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عائشة
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This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the Algerian raï song "Aïcha" (عائش), which was popularized by Khaled. Also included is a transliteration of the French and Arabic lyrics into the Roman alphabet so you can sing along if you like.
Song lyrics are provided for educational purposes. If you like the song, please purchase either the album or a download from an authorized source. About this SongKhaled wrote the song "Aïcha" for his daughter. This song was such a major hit that a Turkish version was released a year after Khaled's original version, and three different versions with Greek lyrics were released in the years that followed! It reached the #1 position on the charts in France and Belgium, and placed in the top 20 in the Netherlands and Switzerland. The song has also been adapted in many other languages.
About KhaledKhaled is an Algerian raï musician who began singing in his teens, using the name Cheb Khaled, which means "Young Khaled" in Arabic. Later, he dropped the "Cheb" from his professional name, and now goes by simply "Khaled". Khaled was born in Oran, Algeria in 1960. At age 14, he formed a band with his friends and began performing with them at nightclubs and weddings. In the 1980's, he embraced the emerging musical genre known as raï, and soon rose to national fame. Lieutenant-Colonel Hosni Snoussi, director of the state-supported arts and culture Office Riadh el Feth became interested in his artistic work and invited him to perform in a state-sponsored festival in 1985. The same year, he was crowned King of Raï at the first official raï festival in his home town of Oran. In 1986, Khaled fled to Paris due to the rising violence in Algeria. He received several death threats, and several other raï musicians were murdered. He achieved his first big hit "Didi" in 1992, propelling him to international fame. He even appeared on The Tonight Show in the U.S. on February 4, 1993! He achieved ten diamond, platinum, and gold albums, and his album 123 Soleils was the highest-selling Arab album in history. He has also won numerous awards throughout his career. |
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Lyrics
The original version of this song was entirely in French as a single. Khaled later released a version of "Aïcha" on the album Sahra. For the album version, part of the lyrics are in French and part in Arabic, with Khaled having written the lyrics for the Arabic part. This translation below includes the Arabic lyrics.
Original Lyrics |
English Translation |
French Section |
French Section |
| Comme si je n'existais pas, | As if I did not exist, |
| Elle est passée à côté de moi | she walked right past me |
| Sans un regard, reine de Saba. | Without a look, Queen of Sheba. |
| J'ai dit, "Aïcha, prends — tout est pour toi." | I said, "Aisha, take this — everything is for you." |
| Voici les perles, les bijoux, | Here are the pearls, the jewels, |
| Aussi l'or autour de ton cou, | and also the gold around your neck. |
| Les fruits bien mûrs au goût de miel, | The ripest fruits that taste of honey, |
| Ma vie, Aïcha, si tu m'aimes. | My life, Aisha, if you love me. |
| J'irai où ton souffle nous mène, | I will go wherever your breath takes us |
| Dans les pays d'ivoire et d'ébène. | In the countries of ivory and ebony. |
| J'effacerai tes larmes, tes peines. | I will erase your tears, your pain. |
| Rien n'est trop beau pour une si belle. | Nothing is too much for one so beautiful. |
| Aïcha, Aïcha, écoute-moi. | Aisha, Aisha, listen to me! |
| Aïcha, Aïcha, t'en va pas. | Aisha, Aisha, don't go! |
| Aïcha, Aïcha, regarde-moi. | Aisha, Aisha, look at me! |
| Aïcha, Aïcha, réponds-moi. | Aisha, Aisha, respond to me! |
| Je dirai les mots, les poèmes. | I'll recite the words, the poems. |
| Je jouerai les musiques du ciel. | I will play the music of the heavens. |
| Je prendrai les rayons du soleil | I will catch the rays of the sun |
| Pour éclairer tes yeux de rêve. | to light up your dreamy eyes. |
| Aïcha, Aïcha, écoute-moi. | Aisha, Aisha, listen to me! |
| Aïcha, Aïcha, t'en va pas. | Aisha, Aisha, don't go! |
| Elle a dit, "Garde tes trésors. | She said, "Keep your treasures. |
| Moi, je vaux mieux que tout ça. | Me, I'm worth more than all that. |
| Des barreaux sont des barreaux, mêmes en or. | Bars are bars, even [when made] of gold. |
| Je veux les mêmes droits que toi | I want the same rights as you have, |
| Et du respect pour chaque jour. | and respect every day. |
| Moi, je ne veux que de l'amour." | Me, the only thing I want is love." |
Arabic Section |
Arabic Section |
| نبغيك عايشة ونموت عليك ana abghik Aisha wanamut aleik |
I want you, Aisha, and I would die for you! |
| هادي سيدة حياتي وحبي hathi sayidt hayati wa hobbi |
You are master of my life, and my love |
| انت عمري وانت حياتي enti omri w enti hayati |
You are my years, and you are my life, |
| تمنيت نعيش معك غير انت tamaneyt 'n ma aaeesh maak gheir enti |
I wish to live with no one else but you. |
| In French | In French |
| Aïcha, Aïcha, écoute-moi. | Aisha, Aisha, listen to me! |
| In Arabic | In Arabic |
| عيشة عيشة أنا أبغيك Aïcha, Aïcha, ana abghik |
Aisha, Aisha, I want you. |
| In French | In French |
| Aïcha, Aïcha, t'en va pas. | Aisha, Aisha, don't go! |
| In Arabic | In Arabic |
| عايشة عايشة نموت عليك Aïcha, Aïcha, wanamut aleik |
Aisha, Aisha, and I would die for you! |
| In French | In French |
| Aïcha, Aïcha, réponds-moi. | Aisha, Aisha, reply to me! |
| In French | In French |
| Réponds-moi. | Answer me. |
| In Arabic | In Arabic |
| Ya leili! | Oh night! |
Translations of
Khaled's Songs On This Site
Translations on this web site of songs performed by Khaled (formerly known as Cheb Khaled) include:
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Related Translations
Three different versions of this song exist with Greek lyrics, each entirely different from the others. The translations for all three of these versions are available on this web site, thanks to Panayiota Bakis.
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About the Translator
This translation was created by Shira.
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