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مصباح علاء الدين
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This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular Egyptian mahragan song "Misbah Aladdin" (مصباح علاء الدين), which was sung by Mohamed Ramadan. Also included is a pronunciation guide for the Arabic lyrics 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 RamadanMohamed Ramadan was born in 1988 in Egypt. When he was acting in a theater production at his school, he was noticed by Ahmed Abdel Hamid, who persuaded his mother to send him to the Higher Institute for Dramatic Arts. His career in show business began as an actor in television and motion pictures. Omar Sharif praised his work. Ramadan's career started as most actors do, with small roles, gradually achieving box office success as a star in his own right. Because many of his roles were depicting violent thugs, he attracted criticism from the media accusing him of being a "slave of death". In June 2018, Ramadan turned to singing, releasing his first single. He signed a contract with Rotana to make his first album in 2018. In 2019, Ramadan won the Afrima Music Award for being the most popular singer in Africa. |
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Listen to MP3 Clips of This Song
You can listen to the song and watch the music video at this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2gBOUqqpg0
Lyrics
Numbers in parentheses refer to footnotes that appear at the bottom of the translation.
Arabic Lyrics |
Transliteration |
English Translation |
| Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li | Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li (1) | |
| Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li | Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li (1) | |
| من صغري كنت شايف وأنا بلمس النجوم ! | Min sghrayari kunt shayif wana balmas an-negoum! | From [the time] when I was little, I could see and touch the stars! |
| ولا عمري كنت خايف كل اما أقع بقوم ! | Walla 3oumri kunt khayef kul ama aqa3 biqoum. | I was never afraid; every time I fell I got up [again]. |
| وحلمت بالبطولة جايلك يا صفوف يا أولي ! | Wa halmet bal-batoula gaylak ya safouf ya oula! | And I dreamt I would become a champion sitting in the front row! |
| وأدي حلم الطفولة أهو اتحقق في يوم ! | Wa di halim at-tafoula aho athaqaq fi youm! | And here's my childhood dream coming true today! |
| ما كانش ليا واسطة ما دعكتش الفانوس ! | Ma kansh liya wasta ma da3ktash al-fanous! | I didn't have connections. I didn't rub the [magic] lamp! |
| بالعكس حلمت حلم كان رؤية مش كابوس ! | Bal-3aks halimt hilim kan rouya mish kabous! | On the contrary, I dreamt a dream that was a premonition, not a nightmare! |
| والناس الطيبين واقفين مستجدعين ! | Wal-nas at-tauyibeen w-aqfeen mustaged3ein! | And good upstanding people stuck by me! |
| هما و دعوة أمي مصباح علاء الدين ! | Huma wa da3wa oumi misbah 3ala ad-deen! | Them, and my mother's prayers, were my Aladdin's lamp. |
| من تحت الصفر بدأت سبقت طلعت طفيت النجوم ! | Min taht as-safr badaat sibqit tila3t sifit an-negoum! | From less than nothing I began, then I rose and lit the stars! |
| أعدائي يكتروا يختفوا يظهروا ما فرقش معايا الهجوم ! | A3da'ee yakterou yakhtefou yathherou ma farfesh ma3ya al-hagoum! | My enemies increased, then vanished, then reappeared - they weren't happy with me, the attacks! |
| لما أنا مش فارق معاك والناس كلها وياك ! | Lama ana mish fareq ma3k wal-nas kulaha wayak! | When I don't disagree with you and everyone is on your side! |
| إسأل عيلتك تقولك | Isal 3ayiltak taqoulak | Ask your family, they'll tell you, |
| بنشوفه من وراك ! | binshoufhu min warak! | "We can see him following you." (2) |
| تك تك تك تك تك | tak tak tak tak tak | Tak tak tak tak tak (3) |
| إسأل عيلتك ! | Isal 3ayiltak | Ask your family! |
| تك تك تك تك تك | tak tak tak tak tak | Tak tak tak tak tak (3) |
| إسأل عيلتك ! | Isal 3ayiltak | Ask your family! |
| تك تك تك تك تك | tak tak tak tak tak | Tak tak tak tak tak (3) |
| إسأل عيلتك ! | Isal 3ayiltak | Ask your family! |
| تك تك تك تك تك | tak tak tak tak tak | Tak tak tak tak tak (3) |
| إسأل عيلتك تقولك ! | Isal 3ayiltak taqoulak | Ask your family, they'll tell you! |
| بنشوفه من وراك ! | min shoufu min warak! | We see him from behind you. (2) |
| Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li | Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li (1) | |
| Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li | Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li (1) | |
| ! من يومي واخد قراري هفرد جناحي وأطير ! | Min youmi wakhud qarari hafared ganahi wa ateer! | Long ago, I decided to spread my wings and fly, |
| بكرة هركب فيراري وهاكون من الأساطير ! | Bukra harakab Ferarri wa hakoun min al-asateer! | [That] tomorrow I would drive a Ferrari and become a legend! |
| وحلفت لا يعرفوني وهغني ويسمعوني ! | Wahlafet la ya3arafouni wa haghrani wa yisma3ouni! | And I swore those who didn't know me would listen when I sang! |
| ويكون لي فكل شارع صورة بالحجم الكبير ! | Wa yakoun li fikul shara3 soura bal-hegim al-kibeer! | And in every street a billboard picture of me would hang. |
| ! قوم دور عالبداية ولا تزعل عاللي راح ! | Qoum dawar 3al-bediya walla teza3l 3aleli rah! | Get up and search for a beginning, don't be angry about the past! |
| واللي يقولك كفاية رد عليه بالنجاح ! | Wa illi yaqoulak kefaya rud 3aleyu bal-nagah! | And whoever tells you, "That's enough," answer him with success! |
| طوبة اتحدفت بيها إكبر و اوقف عليها ! | Toba ithadafet biha ikbar wawqef aleyha |
