Quench the Thirsty
Mohammad al-Manbiji
Isqi al-'Itash (Quench the Thirsty) is a musical composition that had been nearly lost to history. As all great works of art are a true reflection of people's trials and tribulations, hopes and aspirations, per violinist and scholar Tawfiq al-Sabbagh (1892-1964) the lyrics to Quench the Thirsty were written by Abdel al-Salam al-Nabulsi and the music was composed by Mohammad al-Manbiji during a difficult drought in Aleppo back in 1776. Al-Manbiji begs his maker's forgiveness to release his people from their struggle. It is an eloquent adjuration to the Almighty set to over two hours of sincere and profound Muwashahat, Qudud and Qasa'id. The work then nearly disappeared from the annals of music until the efforts of Tawfiq al-Sabbagh brought it back into recognition by recording it at Aleppo Radio with Mohammad Khayri (1935-1981). In the late 60's, Sabah Fakhri's legendary recording secured its position as one of the Arab world's most memorable and beloved artistic masterpieces.
Special musical interludes have been composed by Samer Ali specifically for Takht al-Nagham's performance at Roulette on March 12, 2022. As part of Arab musical tradition, it is common for pieces to be added and composed to established works in order to make them unique to the group or situation. We continue this tradition by including instrumental interludes that play off of the melodies of the works and help illustrate the beauty of Takht al-Nagham’s instrumental prowess.
Maqam
Hijaz
Transcription
Text
قصيدة مولاي مولاي أجفاني جفاهن الكرى والشوق لاعجه بقلبي خيّمامولاي لي عمل ولكن موجبٌ لعقوبتي فاحنن علي تكرماواجلو صدى قلبي بصفو محبة يا خير من أعطى الجزاء وأنعمايا ذا العطاء يا ذا الوفاءيا ذا الرضا يا ذا السخااسق العطاش تكرماًمولاي تكرماًفالعقل طاش من الظماغثِ اللهفان واروِ الظمآن واسقِ يا رحمن من منهل الإحسان غُربا الأوطانيا صاحب الورد الذي أحيا الحما املالي الكاسات يا ساقي الأجوادوانعش من قد مات ظمآن الأكباد مضناك المأسور, العاني المهجور, العبد المكسوركئيبُ الفؤاد فتىغريب إليك أتىيروم الوفا فمتىهجرني فرحت من البعاد أبكي من وجديوخلا دموع العين تجري على خديدموعي جرت على الخدود وحبي بلاني بالصدود أترى زماني يعود كامل المعاني وصلك هو نصيبي وأطف بالتداني لوعتي اللتي بي جد لي يا سؤلي شرف محليما هذا الجفا؟ وفّ نذوركزرني يا قمر ولا أزوركأنا إن غاب عني القمرغابت نجيمات سعدي
موشح ملكتم فؤادي
ملكتـم فؤادي في شرعِ الھوى عليكم رقيب فـــلا تقتلوني كــــذا عامدا لأنّي غريبوإن كان لا بــدّ من قــتلتي ذا أمرٌ عجـيب
قد ومن عجبي
ومن عجبي أن الصـوارم والقنا تحيضُ بأيد القوم وهي ذُكورُ وأعجبُ من ھذا وھذا وذا وذاكغزالٌ یصیدُ الأُسـدَ وھو نفورُوأعجبُ منــھا أنّــھا في أكـفّــھم تؤججُ ناراً والأكفّ بحـور
قد هيمتني
ھیّمتنــي تیّمتنــي, عن ســواھا أشـــغلتنيأختُ شمسٍ, ذاتُ أنسٍ دونَ كاسٍ أسكرتنيلســتُ أســـلوها ولو في نارِ هجرانٍ كوتنيذات عقـــدٍ, ذاتُ بنــدٍ أســـبَلته فوقَ النّـــهدِأيها السّـــاقي فدندن باســـم من قد آنســتني
