Khaberni Keef by Khansa
Khansa is a multi-talented Lebanese artist. His work frequently addresses and challenges traditional ideas of masculinity, including in the song we’re digging into today, Khaberni Keef (خبرني كيف). The lyrics of Khaberni Keef are like a poem. They’re full of creative and visual phrases that have expanded my understanding of how to use many of these words. The song is also rich with examples of verbs in the command form. Specifically masculine commands, as the song is structured as one man addressing another. Some of these more subtle context elements in the song are lost in translation, so do try to read both the Arabic and English lyrics closely, if you can.
We’ve included a short dance video below featuring part of Khaberni Keef. The full song is available on Spotify, Anghami, or wherever you get your music. Scroll down for the full lyrics, translation, and vocabulary - including the phrase, fi kalam!
Translation by Fi Kalam, edited by Saeed Alaktaa
االدنيا قصاص
The world is a storyteller
(Alternate translation: the world is punishing)
الدنيا قُصَصْ ومشينا
The world is stories, and we went on
عايشين بسلام
Living in peace
ولو بمنام ما حكينا
And if we’re in a dream, we don’t speak [of it]
حبنا غريب
Our love is strange
حبنا غريب وانسينا
Our love is strange and we forget
تايهين بكلام
Lost in words
ولو في كلام ما حكينا
And if were words, we wouldn’t speak
Alternate translation: if there was something to say, we wouldn’t speak
الحُلم بيرحم
The dream is merciful
وخيالنا أجمل
And our imagination, more beautiful
وهيك يخلص
And here it ends
حديثنا كله
Our conversation, all of it
الحُلم بيرحم
The dream is merciful
وخيالنا أجمل
And our imagination, more beautiful
وهيك يخلص
And here it ends
حديثنا كله
Our conversation, all of it
خبرني كيف بدك ياني بدك ياني إحلم
Tell me how you want me, want me to dream
خبرني كيف بدك ياني بدك ياني إحلم
Tell me how you want me, want me to dream
خبرني كيف بدك ياني بدك ياني إحلم
Tell me how you want me, want me to dream
خبرني كيف
Tell me how
خبرني
Tell me
شفنا غراب
We saw a crow
شفنا غراب ونشينا
We saw a crow and were hypnotized
عشنا أصوات*
We heard voices
دايماً تحكي فينا
They always spoke within us
حبنا بسيط
Our love is simple
ولا ممكن يرضينا
And can’t satisfy us
والحُلم يضيع
The dream is lost
لخصرنا كل شي فينا
[That one] that made us lose ourselves
الحِلمْ بيفنى
The dream is wasting
وخيالنا أفنى
Our imagination, more wasted
وهيك بيخلص
And here it ends
حديثنا كله
Our conversation, all of it
الحِلمْ بيفنى
The dream is wasted
وخيالنا أفنى
Our imagination, more wasted
وهيك بيخلص
And here it ends
حديثنا كله
Our conversation, all of it
...خبرني كيف بدك ياني بدك ياني إحلم
خبرني...
وجهني كيف
Direct me how
بدك ياني جرب ضيّع حالي؟
Do you want me to try to lose myself?
وجهني منيح
Direct me clearly
بركي بكرا بصُح وبيمشي حالي
Maybe tomorrow I’ll recover, I’ll make it
بخفي عيوبي، بكَذب اسمي، بمحي كل شي تاني
I hide my flaws, I lie about my name, I erase everything else
بغير ألوني, بغير شِعري, بغير ايماني
I change my color, I change my hair, I change my faith
بترسمني كيف؟
How do you draw me?
فهّني كيف
Make me understand (how)
الِهمني كيف
Inspire me (how)
سايرني شوي
Humor me a little (how)
خبرني كيف
Tell me how
جبرني
Tell me
…خبرني كيف بدك ياني بدك ياني إحلم
خبرني…
X2
I love you my love
عشنا أصوات is an old and poetic way to say “we heard voices.” سمعنا أصوات would be a more common way to say this.
Vocabulary / مفردات
خبرني (خبر)
Tell me or inform me (masc. command)
في كلام
There’s something to say; there’s news
Literal translation: there are words or in words
بيرحم (يرحم)
He/it forgives or shows mercy
بسيط/ة
Simple; straightforward; modest
Fun fact: this word shares a root with a common word for happy - مبسوط/ة
لا ممكن
It’s not possible; impossible
يضيع (ضاع)
He/it loses
بيفنى (فني)
He/it wastes or perishes
وجهني (وجه)
Direct or guide (masc. command) me
The root of this word is also the word for "face"
بصُح (verb)
I get better; I recover; I correct
صح (noun)
Correct
بخفي (إخفاء)
He/it hides
عيب ج عيوبي
Flaw/s
The singular of this word, عيب, can also be used as an adjective to describe something as taboo or socially unacceptable
بمحي (محا)
I erase
ايمان
Faith
الِهم
To inspire or he/it inspired
ساير
To humor (someone)
