Fakarouny (Arabic: فكروني, Romanized: Fakarouny) is a classic Arabic song by the renowned Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum. Featured on the album “Fakarouny” and released in the 1960s, this soulful and evocative Tarab piece lasts approximately 40 minutes. It was written by Ahmed Rami and composed by Riad Al Sunbati.
Verse 1
كلموني تاني عنك فكروني فكروني
They spoke to me again about you, reminding me, reminding me.
Kallimuni tani ‘annak fakkaruni fakkaruni
صحوا نار الشوق في قلبي وفي عيوني
They kindled the fire of longing in my heart and in my eyes.
Sahhu nar al-shawq fi qalbi wa fi ‘uyuni
رجعولي الماضي بنعيمه وغناوته
They brought back the past with its bliss and its melody.
Raj’ooly al-madi bi na’eemihi wa ghinawatih
وبحلاوته وبعذابه وبقساوته
And with its sweetness, its torment, and its harshness.
Wa bi halaawtih wa bi ‘adhaabih wa bi qasawatih
وافتكرت فرحت وياك قد ايه
And I remembered how joyful I was with you.
Wa iftakart farhit wayyak qadd eih
وافتكرت كمان يا روحي بعدنا ليه
And I also remembered, my soul, why we grew apart.
Wa iftakart kaman ya rohi ba’dna leh
Verse 2
بعد ما صدقت اني قدرت انسى
After I believed that I could forget.
Ba’d ma sadaqt inni adrit ansa
بعد ما قلبي قدر يسلاك ويقسى
After my heart managed to comfort you and then grow callous.
Ba’d ma qalbi adrit yisallak wa yuqsa
جم بهمسه وغيروني .. كانوا ليه ليه بيفكروني
Mesmerized by his whisper and transformed, they kept reminding me—why, why?
Gamm bihamsih wa ghayyaruni.. kanu leh leh biyfakkaruni
Verse 3
بعد ما اتعودت بعدك غصب عني
After I was forced to get used to being without you.
Ba’d ma it’awwadit ba’dak ghasab ‘anni
بعد ما نسيت الأماني والتمني
After I forgot the hopes and the dreams.
Ba’d ma nseit al-amani wa al-tamanni
كلمتين اتقالو شالوا الصبر مني
Two words were uttered that stripped me of my patience.
Kalimtain it’alu, shalaw al-sabr mini
صحوا في عينيا حنينهم لابتسامك
In my eyes, their yearning for your smile was awakened.
Sahhu fi ‘ayniya haneenuhum li ibtisamik
صحوا سمعي يود كلمه من كلامك
My ears awakened, yearning for a word from your lips.
Sahhu sam’i yood kilma min kalamik
صحوا حتى الغيره صحولي ظنوني
Even the jealousy awakened, causing them to suspect me.
Sahhu hatta al-ghira, sahooli zhanuni
Verse 4
وابتدى قلبي يدوبني بآهاته
And my heart began to melt me with its sighs.
Wa ibtada qalbi yadoobuni bi ahaatih
وابتدى الليل يبقى أطول من ساعاته
And the night started to seem longer than its hours.
Wa ibtada al-layl yibqa atwal min sa’aatih
واسهر اسمع نبض قلبي بيناديلك
And I stayed awake, listening to the beating of my heart calling out to you.
Wa as-har asma’ nabd qalbi by-nadeelik
روحي فيك مهما جرى أنا روحي فيك
My soul is with you, no matter what happens; my soul is with you.
Rouhi feek mahma jara, ana rouhi feek
تسوى ايه الدنيا وانت مش معايا
What is the worth of the world when you’re not with me?
Teswa eih al-dunya wa enta mesh ma’aya
هي تبقى الدنيا دنيا إلا بيك.
The world is just a world without you.
Heyya tibqa al-dunya dunya illa beek
Verse 5
اللي فات وياك يا روحي بعود اليه
I return to what was shared with you, my soul.
Elly fat wayyak ya rohi, ba’ood ilayh
واللي عشته معاك رجعت أعيش عليه
And what I experienced with you, I have begun to relive.
Wally ishtuh ma’ak, raga’at a’eesh ‘alayh
بعد ما صدقت اني قدرت انسى
After I believed that I could forget.
Ba’d ma sadaqt inni adrit ansa
بعد ما قلبي قدر يسلاك ويقسى
After my heart managed to comfort you and then grow callous.
Ba’d ma qalbi adrit yisallak wa yuqsa
جم بهمسه وغيروني .. كانوا ليه ليه بيفكروني
Mesmerized by his whisper and transformed, they kept reminding me—why, why?
Gamm bihamsih wa ghayyaruni.. kanu leh leh biyfakkaruni
Verse 6
كلموني تاني عنك بعد طول حرماني منك
They spoke to me again about you after a long period of being deprived of you.
