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كليوباترا
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This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to "Cleopatra", a classic Egyptian song both composed and performed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab. The full-length song is almost 25 minutes long.
Also included on this page is a transliteration of the 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 Mohamed Abdel WahabMohamed Abdel Wahab was a prolific Egyptian composer of the 20th century. He was born in 1902 in the Bab El-Shaariyah neighborhood of Cairo, Egypt, where a statue now stands to honor him. He became known as the "Musician of the Generations" because his career spanned over half a century, creating new hit songs for each successive generation to enjoy. Abdel Wahab was one of the innovators who created the big-orchestra sound of classical Egyptian music of the 20th century. He was a pioneer of Egyptian cinema, featured in Al Warda Al Baida (The White Rose), which was the second Egyptian movie musical after Ounchoudat al-Fouad. Abdel Wahab was the first to compose for the "Oriental orchestra" that consisted of instruments from both Europe and the Middle East. In 1954 he introduced the European waltz rhythm into his composition "Al Gondol", and in 1957 he introduced a rock & roll rhythm into the song "Ya Albi Ya Khali" that he composed for Abdel Halim Hafez. Abdel Wahab was a mentor to Abdel Halim Hafez, and composed many of his hit songs. He also composed ten songs for Oum Kalthoum, including "Enta Omri". In 1976, he composed for Nagwa Fouad the first mejance, "Amar 14". Some of his personal belongings are housed in a museum at the Music Institute in Cairo. |
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Listen to MP3 Clips of this Song
These clips come from the opening instrumental interlude, before the section where Mohammed Abdel Wahab starts singing.
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Performed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab |
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Performed by Mary Ellen Donald and Mimi Spencer |
Lyrics
Arabic Lyrics |
English Translation |
| Kilopetra, kilopetra, ayyou houlmen min layaaleeki elhisaani. | Cleopatra, Cleopatra, which dreams are from your beautiful nights? |
| Kilopetra, ayyou houlmen min layaaleeki elhisaani. | Cleopatra, which dreams are from your beautiful nights? |
| Taafa fi billmaow-ji fadanna watadanna elshatiaaein, wahafa koulou fouadi w-shadaa koulou lisani. Wahafa koul fouadi w-shadaa koulou lisani. | I floated in the wave and approached the shores. Every heart beat in passion and every tongue sang. Every heart beat in passion and every tongue sang. |
| Hazihi fatinatou el-dounya wa hasnaaou elzamaani. | This is the world's seductress and most beautiful creature of all time. |
| Boua'ithat, boua'ithat fi zawraken, moustalhamen min koulli fanni, marihi elmijdaafi yakhtalou bi hawraa toughanni. | She was sent in a boat (getting everything from my art), with happy paddles, swaying with a singing nymph. |
| Boua'ithat, boua'ithat fi zawraken, moustalhamen min koulli fanni, marihi elmijdaafi yakhtalou bi hawraa toughanni. | She was sent in a boat (getting everything from my art), with happy paddles, swaying with a singing nymph. |
| Boua'ithat, boua'ithat fi zawraken. | She was sent in a boat. |
| Boua'ithat, boua'ithat fi zawraken, moustalhamen min koulli fanni, marihi elmijdaafi yakhtalou bi hawraa toughanni. | She was sent in a boat (getting everything from my art), with happy paddles, swaying with a singing nymph. |
| Ya habibi, haadi laylatou houbbi. Ya habibi haadi Laylatou houbbi. | Oh my love, this is my love night. Oh my love, this is my love night. |
| Ya ya ya habibi haadi laylatou houbbi, aaah ya habibi haadi laylato houbbi. | Oh Oh Oh my love this is my love night, aaah, oh my love this is my love night. |
| Aaaah aaha ha ha ha ha haaa. Aaaaaaaahi laou sharaktani afraaha qalbi. | O' O', O', O', Aaaaa Aahi if you share my heart's happiness. |
| Laylouna khamroun wa-ashwaakon toughanni hawlana. | Our night is wine surrounded by singing desires. |
