Marhaba! I know that many of you adore Fairouz’s beautiful songs. As you all know already, Fairouz is one of my favorite Arab artists and her voice is incomparable. She remains one of the most revered and admired musicians in the Arab world and beyond. Today, and given the fact that Christmas is around the corner, I want to share with you one of my most favorite carols in Arabic! Who better than Fairouz can provide us with this beautiful rendition in Arabic of a carol that is recognizable to billions around the globe? This is the tune of the famous Jingle Bells, but with lyrics in Arabic. The rendition of the song by Fairouz in Arabic is called Laylet Eid (ليلة عيد), which means Christmas Eve. As always, I have added the song in form a YouTube video as well as the lyrics in Arabic. Similar to other musical posts, I have translated the lyrics to English so that you can follow and sing this beautiful carol with Fairouz.
Fairouz – Christmas Eve | فيروز – ليلة عيد
ليلة عيد ليلة عيد الليلي ليلة عيد
Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve, tonight is Christmas Eve
زينة وناس صوت اجراس عم بترن بعيد
Decorations and people gathered, the sound of bells ringing in the distance
ليلة عيد ليلة عيد الليلي ليلة عيد
Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve, tonight is Christmas Eve
صوت اولاد تياب جداد وبكره الحُب جديد
Voices of children in new clothes, and tomorrow love is new
عم يتلاقوا الاصحاب لهدية خلف الباب
Friends are gathering for gifts behind the door
في شجرة بالدار ويدوروا اولاد صغار
There’s a tree in the house and children are running around it
والشجرة صارت عيد والعيد اسوارة بأيد
The tree became the holiday and the holiday is a bracelet in hand
والإيد تعلق عالشجرة غنية وعناقيد
And this hand is hanging on the tree songs and grapes
يامغارة كلها بيوت تلمع مثل الياقوت
Oh nativity scene with houses that sparkle like sapphires
كيف جبتي عالدار ثلج شرايط واقمار
How you brought to this house snow, ribbons, and moons (meaning beautiful faces)
مين اللي جاي بعيد عم بيرش مواعيد
Who’s that coming from afar, giving out all these gifts
يدق بواب الناس ويمشي والخير علينا يزيد
Knocking on people’s doors and spreading good news and joy
Salam everyone! Born as an American to two originally Arab parents, I have been raised and have spent most of my life in Beirut, Lebanon. I have lived my good times and my bad times in Beirut. I was but a young child when I had to learn to share my toys and food with others as we hid from bombs and fighting during the Lebanese Civil War. I feel my connection to Arabic as both a language and culture is severing and so it is with you, my readers and fellow Arabic lovers, and through you that I wish to reestablish this connection by creating one for you.
Comments:
sara:
thanks a looooooooooot
شكررررررررررررررررراً ^_^
Jon:
Thanks so much! I was looking for a word for word translation of this song since some I’m a perfectionist and I couldn’t understand a few of the concepts eg. مغارة= nativity scene That’s brilliant!
Comments:
sara:
thanks a looooooooooot
شكررررررررررررررررراً ^_^
Jon:
Thanks so much! I was looking for a word for word translation of this song since some I’m a perfectionist and I couldn’t understand a few of the concepts eg. مغارة= nativity scene That’s brilliant!