تيمّموا غير وادي النيل وانتجعوا
This poem is a classical Arabic piece that speaks to the themes of greed and exploitation. The poet urges others to look beyond the Nile Valley, suggesting that Egypt cannot accommodate further greed. The poem criticizes those who are never satisfied with what they have, despite having reaped and continuing to reap plenty. The mention of 'fifty-nine' could be a metaphorical reference to wealth or resources, questioning why those who have much are not content. The poem concludes with a lament for the Kinanah, a historical region or tribe, highlighting the misfortune brought by greed and complacency. Through its vivid imagery and rhetorical questions, the poem critiques human desires and the impact of unchecked ambition on society.
| Word | In Arabic | In English | Pron. |
|---|---|---|---|
| تيمّموا | اتجهوا | Turn towards | tayammamu |
| غير | سوى | Other than | ghayr |
| وادي | منطقة نهر | Valley | waadi |
| النيل | النهر في مصر | The Nile | an-neel |
| وانتجعوا | ابحثوا عن مكان آخر | Seek elsewhere | wanta'joo |
| فليس | لا يوجد | There is not | fa laysa |
| في | داخل | In | fi |
| مصر | البلد | Egypt | misr |
| للأطماع | للجشع | For greed | lil-atma' |
| متّسع | مكان | Room | mutasa' |
| كفّوا | أوقفوا | Restrain | kaffu |
| مطامعكم | طموحاتكم | Your ambitions | mataami'kum |
| عنا | منّا | From us | anna |
| أليس | ألا | Isn't it | alaysa |
| لكم | لديكم | You have | lakum |
| مما | من الذي | From what | mimma |
| جنيتم | حصدتم | You have reaped | janaytum |
| وما | والذي | And what | wa ma |
| تجنونه | تحصدونه | You continue to reap | tajniinahu |
| شبع | اكتفاء | Satisfaction | shaba' |
| تسع | رقم تسعة | Nine | tis' |
| وخمسون | رقم خمسون | Fifty | wa khamsun |
| كم | كمية | How much | kam |
| فيهن | فيها | In them | fihinna |
| من | من | Of | min |
| نشب | ثروة | Wealth | nashab |
| لو | إذا | If | law |
| فيكمو | فيكم | In you | fikumoo |
| بالكثير | بكثرة | With abundance | bil-katheer |
| الجمع | التجمع | The gathering | al-jam' |
| مقتنع | راضٍ | Content | muqtani' |
| يا | يا | Oh | ya |
| للكنانة | لأرض الكنانة | For the Kinanah | lil-kanaanah |
| منكود | سيء الحظ | Unfortunate | mankood |
| طالعها | حظها | Its fortune | taali'uha |
| ماذا | ما الذي | What | madha |
| يجر | يجلب | Brings | yajurr |
| عليها | إليها | Upon it | alayha |
| النوم | الراحة | Sleep | an-nawm |
| والطمع | والجشع | And greed | wa-tama' |
This poem appears to be a classical Arabic poem, possibly from the era before the Arabic renaissance (An-Nahḍah). The poet is unknown, and it reflects the traditional style and structure of Arabic poetry.