قد ويلاه
ويلاه من نار الهجران طول الزمانمن جور ذا الظبي المنصان ألفين أمانعرضت له قال لي: مالك؟ خذ ما تريدالحب غير أحوالك لأنك عنيدناديت له قصدي وصالك يا ذا الفريديا قامة الغصن المايس والخيزران
قد جاني حبيبي
جاني حبيبي ابو الحلقة والكاتب يكتب بالورقة قلبك قاسي ومالو شفقة, روح ياعزول و ابعد عني أنا و حبيبي بين الآس والكحل حارس لعيونو مديت يدي لاخد الكاس و سكرت انا من عيونوالله يا ليل سامح يا ليل الله يا ليل ساروا بالليل
موال سبعاوي يا لائمي
يا لائمي في الهوى العذري كفاك شجارمـا انتَ ملوع ولا عالم بحالي اش جارظــلم الأحبة عدل مهما بحكمه ش جارراضي ولو صرت عند اهل العشق عبرةعــالجت روحي فــلم احـصل لـهـا عبرةيــــــا قلب انعِ ويـــا عين اذرفي عبرةتروي وتنبت بقاع الماحلات اشـــــــجار
قد عطفاً أيا جيرة الحرم
عطفاً أيا جيرة الحرم هواكم زاد في هيميو صِلوني أو عدوني قبل تفنى مهجتي ودميتعلقت روحي بكم وصبت من قبلكم من سالف القدم فاقبلوني عبدكم واجعلوني أصغر الخدم
موشح يا غزالي
يا غزالي كيفَ عنّي أبعدوك شتتوا شملي وهجري عوّدوكصحت: رفقاً يا حبيبي، قالَ: لا قـــلتُ: راعِ الودَّ يا ريمَ الفلاقالَ: من يهوى فلا يشكو القِلا قلتُ: حسبي مدمعي، قالَ: سفوكيا غزالاً بالبها ما أجمَلك يا تُرى في قتلتي من حلّل لكقلتُ: لا أعشقُ خلاً ما خلاك علّموكَ الهَجرَ حتّى وَصلوك
قد أهوى الغزال
أهوى الغزال الربربي باهي الجمالحلو المباسم سكري ريقه حلا ليأهيف حوى كل المحاسن والدلالإذا تثنى منيتي فاق العوالييا عاذلي اقصر كلامك عن غزاليما للعواذل في هواك روحي ومالي
قد كنت فين
كنت فين يا حلو غايب عن عيوني من زمانوكـويت قلبي بنارك مذ رأيتك في المنام الهوى أضنى فؤادي وبرى جسمي السقام يــــا ترى أبلغ مـرادي وأرى بدر التمامعلمتني شـفتاهُ رشفَ كاسات المدام خلفتني وجنتاه هائماً أشـكو الغرام
قد قدك المياس
قدك المياس يا عمري يا غصين البان كاليسرأنت أحلى الناس في نظري جلّ من سواك يا قمريقدك المياس مذ مالا لحظك الفتان قتالاقلي: واصل؟ قلت: لا لا فاقطع الآمال و انتظريانا و حبيبي في جنينة والورد مخيم عليناطلب مني وصالو يا رب تستر عليناعيونك سود يا محلاهم قلبي تلوع بهواهمصار لي سنتين بستناهم حيرت العالم في أمري
Translation
My Lord, sleep has forgotten my eyelids And this burning thirst in my heart abounds. My lord, of my sins I confess and profess To my punishment I acquiesce, Thy mercy I beseech Absolve my corroded heart with thy benevolent loveMost beneficent, Thou bestows in abundance.Thou who provides, Thou ever constant, Who grants fulfillment, Thou ever magnanimous, Quench the thirsty Quench the thirsty… at your will. My lord… at your will. For the mind has become befuddled from this thirst Redeem the distressed and sate the parched And quench, oh merciful, Of thy spring munificent, the wanderers far from home. Generous provider, keeper of the realm Fill the goblets, oh quencher for the noble hearted And revive he who has perished, wilted at the liver Your ailing captive, the abject outcast, the broken servant.
