This text, a humble prayer that barbarism may not kill even hope
I attest there can be no Human
being other than He whose heart
trembles with love
for his fellow humans
Other than He who fiercely wishes
for them more than for himself
freedom, peace, dignity
Other than He who deems life
to be still more sacred
than his beliefs and his gods
I attest there can be no Human
being other than He who tirelessly fights Hatred
in him and around him
Other than He who asks himself
as he opens his eyes in the morning :
What am I going to do today
to not lose my worth and my pride
as man ?
Abdellatif Laâbi, January 10th 2015
(translated by Breyten Breytenbach)
NEW PUBLICATION
The Symphony of Resistance. Translation and introduction by Guillemette Johnston & Allan Johnston, english-french ; Shanti Arts Publishing (Brunswick, Maine, USA), 292 p., 2024.
Near Nothings. Translated by Guillemette Johnston & Allan Johnston ; introduction by Khalid Lyamlahy ; french-english ; Diálogos (New Orleans, USA), 234 p., 2024. Cover : painting of Abdellatif Laâbi.
Hope in the Fly. Translation by Peter Thompson. Diálogos Books (New Orleans, USA), 2022
My Mother’s Language. Translation and introduction by André Naffis-Sahely. Afterword by Yousif M. Qasmiyeh.
French-english. Poetry Translation Centre (London, UK), 65 p., 2021