will bring me with Barehet

edagma ana kula leHalfet And may be I will talk about the past

gahyie weHazenyie geb' ferHat And may be my agony and sorrow, will change to joy

faTma zahra:: faTma zahra



4



faTma zahra FaTma zahra

HaQoki yttneber asmera Asmara can not be a home in your absence

HaQoki yttneber asmera Asmara can not be a home in your absence

EChet gamlet qrS SnuE Sewra Evergreen tree strongly rooted

esit senet Haben bieta wodara An exemplary woman, the glory of her house and home

metthagey tesemE agwara Whose word is valued by her neighbors

abaye ltfenate mnzahra Alienation from Zahra is only wished for the enemy

HaQoki ynebra asmera Asmera Can not be my home in your absence



HaQoki ittneber asmera Asmera can not be a home in your absence

biet Selmetet qesna mnla lenura The lights are off and the house is dark

dmnet geb'et Afsht shehat sahbara It is bare and abandoned

Anekb Hablietu alrora And the spiders waved their webs

woAneChit kmnnrabs sarera And the rats are jumping in it

HaQoki yttneber asmera Asmera can not be a home in your absence



HaQoki ynebra asmera Asmera can not be a home in your absence

nabra beyn detey yQedra A lonely life is a burden for me

begsko mekayje yt'amera I am going, where to? I don't know

glHaziki Sm'k wosefra Looking for you in thirsty and want

wo'akanki lbyie nsu l'amra To where you're, only my heart knows

HaQoki yttneber asmera In your absence Asmera is no more a home



wulajie wowladki wozahra Oh zahra! My children and yours

absefelal anabOm Charara Are crying, and their tears flowing

edhom medowm egl ksaw gwara Waiting for the charity of the neighbours

mergemtu iyew ek fenTara It is a curse that separated us

mdbiet Hfn serna edbn nabra Away from the warmth of our houses ,

here we are living in abandoned dwelling








(Translation by Omar Kekia)