Faiz Ahmed Faiz - Lullaby of a Palestinian Child

Don’t cry child,
your mother has only
just cried herself to sleep.

Don’t cry child,
just a while ago
your father took leave
of all his sorrows.

Don’t cry child,
your brother has gone
to another land chasing
after his butterfly dreams.

Don’t cry child,
your sister has married
and left for another country.

Don’t cry child,
in your courtyard
they bathed the dead sun,
and buried the moon,
before leaving.

Don’t cry child,
if you cry,
mother, father, sister, brother,
the moon and the sun, all
will make you cry endlessly

But maybe if you smile,
they will one day all return
in a different guise
to play with you.