| Laylouna khamroun wa-ashwaakon toughanni hawlana. | Our night is wine surrounded by singing desires. |
| Wa-shiraaa'on saabihon fi elnouri yara'a zillina. | And a sail swimming in the light taking care of our shadow. |
| Wa-shiraaa'on saabihon fi elnouri yara'a zillina. | Aah and a sail swimming in the light taking care of our shadow. |
| Aah laylouna khamroun, laylouna khamroun, laylouna khamroun, laylouna khamroun, laylouna khamroun, laylouna khamroun, laylouna khamroun, laylouna khamroun, wa-ashwaakoun toughanni hawlana, laylounaaaaa khamroun wa-ashwakoun toughanni hawlana. Wa-shiraaa'oun sabihoun fi elnouri yara'aa zillana. | Aah, our night is wine, our night is wine, our night is wine, our night is wine, our night is wine, our night is wine, our night is wine, our night is wine surrounded by singing desires. |
| Laylouna, laylouna khamroun. | Our night, our night is wine. |
| Laylouna khamroun wa-ashwaakoun toughanni, toughanni, toughanni, toughanni, toughanni, toughanni, toughanni, toughanni hawlana. | Our night is wine surrounded by singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing desires. |
| Laylouna khamroun wa-ashwaakoun toughanni hawlanaa. | Our night is wine surrounded by singing desires. |
| Laylouna khamroun, wa-ashwaakoun toughanni hawlana, wa-shiraaa'oun sabihoun fi elnour yara'a zillana. | Our night is wine surrounded by singing desires and a sail in the light taking care of our shadow. |
| Kana fi ellayli soukara wa afakou kablana. Ah, laytahoum kad a'arafou elhoub fbatou mithlana. | They were drunk in the night and were up before us. Aah, I wish they knew love and were like us. |
| Koullama gharrada kassoun sharibou elkhamrata lahnana. | Every time a glass sang, they drank the wine in tunes. |
| Koullama gharrada kassoun sharibou elkhamrata lahnana. | Every time a glass sang, they drank the wine in tunes. |
| Koullama gharrada kassoun sharibou elkhamrata lahnana. | Every time a glass sang, they drank the wine in tunes. |
| Ya habeeeeebi koullouma fi`el-layli rouhoun. Aah yataghanna. Aah aahaa. | Oh my love, as long as there is a soul in the night ... Aah ... Singing. Aah aahaa. |
| Ya habibi haazi laylatou houbbi. | Oh, my love, this my love's night! |
| Ya habibi haazi laylatou houbbi. | Oh, my love, this my love's night! |
| Ya, ya habibi haazi laylatou houbbi, aaaaah, aaha, ha, ha, ha, ha, aah ha, ha, ha, aaaah law sharaktani afraaha qalbi. | Oh, Oh my love. This is my love's night, Aah, Aaha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Aah, Ha, Ha, Ha, Aah if you join my heart's happiness. |
| Ya dhifaafa elneeli billahi w-ya khoudhra el-rawaabi. Ya dhifaafa elneeli billahi w-ya khoudhra el-rawaabi. Hall raaytouna a'ala elnahri fatan ghadha el-ihabi. Asmara eljabhati kal khamrati fi elnouri elmouzabi. Sabihan fi zawraken min souna'i ahlami el shabaaaab ya ya ya bi. | Oh Nile's shores and the green hills, Oh Nile's shores and the green hills, I beg you, did you see on the river a beautiful youth with a tanned forehead like wine in melting light, floating in a boat made by youth's dreams. |
| Ya dhifaafa elneeli billahi w-ya khoudhra el-rawaabi. Ya dhifaafa elneeli billahi w-ya khoudhra el-rawaabi. Hall raaytouna a'ala elnahri fatan ghadha el-ihabi. Asmara eljabhati kal khamrati fi elnouri elmouzabi. Sabihan fi zawraken min souna'i ahlami el shabaaaab ya ya ya bi. | Oh Nile's shores and the green hills, Oh Nile's shores and the green hills, I beg you, did you see on the river a beautiful youth with a tanned forehead like wine in melting light, floating in a boat made by youth' s dreams. |
| In yakoun marra wa-hayya wa-hayya min baa'eiden aaou qareebi fa-sifeehi w-aa'eidi wasfahou, aa'eidi wasfahou fahowa habibi. | If he passed by and greeted, and greeted you from far away or close by, describe him and re-describe him, because he is my love. |
| In yakoun marra wa-hayya wa-hayya min baa'eiden aaou qareebi fa-sifeehi w-aa'eidi wasfahou, aa'eidi wasfahou fahowa habibi. | If he passed by and greeted, and greeted you from far away or close by, describe him and re-describe him, because he is my love. |
