To begin with, thank you Roula for having shared a deeply moving song on emotional vulnerability.
It is Bambi’s turn now to share this musical piece with you, dear readers.
Of note, the singer is unknown. Despite doubt, the song does not seem to be a creation of Artificial Intelligence, or is it?
Regardless, this beautiful song is clearly a product of high emotional intelligence and poetic talent. Both the song’s lyrics and the singer’s voice have touched Bambi’s soul.
For your convenience and if you are interested, dear readers, following the YouTube video, you can find the original Arabic lyrics, which are followed by a quick English translation. Thank you Mr. Google Translate for your assistance.
Long live humanity, music, and the most beautiful Arabic language.
“يا من رأيتَ ضحكتي، فظننتني
طلقًا كموج البحر لا ينكسر…
ما كنتَ تدري أن تحت هدوئه
غرقًا يغنّي، والأسى يتوغّل.
تعلّمتُ أن الكسر عيبٌ إن بدا،
فصغتُ من الأوجاع وجهًا أجمل.
وأضحك، لا فرحًا، ولكن خيفةً
من عالمٍ بضعفنا يسخر ويقتل.
ترى الشمعة تضحك فوق لهيبها،
ولا ترى أن الضياء يقتل.
تفنى لتعطي النور كلَّ من اقترب،
وبصمتها المرّ الخفيّ تذوب وتذبل.
أنا الذي شيّدتُ من جرحي المدى،
وفتحتُ للناس القلوب،
وأقفلتُ النور الذي أخفيه
في ليلي، وفي صدري الظلام المثقل.
يقولون: ما أقواه من رجل!
وما دروا بوحدتي إذ أذبل.
أبدو صلابةَ من يقاوم وجعه،
وإذا خلوتُ بجرحي أتمزّق.
رأيتُ من يبكي يصير أضحوكة،
فقلتُ لدمعي: ليس هذا المحفل.
وصرتُ أمشي في الحياة كأنني
فوق المسارح كلَّ يوم أمثّل.
وأشدّ ما آذى فؤادي أنني
أتقنتُ دوري حتى كدتُ أجهل:
أيَّ الوجوه أنا؟
وأيُّ حقيقة؟
أأنا المتعب،
أم أنا المتجمّل؟
مررتُ نحو المرآة ألفَ مرة،
وتجنّبتُ الوقوف كي لا أسأل:
من ذا الذي في الوجه يبدو متعبًا؟
من ذا الذي بالكسر داخله مثقل؟
يهوي وينهار الفؤاد بصمته،
ثم يبتسم لكي يقال: تجمّلوا.
أنا الذي شيّدتُ من جرحي قلعة،
وتركتُ باب الصبر دومًا يُفتح.
يقولون: ما أقواه، ما أقساه…
ولا يرون بأن قلبي يُذبح”
“O you who saw my laughter, and thought me
As free as the sea’s waves, unbroken…
You didn’t know that beneath its calm
A drowning song, and sorrow deepens.
I learned that vulnerability is a flaw if it shows,
So I fashioned a more beautiful face from my pain.
And I laugh, not out of joy, but out of fear
Of a world that mocks and kills our weakness.
You see the candle laughing above its flame.
And you don’t see that light kills.
It perishes to give light to all who approach,
And with its bitter, hidden silence, it melts and withers.
I am the one who built the horizon from my wound,
And opened hearts to people,
And locked the light I hide
In my night, and in my heavy darkness.
They say: What a strong man!
And they don’t know my loneliness as I wither.
I appear resilient, one who resists his pain,
But when I am alone with my wound, I am torn apart.
I saw that he who weeps becomes a laughingstock.
So I said to my tears: This is not the place for this gathering.
And I walked through life as if I were
performing on a stage every day.
And what pained my heart most was that I
perfected my role so well that I almost didn’t know:
Which face am I?
And what is the truth?
Am I the weary one,
Or am I the one who puts on a show?
I passed by the mirror a thousand times,
And avoided stopping so I wouldn’t ask:
Who is it that looks tired in the face?
Who is it that is burdened with inner pain?
The heart falls and collapses in silence,
Then it smiles so that people will say: “Put on a show.”
I am the one who built a fortress from my wounds,
And always left the door of patience open.
They say: How strong he is, how cruel…
And they don’t see that my heart is being slaughtered”.
