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فستاني
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This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the Lebanese song "Fesstani", which was popularized by Sabah. Sometimes the song title is spelled as "Funtay" or "Fostani". Also included 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 SabahSabah was a highly successful Lebanese singer and movie star, born in 1927 to a Christian family. Tragically, her father was abusive, and her brother murdered her mother because he believed she was having an affair. Sabah's first marriage was mostly to escape this home life. Sabah recorded her first song in 1940, at age 13. Her first movie, El-Qalb Luh Wahed, was released in 1945 and made her a star. Her career in cinema led her to move to Egypt. Sabah had ten different husbands. One of them, Egyptian actor Rushdie Abaza, married her in 1977 while still married to Samia Gamal! It seems he failed to inform Sabah that he had not yet completed his divorce from Samia, and the marriage only lasted three days. There is a famous quote in which Sabah said, "Whoever hasn't been married to Rushdy Abaza, hasn't been married." (Her words are always repeated with a broad wink.) Over the course of her career, Sabah recorded over 3,000 songs and appeared in 98 movies. She received a special honor at the 1998 Alexandria film festival and retired from cinema in 1981. Sabah is considered one of the three Lebanese icons, along Wadih El Safi and Fairouz, and she was nicknamed "The Empress of Lebanese Song". |
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Lyrics
Numbers in parentheses refer to footnotes that appear at the bottom of the translation.
Arabic Lyrics |
Transliteration |
English Translation |
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| ان كان بدك تعشق .. تاجر بالحرير | En kan badak teaashaq tager bel harir, | If you want to fall in love, then you need to be a silk merchant, |
| والعشق يا عيني .. بدو مال كتير | wel aesheq ya ya eini bado maal ketteer | and love, oh my eyes, (1) needs a lot of money! |
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| ناسي يا حبيبي .. شو رحنا مشاوير | Nasy ya habibi sho rohna meshawer | Do you remember, my darling, how we used to go everywhere? |
| بحبك يا حبيبي كتير .. كتير .. كتير | behabak ya habibi ketteer ketteer, ketteer | I love you, my darling, a lot, a lot, a lot! |
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| ان كان بدك تعشق .. تاجر بالحرير | En kan badak teaashaq tager bel harir, | If you want to fall in love, then you need to be a silk merchant, |
| والعشق يا عيني .. بدو مال كتير | wel aesheq ya ya eini bado maal ketteer | and love, oh my eyes, (1) needs a lot of money! |
Soloist |
Soloist |
Soloist |
| كيف ما بعمل تعبان وإن مباعد فزعن | keef ma baamel teaabane wen mabqaaod fazaane | How do I act sick when I'm frightened? |
| الهوا شو قليل الذوق .. بيطير لي فستاني | el hawa sho qalel el zoq bi yatayer le fesstani | The breeze is so rude, it makes my dress fly away, |
| بيطير لي فستاني | bi yatayer le fesstani | makes my dress fly away! |
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| كيف ما بعمل تعبان وإن مباعد فزعن | keef ma baamel teaabane wen mabqaaod fazaane | How do I act sick when I'm frightened? |
| الهوا شو قليل الذوق .. بيطير لي فستاني | el hawa sho qalel el zoq bi yatayer le fesstani | The breeze is so rude, it makes my dress fly away, |
| بيطير لي فستاني | bi yatayer le fesstani | makes my dress fly away! |
Soloist |
Soloist |
Soloist |
| لبست الفستان الحرير حلو كتير .. كتير .. كتير | lebest el fostan el harir helw ketteer ketteer ketteer | I wore the silk dress, and it's pretty, pretty, pretty |
| لبست الفستان الحرير حلو كتير .. كتير .. كتير | lebest el fostan el harir helw ketteer ketteer ketteer | I wore the silk dress, and it's pretty, pretty, pretty |
