تويت
ساعات الليل الوئيد
Hours of the Slow-Passing Night
انتشر النور داخل الحجرة الصغيرة عندما فُتح بابها، انبسط فيها باعثا ضوءه على سرير الجدة . لقد جيء لها بطعام الغداء ، أصبحت الساعة الواحدة ظهرا . لقاء الوجبات أدقُ من عقارب السّاعات. ما أن تنتهي من تناول وجبتها المعتادة حتى يوصد عليها بابها ليفتح مرة أخرى مساء حيثُ تأتيها كنتها الوحيدة بالعشاء.
When the door of the small room was opened , light spread out into it illuminating the grandmother's bed .The time was one o'clock in the afternoon.. It was the time of the meal. The meal encounter was more exact than the hands of the clock. As soon as she finished eating her usual lunch meal, the door of the room would be locked not to be opened again until her only daughter-in-law would come in bringing the evening meal.
صمت مهيب يهيمن على المكان منذ سنوات، ساعات طويلة من الانتظار، انتظار اللاشيء ، يخترقُ ذلك الصمت وقع أقدام تعرفها الجدة كلما اشتمت رائحة الطعام، لكنها تعودت أيضا على وقع أقدام أخرى، خطوات حقيقية لا تعيق الصمت أبدا. بسعاله العميق يغلق باب حجرته ليقف أمام نافذتها الوحيدة يتأمل صفحة السماء المضطربة حيث السروة العالية التي تقف بحزم . تمايلها الريح الجانحة متعارضة الاتجاهات.
For years, the place had been overwhelmed with a dreadful silence . Very long hours of waiting , waiting for nothingness . The silence had never been broken except by the steps that were familiar to the grandmother . She would hear the steps and smell the food which was being brought to her. She also got used to the sound of other steps, real steps which could always be heard. Coughing deeply, he closed the door of his room and stood by the single window , looking attentively at the sky in the direction of the tall cypress tree which stood firmly swain only by the erratic wind blowing from opposite directions.
يحدق في البعيد، غيوم تأبى التواري الا بعد أن تعلّق قطراتها الثقيلة عليها فتتسحب القطرات بين الأغصان الخضراء، تنتشيها وان أتاها الصحو احتلتها يمامتان تأخذان القمة للتداعب. كلما حطتا بجسديهما عليها مالت فتضطر احداهما الى التنازل فتطير تعبّ الريح لبرهات ثم تعود لتحلق بأجنحتها حول اليمامة الأخرى معاودة الكرة مرارا وتكرارا .
He would gaze afar ,and he would see clouds which refuse to disappear before making their heavy droplets cling on the leaves of the tall tree .The droplets would spread between the green branches and then these green branches would take in the droplets .When the clouds cleared up, two pigeons stood at the top and played with each other. Whenever they stood on the branches of the tree, they swayed and one of the pigeons flew away to take in some fresh air and come back to repeat the attempt to play with its partner again and again.
وحيدا يتخذ الأمل والانتظار ملاذا لهُ، تؤنسه الحركات المتموجة التي تغزو سروته المتوّجة .
تعاقبت الأيام على هذين الغريبين في هاتين الحجرتين، منفردين، منعزلين تغمرهما الذكريات ... الجدة تعيش الماضي بأحداثه فقد ضاع منها الوليف الونيس، زوجها تأنس بصورهِ كشريط سينمائي مكرر .
In his loneliness ,his refuge was hope and waiting. His only company was the wavy movements which invaded the tapped tree
The days passed by and these two strangers were in solitary confinement in these two separate rooms. They were filled with memories . The grandmother was living the past with all its afflictions. She had lost her beloved husband and she was finding solace in his photographs and she was seeing them as a much repeated film .
