Gulf Arabic: Level 2

غصب عن عيني مسافر

Ghasb ‘an ‘ayni msāfir

Against my heart’s will, you’re leaving

عبادي الجوهر

 

 

• غصب عن عيني مسافر … وهذا كان لازم يصير

Ghasb(i) ‘an ‘ayni msāfir, u hādha kān lāzim yiṣīr.

Against my heart’s will, you’re leaving – this is something that had to happen.

– lit.: against my eye‘s will

– مسافر  = note the future or present tense meaning here. Active participles of verbs of motions denote the present or future tense (like: “Wēn rāyiḥ?” = “Where are you going?”) while static verbs denote the past tense that have an effect on the present (like: “ana ḥājiz ġurfe” = “I made a reservation for a room.”)

 

• دمعتي بعيني تكابر… ما انت عندي شئ كبير

Dam‘ati bi-‘ayni tikābir… ma anta ‘andi šey kibīr.

The tear in my eye is persisting stubbornly… How important you are to me.

 

• بس حبيبي لا تطول … بس حبيبي لا تطول

Bas ḥabībi la tiṭawwil… bas ḥabībi la tiṭawwil.

But my love, please don’t stay away for long. But my love, please don’t stay away for long.

 

• المهم ترجع بخير

Il-muhimm tirja‘ bil-khēr.

The important thing is that you come back safely.

 

• كل احاسيسي وشوقي … سافروا والله معاك

Kull iḥāsisi wi šōgi… sāfaru waḷḷah ma’āk.

All my feelings and longings have gone with you.

 

• إنت في نبضي وعروقي … ولو طلبت العمر جاك

Ante fi nabḍi u ‘urūgi… wi law ṭalabt il-‘umr jāk.

You are in my heart-beat and my veins. And if you would ask for my life I’d give it to you.

 

• بس حبيبي لا تطول … بس حبيبي لا تطول

Bas ḥabībi la tiṭawwil… bas ḥabībi la tiṭawwil.

But my love, please don’t stay away for long. But my love, please don’t stay away for long.

 

• المهم ترجع بخير

Il-muhimm tirja‘ bil-khēr.

The important thing is that you come back safely.

 

• كل ساعة في غيابك … تمضي من عمري سنة

Kull(i) sā‘a fi ghiyābak… timẓi min ‘umri senna.

In every hour of your absence a year of my life goes by.

– تمضي = timẓi (Note that in the Gulf dialects ض  ḍ is pronounced ظ  ẓ )

 

• والمسافة والمكان … ما تفرق بيننا

W-al-masāfa w-al-makān ma tifarrig bēnana.

Neither the distance nor the place make a difference to us.

 

• بس حبيبي لا تطول … بس حبيبي لا تطول

Bas ḥabībi la tiṭawwil… bas ḥabībi la tiṭawwil.

But my love, please don’t stay away for long. But my love, please don’t stay away for long.

 

• المهم ترجع بخير

Il-muhimm tirja‘ bil-khēr.

The important thing is that you come back safely.

 

• فرقتك عزت عليا … صرت بين اهلي غريب

Furgitek ‘azzat ‘alayya… ṣurt(i) bēn ahli ġarīb.

Our separation has become painful to me. I’ve become a stranger between my people.

 

• واللي هونها عليا … وعد ترجع لي قريب

w-illi hawwanha ‘alayya… wa‘d tirja‘ li garīb.

And what made this seperation easier for me is the promise that you’d come back soon.

 

• بس حبيبي لا تطول … بس حبيبي لا تطول

Bas ḥabībi la tiṭawwil… bas ḥabībi la tiṭawwil.

But my love, please don’t stay away for long. But my love, please don’t stay away for long.

 

• المهم ترجع بخير

Il-muhimm tirja‘ bil-khēr.

The important thing is that you come back safely.

 

• غصب عن عيني مسافر … وهذا كان لازم يصير

Ghasb(i) ‘an ‘ayni msāfir, u hādha kān lāzim yiṣīr.

Against my heart’s will, you’re leaving – this is something that had to happen.

 

• دمعتي بعيني تكابر… ما انت عندي شئ كبير

Dam‘ati b‘ayni tikābir…  ma anta ‘andi šey kibīr.

The tear in my eye is persisting stubbornly… How important you are to me.

 

• بس حبيبي لا تطول … بس حبيبي لا تطول

Bas ḥabībi la tiṭawwil… bas ḥabībi la tiṭawwil.

But my love, please don’t stay away for long. But my love, please don’t stay away for long.

 

• المهم ترجع بخير

Il-muhimm tirja‘ bil-khēr.

The important thing is that you come back safely.