A brick was thrown at you? Grow [from it] and [then] step on [the brick]! |
| شمسك أول ما تطلع هاتلاقي الثلج ساح ! | hatlaq it-talg sah Shamsak awal ma tatla3 ha talaqi al-thalg sah! | When your sun rises, it will completely melt the ice! |
| من تحت الصفر بدأت سبقت طلعت طفيت النجوم ! | Min taht as-safr badaat sabqat tila3t tafeet an-negoum! | From less than nothing I began, then I rose and lit the stars! |
| أعدائي يكتروا يختفوا يظهروا ما فرقش معايا الهجوم ! | A3da'ee yakterou yakhtefou yathherou ma feesh ma3ya alhagoum! | My enemies increased, then vanished, then reappeared [but] I don't want to fight [attack them]! |
| لما أنا مش فارق معاك والناس كلها وياك ! | Lama ana mish fareq ma3k wal-nas kulaha wayak! | When I don't disagree with you and everyone is on your side! |
| إسأل عيلتك تقولك ! | Isal 3ayiltak taqoulak | Ask your family, they'll tell you! |
| بنشوفه من وراك ! | min shoufu min warak! | We see him from behind you. (2) |
| تك تك تك تك تك | tak tak tak tak tak | Tak tak tak tak tak (3) |
| إسأل عيلتك ! | Isal 3ayiltak | Ask your family! |
| تك تك تك تك تك | tak tak tak tak tak | Tak tak tak tak tak (3) |
| إسأل عيلتك ! | Isal 3ayiltak | Ask your family! |
| تك تك تك تك تك | tak tak tak tak tak | Tak tak tak tak tak (3) |
| إسأل عيلتك ! | Isal 3ayiltak | Ask your family! |
| تك تك تك تك تك | tak tak tak tak tak | Tak tak tak tak tak (3) |
| إسأل عيلتك تقولك ! | Isal 3ayiltak taqoulak | Ask your family, they'll tell you! |
| بنشوفه من وراك ! | binshoufu min warak! | We see him from behind you. (2) |
| Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li | Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li (1) | |
| Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li | Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li (1) | |
| Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li | Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li (1) | |
| Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li | Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li (1) | |
| Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li | Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li (1) | |
| Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li | Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li (1) | |
| بنشوفه من وراك ! | min shoufu min warak! | We see him from behind you. (2) |
| تك تك تك تك تك | tak tak tak tak tak | Tak tak tak tak tak (3) |
| إسأل عيلتك ! | Isal 3ayiltak | Ask your family! |
| تك تك تك تك تك | tak tak tak tak tak | Tak tak tak tak tak (3) |
| إسأل عيلتك ! | Isal 3ayiltak | Ask your family! |
| تك تك تك تك تك | tak tak tak tak tak | Tak tak tak tak tak (3) |
| إسأل عيلتك ! | Isal 3ayiltak | Ask your family! |
| تك تك تك تك تك | tak tak tak tak tak | Tak tak tak tak tak (3) |
| إسأل عيلتك تقولك ! | Isal 3ayiltak taqoulak | Ask your family, they'll tell you! |
| بنشوفه من وراك ! | min shoufu min warak! | We see him from behind you. (2) |
| Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li | Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li (1) | |
| Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li | Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li (1) | |
| Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li | Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li (1) | |
| Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li | Leli ya leli ya leli, leli ya li (1) |
- The syllables "leli" often appear in Egyptian music as musical syllables, similar to "tra la la" in English music.
- The literal translation is "we see him from behind you." The intended meaning is ambiguous, and changes with each verse whether it means "behind your back", "coming to get you from behind," or something else.
- These are just musical syllables, which come from the final syllable of the word "3ayiltak" in the line immediately following.
Translations of
Mohamed Ramadan's Songs On This Site
Translations on this web site for songs performed by Mohamed Ramadan include:
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Translations of
Mahraganat On This Site
Mahraganat translations on this web site:
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About the Translator
Yasmin Henkesh is a professional belly dancer, music producer and author from Washington DC. After performing in Paris, London and Cairo with superstars Ahmed Adawiya, Sabah, Mohammed al-3izabi and Walid Toufiq, she now teaches belly dance on line and in her downtown Bethesda, Maryland dance studio, Serpentine Dance. She is known for her lively, invigorating classes and widely acclaimed workshops, with their depth of research and easy-to-follow movement explanations. |
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In 2005 Yasmin created Sands of Time Music to share Egypt's rich, multifaceted music with Western audiences. The Henkesh Brothers, from a long line of Cairo's Golden Era Mohammed Ali Street musicians, agreed to help and can be heard on many of her label's albums (all on Amazon). Yasmin wrote extensive liner notes for most of the label's releases, including its three zar albums (Egyptian trance music) which eventually led to her first book Trance Dancing with the Jinn published in 2016. Her latest book released December 2020, Sound Track for Revolt, is a biography of Sayed Darwish designed to accompany another Sands of Time album, Sayed Darwish REMIX, a compilation celebrating Egypt's greatest modern composer. Visit Yasmin's web site to learn more about her music recordings, dance classes, and other projects. |
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