| بس كيف ما بعمل .. بيطير هـ الفستان مرباني | bas keef ma ba3mel beyter hal fostan merabany | But what can I do? My dress just flies around. |
| بس كيف ما بعمل .. بيطير هـ الفستان مرباني | bas keef ma ba3mel beyter hal fostan merabany | But what can I do? My dress just flies around. |
| هـ الفستان مرباني | hal fostan merabany | My dress |
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| كيف ما بعمل تعبان وإن مباعد فزعن | keef ma baamel teaabane wen mabqaaod fazaane | How do I act sick when I'm frightened? |
| الهوا شو قليل الذوق .. بيطير لي فستاني | el hawa sho qalel el zoq bi yatayer le fesstani | The breeze is so rude, it makes my dress fly away, |
| بيطير لي فستاني | bi yatayer le fesstani | makes my dress fly away! |
Soloist |
Soloist |
Soloist |
| فستاني من اوراق الورد .. مسوسح الساحل والجرد | Fustany men awraq el ward mesawsah el sahel wel gerd | My dress is made of rose petals thrown on the shore. |
| فستاني من اوراق الورد .. مسوسح الساحل والجرد | Fustany men awraq el ward mesawsah el sahel wel gerd | My dress is made of rose petals thrown on the shore. |
| بلبسه بعز البرد .. وببقى مانيش بردانه | belbeso beaez el bard we yebqa manesh bardana | I wore it on the very cold days, and I don't feel cold. |
| بلبسه بعز البرد .. وببقى مانيش بردانه | belbeso beaez el bard we yebqa manesh bardana | I wore it on the very cold days, and I don't feel cold. |
| وببقى مانيش بردانه | we yebqa manesh bardana | And I don't feel cold. |
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| كيف ما بعمل تعبان وإن مباعد فزعن | keef ma baamel teaabane wen mabqaaod fazaane | How do I act sick when I'm frightened? |
| الهوا شو قليل الذوق .. بيطير لي فستاني | el hawa sho qalel el zoq bi yatayer le fesstani | The breeze is so rude, it makes my dress fly away, |
| بيطير لي فستاني | bi yatayer le fesstani | makes my dress fly away! |
Soloist |
Soloist |
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| قلبي يا فستان عليك .. رقصوا القلوب حواليك | 'albi ya fustan aaleyek, ra'so el 'olob hawaleyk | You're wearing my heart like a dress, and the hearts dance around you |
| قلبي يا فستان عليك .. رقصوا القلوب حواليك | 'albi ya fustan aaleyek, ra'so el 'olob hawaleyk | You're wearing my heart like a dress, and the hearts dance around you, |
| ان ظل الهوا يعمل هيك .. رح ضبك في الخزانه | en dal el hawa yeamel hayek, rah dabak bel h'azane | and if the breeze keeps acting like this I will put you into the closet. |
| ان ظل الهوا يعمل هيك .. رح ضبك في الخزانه | en dal el hawa yeamel hayek, rah dabak bel h'azane | and if the breeze keeps acting like this I will put you into the closet. |
| رح ضبك في الخزانه | rah dabak bel h'azane | I will put you into the closet. |
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| كيف ما بعمل تعبان وإن مباعد فزعن | keef ma baamel teaabane wen mabqaaod fazaane | How do I act sick when I'm frightened? |
| الهوا شو قليل الذوق .. بيطير لي فستاني | el hawa sho qalel el zoq bi yatayer le fesstani | The breeze is so rude, it makes my dress fly away, |
| بيطير لي فستاني | bi yatayer le fesstani | makes my dress fly away! |
Soloist |
Soloist |
Soloist |
| كيف ما بعمل تعبان وإن مباعد فزعن | keef ma baamel teaabane wen mabqaaod fazaane | How do I act sick when I'm frightened? |
| الهوا شو قليل الذوق .. بيطير لي فستاني | el hawa sho qalel el zoq bi yatayer le fesstani | The breeze is so rude, it makes my dress fly away, |
| بيطير لي فستاني | bi yatayer le fesstani | makes my dress fly away! |
- In Arabic, the exclamation "oh my eyes" is frequently used to mean "oh my sweetie" or "oh my loved one". The idea is that the person she loves is as important to her as her eyes.
Translations of
Sabah's Songs On This Site
Translations on this web site of songs performed by Sabah include:
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