“Shayef El Bahr” (شايف البحر), also known as “Shayef El Bahr Shoo Kbeer” (شايف البحر شو كبير), is a classic Arabic song by Lebanese artist Fairuz. It was released in 1967 as part of the album “Shayef El Bahr / El Ouda El Mansiyye” (شايف البحر / الأوضة المنسية). This romantic and poetic song has a duration of approximately 4 minutes and 47 seconds. The lyrics were written by the Rahbani brothers, Assi and Mansour Rahbani, who also composed the music.
Song Lyrics and Translation:
شايف البحر شو كبير
Do you see how vast the sea is
Shayef el bahr shoo kbir
كبر البحر بحبَّك
As vast as the sea is my love for you
Kbir el bahr bhebbak
شايف السَّما شو بعيدة
Do you see how distant the sky is
Shayef el sama shoo b3eeda
بعد السَّما بحبَّك
As distant as the sky is my love for you
Ba3d el sama bhebbak
كبر البحر وبعد السَّما
The vastness of the sea and the distance of the sky
Kbir el bahr w ba3d el sama
بحبَّك يا حبيبي بحبَّك
I love you, my darling, I love you
Bhebbak ya habibi bhebbak
نطرتك أنا
I waited for you
Natartak ana
ندهتك أنا
I called out to you
Nadahatak ana
رسمتك على المشاوير
I drew you on my journeys
Rasamtak 3ala el mashawir
يا همِّ العمر
Oh, the burden of my life
Ya ham el 3omr
يا دمع الزهر
Oh, the tears of the flowers
Ya dam3 el zahr
يا مواسم العصافير
Oh, the seasons of the birds
Ya mawasem el 3asafir
ما أوسع الغابة
How vast the forest is
Ma awsa3 el ghaba
وسع الغابة قلبي
The vastness of the forest is my heart
Wasa3 el ghaba albi
يا مصوَّر عَ بابي
Oh, you who are pictured at my door
Ya msawwar 3a babi
ومصوَّر بقلبي
And pictured in my heart
W msawwar b albi
نطرتك سنة
I waited for you for a year
Natartak seneh
ويا طول السِّنة
Oh, how long the year was
W ya tool el seneh
وإسأل شجر الجوز
Ask the walnut trees
W is’al shajar el jawz
وشوفك بالصحو
I see you in the clarity
W shoufak b el sa7o
جايي من الصحو
Coming from the clarity
Jayi mn el sa7o
وضايع بورق اللوز
And lost among the almond leaves
W daye3 b waraq el lawz
ما أصغر الدَّمعة
How small the tear is
Ma asghar el dam3a
أنا دمعة بدربك
I am a tear on your path
Ana dam3a b darbik
بدِّي إنْدُر شمعة
I want to vow a candle
Baddi indor sham3a
وتخلِّيني حبَّك
And you let me love you
W tkhallini hebbak