Marhaba! In a previous post I introduced you all to the Lebanese diva Majida el Roumi. Today, I am sharing another musical masterpiece by Majida called ‘Habibi’ (حبيبي) which literally means My Love. The song is based on a classical piece called Adagio in G Minor by the famous 18th century Venetian master Tomaso Albinoni. This classical piece might be familiar to many of you. I personally think that Majida and her band have done a wonderful rendition of this piece by adding beautiful lyrics in Arabic as well as several Arabic instruments in the new musical arrangement.
I have added a live performance of this beautiful song by Majida in form of a YouTube video. I have also added the lyrics in Arabic and translated them into English for you to follow with the song and understand the meaning behind these profound and beautiful lyrics. This is a beautiful love ballad and I am confident many of you here will certainly enjoy it. As you remember in an earlier post, I mentioned that listening to Arabic music and understanding the lyrics can tremendously help you to learn and improve you Arabic language skills!
ماجدة الرومي – حبيبي
Majida El Roumi – Habibi
الليلة عيِّشني حُبَّك
Tonight let me live in your love الليلة سمِّعني قلبك
Tonight let me listen to your heart الليلة انساني ع إيديك
Tonight forget me in your arms وشمسي تشرق من عينيك
And my sun will shine from your eyes عندي بتساوي هالكون
To me you are the whole word يا كل الكون حبيبي
All the world my love شو معنى هالحياة
What is the meaning of this life? حلم ومارق ساعات
A dream and passing hours الباقي من عمري بهديك
The rest of life I present to you وعمري لحظة بتناديك
And my life is a moment in time which calls for you مبارح وباقي لليوم
Yesterday which remains till today ولآخر يوم حبيبي
And till the end of days my love أنا اللي منك إنتَ منِّي
I am from you and you from me لا لا ما تبعد عنِّي
No, no don’t distance yourself from me إنتَ أنا روحي أنا
You are me.. my soul is mine… إنتَ اللي ساكِّني
You live in me إنتَ اللي عارف إنّي
You know that إلك وحدك بغنِّي
To only you I sing شو مشتاقة حبيبي
Oh I miss my love قول كلمة يا حبيبي
Say the word my love واحكي للدني يا حبّي
And speak to world oh my love إنّك إلي وإلَك قلبي
That you are mine and my heart is yours إلَك من قبل ما كان
Yours since before the birth of existence ومن بعد الزمان
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.
