Ya 3araf
Ya 3araf (يا عراف) is a dramatic and catchy song with a delightfully absurd music video. It’s by Ahmed Saad, Nordo, and Zaeem and in the Egyptian dialect. The lyrics lament the suffering these men have endured while being separated from the women they love and chronicles their search for these women through time and space. Ya 3araf is a fun way to learn or review vocabulary and phrases to express strong feelings.
As you read through the lyrics, you’ll notice that they’re written as if addressing another man. If you watch the music video though, it’s clear that they’re usually talking about a woman. This style of writing lyrics in the masculine form while talking to or about a woman is often used in poetry - especially old Arabic poetry - and is sometimes applied to music lyrics too.
Let’s take a look at the music video, lyrics, and translation. Below the lyrics is a review of some key vocabulary.
Translation by Fi Kalam with support from Saeed Alaktaa
يا طبيب داويني
Hey doctor, cure me
احتار الطب فيا
I’m a medical mystery
Literal translation: medicine is confused by me
حبيبي يغيب عن عيني
My love is gone
Literal translation: my love is absent from my eye
الدنيا تلف بيا
And the world spins around me
يا خاله ارقيني
Hey uncle, save me
بدأت اشوف خيالات
I’ve begun seeing visions
صورته ما فارقت عيني
My eyes can’t discern the images
بشوفه في كل الأوقات
I see them all the time
غيابو عليا طال
She’s been gone so long
وحالي حال
And I’m suffering so
نفسي اعرف فين اراضيه
I wish I knew where her lands are
لو داري بحالي واللي جرالي
If only she knew how I’m suffering
ما كان سابني اسهر لياليه
She wouldn’t leave me sleepless all night
بغينا و ما رضينا
We want and we aren’t satisfied
و لا ما نساتني فيك الايام
I haven’t forgotten you all these days
و الروح لسكنت فينا عايشا فينا
The soul that lives within us is alive in us
عشنا في اراضينا
And we’re living in our lands
مشيت و خليتني في البارح عدينا
You walked away and left me in the past
و كان العالي العالم بينا
The whole wide world between us
يا دنيا ودينا
Oh world, take us
لفي ورسي بينا
Around and anchor us
بهواك تبلينا و بقلوبنا حبينا
We got swept up in your wind and loved with our whole hearts
Literal translation: we got damp in your winds and loved with our hearts
يا ناس حسوا بينا
Hey everyone, feel us
و لفينا مكفينا
We’ve had enough
كل يوم نهواك
Every day we’re passionate for you
نتمني نراك بعدك كاوينا
I want to see you, you still make me suffer
يا عراف عرفني
Oh wise one, tell me
ان كان راح ونسيني
If she left and forgot me
مين في سؤالي هيفيدني
Who can help me with my question?
ياريت لو ترسيني
I wish you had anchored me
يا مجروح روح اسهر
Oh wounded one, stay awake
عد نجوم لياليك
Count the stars of your night
قمرك غاب مابقاش يظهر
Your moon is gone and won’t return
وغيابه كان صعب عليك
It’s absence is difficult for you
غيابو عليا طال
She’s been gone so long
وحالي حال
And I’m suffering so
نفسي اعرف فين اراضيه
I wish I knew where her lands are
لو داري بحالي واللي جرالي
If only she knew how I’m suffering
ما كان سابني اسهر لياليه
She wouldn’t leave me sleepless all night
Vocabulary / مفردات
يغيب / غاب
He or it is absent / he or it was absent
ارقيني
Save me
This term is a religious reference and is used when talking about a spiritual or emotional saving
حالي حال
I’m suffering
أسهر / سهرت
I stay up late into the night / I stayed up late into the night
الهواء
The air or the wind
هوى / أهواء
Passion/s
One of the many ways to say, “I love you” in Arabic is أهواك, which communicates a more passionate love than حب