| In yakoun marra wa-hayya wa-hayya min baa'eiden aaou qareebi fa-sifeehi w-aa'eidi wasfahou, aa'eidi wasfahou fahowa habibi. | If he passed by and greeted, and greeted you from far away or close by, describe him and re-describe him, because he is my love. |
| In yakoun marra wa-hayya wa-hayya min baa'eiden aaou qareebi fa-sifeehi w-aa'eidi wasfahou, aa'eidi wasfahou fahowa habibi. | If he passed by and greeted, and greeted you from far away or close by, describe him and re-describe him, because he is my love. |
| Ya habibi haazi laylatou houbbi. | Oh my love, this my love's night. |
| Ya habibi haazi laylatou houbbi. | Oh my love, this my love's night. |
| Ya, yaaa, ya, yaaa, ya habibi. Ya habibi, haazihi laylatou houbbi, aah laou shaaraktani afraaha qalbi ya habibi. | Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh darling, Oh darling, this is my love's night. Aah, if you shared with me my heart's happiness, Oh my darling. |
| Ya habibi haazi laylatou houbbi. Aahi, aah, aahi, aah, aahi laou sharaktani afraaha qalbi, ya habibi, ya habibi. | Oh my darling, this is my love's night. Aahi, Aah, Aahi, Aah, Aahi if you shared with me my heart's happiness, Oh my darling, Oh my darling. |
| Ya habibi haazihi laylatou houbbi yaaa habibi. Aahi laou sharaktani afraaha qalbi, afraaha qalbi, ya habibi, ya habibi. | Oh my darling, this is my love's night. Oooh my darling. Aahi if you shared with me my heart's happiness, me my heart's happiness, Oh my darling, Oh my darling. |
| Ya habibi, haazih laylatou houbbi, aah ya habibi, haazi laylatou hobbi, aah, aah, aah ha ah ha, ha ha ha ha ha. Aah hi laou sharaktani afraaha qalbi. | Oh my darling, this is my love's night. Aah Oh my darling. This is my love's night. Aahi if you shared with me my heart's happiness, me my heart's happiness, Oh my darling, Oh my darling. |
Where to Get Recordings of this Song
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Artist: Mohammed Abdel Wahab |
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Artist: Mimi Spencer and Mary Ellen Donald CD Title: Gems of the Middle East, Volume 2 |
Translations of
Mohammed Abdel Wahab's Songs on this Site
Translations on this web site for songs performed by Mohamed Abdel Wahab include:
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About the Translator
More than 100 song translations that appear on this web site, including this one, were created by Dr. Tahseen Alkoudsi. Together with his wife Kathe, Tahseen owned an import business in Lawrence, Kansas known as Cartouche.
Dr. Alkoudsi's imports business was his second career. His first career was in the service of the United Nations. Born in Damascus, Syria, he came to the U.S. for his M.A. and Ph.D. in economics, and worked in San Francisco. He joined the United Nations in Yemen, and worked in Saudi Arabia. He then joined the UNESCO Regonal Office for Arab States. He visited most of the Arab States in the course of his work, responsible for introducing computer sciences into educational facilities. For a time, he was stationed in Cairo, Egypt. He retired from that work in 1995.
Sadly, Tahseen died on Sunday, October 15, 2006. See this link for his obituary.
To me, Tahseen was so much more than a contributor to my web site. Even though we lived far apart, I saw Tahseen and Kathe several times over the years. I always appreciated their warmth and generosity. I first "met" Tahseen online back in 1997 on the med-dance list on the Internet, where he periodically posted messages. I knew he was in Lawrence, Kansas, so when a business trip arose requiring me to travel to the Kansas City area, I emailed him to say I'd be in the neighborhood. He and Kathe came to Kansas City for an evening get-together at Tasso's restaurant, and they invited several local dancers to join us. I saw them on follow-up visits to Kansas City. They vended at Rakkasah for several years, and it was always a pleasure to greet them there in the anteroom off to the left of the main stage. I also enjoyed encountering them in Egypt at the Ahlan wa Sahlan festival. Tahseen will be missed by many. |
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