Wednesday, February 06, 2019

Bal Eeg (Gudniin ) A poem in Somali on Female Genital Mutilation with English translation



Quraanka iyo ilayska bal eeg
Waxan Eebbe ku sheegin bal eeg
Awowgaa ku dhaqmaayey bal eeg
Ayaad aayado mooddee bal eeg
Anbad baad ku jirtaaye bal eeg
Aqligaaga u fiirso bal eeg

Upon the Quran, the light, reflect
on what God said, reflect
and that which He did not say, reflect.
Reflect, if you may, and you will know it is only
but a custom, a tradition of your forefathers
that you mistook for God’s command.
Reflect, if you may, and you will know
that you indeed have lost your way
Reflect, if you may, and surely
you will return to your sound mind!

Ilaahay asturaadda bal eeg
Siduu meesha u uumay bal eeg
Inaan eediba gaadhin bal eeg
Malko loogu adkeeyey bal eeg
Arxan loogu dhammeeyey bal eeg
Asalkii nolosheena bal eeg

Upon how God protected the organ, reflect
Upon how God created it, reflect
Reflect, if you may, on how God kept it
safe from all harm
Upon how God made it Impregnable, reflect
Reflect, if you may, on how God endowed it
with all care and mercy
Upon the origin of our life, reflect.

Si aanay u asqoobin bal eeg
Ummushu uga irdhoobin bal eeg
Ilmaheeda u hiifin bal eeg
Ilaahay asmadiisa bal eeg
Elaastiigga ka yeelay bal eeg
Adna aad ku adkaysay bal eeg.

Upon how God spared the mother
From anguish and despair, reflect
on how God spared her from
resenting her offspring, reflect
Reflect, if you may, on how God shows us his signs
by fashioning the organ elastic;
Reflect, on how you insist on constricting it
and mutilating it, reflect.

Ib ilaahay baneeyey bal eeg
Inaad awddo awoodda bal eeg
Keligaa isa siisay bal eeg
Noloshii unkamaysay bal eeg
Ama tii Imanaysay bal eeg
Afaafkeeda ka oodday bal eeg

Reflect, if you may, on how God cleared the passage
And upon how audaciously you allow yourself
to close it, reflect.
Reflect, if you may, on how much power
You endow yourself with
by blocking the way to the life being conceived
and blocking the way to the life being born
O reflect on that, if you may!

Araggeegiyo nuurka bal eeg
Raxmaddaa ifka joogta bal eeg
Adna uub u qodayso bal eeg
Ubaxaa ad il duuftay bal eeg
Aynigeega dilayso bal eeg
Aqligaaga u fiirso bal eeg.

O reflect, if you may, on how glowing
how perfect she is
O reflect, if you may, on this mercy
that Heaven gifted the world
O reflect, if you may, on how  
you insist on burying her
O reflect, if you may, on that bloom
You failed to see;
O reflect, upon the grace you kill,
O reflect, if you may, and surely
you will return to your sound mind

                                    Bashir Goth, Wednesday 15th Jan. 2014.

Audio version