Gulf Arabic: Level 2

La tsafir

لا تسافر

“Don’t leave”

فرقة المزيود الحربية

• لا تسافر قبل ما اشوفك

La tsāfir, gabl ma ašūfik

Don’t leave before I’ve seen you.

– Note: in Gulf dialects -ik/ek is used for the masculine and “ič” for feminine

• لو دقايق قبل الوداعي

Lō digāyig, gabl il-wadā‘(i)

Sounds like: Lō digāyig, gabl-l-awdā‘i

Even if it’s just for a few minutes before the farewell.

• من البعد بتأمل وصوفك

Min il-ba‘d batammal wuṣūfik

Sounds like: Mi-l-ba‘d batammal uṣūfik

From far away I will imagine your features.

– it seems like he is assimilating the n of “min” due to the following l

– ba‘d = bu‘d (بُعد)

• راعني ما دمت لي راعي

Rā‘ni, ma dimt(i)li rā‘i

Protect me, you are still my protector.

– the (i) is not the 2. P. Sg feminine ending but added to keep the rhythm of the song

– dimt(i)li = lit.: “you’re still … to me”, note how -li, -lak has become a clitic that is attached to the verb in a lot of dialects which can change the intonation pattern or the vowel length, as in “aḥki lak” becoming “aḥkīlak” (= “I’m telling you”) or “bidáwwir lak” becoming “bidawwírlak”

• وعالسفر عنت بك ظروفك

u ‘as-safar ‘anat bik ẓurūfik

And on your journey your circumstances preoccupy you.

– ‘as-safar = على السفر (‘ala is reduced to ‘a in most dialects)

– note how “bik” doesn’t become “bīk” as in Shāmi dialects

• (والزمن يا زين ينطاع(ي

w-iz-zaman ya zēn(i) yinṭā‘(i)

Time, my lover, will comply.

– ya zēn = oh beautiful (zēn (mostly written zeyn) is the preferred word for “good, beautiful” in Gulf dialects

• بس من زينك ومعروفك 

Bas(i) min zēnik wa ma‘rūfik

But for your beauty and kindness

• لا تخيب رجوة الساعي

La takhayyib rijwat is-sā‘i

Don’t turn down the request of the striver.

• في ضميري ناقش احروفك

Fi ẓamīri nāqiš aḥrūfik

I’m engraving your letters (the letters of your name) into my mind.

– Note that in Gulf Arabic ض  is usually pronounced like ظ

• مغرم وعاشق وملتاعي

maghram u-‘āšig wa miltā‘i

Loving, longing, languishing with love.

• وما تفارق عيني طيوفك

u-ma tifārig ‘ēni (a)ṭyūfik

And my eye won’t let go of your silhouette.

• يوم تغفي الخلق انا واعـــــــي

Yōm taghfi il-khalg ana wā‘i

The day that creation will fall asleep, I’ll be wide awake.

• لا اتعذر يمنعك خوفك 

La itt‘adhdhar imna‘ik khōfik

Don’t apologize by saying fear stopped you.

– itt‘adhdhar = Fūṣḥā tata‘adhdhar (لا تتعذر)

• صعب عذرك يقدر اقناعــــــي 

Sa‘b(i) ‘idhrik yigdar ignā‘i

Your excuse can’t convince me.

– (lit.: It is difficult for your excuse to be able to convince me)

– ‘idhr = Fūṣḥā ‘udhr (عُذر)

• ابغي اشوفك يعني بشوفك 

Abghi ašūfik ya‘ni bašūfik

I want to see you which means I will see you.

• لو دقايق قبل الوداعي

Lō digāyig, gabl il-wadā‘(i)

Sounds like: Lō digāyig, gabl-l-awdā‘i

Even if it’s just for a few minutes before the farewell.