أحداث حصلت وانتهت تستمد الحياة من احدى اليمامتين، انها اليمامة التي لا تتمكن من مبارحة مكانها وربما هي التي تحلق مبتعدة، لم يعد لها مكان على تلك القمة. تنتظر الخلاص من داخل حجرتها البيضاء، لا تمتلك الا البكاء أسفا، بينما هو ينتظر الفرار ليعيش المستقبل، يحبس الأوهام ويطلق الأحلام، تتجول على غير مستقر تشبه ملاحا تائها يبحث عن خليلة يُتيمُ بها تنعش حجرته الكئيبة، تعينه على اجتياز حدود النهار وتعيق ليلهُ الوئيد .
Events which had been and were no more. They were gaining life from one of the two pigeons; the pigeon which could not move from its place and it might be the one which did not fly afar . It did not have a place anymore on that top. She was waiting for freedom, to get away from that white room. She did not possess anything except weeping regretfully . Meanwhile he was waiting to escape in order to live the future . He was holding his fancies and letting off the dreams . These dreams were wandering without stop . They were like a lost sailor looking for a partner with whom he falls in love to enlighten his gloomy room and help him finish off the day and face his slow passing night.
ينظر الى الطيرين باهتمام بالغ فيرى نفسه يحوم حول خليلته، يطمح اليها، يطلق آهات مكبوتة، ينتفخ صدره وتعلق دقات فؤاده من أجل حب وهمي لفتاة أحلامه، يطبع ملامحها بين عينيه يسهد على زفرات أنفسها الدافئة، يحاورها جاهدا، يرمقها معاتبا ويبتسم حنينا لها. عبر الأفق يراها قاصدة اياه تأتيه من الفضاء الخارجي، تتنصل من بين الغمام فتهوى على نافذته الموصدة تقف وراءها تدق زجاجها .
He looked at the two birds with extreme interest. He imagined himself roaming around his partner ,longing for her ,letting off pent-up sighs. His chest was distended and his heart beats stopped for the sake of illusionary love for the girl of his dreams . Her features were in front of his eyes Her warm breath made him stay awake . He talked to her with difficulty ,looked at her reproaching and he smiled at her longingly .He saw her coming through the horizon. She might come from the outer space, and fall off from the clouds onto his closed window and stand behind it tapping on its pane.
الهواجس تؤرق مضجعه وأحلام فاترة تصيبه بخيبة الأمل بينما تتشبث الجدة بالحياة، لم يعد يتحرك بها شيء الا دقات قلبها الواهن، دقات لم تعد تكفيها لاشغال حيز في الوجود. ما بعد الخريف الا شتاء باك قطراته تحمي آثار الغبار تهيء الفرص لجو صاف من أجل الاستمرار قدما في الحياة الجديدة
Misgivings made him sleepless . Light dreams disappointed him. The grandmother, meanwhile clung to life . Nothing moved within her anymore except the beats of her feeble heart. These beats were not sufficient to occupy a space in the world. After autumn there must be a weeping winter with its rain droplets washing off the dust preparing for clear weather to make the new life continue
أما هو فما زال يصبو الى الكثير، انه في ربيع العمر طموحاته تتعدى تلك الحجرة النائية لن يدعها تذهب هباء. استعد للخروج قدما في الحياة فتسمعه الجدة مغادرا، يتعمد اصدار الأصداء فربما بها يهزّ الصمت ويقلق الوجل .
As for him , he was still hoping for many things. He was still in the prime of life. His hopes went beyond that secluded room. He would not let his hopes evaporate. He was ready to go out to continue life .The grandmother would hear him leaving . He would intentionally make echo sounds which would break the silence and dispel fear.
وعند الرجوع الى المستقر يدير المفتاح داخل القفل بمهارة من خلال الليل يطرد الوساوس الدفينة، يبددها. يدخل حجرته شاحبا كامدا يخشى فقدان الوجود فيتيه عنه المستقبل. لقد سئم الليل الوئيد وحيدا الداعي الى اكفهرار وجهه فتخالجه شتى الأمور .
أشرقت الشمس مخترقة الثلوج في القمم ، بحث عن وليفته لم يلمحها على القمة، أحس بخوف فقدانها...