I, the dejected youth,A stranger, have wandered to you Desirous of your affection. How long must I wait? He has forsaken me. And, in his absence, I mourn.My eyes weep. My cheeks are wet with tears. I’m afflicted by my love’s desertion.If only the past could return its essence whole and complete Our bond, fate has decreed. And, with your approach, extinguish these fears that have erupted within me. Be generous, you who I ask for. Comprehend my predicament. Why such indifference? Honor the promise.Should my beloved’s radiance be eclipsedMy heavenly stars, radiating my contentment Shall also be eclipsed
You have taken possession of my heart, with a love inherent The Lord watches over! Lest you slay me with such purpose
In wonderment, I witness swords and spears wielded by menDischarging of their monthly blood although masculine in form.In wonderment, I witness a gazelle hunting lions without regard.In wonderment, I witness a fire ablaze in the ocean’s grasp.
She has enthralled and bedazzled me.She has bemused me, I notice none other. The star’s sibling, the company I revere, absent an elixir, she intoxicates me. She abandons me and even in the pain of this brand I forsake her not.She is bedecked, with jewels cascading at her bosom And so, barkeep, toast with me and pluck the strings to the one who has delighted me.
Damned to the eternal fires of desolation,He who would aggrieve this handsome gazelle.I called upon her and she replied: Take as you wish How love has altered your stubborn nature.Your affection I seek, precious spirit, I replied. Undulant like a weaving branch, straight statured like a bamboo
My love approaches, bedecked in jewels! Writers, commit to the scrollYou, the pitiless and cruel hearted, the resentful, take leave. I am with my love, in the woods, kohl guarding her eyesI extended my hands to partake of the chalice and the eyes intoxicated me Pray the nights be merciful
Those who admonish platonic love, cease your quarrel. You suffer not and do not know of my predicament. Just is a lover’s verdict, regardless of the punishment I acquiesce, My example another in lovers’ lore I have sought to heal my condition but found no remedy. The heart mourns and the eyes swell with tears That spring trees from the arid fields.
I beg your sympathy, in the name of our hallowed forefathers. My infatuation with you is ever intensifying. Band with me, approach! Lest I perish body and soul My soul with yours has been entwined It yearns for you, from time immemorial Would you retain me, I am your slaveIn your keep, your most humble servant.
My graceful gazelle, how they have driven you from me! They have divided us, of my absence they acclimated you.I cried out, my beloved, for your sympathy. You rebuffed me! I declared: preserve our bond, my elegant creature. You responded with “He who loves, doesn’t complain of unpleasantness.”I implored: my tears are ample claim. She retorted: You are a deceiver.I inquired: My beautiful gazelle, how could you have sanctioned my demise?I desire no other.They have taught you how to forsake me.
I adore the voluptuous wildebeest, stunningly beautiful Sweetly gleaming, her mouth rightfully mine Delicate in nature, she possesses all that is good and beauteousShould my dearest sway, the undulating branches she surpasses, Jealous Castigator, Curtail how you speak of my beloved, she is mine & my own
Where have you been my sweet?Away from my sight all this time. My heart has been branded with your flames Ever since I envisaged you in my slumber Love has harrowed my being And I am devoured by this scourgeWill I attain my aspirations & behold radiant moon, full of form Her lips have instructed me, how to imbibe of the spirits. Her cheeks have left me Roaming aimlessly, my passion for you I lament.
Your graceful waist, my darling Undulates like a swaying morning branch Of all creatures, in my eyes you are most beautiful Exalted he who has formed you As your undulating waist sways Your beguiling stare is murderous She asked: Is your arrival imminent? I said “No, No”! Resign your hopes and wait for me My beloved and I are in an orchard The flowers enclose us in their shade She asked my affection We are in the Lord’s keep Your eyes, black, oh how splendid! My heart is ablaze with their ardent love I have been awaiting them for two years now My state confounds the world.