‘Against the Government’

Egyptian rapper Ramy Donjewan’s song “Against the Government” is an appropriate music break today as Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, his allies in the West, and Egyptian state TV–in the face of mass protest–still pretend Egypt is a stable country.

 Here’s the lyrics, graciously translated by Sophie Azeb:

Against the government, against the thugs and injustice

Against the government, against the government’s rule

Against the government and the long rope of injustice

Against the government, and I have a thousand guides…

Your blood is being spilled

Killing you is encouraged

Your home is a mess

Your religion is targeted

Your voice they render silent

And your property is consumed

They just killed your brother

And the rest of the people are tortured

If I live I will be insignificant

Were we to die, we are worthless

When you speak you become a victim

You are dealt with brutally

By policy thugs

Little thugs

A hostile government

Wants to ravage you and me

The oppressor and the oppressed

The ruled and the sentenced

For whom? I will complain but who will I blame?

I will blame the people who are beaten with the dirtiest boots and remain silent

Otherwise, a government whose hearts have died…

Down down with the government and the system

Down down with the ruler’s law

Down down with the cowards and the cheaters

Down with the “good” (?governance?)

Against the government, against the thugs and injustice

Against the government, against the government’s rule

Against the government and the cheaters and cowards

Against the government and against accepting insults

(?All moments you are workers who are humiliated?)

You have no value, no price, your leaders already sold you

They make you a fool, and take you from the back … (??)

In the embrace of enemies they simply throw you

They are catching you with the hands that hurt you

Around you there are 1000 snakes that keep biting you

No matter if you feel the pain there is no one who intends on hearing you

So help yourself out and tell me, what stops you?

He tells you if someone pushed you, keep waiting

He catches you and hits you and it’s been 30 years of hitting

He keeps cleaning his teeth and you’re silent, your mouth is sewn shut

And with his sword he splits you, you’re not dead, but your mind is

Enough sleeping and dying and silence

If you have blood plumping, cheer hard and loud

I am against the government because I have these values

Against the government: I will not accept being defeated.