بيوت الكهوف | The Cave Homes of Bhalil
"A cave home owner discovers passion with an architect studying the unique troglodyte dwellings of Bhalil."
بيوت الكهوف
The Cave Homes of Bhalil
الفصل الأول | Chapter One
أَعِيشُ فِي بَيْتِ كَهْفٍ فِي بْهَالِيلَ.
I live in a cave house in Bhalil.
بُيُوتُنَا مَحْفُورَةٌ فِي الصَّخْرِ.
Our houses are carved into rock.
جَاءَ مُهَنْدِسٌ مِعْمَارِيٌّ يَدْرُسُهَا.
An architect came studying them.
الفصل الثاني | Chapter Two
كَانَ فِي الخَمْسِينَ، مُنْبَهِرًا بِبُيُوتِنَا.
He was in his fifties, amazed by our homes.
"هَذِهِ هَنْدَسَةٌ طَبِيعِيَّةٌ رَائِعَةٌ!"
"This is wonderful natural engineering!"
"عِشْنَا هُنَا لِقُرُونٍ."
"We've lived here for centuries."
الفصل الثالث | Chapter Three
دَعَوْتُهُ لِزِيَارَةِ بَيْتِي.
I invited him to visit my house.
"البَرْدُ فِي الصَّيْفِ وَالدِّفْءُ فِي الشِّتَاءِ."
"Cool in summer and warm in winter."
"تَكْيِيفٌ طَبِيعِيٌّ!" تَعَجَّبَ.
"Natural air conditioning!" He marveled.
الفصل الرابع | Chapter Four
"لِمَاذَا تَعِيشِينَ وَحْدَكِ فِي هَذَا الكَهْفِ؟"
"Why do you live alone in this cave?"
"زَوْجِي مَاتَ قَبْلَ ثَمَانِ سَنَوَاتٍ."
"My husband died eight years ago."
"آسِفٌ..."
"I'm sorry..."
الفصل الخامس | Chapter Five
"لَا بَأْسَ... الكَهْفُ رَفِيقِي."
"It's okay... the cave is my companion."
"لَكِنَّهُ لَا يَتَكَلَّمُ."
"But it doesn't talk."
"أَحْيَانًا الصَّمْتُ أَفْضَلُ."
"Sometimes silence is better."
الفصل السادس | Chapter Six
قَضَى أُسْبُوعًا يَدْرُسُ وَيَرْسُمُ.
He spent a week studying and drawing.
"أُحِبُّ هَذَا المَكَانَ..."
"I love this place..."
"أَوْ مَنْ فِيهِ؟" مَزَحْتُ.
"Or who's in it?" I joked.
الفصل السابع | Chapter Seven
نَظَرَ إِلَيَّ. "كِلَاهُمَا."
He looked at me. "Both."
تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ، فِي الكَهْفِ الدَّافِئِ.
That night, in the warm cave.
"جَسَدُكِ دَافِئٌ كَالصَّخْرِ فِي الشِّتَاءِ."
"Your body is warm like rock in winter."
الفصل الثامن | Chapter Eight
نَشَرَ دِرَاسَتَهُ عَنْ بُيُوتِ بْهَالِيلَ.
He published his study about Bhalil homes.
"شُكْرًا لَكِ... أَعَدْتِ لِي الحَيَاةَ."
"Thank you... you gave me life back."
"وَأَنْتَ مَلَأْتَ كَهْفِي."
"And you filled my cave."
الخاتمة | Conclusion
الكَهْفُ يَحْمِي مِنَ العَوَاصِفِ.
A cave protects from storms.
وَحُبُّنَا مَحْمِيٌّ فِي الصَّخْرِ.
And our love is protected in rock.
أَقْوَى مِنَ الزَّمَنِ.
Stronger than time.
من حكايات بهاليل From the Tales of Bhalil