"We Will Build It (The Alternative)" ("حنبنيهو") by Mohammed Wardi | English Translation

“We Will Build It” (“حنبنيهو”) is a song written by Mahjoob Shareef and performed by Muhammad Wardi. The song was written just before the April Uprising of 1985, in which the Sudanese people protested and brought down the dictatorial regime of Ja’afar Nimeiry. When Wardi received the poem, it had no title, so Wardi named it “The Alternative” (“البديل”). Wardi gave it the name not only because he felt it matched the content of the poem, but it was also a direct response to a question many Sudanese were asking at the time: “if Nimeiry leaves, who’s the alternative?” The song’s rhythm was also carefully chosen: in an interview, Wardi stated he composed the song based on the rhythms of the dalooka, a drum associated with Sudanese girls’ music (aghaani banaat). Wardi said he chose the rhythm as it was an exciting, celebratory rhythm that was popular in central Sudan both in cities and rural areas. The phrase “We Will Build It” continues to resonate, with it becoming one of the many slogans of the December Revolution of 2018-2019. Footnotes: 9:35 - Not a literal translation by any means, this translation was the result of extensive consultation with people who speak better Arabic than me. - Arbaab Lyrics: حنبنيهو البنحلم بيو يوماتي hanabneehu al-binahlam beyhu yomaati We will build what we dream of daily وطن شامخ وطن عاتي watan shaamikh watan ‘aati A proud country, a strong country وطن خير ديمقراطي: حنبنيهو watan kheyr dimuqraati; hanabneehu A good, democratic country; we will build it وطن مالك زمام أمرو watak maalik zamaam amru A country that holds the regions of its matters [is sovereign] ومتوهج لهب جمرو wa mutwahij lahab jamru A country whose coals burn bright وطن غالي watan ghaali A valuable country نجوموا تلالي في العالي nujoomu talaali fil-’aali Whose stars shine in the sky إرادة سيادة حرية iraada siyaada hurreeyya Will, sovereignty, and freedom! مكان الفرد تتقدم قيادتنا الجماعية makaan al-fard titgaddam qiyaadatna al-jamaa’eeyya [We’ll have] representatives instead of individuals [democracy instead of autocracy] مكان السجن مستشقى makaan as-sijini mustashfa [We’ll have] hospitals instead of prisons مكان المنفى كلية makaan al-manfa kulleeyya [We’ll have] colleges instead of [people in] exile مكان الأسرى وردية makaan al-asra wardeeyya [We’ll have] roses instead of prisoners مكان الحسرة أغنية makaan al-hasra ughneeyya [We’ll have] songs instead of heartbreak مكان الطلقة عصفورة تحلق حول نافورة makaan at-talga ‘asfoora tahallig hawl naafoora Instead of bullets, we’ll have sparrows flying around water fountains تمازح شفع الروضة tamaazih shuffa’ ar-roda Joking with the preschool children وطن للسلم اجنحتو watan lis-silmi ajnihtu A country that spreads its wings for peace [supports peace] ضد الحرب اسلحتو did al-harb aslihtu Whose weapons stand against war عدد ما فوقو ما تحتو ‘adad ma fogu ma tihtu Nothing is above [the country] nor below it مدد للارضو محتلة madad lilardu muhtalla It will help [liberate] those whose lands are occupied سند للإيدو ملوية sanad lil-eedu malweeyya It will aid those whose arms are being twisted [who lack sovereignty] وطن حدادي مدادي ما بنبنيه فرادي watan haddaadi maddaadi wa ma binabneehu faraadi A country with no limits to its vastness; we can’t build it by ourselves [as individuals] ولا بالضجة في الرادي ولا الخطب الحماسية wala bad-dajja fir-raadi wala al-khutub al-hamaseeyya Nor can we build it with that noise over the radio, nor with passionate speeches وطن بالفيهو نتساوى watan bal-feehu natsaawa A country in which we can be equal نحلم نقرا نتداوى nahlim nagra natdaawa Where we can dream, and study, and get medical care مساكن كهرباء وموية masaakin kahraba wa moya Where we can have homes, electricity, and water تحتنا الظلمة تتهاوى tihtana az-zulma tathaawa Darkness will vanish beneath our feet نخت الفجر طاقية nakhut al-fajr taageeyya We will wear dawn like a hat وتطلع شمس مقهورة بخط الشعب ممهورة wa tatla’ ash-shams maqhuura bey khat ash-sha’b mamhoora And the [once] oppressed sun will be freed through the will of the people* تخلي الدنيا مبهورة takhalli id-dunya mabhoora Leaving the world in awe إرادة وحدة شعبية iraada wihda sha’beeyya Will, unity, patriotism!