De Egyptische dichter Ahmed Fouad Negm ontvangt dit jaar de Grote Prins Claus Prijs. Prins Constantijn zal de prijs op 11 december in het Koninklijk Paleis in Amsterdam aan hem uitreiken. Ahmed Fouad Negm werd op 22 mei 1929 in Ash Sharqiyah geboren. Zie ook alle tags voor Ahmed Fouad Negm op dit blog.
What’s wrong with our president?
I never fret, and will always say
A word, for which, I am responsible
That the president is a compassionate man
Constantly, busy working for his people
Busy, gathering their money
Outside, in Switzerland, saving it for us
In secret bank accounts
Poor guy, looking out for our future
Can’t you see his kindly heart?
In faith and good conscience
He only starves you; so you’d lose the weight
O what a people! In need of a diet
O the ignorance! You talk of “unemployment”
And how condition have become dysfunctional
The man just wants to see you rested
Since when was rest such a burden?
And this talk of the resorts
Why do they call them political prisons?
Why do you have to be so suspicious?
He just wants you to have some fun
With regards to “The Chair]”
It is without a doubt
All our fault!!
Couldn’t we buy him a Taflon Chair?
I swear, you mistreated the poor man
He wasted his life away, and for what?
Even your food, he eats it for you!
Devouring all that’s in his way
After all this, what’s wrong with our president?
Vertaald door Walaa Quisay
Ahmed Fouad Negm (Ash Sharqiyah, 22 mei 1929)