Habibti*, Lament for Hind Rajab

 

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come, your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

 Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. *

Why, oh God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,

Not deliver little boys and girls from evil?

Tears of each breath mingle with  blood. 

Prayers of each life pour out in last breaths.

No guardian attends, but the angel of death.

Habibti, oh gentle daughter of Palestine,

Beloved, frightened daughter of Gaza,

Darling, delightful daughter of Wissam,*

Sweet voice arise from the killing streets,

Your cries for mercy, our guilt completes.

Habitbi, you heard the cries of your family,

Beloved, now bleeding lifeless and cold, 

Darling, you begged: "Come and get me."

As ghoul and jinn, cold as metal, spit fire,

"Come get me" pains as from a funeral choir.

Habitbi, habitbi, habitbi, oh beloved Hind,

Angels were tethered as murderers paced,

Where once was home, blood and rubble.

Hind, you, as a lamb prepared for slaughter,

Prayed with one whose heart like a mother,

Prayed with you.

You prayed.

In the Name of Allah—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

All praise is for Allah—Lord of all worlds,

the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

Master of the Day of Judgment.

You ˹alone˺ we worship and You ˹alone˺ we ask for help.

Guide us along the Straight Path,

the Path of those You have blessed

—not those You are displeased with, 

or those who are astray. *

And then the soldiers of the IDF took aim once more,

Habitbi,

Habitbi,

Hind.

* Habibti is arabic for "my darling, my love, beloved."

* Matthew 6: 9-13

* Wissam is Hind Rajab's Mother.

*  Surah Al-Fatihah, Q'ran.