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PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California. |
El Bulbul Nagha
(The Nightingale)
This page contains a translation into English of the song lyrics to the song "El Bulbul', which is sometimes written as "Al Boulbol Nagha". This is a muwashaha which was performed by Sabeh Fakhri, from Haleb, Syria.
Maqam: Heyjaz
Rhythm: Maqsoum (Masmoudi Saghir)
Listen to MP3 Clips of this Song
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Sung by Sabah Fakhri |
Lyrics
Arabic Lyrics |
English Translation |
Chorus: |
Chorus: |
| Wel-bulbul nagha 'a (la) ghusn el-foll | The nightingale sang on the stem of the double jasmine |
| Ah ya sha'i'an-nu'mani (2 times) | O anemones (2 times) |
| Asdi ala'i mahbubi (2 times) | I intend to find my beloved (2 times) |
| Beyn el-yasmin wer-rehani ya eni beyn | Between the jasmine and the basil |
Verse 1: |
Verse 1: |
| Albi tlawwa ya wa'di | My heart fell sick, what a broken promise |
| Baddi tabibi ye dawini | I need a doctor to cure me |
| Albi tlawwa ya wa'di | My heart fell sick, what a broken promise |
| Baddi tabibi ye dawini | I need a doctor to cure me |
| Dawat tabib ma yenfa'nish | No, a doctor is of no use to me |
| Boset habibi teshfini ya eni. | The kiss of my beloved can cure me. |
Verse 2: |
Verse 2: |
| Ejash-shahat ala bab ed-dar | The beggar came to the door |
| Aletlol-helwa ala Allah (2 times) | The beautiful one said God gives (2 times) |
| W-Allah ana mani shahhat | But by God I am no beggar |
| E'tini bose dakhil Allah ya eni | Please by God give me a kiss. |
Verse 3: |
Verse 3: |
| Konna setta alan-nab'a | There were six of us by the water source |
| Ejal-mahbub serna sab'a (2 times) | With the beloved we became seven (2 times) |
| We talab bose ma ataytoh | She asked for a kiss, I did not give |
| Oltello haram yom ej-jom'a ya eni | I said it is a sin on Friday |
Where to Get Recordings of this Song
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Artist: Sabah Fakhri Amazon Store: |
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Artist: Sabah Fakhri Amazon Store: |
Translations of
Sabah Fakhri's Songs on this Site
About the Translator
This translation was done by Dr. George Sawa for Yasmina Ramzy of Arabesque Academy of Toronto, Canada. I'd like to thank Yasmina for permission to share these song lyrics with you via my web site.
Dr. George Sawa was born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1947, where he completed his undergraduate studies in Western music and Classical Arabic music. In 1970, after immigrating to Canada, he completed graduate work at the University of Toronto, obtaining an MA in musicology and ethnomusicology at the Faculty of Music, and a PhD in Arabic historical musicology at the department of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies. Since 1972, when he founded the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble with Ebrahim Eleish, he has directed and performed with the ensemble all over North America, in both concert venues and in lecture demonstrations at universities and colleges. As a soloist, Dr. Sawa has also performed in Europe, in concerts and radio broadcasts. As well, he is frequently invited to international conferences for presentations and lectures on various aspects of medieval and modern Arabic music. At present he is directing the Centre For Studies in Middle Eastern Music.
Yasmina Ramzy has been performing, teaching, and choreographing Middle Eastern dance since 1981. She has toured extensively throughout Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Greece, England, Mexico, the United States, and Canada as a soloist and with her company, sometimes performing for royalty and heads of state in many of these countries. She is the Artistic Director of Arabesque Academy, School of Culture-Specific Dance and the Arabesque Dance Company. Although Yasmina has dedicated her life to Middle Eastern dance, she also produces Gypsy and Dancenet which are culture-specific dance and music events with an educational slant. She is also a member of Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists and serves of the board of directors for Dance Ontario.