|
زي العسل
|
This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the song "Zay el-Asal", which was popularized by Sabah. 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". |
 |
Lyrics
Numbers in parentheses refer to footnotes that appear at the bottom of the translation.
Arabic Lyrics |
Transliteration |
English Translation |
| قابلت كتي | Abelt kteer, | I've met many [people], |
| فرشوا لي عشاني الأرض حرير | Farashouli aashani el ard harir | they spread silk on the ground for me [to walk on]. |
| وشفت كتير | Wa shoft kitteer, | And I've seen a lot, |
| وما شفتش زي حبيبي أمير | wa ma shoft zay habibi ameer | but haven't seen a prince like my beloved. |
| قابلت كتي | 'Abelt kteer, | I've met many [people], |
| فرشوا لي عشاني الأرض حرير | Farashouli aashani el ard harir | they spread silk on the ground for me [to walk on]. |
| وشفت كتير | Wa shoft kitteer, | And I've seen a lot, |
| وما شفتش زي حبيبي أمير | wa ma shoft zay habibi ameer | but haven't seen a prince like my beloved. |
| مانيش رايدة | Manish rayda, | I don't want, |
| مانيش رايدة | Manish rayda, | I don't want, |
| ومانيش رايدة الا هو مانيش رايدة | Wa manish rayda ella huwwa, manish rayda | and I don't want anybody but him, I don't want. |
| ومافيش فايدة | Mafish fayda, | It's pointless, |
| مانيش فايدة… مافيش. فايدة الا هو مافيش فايدة | Mafish fayda ella houwwa, mafish fayda | It would be pointless if it were any other but him, it would be pointless. |
| مانيش رايدة | Manish rayda, | I don't want, |
| مانيش رايدة | Manish rayda, | I don't want, |
| ومانيش رايدة الا هو مانيش رايدة | Wa manish rayda ella huwwa, manish rayda | and I don't want anybody but him, I don't want. |
| ومافيش فايدة | Mafish fayda, | It's pointless, |
| مانيش فايدة… مافيش. فايدة الا هو مافيش فايدة | Mafish fayda ella houwwa, mafish fayda | It would be pointless if it were any other but him, it would be pointless. |
| في البعد عاشقاه | Fil boaad aash'ah, | When he's far away, I love him, |
| في القرب عاشقاه | fil orb aash'ah | when he's nearby, I love him |
| في البعد عاشقاه | Fil boaad aash'ah, | When he's far away, I love him, |
| في القرب عاشقاه | fil orb aash'ah | when he's nearby, I love him |
| زي العسل… على قلبي هواه زي العسل | Zay el assal aala albi hawah. | His love comes over my heart, just like honey |
| من صغرنا وإحنا بنبني عشنا مع بعضنا | Men soghrena wehna binebni aeshena maa baadena | [Ever] since we were young, we have been building our life together |
| من حبنا يتعلم الطير مننا الهوى زينا | Men hobbena yet3allem el teir mennena el hawa zayyena | From our love, the birds learned from us, a passion like ours |
| من صغرنا وإحنا بنبني عشنا مع بعضنا | Men soghrena wehna binebni aeshena maa baadena | [Ever] since we were young, we have been building our life together |
| من حبنا يتعلم الطير مننا الهوى زينا | Men hobbena yet3allem el teir mennena el hawa zayyena | From our love, the birds learned from us, a passion like ours |
| وكبرنا والهوى كبر ولا حد في الدنيا قدر | Wa kberna wel hawa keber, wala had fil dunia 'eder | As we grew [older], our love grew, no one on Earth could... |
| وكبرنا والهوى كبر ولا حد في الدنيا قدر | Wa kberna wel hawa keber, wala had fil dunia 'eder | As we grew [older], our love grew, no one on Earth could... |
| يفرقنا ولو ليلة دي قصتنا قصة طويلة | yefarra'na walaw leila... di ossetna ossa taweela | ...separate us, not even for a night. That is our story, a long story. |
| يفرقنا ولو ليلة دي قصتنا قصة طويلة | yefarra'na walaw leila... di ossetna ossa taweela | ...separate us, not even for a night. That is our story, a long story. |
| في البعد عاشقاه | Fil boaad aash'ah, | When he's far away, I love him, |
| في القرب عاشقاه | fil orb aash'ah | when he's nearby, I love him |
| في البعد عاشقاه | Fil boaad aash'ah, | When he's far away, I love him, |
