(AINA) -- The poetry of prominent Assyrian writer and nationalist Naum Faiq has been translated to English and published under the title Poetry of The Assyrian Awakening: the Poems of Naum Faiq. The book was written by Yosef Bahdi, who translated all poems into English.

Professor Shabo Talay states in the foreword to the book "this is the first time that Faiq's multilingual collection of poems and songs has been compiled into a single volume." The translation of the poetry into English has made the collection accessible to a wider audience. The poems were originally written in classical Assyrian, Arabic, and Ottoman Turkish. Bahdi succeeded in producing a precise transcription of the Garshuni texts from Arabic and Ottoman Turkish.

Naum Faiq (1868--1930) is regarded as one of the most prominent pioneers of modern Assyrian national enlightenment and revival movement: Born in Diyarbekir, he received a comprehensive multilingual education and dedicated his life to teaching and the cultural renewal of his people. His multi-lingualism laid the foundation for his later dictionaries, language collections, and journalistic works.

From 1910 to 1912, Faiq published the journal Kawkab Madinho (Eastern Star). He was a key figure in the Awakening Movement (Knushto d-Ciru?o), which he co-founded in Diyarbakir in 1908 and which grew to fifteen branches in Upper Mesopotamia by 1914. In the United States, the first branch of the Awakening Society was established in 1909 by his friend Gabriel Boyajy, who also launched the magazine of the same name that same year.

Following increasing persecution in the Ottoman Empire, Faiq was compelled to emigrate to the United States in 1912, where he continued his journalistic work and became a defining voice of the diaspora through newspapers such as Bethnahrin (Mesopotamia) and Huyodo (Union). His writings emphasized education, linguistic unity, and interdenominational solidarity among the Assyrians.

Naum Faiq remained until his death in 1930 a moral and intellectual leader whose work is still regarded today as the cornerstone of the Assyrian unity movement. He is considered one of the first to have promoted a non-denominational Assyrian identity - transcending ecclesiastical divisions among the members oft he Assyrian-speaking Churches ("Jacobite", "Chaldean" nad " Nestorian"). His writings called for education, unity, cultural renewal, and political awareness. His legacy is honored in Assyrian communities worldwide, including through annual commemorations on February 5. The book includes chapters on the life, work, and historical context of Naum Faiq. Following the foreword and an introduction by the author, which outline the thematic framework, there are sections on methodology and challenges that explain the editorial approach. Bahdi aimed for a careful, primarily literal translation in order to preserve Faiq's original meaning, word choice, and style as accurately as possible.

Bahdi considered it particularly important to devote detailed attention to the terminology used to refer to the Assyrian people in English, which sheds light on the linguistic and political context of the edition. An additional historical focus is the highlighting of the Assyrian Genocide (1915-1918) in Naum Faiq's poetry. Even though he had lived in the United States since 1912, Faiq he wrote and published several poems in which he described the atrocities committed against Assyrians and appealed for help for Assyrians in Ottoman Turkey.

In addition to Faiq's own texts, the edition also includes poems by his patriotic comrades in the revival movement, which originally appeared in his publications as well. A total of 130 poems have been compiled and translated in this volume, 86 of them by Faiq himself and 44 by other authors. The broad collection and the range of topics addressed make it clear how closely Faiq's poetic work was linked to his journalistic endeavors and his commitment to the cultural and national renewal of the Assyrian people.

According to Prof. Talay, by providing the transcription and translation of all Faiq's poems along with their facsimiles, Yosef Bahdi accomplished "a pioneering achievement that makes the original texts accessible for research and study."

The following poem from the collection is an example of how Faiq used poetry as a means of collective encouragement. The poem is titled "The Assyro-Chaldean Delegation," which Faiq dedicated to the delegations sent from the United States to lobby for the Assyrian question at the Paris Peace Conference.

Awake, Assur, for your glory will soon dawn!
Demand freedom and liberate yourself from slavery
Shake off divisions and purify your path,
The time has come; your weeping will cease, and your disaster will end

Assur-Chaldo, rise from your slumber and prepare yourself,
Behold and observe the other peoples with discernment
Unite with the offspring of your lineage in harmony,
And show yourself to those who think Assur is dead

O Assyrians, arise and pave the way to freedom!
Show your love for your nation to the world
Remain hopeful of living a life of serenity,
Always aligning your words with your deeds

The blood of Assyrian martyrs, spilled for the nation,
Shed in mountains, valleys, and hills,
Cries out to us: "O brothers, cast off hatred,
And unite as brothers filled with love"

O Assyrians, without unity, there is no salvation
Awaken now and work with justice and discernment
If we persist in neglect during this time,
Destruction will surely overwhelm us.