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PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California. |
Osad A’ainy
(In Front of My Eyes)
This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the wistful ballad "Osad Ainy", which was recorded by Amr Diab. Also included is a transliteration of the Arabic lyrics into the Roman alphabet so you can sing along if you like. An alternate spelling of the song title is "Osad Eini".
Amr Diab was born in Port Said, Egypt on October 11, 1961. Although his father worked for the Suez Canal Corporation, he possessed a fine singing voice of his own and encouraged young Amr to sing. The boy's talent showed itself at an early age. One evening when he was only 6 years old, Amr accompanied his father to a festival in Port Said. When they visited a local radio station, Amr was invited to sing the national anthem, "Baladi, Baladi". The governor of Port Said praised him and gave him a guitar as a prize. Diab's musical talents extend beyond his singing - he also knows how to play oud and piano. Amr Diab graduated from the music program at the Cairo Academy of Art in 1986. |
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His first album, Ya Tareeq, was released shortly afterward and proved to be an instant success. However, the spectacular hit song that brought him to worldwide fame was his release in 1996 of this song, "Habibi, Ya Nour el Ain." It garnered the title of Arabic Song of the Year, and with its Spanish fusion sound it defined a new genre of music known as "Mediterranean music." Diab was one of the early artists to record music which later became known as al jeel, or "generation" music - the genre of pop music created for the under-25 generation of young Egyptians in the 1980's and 1990's. According to Let's Go Egypt, Diab is the best-selling Arab recording artist of all time. He has received the World Music Award in the category of "Best-Selling Arab Artist" three times - in 1998, 2002, and 2007. In 2003, Amr Diab won two major awards in a poll done by Nile Variety TV. One was "Best Music Video" for the song, "Ana "A'ayesh," and the other was Best Singer. Amr Diab has a daughter from his marriage to Sherine Reda (Mahmoud Reda's daughter), and three children from his later marriage to Zinah Ashour. |
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Listen to MP3 Clips of this Song
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Sung by Amr Diab |
Lyrics
Arabic Lyrics |
English Translation |
Wi bainna maa’aad law ehna iba’aad. |
We are together, even though we are far away. |
| Akeid rajaia’ wi laou bayni wi bayno iblaad. | I am coming back for sure, even though there are many countries between us. |
Wi bainna maa’aad law ehna iba’aad. |
We are together, even though we are far away. |
| Akeid rajaia’ wi laou bayni wi bayno iblaad. | I am coming back for sure, even though there are many countries between us. |
| Osad a’ainy fi kolli makaan | In front of my eyes, in every place. |
| Osad a’ainy fi kolli makaan | In front of my eyes, in every place. |
| Wi min taany akeid raja’een, ana daayeb wi kolly haneen. | And again we will return. I am melting and full of compassion. |
| Wana a’omri abeia’ laouny osad a’ainy. | And I sell my color in front of my eyes. |
| Wi mosh aadera’ala ilayaam wala yousif hawaya kalaam. | And I can not cope with the days and my compassion can not be described by talk. |
| Wi tool layli wi lamma banam osad a’ainy. | And all my nights and even when I sleep, you are in front of me. |
| Osad a’ainy fi kolli makaan | In front of my eyes, in every place. |
| Osad a’ainy fi kolli makaan | In front of my eyes, in every place. |
| Fi yoam hana’ood, da bayna iwa’ood. | In a day we will return. We have promises between us. |
| Wi fi ighyaboo akeed lissa ilamal mawjood | And in his absence the hope certainly still exists. |
| Fi yoam hana’ood, da bayna iwa’ood. | In a day we will return. We have promises between us. |
| Wi fi ighyaboo akeed lissa ilamal mawjood | And in his absence the hope certainly still exists. |
| Osad a’ainy fi kolli makaan | In front of my eyes, in every place. |
| Osad a’ainy fi kolli makaan | In front of my eyes, in every place. |
Wi lisaany akeed raja’een. Ana dayeb wi kolli haneen. |
And again we will return. I am melting and full of compassion. |
| Wana a’omri abeia’ lawny, osad a’ainy. | And I sell my color in front of my eyes. |
| Wi mosh aadera’ala ilayaam wala yousif hawaya kalaam. | And I can not cope with the days and my compassion can not be described by talk. |
| Wi tool layli wi lamma banam osad a’ainy. | And all my nights and even when I sleep, you are in front of me. |
| Osad a’ainy fi kolli makaan | In front of my eyes, in every place. |
| Osad a’ainy fi kolli makaan | In front of my eyes, in every place. |
Wi lisaany akeed raja’een. Ana dayeb wi kolli haneen. |
And again we will return. I am melting and full of compassion. |
| Wana a’omri abeia’ lawny, osad a’ainy. | And I sell my color in front of my eyes. |
| Wi mosh aadera’ala ilayaam wala yousif hawaya kalaam. | And I can not cope with the days and my compassion can not be described by talk. |
| Wi tool layli wi lamma banam osad a’ainy. | And all my nights and even when I sleep, you are in front of me. |
| Osad a’ainy fi kolli makaan. | In front of my eyes, in every place. |
| Osad a’ainy fi kolli makaan. | In front of my eyes, in every place. |
| Osad a’ainy. | In front of my eyes. |
Translations of
Amr Diab's Songs on This Site
About the Translator
More than 80 song translations that appear on this web site, including this one, were created by Tahseen Alkoudsi. Together with his wife Kathe, Tahseen owned an import business in Lawrence, Kansas known as Cartouche.
Sadly, Tahseen died on Sunday, October 15, 2006. See this link for his obituary.
To me, Tahseen was so much more than a contributor to my web site. Even though we lived far apart, I saw Tahseen and Kathe several times over the years. I always appreciated their warmth and generosity. I first "met" Tahseen online back in 1997 on the med-dance list on the Internet, where he periodically posted messages. I knew he was in Lawrence, Kansas, so when a business trip arose requiring me to travel to the Kansas City area, I emailed him to say I'd be in the neighborhood. He and Kathe came to Kansas City for an evening get-together at Tasso's restaurant, and they invited several local dancers to join us. I saw them on follow-up visits to Kansas City. They vended at Rakkasah for several years, and it was always a pleasure to greet them there in the anteroom off to the left of the main stage. I also enjoyed encountering them in Egypt at the Ahlan wa Sahlan festival. Tahseen will be missed by many. |
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