When he returned to his abode , he turned the key inside the lock skillfully in the night driving out the deep -rooted misgivings . He entered his room ,pale and depressed. He was afraid of dying and losing the future. He became tired of spending the long nights alone This made him gloomy and made him think of countless things.
The sun rose coming through snow on the mountain tops. He looked for his partner , but he could not catch sight of her on the mountain top .He felt the fear of losing her.
ارتعشت الجدة رعشة الموت عندما فقدتهما، انهما لستا هناك... ملأتها الدموع، بلغها الشعور بالوحدة، آرقتها العاصفة الخريفية المتعلقة بفصل الشتاء، مستقبلها الناهي. حدّقت بالنهار الأبيض أيقنت انها ستفارق الحياة، تحت وطأة البرد القارس، مثل الآخرين الذين سبقوها... ستغادر الحياة ...
عادت اليمامتين الى مسقط رأسيهما، تتحاوران، تملآن الكون هديلا
The grandmother trembled , the tremble of death when she could not see them. They were not there…She was filled with tears . She was full of fear of loneliness. The autumn storm which was linked to the winter season made her sleepless. This was her known future. She gazed at the white day. She realized that she was dying because of the severe cold ,like those who were before her…she would die.
The two pigeons returned to their hometown, chatting with each other and filling the world with their cooing.
انقطعت أصوات الأقدام المتعاقبة، أقدام الكنة لتصل الى المكان أقدام تحذو كعبا يطرق السكون بدقاته... ضجيج مغاير...أصداء كأغنية يقرقع البلاط بضجيجه. تتجه نحو حجرته، تطرق بابه فتقطع عليه ساعات ليله الوئيد
The sounds of the successive steps of the daughter-in–law stopped. The daughter-in-law reached the place, her steps emulating the heels knocking and breaking the silence. A different noise, an echo similar to a song cracking the floor with its noise. She went in the direction of his room, knocked on the door and interrupted the hours of the slow-passing night.
Hours of the Slow-Passing Night
انتشر النور داخل الحجرة الصغيرة عندما فُتح بابها، انبسط فيها باعثا ضوءه على سرير الجدة . لقد جيء لها بطعام الغداء ، أصبحت الساعة الواحدة ظهرا . لقاء الوجبات أدقُ من عقارب السّاعات. ما أن تنتهي من تناول وجبتها المعتادة حتى يوصد عليها بابها ليفتح مرة أخرى مساء حيثُ تأتيها كنتها الوحيدة بالعشاء.
When the door of the small room was opened , light spread out into it illuminating the grandmother's bed .The time was one o'clock in the afternoon.. It was the time of the meal. The meal encounter was more exact than the hands of the clock. As soon as she finished eating her usual lunch meal, the door of the room would be locked not to be opened again until her only daughter-in-law would come in bringing the evening meal.
صمت مهيب يهيمن على المكان منذ سنوات، ساعات طويلة من الانتظار، انتظار اللاشيء ، يخترقُ ذلك الصمت وقع أقدام تعرفها الجدة كلما اشتمت رائحة الطعام، لكنها تعودت أيضا على وقع أقدام أخرى، خطوات حقيقية لا تعيق الصمت أبدا. بسعاله العميق يغلق باب حجرته ليقف أمام نافذتها الوحيدة يتأمل صفحة السماء المضطربة حيث السروة العالية التي تقف بحزم . تمايلها الريح الجانحة متعارضة الاتجاهات.
For years, the place had been overwhelmed with a dreadful silence . Very long hours of waiting , waiting for nothingness . The silence had never been broken except by the steps that were familiar to the grandmother . She would hear the steps and smell the food which was being brought to her. She also got used to the sound of other steps, real steps which could always be heard. Coughing deeply, he closed the door of his room and stood by the single window , looking attentively at the sky in the direction of the tall cypress tree which stood firmly swain only by the erratic wind blowing from opposite directions.
