Song Intro
“Al Bostah” (Arabic: البوسطة) is a classic Lebanese song by the legendary artist Fairuz. It is from the album Bostah and was released in the 1970s. This song has a nostalgic and romantic mood, with a duration of approximately 6 minutes. It was written by the famous Lebanese lyricist Rahbani Brothers and composed by Assi Rahbani.
Song Lyrics Translation and Romanization
Verse 1:
موعود بعيونِك أنا موعود
I am promised by your eyes
Maw’oud b’ayounik ana maw’oud
وشو قطعت كرمالُن ضَيَع وجرود
And what I’ve gone through for them, my pain and struggles
Wesho qata’at kermalun daya’ wajroud
إنتِ عيونِك سود
Your eyes are black
Inte ‘ayounik soud
ومَنّك عارفة شو بيعملوا فيّي العيون السّود
And you know what those black eyes do to me
Waminnik ‘arfa sho biy’amlo fiyy al-‘ayoun al-soud
Chorus:
عَ هدير البوسطة الْـ كانت ناقلتنا
On the sound of the bus that carried us
A hadir al-bosta al-kanit naqlitna
من ضيعة حملايا على ضيعة تنّورين
From the village of Hamlaya to the village of Tannourine
Min day’it Hamalaya ‘ala day’it Tannourine
تذكّرتك يا عليا، وتذكّرت عيونك
I remembered you, Aliya, and I remembered your eyes
Tazakkartik ya Aliya, w tazakkart ‘ayounik
ويخرب بيت عيونك يا عليا شو حلوين
And may your eyes, Aliya, destroy the house, how beautiful they are
Wyekhrab bayt ‘ayounik ya Aliya sho helween
Verse 2:
نحنا كنّا طالعين بهالشَّوب وفطسانين
We were heading out in this heat, exhausted
Nahna kunna ta’aleen bihal-shoub w fatsaneen
واحد عم ياكل خسّ وواحد عم ياكل تين
One is eating lettuce, another eating figs
Wahid ‘am ya’kol khas w wahid ‘am ya’kol teen
وفي واحد هوّي ومرتو
And there’s one, him and his wife
Wafi wahid howi w marto
وْلُو شو بشعة مرتو
And what a hideous woman his wife is
Walu sho bisha’a marto
نيّالُن ما أفضى بالُن ركّاب تنّورين
Lucky them, they were on their way to Tannourine
Nayalun ma afdha balun rak’ab Tannourine
مش عارفين عيونِك يا عليا شو حلوين
They didn’t know, Aliya, how beautiful your eyes are
Mish ‘arefeen ‘ayounik ya Aliya sho helween
Verse 3:
نحن كنّا طالعين، طالعين ومش دافعين
We were heading out, heading out, and not paying
Nahna kunna ta’aleen, ta’aleen w mish dafe’een
ساعة نهدّيلو الباب، وساعة نهدّي الرّكّاب
Sometimes we’d knock on the door, and sometimes calm the passengers
Sa’a nahaddilu al-bab, w sa’a nahaddi al-rakkab
وهيدا اللّي هوّي ومرتو
And this one, him and his wife
Wahayda al-li howi w marto
عبّق وداخت مرتو
He was fragrant and his wife got dizzy
‘Abba’ w dakhat marto
وحياتِك كان بيتركها تطلع وَحْدَا عَ تنّورين
For your life, he would let her go alone to Tannourine
Wahayatik kan byitrikha tatla’ wahda ‘a Tannourine
لو بيشوف عيونك يا عليا شو حلوين
If he sees your eyes, Aliya, how beautiful they are
Law byishof ‘ayounik ya Aliya sho helween
Verse 4:
يا معلّم
Oh teacher
Ya ma’allim
لو بتسكّر هالشّباك يا معلّم
If you close this window, oh teacher
Law bitsakker hal-shibak ya ma’allim
الهوا يا معلّم
The wind, oh teacher
Al-hawa ya ma’allim
رح يسفقنا الهوا يا معلّم
The wind will strike us, oh teacher
Rah ysafqna al-hawa ya ma’allim