I was listening to a song by a Latin American singer named Shakira. The song is called “Ojos Así”. In the song is some Arabic lyrics which I have not been able to find a translation of. So, i’m hoping one of you Dopers could help me out.
So, there they are. Anyone know?
Sorry. My Arabic is limited to phrases useful when traveling in terrorist areas:
AKBAR KHALI-KILI HAFTIR LOFTAN
Thank you for showing me your marvelous gun.
FEKR-GABUL CARDAN DIVAT RAEH CUSH DIVAR
I’m delighted to accept your kind invitation to lie down on the floor with my arms above my head and my legs apart.
SHOMAEH FIKR TAMOMEH GEH GOFTEK BANDE
I agree with everything you have ever said or thought in your life.
AUTO ARRAREGH DVATEMAN MAMO SEPAHEH - HAST
It is exceptionally kind of you to allow me to travel in the trunk of your car.
FASHAL-EH TUPEHMAN NA DEGAT MANO GOFTAM CHEESHAAYEH MOHEMA RAJEBEH KESHAVARHMAN
If you will do me the kindness of not harming my genital appendages I will gladly reciprocate by betraying my country in public.
KHREL JEPAHEH MANEH VA JAYEII AMRKAHEY
I will tell you the names and addresses of many American spies traveling as reporters.
BALLI, BALLI, BALLI
Whatever you say.
MATERNIER CHERMEZ AHLIEH, GORBAN
The red blindfold would be lovely, excellency.
TIKEH NUNEH BA OB KHRELEH BEZORG VA KHRUBE BOYAST. INO BEGERAM
The water-soaked bread crumbs are delicious, thank you. I must have the recipe.
ETEHFORAN, DEHRATEE, OTAGEH SHOMA MIKRASTAM KHE DO HAFTAEH BA BODENEH SHEEREEL TEEGZ
Truly, I would rather be a hostage to your greatly esteemed self than to spend a fortnight upon the person of Cheryl Tiegs.
-via email
Thanks, tc. We at the Straight Dope seek to reinforce as many negative stereotypes as possible.
Powerful forces have been set in motion to get a translation for you. Here’s the work in progress …
God of my sky, I implore you
(Second line unknown)
I come to from his ??
I beg you to fulfill, fulfill my prayer.
Still a bit cryptic, huh? Apparently, the language is a bit outdated, like Shakespeare would be to us. I’ll post a more complete translation when I get it.
tc, you ignoramus. Those phrases are Persian, not Arabic. Persian is an Indo-European language related to English, Latin, and Sanskrit. Arabic is a Semitic language related to Hebrew and Ethiopic. The two are as different as can be. You might as well mistake Chinese for Apache.
rabb al-samâ’i fîka rajâ’î
Lord of Heaven, my hope is in Thee
fî `aynayhâ ará al-hayâti
In her eyes I see the life
a’ti ilayka min hâdhâ al-kawni
I come to Thee from this universe
arjûka labbî labbî nidâ’î
I hope for Thee; “stay, stay with me!” is my call.
Gee, sorry for not knowing the differences between every damn language in the world. I guess i’ll start on Buginese and work my way up to Kartvelian, just so I dont get replies like that.
But thanks for the translation. Next time, it would be nice if you show a little more tact.
Isn’t that the language they used for internal memoes at Republic Aircraft?
Doob, sweetie, Ishmi wasn’t talking to you. He was talking to TC.
Thanks, Manny. I could probably see your point if the statements were in Arabic. Since they aren’t, I dunno.
**
Not Arabic?!?!? Really?!?! This could explain many things!
Doobieous, thank you for telling us about Shakira’s Arabic lyrics. I didn’t know those lyrics were on the album ¿Donde están los ladrones? until you alerted me. Her name Shakira Mubarak means ‘grateful blessed’. There are a lot of people of Arab descent in Latin America.
The spelling of her Arabic transliteration was so garbled it was a little hard at first to make out what the actual words are (that’s why I respelled them). But never mind that. Shakira has got to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. I’m going to pay more attention to her from now on.