يحدق في البعيد، غيوم تأبى التواري الا بعد أن تعلّق قطراتها الثقيلة عليها فتتسحب القطرات بين الأغصان الخضراء، تنتشيها وان أتاها الصحو احتلتها يمامتان تأخذان القمة للتداعب. كلما حطتا بجسديهما عليها مالت فتضطر احداهما الى التنازل فتطير تعبّ الريح لبرهات ثم تعود لتحلق بأجنحتها حول اليمامة الأخرى معاودة الكرة مرارا وتكرارا .
He would gaze afar ,and he would see clouds which refuse to disappear before making their heavy droplets cling on the leaves of the tall tree .The droplets would spread between the green branches and then these green branches would take in the droplets .When the clouds cleared up, two pigeons stood at the top and played with each other. Whenever they stood on the branches of the tree, they swayed and one of the pigeons flew away to take in some fresh air and come back to repeat the attempt to play with its partner again and again.
وحيدا يتخذ الأمل والانتظار ملاذا لهُ، تؤنسه الحركات المتموجة التي تغزو سروته المتوّجة .
تعاقبت الأيام على هذين الغريبين في هاتين الحجرتين، منفردين، منعزلين تغمرهما الذكريات ... الجدة تعيش الماضي بأحداثه فقد ضاع منها الوليف الونيس، زوجها تأنس بصورهِ كشريط سينمائي مكرر .
In his loneliness ,his refuge was hope and waiting. His only company was the wavy movements which invaded the tapped tree
The days passed by and these two strangers were in solitary confinement in these two separate rooms. They were filled with memories . The grandmother was living the past with all its afflictions. She had lost her beloved husband and she was finding solace in his photographs and she was seeing them as a much repeated film .
أحداث حصلت وانتهت تستمد الحياة من احدى اليمامتين، انها اليمامة التي لا تتمكن من مبارحة مكانها وربما هي التي تحلق مبتعدة، لم يعد لها مكان على تلك القمة. تنتظر الخلاص من داخل حجرتها البيضاء، لا تمتلك الا البكاء أسفا، بينما هو ينتظر الفرار ليعيش المستقبل، يحبس الأوهام ويطلق الأحلام، تتجول على غير مستقر تشبه ملاحا تائها يبحث عن خليلة يُتيمُ بها تنعش حجرته الكئيبة، تعينه على اجتياز حدود النهار وتعيق ليلهُ الوئيد .
Events which had been and were no more. They were gaining life from one of the two pigeons; the pigeon which could not move from its place and it might be the one which did not fly afar . It did not have a place anymore on that top. She was waiting for freedom, to get away from that white room. She did not possess anything except weeping regretfully . Meanwhile he was waiting to escape in order to live the future . He was holding his fancies and letting off the dreams . These dreams were wandering without stop . They were like a lost sailor looking for a partner with whom he falls in love to enlighten his gloomy room and help him finish off the day and face his slow passing night.
ينظر الى الطيرين باهتمام بالغ فيرى نفسه يحوم حول خليلته، يطمح اليها، يطلق آهات مكبوتة، ينتفخ صدره وتعلق دقات فؤاده من أجل حب وهمي لفتاة أحلامه، يطبع ملامحها بين عينيه يسهد على زفرات أنفسها الدافئة، يحاورها جاهدا، يرمقها معاتبا ويبتسم حنينا لها. عبر الأفق يراها قاصدة اياه تأتيه من الفضاء الخارجي، تتنصل من بين الغمام فتهوى على نافذته الموصدة تقف وراءها تدق زجاجها .
He looked at the two birds with extreme interest. He imagined himself roaming around his partner ,longing for her ,letting off pent-up sighs. His chest was distended and his heart beats stopped for the sake of illusionary love for the girl of his dreams . Her features were in front of his eyes Her warm breath made him stay awake . He talked to her with difficulty ,looked at her reproaching and he smiled at her longingly .He saw her coming through the horizon. She might come from the outer space, and fall off from the clouds onto his closed window and stand behind it tapping on its pane.