| في القرب عاشقاه | fil orb aash'ah | when he's nearby, I love him |
| زي العسل… على قلبي هواه زي العسل | Zay el assal aala albi hawah. | His love comes over my heart, just like honey |
| لو جابوا القمر من العالي، العالي | Law gabou el amar el aali, el aali | If they brought me the moon from high, high, |
| والنجوم حطوها على شاني | Wel nogoum hatooha aalashani | and placed the stars in front of me, |
| رح رد وأقول وأنا مالي وأنا مالي | Rah aghani w 'aqoul wana mali wa ana mali | I will reply and ask, "And what does this have to do with me? And what does this have to do with me?" |
| رح رد وأقول وأنا مالي وأنا مالي | Rah aghani w 'aqoul wana mali wa ana mali | I will reply and ask, "And what does this have to do with me? And what does this have to do with me?" |
| مقدرش أسيب حبيبي الغالي | Ma'darsh aseeb habibi el ghali | I can't abandon my precious darling! |
| ده القمر هو حبيبي | Dal amar howa habibi | That is the moon, my beloved. |
| والنجوم دي عيون حبيبي | Wel nogoum baayoun habibi | And the stars, they're the eyes of my beloved. |
| والدنيا ديا هي حبيبي | Wa el dunya diaa hi habibi | This very world is my beloved! |
| في البعد عاشقاه | Fil boaad aash'ah, | When he's far away, I love him, |
| في القرب عاشقاه | fil orb aash'ah | when he's nearby, I love him |
| زي العسل… على قلبي هواه زي العسل | Zay el assal aala albi hawah. | Like honey on my heart, |
| زي العسل… على قلبي هواه زي العسل | Zay el assal aala albi hawah. | Like honey on my heart, |
| زي العسل… على قلبي هواه زي العسل | Zay el assal aala albi hawah. | Like honey on my heart, |
| زي العسل… على قلبي هواه زي العسل | Zay el assal aala albi hawah. | Like honey on my heart, |
| زي العسل على قلبي هواه زي العسل | Zay el assal aala albi hawah, zay el assal. | Like honey on my heart, it's like honey. |
Where to Get Recordings of this Song
Album Title | Album Artist | Name of Track | Length |
| Very Belly Dance | Zamalek Musicians | Zay al Asal | 3:16 |
| Belly Dance Fantasy | Unidentified | Zay al Asal | 3:18 |
| Masters of Bellydance, Volume 3 | Zamalek Musicians | Zay Al Asal | 3:19 |
| Om Al Dunya | Safaa Farid | Zey el Assle | 4:20 |
Translations of
Sabah's Songs On This Site
Translations on this web site of songs performed by Sabah include:
|
|
About the Translator
This translation was created by "Daydream" on allthelyrics.com.
Copyright Notice
This entire web site is copyrighted. All rights reserved.
All articles, images, forms, scripts, directories, and product reviews on this web site are the property of Shira unless a different author/artist is identified. Material from this web site may not be posted on any other web site unless permission is first obtained from Shira.
Academic papers for school purposes may use information from this site only if the paper properly identifies the original article on Shira.net using appropriate citations (footnotes, end notes, etc.) and bibliography. Consult your instructor for instructions on how to do this.
If you wish to translate articles from Shira.net into a language other than English, Shira will be happy to post your translation here on Shira.net along with a note identifying you as the translator. This could include your photo and biography if you want it to. Contact Shira for more information. You may not post translations of Shira's articles on anybody else's web site, not even your own.
If you are a teacher, performer, or student of Middle Eastern dance, you may link directly to any page on this web site from either your blog or your own web site without first obtaining Shira's permission. Click here for link buttons and other information on how to link.
Explore more belly dance info:
Top >Belly Dancing >
Middle Eastern Culture >
Index to Middle Eastern Music Section
Share this page!
On Facebook