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Ya Lail (Oh Night)


Musical Artist: Banat Mazen (Suad, Raja, Khyria)

Genre: Pop (Shaabi) Record Label: Sayed Nasr Current Record Holder: El Wady Music Album: Edala3 Ya 7elw (ادلع ياحلو) Released on: Oct 10, 2004 (Information collected from Google/Youtube)


Song Title: يا ليل

Ya Leil (Oh Night)


Composer: unknown Lyrics & Translation provided by: 1001 Steps - Arts & Culture Foundation

Transliteration reflects the Luxor region pronunciation as appears in the recording in which the qaf (ق) sound is generally pronounced as a g and the gim/jim sound (ج) is generally pronounced as a j (sometimes transliterated as dj as in "djamil", in the Sohagi dialect this is sometimes pronounced as a "d" sound, which may also be transcribed as "dj")


**There are so many footnotes for this song we've condensed them here to keep the translation smoother.**

*Gobli/Gubli (قبلي ): meaning "south" or "southern"; whereas the term Saeidi/Saiidi صعيدى ("Upper Egyptians") comes from the north/Cairo, Khyria taught me that Gobli is how Upper Egyptians refer to themselves.


*In the refrain: المرجلة

Marjala (pronunciation of the girls)

[Margala (pronunciation of the male singer)] (Other echos by the male are in brackets throughout) Marjala has been translated as "masculinity" and for the purposes of this song it should be thought to include all the positive qualities of manliness and the pride those characteristics bring to community identiy-nobility, strength, perseverance, etc


* Hella: a name for Bani Hilal, one of the Arabic/Bedouin tribes living near Gerga


*Areas in Sohag Governorate mentioned throughout: Gerga, Farashta, Bardis, Bergas and Akhmeem An area in Assuit: Abu Teeg *Abdel Rahim el Qenawi: In Qena this is the name of a mosque of a very famous Muslim clerk a religious event (this moulid is generally close before the start of Ramadan)

*Farghaly: Ahmed el-Farghal is a Muslim clerk who lived around 1400 in Abu Teeg in Assuit and was called the Sultan of Upper Egypt

*Galal: Galal Eddin Esuity is a Muslim clerk who was born in 1445


South (Upper Egypt), oh night

South (Upper Egypt) is the land of masculinity

Gubli Alla Alla Alla ya leel

Gubli wel-marjala beetha gubli


قبلي الله الله الله ياليل

قبلي والمرجلة بيتها قبلي

South (Upper Egypt), oh night

South (Upper Egypt) is the land of masculinity

Gubli Alla ya leel

Gubli wel-marjala beetha gubli

قبلي الله ياليل

قبلي والمرجلة بيتها قبلي

South (Upper Egypt), oh night

South (Upper Egypt) is the land of masculinity

Gubli Alla Alla Alla ya leel

Gubli wel-marjala beetha gubli

قبلي الله الله الله ياليل

قبلي والمرجلة بيتها قبلي

South (Upper Egypt), oh night

South (Upper Egypt) is the land of masculinity

Gubli Alla ya leel

Gubli wel-marjala beetha gubli

قبلي الله ياليل

قبلي والمرجلة بيتها قبلي

Come to Gerga the homeland of the Arabs (Arabic tribes/Bedouins) and the Hella, Oh Boy

Khosh Jerja ala mehella balad el’araba wel hella, bi ya ha biiyaa [ya boui boui], bi ya ha biiyaa [ya boui boui]

خش جرجا على مهلا بلد العرابة والهلة

بي ها بييا [يا بوي يا بوي]

بي ها بييا [يا بوي يا بوي]

Come to Gerga the land of the Arabic tribes like the Hella (Bani Hilal)

and Elkawamel and Raiyaina tribes, who are fun lovers (night fun people)


Khosh Jerja ala mehella balad el’araba wel hella

We raiaina we kawamel hella sahiyret eleel [sahiyret eleel] sahiyret eleel

خش جرجا على مهلا بلد العرابة والهلة

ورياينة وكوامل هلة سهيرة الليل سهيرة الليل [سهيرة الليل] سهيرة الليل

South (Upper Egypt), oh night

South (Upper Egypt) is the land of masculinity



Gubli Alla ya leel

Gubli wel-marjala beetha gubli


قبلي الله ياليل

قبلي والمرجلة بيتها قبلي


It (Gerga) has a lot of people like palm trees (tall and proud) and in the afternoon they look elegant, oh boy


Yama naas feeha fi nakheel wagt el’asaari yegolo nakheel bi ya ha biiyaa [ya boui boui], bi ya ha biiyaa [ya boui boui]


يا ما ناس فيها في نخيل وقت العصاري يقولوا نخيل

باي ها بايي [يا بوي يا بوي]

بي ها بييا [يا بوي يا بوي]

It (Gerga) has a lot of people like palm trees (tall and proud) and in the afternoon they look elegant,

but in the hard times they stand like palm trees (strong and tall)


Yama naas feeha fi nakheel wagt el’asaari yegolo nakheel

Lakin fi wagt eshedda nakheel juwwa ghrabeel [juwwa ghrabeel] juwwa ghrabeel


يا ما ناس فيها في نخيل وقت العصاري يقولوا نخيل

لكن في وقت الشدة نخيل جوا غرابيل [جوا غرابيل] جوا غرابيل

South (Upper Egypt), oh night

South (Upper Egypt) is the land of masculinity


Gubli Alla ya leel

Gubli wel-marjala beetha gubli


قبلي الله ياليل

قبلي والمرجلة بيتها قبلي


There are a lot of people taking it easy with you, but their conscience is too relaxed, oh boy