Kallimuni tani ‘annak ba’d tool harmani mink
جرحوا الجرح اللي قرب يبقى ذكرى
They reopened the wound that was about to turn into a memory.
Garahoo al-jarh elli orrab yibqa zikra
سهروني أعيش لبكره وبعد بكره
They kept me up to live for tomorrow and the day after.
Saharooni a’eesh libokra wa ba’d bokra
يا حياتي انا كلي حيره ونار وغيره وشوق اليك
Oh my life, I am overwhelmed with perplexity, burning like fire and with a deep longing for you.
Ya hayati, ana koleh hayra wa nar w ghayruha w shawq ilayk
نفسي اهرب من عذابي نفسي ارتاح بين ايديك
I want to flee from my torment; I yearn to find solace in your embrace.
Nafsi ahrib min ‘adhaabi, nafsi artah bayn eedik
Verse 7
والخصام والغدر وليالي الأسيّه كل دول ميهونوش حبك عليا
And quarrels, betrayal, and sorrowful nights—all of these are nothing compared to your love for me.
Wal khisam wa al-ghadr wa layali al-aseya, kul dol mayhoonosh hubbak ‘alaya
واللي جوا القلب كان في القلب جوا روحنا واتغيرنا احنا الا هو
And what was in my heart resided in our soul, and we changed everything except it.
Wally guwa al-qalb kan fi al-qalb guwa rouhna wa etghayyarna, ehna illa howa
هو نفس الحب واكتر هو نفس الشوق واكتر هوّا هوّا
It is the same love and even more, the same intense longing—it is, indeed, it is.
Howa nafs al-hob wa aktar, howa nafs al-shawq wa aktar, huwa huwa
Verse 8
اه يا حبيبي حياتي بعدك مستحيله
Oh my beloved, my life becomes unfeasible without you.
Ah ya habibi, hayati ba’dak mustaheelah
اه يا حبيبي الحياة أيام قليلة
Oh my beloved, life is but a few fleeting days.
Ah ya habibi, al-hayat ayyam qalilah
ليه نضيع عمرنا هجر وخصام واحنا نقدر نخلق الدنيا الجميلة
Why waste our lives in abandonment and conflict when we can create a beautiful world?
Leih nadiyy’ ‘omrna hijr wa khisam wa ehna nigdar nikhliq al-dunya al-gamilah
بالوداد والقرب نجدد حياتنا بالحنان والحب نبدد اهاتنا
With love and intimacy, we renew our lives; with tenderness and passion, we dispel our laments.
Bil widad wa al-qurb nuggaddid hayatna, bil hanan wa al-hob nabaddid ahaatna
والجاي نعيشه احلى من اللي فاتنا
And what lies ahead, we shall experience even more beautifully than what has been.
Wal jai n’ayshuh ahla min elli fatna
Verse 9
القمر من فرحنا هينور اكتر
The moon, from our joy, will shine even more brightly.
Al qamar min farhna haynoor aktar
والنجوم هتبان لنا اجمل واكبر
And the stars will appear more beautiful and grand to us.
Wal nujoom hatban lana ajmal wa akbar
والشجر قبل الربيع هنشوفوا أخضر
And the trees, before the spring, will look greener.
Wal shajar abl al-rabee’, hanshoofu akhdar
واللي فات ننساه ننسى كل أساه
And what has passed, we shall forget, erasing all its sorrows.
Wally fat, nansaah, nansa kol asaah
يلا نلحق من الزمن أيام صفاه
Come on, let’s reclaim the days of purity from time.
Yalla nilhaq min al-zaman ayyam safah
دي الحياة من غير لقانا مش حياه
For a life without our reunion is not truly life.
Di al-hayat min ghayr liqaana mesh hayat
واحنا مش هنعيش يا روحي مرتين
And we shall not live twice, my soul.
Wa ehna mesh han’eesh ya rohi martain
Verse 10
فكروني ازاي هو انا نسيتك
Remind me, how could I have forgotten you?
Fakkaruni ezay huwa ana nseitak
انت اقرب مني ليا يا هنايا
You are closer to me than I am to myself, my solace.
Enta a’rab mini liya ya hanaaya
حتى وانت بعيد عليا أو معايا
Even when you are distant from me or right here with me.
Hatta wa enta ba’eed ‘alaya aw ma’aya
تنتهي الأيام وتطوي العمر بينا
The days will end and time will fold our lives together.
Tantahi al-ayyam wa tutwi al-‘omr bayna
وانت حبك انت للأبد مالوش نهاية
And your love, forever, knows no end.
Wa enta hubak, enta lil abad malush nehayah
حبك انت مالوش نهاية.
Your love has no end.
Hubak enta malush nehayah