الهواجس تؤرق مضجعه وأحلام فاترة تصيبه بخيبة الأمل بينما تتشبث الجدة بالحياة، لم يعد يتحرك بها شيء الا دقات قلبها الواهن، دقات لم تعد تكفيها لاشغال حيز في الوجود. ما بعد الخريف الا شتاء باك قطراته تحمي آثار الغبار تهيء الفرص لجو صاف من أجل الاستمرار قدما في الحياة الجديدة
Misgivings made him sleepless . Light dreams disappointed him. The grandmother, meanwhile clung to life . Nothing moved within her anymore except the beats of her feeble heart. These beats were not sufficient to occupy a space in the world. After autumn there must be a weeping winter with its rain droplets washing off the dust preparing for clear weather to make the new life continue
أما هو فما زال يصبو الى الكثير، انه في ربيع العمر طموحاته تتعدى تلك الحجرة النائية لن يدعها تذهب هباء. استعد للخروج قدما في الحياة فتسمعه الجدة مغادرا، يتعمد اصدار الأصداء فربما بها يهزّ الصمت ويقلق الوجل .
As for him , he was still hoping for many things. He was still in the prime of life. His hopes went beyond that secluded room. He would not let his hopes evaporate. He was ready to go out to continue life .The grandmother would hear him leaving . He would intentionally make echo sounds which would break the silence and dispel fear.
وعند الرجوع الى المستقر يدير المفتاح داخل القفل بمهارة من خلال الليل يطرد الوساوس الدفينة، يبددها. يدخل حجرته شاحبا كامدا يخشى فقدان الوجود فيتيه عنه المستقبل. لقد سئم الليل الوئيد وحيدا الداعي الى اكفهرار وجهه فتخالجه شتى الأمور .
أشرقت الشمس مخترقة الثلوج في القمم ، بحث عن وليفته لم يلمحها على القمة، أحس بخوف فقدانها...
When he returned to his abode , he turned the key inside the lock skillfully in the night driving out the deep -rooted misgivings . He entered his room ,pale and depressed. He was afraid of dying and losing the future. He became tired of spending the long nights alone This made him gloomy and made him think of countless things.
The sun rose coming through snow on the mountain tops. He looked for his partner , but he could not catch sight of her on the mountain top .He felt the fear of losing her.
ارتعشت الجدة رعشة الموت عندما فقدتهما، انهما لستا هناك... ملأتها الدموع، بلغها الشعور بالوحدة، آرقتها العاصفة الخريفية المتعلقة بفصل الشتاء، مستقبلها الناهي. حدّقت بالنهار الأبيض أيقنت انها ستفارق الحياة، تحت وطأة البرد القارس، مثل الآخرين الذين سبقوها... ستغادر الحياة ...
عادت اليمامتين الى مسقط رأسيهما، تتحاوران، تملآن الكون هديلا
The grandmother trembled , the tremble of death when she could not see them. They were not there…She was filled with tears . She was full of fear of loneliness. The autumn storm which was linked to the winter season made her sleepless. This was her known future. She gazed at the white day. She realized that she was dying because of the severe cold ,like those who were before her…she would die.
The two pigeons returned to their hometown, chatting with each other and filling the world with their cooing.
انقطعت أصوات الأقدام المتعاقبة، أقدام الكنة لتصل الى المكان أقدام تحذو كعبا يطرق السكون بدقاته... ضجيج مغاير...أصداء كأغنية يقرقع البلاط بضجيجه. تتجه نحو حجرته، تطرق بابه فتقطع عليه ساعات ليله الوئيد
The sounds of the successive steps of the daughter-in–law stopped. The daughter-in-law reached the place, her steps emulating the heels knocking and breaking the silence. A different noise, an echo similar to a song cracking the floor with its noise. She went in the direction of his room, knocked on the door and interrupted the hours of the slow-passing night.