Yama khalg rakhiyalak a’tabat lakin dameerhom a’dda we bat bi ya ha biiyaa [ya boui boui], bi ya ha biiyaa [ya boui boui]


يا ما خلق راخيالك عتابات لكن ضميرهم عدا وبات

باي ها بايي [يا بوي يا بوي]

بي ها بييا [يا بوي يا بوي]


There are a lot of people taking it easy with you, but their conscience is too relaxed,

and if there is a pay back possibility, I’d turn their life (those people with a relaxed conscience) into a living hell

Yama khalg rakhiyalak a’tabat lakin dameerhom a’dda we bat

Welaw ya watani feen a’tabat lasgeehom elweel [lasgeehom elweel] lasgeehom elweel


يا ما خلق راخيالك عتابات لكن ضميرهم عدا وبات

ولو يا وطني فيك عتابات لأسقيهم الويل [لأسقيهم الويل] لأسقيهم الويل

South (Upper Egypt), oh night

South (Upper Egypt) is the land of masculinity

Gubli Alla ya leel

Gubli wel-marjala beetha gubli


قبلي الله ياليل

قبلي والمرجلة بيتها قبلي


I eat salt and lentil (very poor food), but no one can give me a negative remark, (I eat poorly but with dignity) oh boy


La-akolha mellh we a’dees wala hadd ala tarafi yedes bi yaha biyya [ya boui boui], bi ya ha biiyaa [ya boui boui]


لأكلها ملح وعديس (عدس) ولا حد على طرفي يدس (يدوس)

باي ها بايي [يا بوي يا بوي]

بي ها بييا [يا بوي يا بوي]


I eat salt and lentil (very poor food), but no one can give me a negative remark, (I eat poorly but with dignity)

like the people of Farashta and Bardis, who are great horse-back riders


La-akolha mellh we a’dees wala hadd ala tarafi yedes

Keef elfarashta we keef bardees rakeebet elkheel [rakeebet elkheel] rakeebet elkheel


لأكلها ملح وعديس (عدس) ولا حد على طرفي يدس (يدوس)

الفراشطة وكيف برديس ركيبة الخيل [ركيبة الخيل] ركيبة الخيل


South (Upper Egypt), oh night

South (Upper Egypt) is the land of masculinity



Gubli Alla ya leel

Gubli wel-marjala beetha gubli


قبلي الله ياليل

قبلي والمرجلة بيتها قبلي

Oh boy we watched Abdelrahim in Qena.

Ya waladi Abelraheem shofnah fi Gena


يا ولدي عبد الرحيم شفناه في قنا

We entered Abu Teeg, so Farghaly came to meet us.

We Dakhlna Abu Teej gam el-farghali gam yelageena

ودخلنا أبو بيج قام الفرغلي قام يلاقينا

Oh boy we watched Abdelrahim in Qena.

Ya waladi Abelraheem shofnah fi Gena

يا ولدي عبد الرحيم شفناه في قنا

We entered Abu Teeg, so Farghaly came to meet us.

We Dakhlna Abu Teej gam el-farghali gam yelageena

ودخلنا أبو بيج قام الفرغلي قام يلاقينا

We went to Assuit and found the hero Galal there.

We rohna Asuit legeena elbatal Djalal hena [Dgalal hena]

ورحنا أسيوط لقينا البطل جلال هنا [جلال هنا]

Oh boy we watched Abdelrahim in Qena.

Ya waladi Abelraheem shofnah fi Gena

يا ولدي عبد الرحيم شفناه في قنا

Oh boy we watched Abdelrahim in Qena.

Ya waladi Abelraheem shofnah fi Gena

يا ولدي عبد الرحيم شفناه في قنا

We entered (went to) Abu Teeg, so Farghaly came to meet us

We Dakhlna Abu Teej gam el-farghali gam yelageena

ودخلنا أبو بيج قام الفرغلي قام يلاقينا

We went to Assuit and found the hero Galal there.

We rohna Asuit legeena elbatal Djalal hena [Dgalal hena] Djalal hena

ورحنا أسيوط لقينا البطل جلال هنا [جلال هنا] جلال هنا


South (Upper Egypt), oh night

South (Upper Egypt) is the land of masculinity


Gubli Alla ya leel

Gubli wel-marjala beetha gubli


قبلي الله ياليل

قبلي والمرجلة بيتها قبلي

Oh boy, you have a renowned brother with a good name

Ya waladi lakk akh sameem weseetoh a’meem

يا ولدي لك أخ صميم وصيته عميم

Oh boy, you have a renowned brother with a good name

Ya waladi lakk akh sameem weseetoh a’meem

يا ولدي لك أخ صميم وصيته عميم

There in Bergas, in Sohag and in Akhmeem

We belberdjas henak fi Sohag we kaman Akhmeem [we kaman Akhmeem] we kaman Akhmeem

وبالبرجاس هناك في سوهاج وكمان أخميم [وكمان أخميم] وكمان أخميم


South (Upper Egypt), oh night

South (Upper Egypt) is the land of masculinity


Gubli Alla ya leel

Gubli wel-marjala beetha gubli


قبلي الله ياليل

قبلي والمرجلة بيتها قبلي

South (Upper Egypt), oh night

South (Upper Egypt) is the land of masculinity

Gubli Alla ya leel

Gubli wel-marjala beetha gubli

قبلي الله ياليل

قبلي والمرجلة بيتها قبلي



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