Qaa, Village of the Prophet Elijah

North-east of a province in a landscape enchanted,
Hamlets and townships by the Creator implanted,
Illumined by stars in the skies spread above,
Embellish a land formed by God with much love.
The Bible speaks of Cedars, Sannine, and Mount Hermon.
Whose aery heights are the glory of Lebanon.
They give birth to rivers that sparkling run
To water the forests and flowers that bloom in the sun,
The golden wheat and the fruit-bearing trees,
The wine-giving vineyards that sway in the breeze.

In the plain called Beqaa in the north-eastern zone
Lies the village of Qaa with a life of its own,
With people courageous in love of their nation,
Hardworking, heroic and worth admiration.
These lonely Christians have oft shown their courage
When facung wild hordes seeking murder and pillage.
Some neighbors around speak as brothers and friends,
Some true and sincere, but some with false ends.
In the square of the village by the church of his name
Stands the prophet Elijah, heaven’s power to declaim,
He wields his sword and points to the sky,
Reminding of Michael, the angel victorious on high;
Reminding that all deeds, whether evil or good,
The joys and the woes, are writ in a heavenly book.
Elijah with upraised hand stands in the village square
As guardian strong of all are under his care.
Elijah is known as the prophet great, the one who never will die,
Who soared in his chariot of light and fire.
To Qaa, a village active, peaceful, hardworking, believing
Came heirs of the devil, bloodthirsty aims revealing.
They brought explosives wrapped round their girth.
Their faith was distorted to bring terror on earth.
They murdered and slaughtered and named the All-High,
They make him a monster and His mercy belie.
They were brain-washed, poor wretches, and with hate had been fed
To make them not humans but devils instead.
They came to Qaa in heat of summertime,
In the name of God to perform their crime.
Knowing not that Allah means mercy, to man loving-kind,
They are dupes now perverted, made totally blind,
They are trained as fanatics, their minds not their own,
They are puppets of evil with hate in them sown.
They come in simmer sun at the height of the heat
To a pleasant calm village to find some quiet street,
To earn their false Paradise up in the sky.
There ‘neath some fountain in comfort they’ll lie;
Embraced by fair maidens, with milk and honey fed,
They think to be rewarded as their mentors have said.
Eight terrorists, their victims, the wounded, and around
Destruction, confusion and chaos on the ground,
Is this the door to heaven where the madmen think to go,
Is this the way they think of God, whose bounty they should know?
Victims fall before the church on land that’s sanctified
By the statue of Elijah, whom men honor far and wide.
Those who came with evil aims had unsuspected been
For they came to kill themselves and no arms were on them seen.
Satan bought their souls and cast o’er them his spell,
Prepared for them a prison within the gates of hell.
But know that our own martyrs before God’s throne now stand,
Taken by the Queen of Heaven to join the angel band.

We all await God’s judgment, whatever we may be,
Prophets, priests and unbelievers, and saints on bended knee.
But for corrupting of the mind who really is to blame?
‘Tis not the wretched cat’s paws but those who wash their brain.
With no wish for any dialogue, they seek only to destroy,
To make a ruin of Christ’s church, the source of light and joy.
Allah’s image don’t distort, for his Eden is for those
Who serve him well with doing good and so earn their repose.
The pure in heart and full of love, on them is showered grace,
And when from earth they pass above, they see God face to face.

In Qaa, sweet town of Lebanon, the suff’ring has gone deep;
Families their loss now mourn and for dead loved ones weep.
‘Tis true these wretches were well trained to commit atrocious crime
Savages, barbarians, for these men there is no name.
But we as Christians, we must pray that they can yet repent
For Christ himself upon the Cross this message to us sent.
This is the Christian glory, to love all those who hate us,
To take as brothers and to pray, for those who are against us.
Qaa’s people turned to God and prayed for justice’ sake;
To defend one’s own is duty but revenge we must not take.

All the peoples of the earth name God in their own way;
See ancient Greeks and Romans and Hindus still today,
Their faithful never went to war to force their god on others,
Their Pantheon lay open wide and took foreign gods as brothers.
The worshippers of many gods hated not the gods abroad
But false missioners of One True God make His name to be abhorred.
For love God, now end your crimes and abuse no more His name;
Let no more the people suffer and put on you the blame.
Come pray in Qaa, the martyred town, for prayer unites us all,
Love your brothers on this earth for this is Allah’s call.

French by Joseph Matar – Translation from the French: Kenneth Mortimer