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PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

From the Site

Arab Song Translations

By Lennie Clark

Lennie

From Lennie Clark's Web Site:

Holly Christmas Songs in Arabic Holly

 

Although Islam is the religion of the majority in the Middle East, there are in fact many Christians from throughout the region. According to census data collected by the Ottoman Empire, the Christian population in 1914 was 40% of the modern-day area consisting of Israel, West Bank, Gaza Strip, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Turkey. Although today this number has dropped to about 5% due to emigration, there is still a large Arab population around the world which embraces Christianity.

In Egypt, the Copts are believed to be one of the oldest sects of Christianity in existence, pre-dating the Roman Catholic church. Some of the oldest historic Christian churches in the world still existing today are based in Egypt. Christian populations have existed in large numbers in the Levant, which even today is still known as the Holy Land. The Apostle Paul's conversion occurred "on the road to Damascus", a city in modern-day Syria. Turkey hosts some sites with strong Christian connections, such as Efes (Ephesus), known to Christians as the city connected to the Apostle Paul and his epistle to the Ephesians.

For this reason, it shouldn't be surprising that Arabic-language lyrics are available for some Christmas hymns.

The lyrics below come from Linda Grondahl. (See "About the Contributor" below after the songs.) Linda learned these carols when her troupe did a program for an Arabic-speaking church in San Francisco.

Please note that it would be deeply offensive to many Christian Arabs to see these humns used as accompaniment to a belly dance performance. Please treat these songs as "music for istening".

 

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Holly Table of Contents Holly

* Important note: If you don't speak Arabic yourself, don't try to use the written notes below by themselves to sing in Arabic. It's best if you can work with someone who speaks Arabic to learn proper pronunciation, and then use the notes below as a memory aid.

 

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Holly Angels We Have Heard on High Holly

Note from Shira: these lyrics are different from those sung by Fairuz on her album titled Christmas Hymns in the track titled "Najmet Eid".

Verse in English

Verse in Arabic

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing
We come and adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord the only King
Gloria-----in excelsis de-o
Gloria-----in excelsis de-o
Na-ti ela beyta
Lahm Na-ti bi qolu-bina
Nathereena lil maseeh
Lil rab fil a-a-li
Ma-------------------jedan

 

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Holly O Come O Come Emanuel Holly

Verse in English

Verse in Arabic

O Come O come Emmanuel
And ransom captive souls of men
And drive away the shades of night
And pierce the clouds and bring us light
Rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel!
Ta-al ta-al Emaneel
Wa haarer-na min qabdatil jaahreem
Wam-laana be ruuhekal-amin
Wa-ser bena be-nurekal thameen
Hallel, Hallel. Emanueel
Nati elayka ya mueen

 

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Holly A Sound Heard on High Holly

Verse in English

Verse in Arabic

There's a sound heard on high
What could be the news?
Why are the Angels singing?
Why are they joyful?
God's Grace, mercy and salvation has come to us
Rana souton fil a-ali, ya tura mathal khabar
Rana souton fil a-ali, ya tura mathal khabar
Rana souton fil a-ali, ya tura mathal khabar
Wale-mal amlaku tashdu, be-tara nimel zafar
Kulo-hom fil majdi ganna, be-ana-shedi sorur
Qad bada amron ajee-bon rah matu laheel gafur
Qad bada amron ajee-bon rah matu laheel gafur

 

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Holly Silent Night Holly

Note from Shira: these lyrics are different from those sung by Fairuz on her album titled Christmas Hymns in the track titled "Sawt El Eid".

Verse in English

Verse in Arabic

Silent Night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin, mother and child.
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Li-Laton thick-ru-ha,
Khalidon Wa-atheem
Ith taja-lat lil-wara, nematu-rabbil karim
Fee wajil massi-ih, muf-taddil atheem

 

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Holly O Holy Child of Bethlehem Holly

Verse in English

Verse in Arabic

O Holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born in us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel
Fee bayta lahmin lil warrah
Qud ush-rukkal salam
Ya millu hu milad dahu
Fi Haliki Thalam
Falnabtahiz jamian, bi moulid il qadir
Wal-yas-judil kownu liman
Fil Mithwadil hukkir
Fal nabtahij jami-an, bi moulid il qadir
Wal-yas judil kownu liman
Fil mith-wadil hukkir

 

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Holly Hark the Herald Angels Sing Holly

Verse in English

Verse in Arabic

Hark the herald angels sing:
Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With th'angelic hosts proclaim:
Christ is born in Bethlehem.
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King!
Ta-rikan majda ohlahu
Wa tara-nima safa
Ash-raqat shamsu sanahu
Bejana-hayha shefa
Fa ha-lumi ya ba-raya
War-fa-I saotal madih
Huwa thal mahil khataya
Rabunal fadi massih

 

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Holly The First Noel Holly

Verse in English

Verse in Arabic

The first noel, the angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winder's night that was so deep
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel
Fi bay-ta lahmin man-zilon
Fe-he thawatif-lon sageer
Aa-nasu too-ran jahalu
Be-a-anahul rabbul qadeer
Heyas judu wa sabihu
Malekana wa athimu

 

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Acknowledgements

About the Person Who Provided these Lyrics

Linda Grondahl's background is that of a devoted lover of Arabic music and dance. She danced with Amina and the Aswan Dancers for many years. She took Arabic percussion with Mary Ellen Donald, Su Su Pampanin, George Dubai, Vince Deldado, and Tony Lammam. She took Arabic singing from Nicole Ibrahim, Mimi Spencer, Georges Lammam. On the oud, she studied under Nazir Latouf, Mimi Spencer, Abdullah Kdough. She was a member of the Aswat Arab-American Choir under the direction of Elias Lammam. She is now a member of the El Ashaab dance troupe, and Tahneen, the all-girl, all-American Middle eastern music ensemble. They have played for Arab and American events, and for many years at the Rakassah festival.

"I just saved whatever I could get my hands on, for years", writes Linda, "and really don't know why. It was always so dificult to get music, so I just kept on saving."

Linda lives in San Francisco, California. Her favorite color is any shade of purple.

 

About the Source

This article originally appeared on Lennie Clark's web site, "Arabic Song Translations." Lennie created this web site in 2002 as a response to discussion on the Internet regarding incidents of dancers who performed inappropriate sensual dances to religious music. Lennie's web site resided on a free web hosting service known as Geocities.

When the planned October 2009 closure of the Geocities web hosting service was announced, Lennie and Shira agreed to move the contents of Lennie's site to Shira.net. To explore all the articles and song translations that once appeared on Lennie's Geocities site, visit Lennie's portal page here on Shira.net.

Lennie Clark

 

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