Allahayow: Bitterness about a weak Africa

The poem was written in the period just before the independence of Djibouti as a part of a Somali play called Geedigii Koowaad (The First Journey) by Ibraahim Sulaymaan, better known as Ibraahim Gadhle. It was not put to music, but was chanted. The poet has chosen the laments of a woman as his device for expressing his bitterness about the weakness of newly independent Africa and the failure of Djibouti to obtain its political independence. 

1. Allahayow adduunyada markaad, taagtay udubkeeda
2. Ama aad abuurtay khalqiga, Aadan iyo Xaawa
3. Maalintuu Iblayskuna kufriyoo, diiday amarkaaga
4. Imminkiyo ayaantaa maxaa belo adeegaysa
5. Imisaa arwaax hoyatay oo, gaal iyo islaan leh
6. Axmadkii (NNKH) la doortiyo maxaa, nebiyo loo ooyay
7. Abuubakar Siddiiq iyo inuu, Caliba iil jiifo
8. Inkastoon ogsoonahay inaan, axadba waaraynin
9. Wadka Eebe soo diro wax baa, aniga ii dheere
10. Ifka ruuxa jooga kol uun buu, ku istareexaaye
11. Kol uun bay anfaaciga macaan, iliga saaraane
12. Ikhtiyaar kol uun bay helaan, uumiyaha kale eh
13. Aasiyaba waxay leeyihiin, aarmi iyo xooge
14. Annagana Orobbaa sidii, awrta noo rarata
15. Waaggii iftiimaba kun baa, lanaga aasaaye
16. Bal qabsoo ugaadhiyo sidii, adhiga weeyaane
17. Eygaa ciyaya haduu, dhaamo inankeenna
18. Afrikadan Ilaahow maxaa, laga abuuraayey?
19. Allahayow alhuumiyo maxaad, iinta ugu yeeshay?
20. Allahayow awood iyo maxaad, aalad ugu diidday?.
21. Ummaddaada Eebbow maxaa, loogu kala eexday?
22. Ingiriis ragguu laayey baan, cidi ilaaweyne
23. Axmad Guray unuunkay jareen, ehel ha waayaane
24. Oomaarna waad wada ogtihiin, uubti loo qodaye.
25. Sayidkii addoonsiga nebcaa, aakhiro u tabiye
26. Waa kuwii Cadhoolana ajalay, calankan awgiiye
27. Halyeygii Sheekh Bashiir bay dharaar, adhaxda gooyeene
28. Maxamuud sidii loo arjumay, aammus laga qaadye
29. Imaam Cusmaan baa ku maqan, ololeheeniiye
30. Ablay bay u quudheen nin ragi, kuma ataagene
31. Eeddii gumaystaha hadaan, in yar ka faalloodo
32. Axaddii bishii Maaris iyo, hore isniintiba
33. Eedanka waaberi markuu, noo addiimay sheekhu
34. Waa kuwii intay ururiyeen, edeg ka buuxsheen e.
35. Waa kuwii awaaraha na tubay, aqab la’aaneed e
36. Waa kuwii uqaylkii guriyo, kii arrimin lahaaye
37. Waa kuwii hablaha ugub diliyo, Aaminiyo Luule
38. Waa kuwii Amxaar iyo dugaag, oomman noo qubaye
39. Immikana kuwaa talinayay, eebada u tumiye
40. Isticmaarku ooduu dhigiyo, qodaxdii waa taalle
41. Ma ilbixin kuwii aan lahaa, way ka aargudane 
42. Iglan baaba loo dhoofiyaa, wali addoontiiye
43. Iib baa Amriik loogu diray, odayo waawayne
44. Almaaniya kolay tahay, nala asqaysiiye
45. Kol hadday abiid ii yihiin, oohintiyo ciilku
46. Uurkii islaantii maxaan, uga abuurmaayay?
47. Oofta iyo hooyaday maxay, adhaxda ii saartay?
48. Allahayow awoowiyo muxuu, aabbe ii dhalayay?

1. Oh Allah! Since you erected the world’s centre pole
2. And created the human beings Aden and Hawa,
3. Since the day that Ibliis lost faith in you and rejected orders,
4. From then on until today how many disasters have struck!
5. How many souls have come home [to You], non-Muslims and Muslims!
6. How have [the deaths of] Ahmad (Prophet Muhammad PBUH), the chosen one, and many other prophets been lamented!
7. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and Ali too are in the grave
8. Although I am aware that no one will live forever – for death is sent by God – 
9. I have something else in mind
10. People living in this world should live in comfort at least once
11. At least once they should taste something sweet
12. The other nations have been able to choose
13. Even Asia has physical and military strength
14. But as for us, Europe is using us like a burden camel!
15. Every day one thousand of us are buried
16. Do You know that we are like sheeps and the animals of the bush?
17. Today the barking dog is better off than our son.
18. Oh my God, for what purpose has this Africa been created?
19. Oh my God, why have You made it flawed and disgraceful?
20. Oh my God, why have You refused to give it power and technology?
21. Oh Allah, why have Your people been discriminated against?
22. One can not forget these killed by whom the British
23. May those who cut Axmad Guray’s throat not find supporters
24. As you all knew, they dug Oomaar’s grave
25. They sent the Sayyid, who hated enslavement, to the other world
26. These are the ones who cut down Cadhoole, because of this flag
27. In clear daylight they broke the back of the heroic Sheekh Bashiir
28. We are stunned by the way they stoned Maxmuud
29. Imaam Cusmaan, at work for our movement, they killed him with a knife
30. A real man would not have attacked him
31. If I comment briefly on the problems that the colonialists caused us:
32. On a Sunday and early Monday in March
33. When the Sheekh called us to the early morning prayer,
34. They were the ones who picked up and stuffed them into a small kraal
35. They were the ones who without mercy made us stand in the dusty heat.
36. They are the ones who picked up the children and those who would given us leadership
37. They are the ones who killed young girls, Aamina and Luul
38. They are the ones who dumped us among the Amhara and the thirsty beasts of prey
39. Right now they are forging weapons against those who lead us.
40. The fence which the colonisers built and the thorns are still there 
41. Those whom I expected to take revenge have not yet matured
42. Slaves are still being shipped to England
43. Old men are still being sold to America
44. Even Germany has disorientated us
45. If I have no escape from tears and impotent anger
46. Why was I created in my mother’s womb?
47. Why did my mother put me on her lap and carry me on her back?
48. Oh Allah, why did my grandfather and father beget me?