Darba Darba – Bilingual Lyrics Arabic/English

• By: Mounim Slimani, Badr Ouabi

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the enchanting world of North African music with "Darba Darba" by Mounim Slimani and Badr Ouabi. This Pop track offers a beautiful introduction to the Arabic language through its poetic lyrics, which explore themes of profound love and captivating beauty. Its rhythmic style and emotive delivery make it a special song for understanding cultural expressions of affection.

[English]

A blow that kills, a blow that revives people for you

Because of beauty, its words never tempt you

From the top of the hill, he dives, iron in his heart

This guidance makes my heart leap without a lover

And I follow the advice of my father and my ancestors

And how can I go on as if my country has left me

Don’t leave me alone, my love

Beauty, the powerful beauty, and the eye of a spark with patience

The beautiful henna ahead, and the one who loves you will regret it

We walk together, step by step, and nothing will tear us apart

Make tea in the square, we’ll cut the nonsense

And I follow the advice of my father and my ancestors

I have one heart, which I gave

Don’t leave me alone, my love

Whoa, my head feels heavy

Whoa, I’m being swept by waves

Whoa, my heart is in love now

Whoa, I’m lost in my thoughts

Oh our Samounas, you lift the burden with your hands

The free spirit, the sharpness, love teaches me

Oh our Samounas, you lift the burden with your hands

The free spirit, the sharpness, love teaches me

Whoa, my mind loves

Whoa, we are living our lives

What are they doing? What are they doing, my love?

The difference is hard for me, unless you come and satisfy me, Shyam

These are the knaouas, these are the knaouas

These are the knaouas, friends of the Ghawwan, child of my country, let me go with them under the moon

What are they doing? What are they doing, my love?

The difference is hard for me, unless you come and satisfy me, Shyam

These are the knaouas, these are the knaouas

These are the knaouas, friends of the Ghawwan, child of my country, let me go with them under the moon

Whoa, my head feels heavy

Whoa, I’m being swept by waves

Whoa, my heart is in love now

Whoa, we are living our lives

[Arabic]

ضربة ضربة تقتل ضربة تحيي الناس عليك

بسباب الزين فحروفه معدولاشي يغريك

من فوق العقبة وهو غواص قل الحديد

هداك لهادى يفاج قلبي من غير الحبيب

وا داير بوصيات بويا وجدادي انا

وا كيف نزيد بحال عفات بلادي انا

ولا تخليني غير واسيني يا الكوينا

الزين والزين الفعال وعين الرمشة بالمهل

الزين الحنة فالقدام والي محبك يندم

نمشي وانا وياك دقة دقة منزربوش لاش

ديرو أتاي فالميدان ديا نقلعو المشماش

وا داير بوصيات بويا وجدادي انا

وعندي القليب واحد عطيتو انا

ولا تخليني غير واسيني يا الكوينا

واااه وااااه وراسيخ ده سيالي

واه واه واه نايل موجينو

واه واه وراسيخ حبي نو

واه واه نايرو لي نو

يا سموناسنا تقلع جابوري بيمان

يسور حريش خداساج نايل حبانو تريني

يا سموناسنا تقلع جابوري بيمان

يسور حريش خداساج نايل حبانو تريني

واه واه واه راسيخي حبينو

واه واه نايرو العمرينو

واش كيداوا واش كيداوا يا الحبيب

را الفرق صعيب عليا غير لا مشيت ترضيني شام

هادول الكناوا هادول الكناوا

هادول الكناوا اصحاب الغيوان طفل بلادي خليني غادي بيهم واسير القمر

واش كيداوا واش كيداوا يا الحبيب

را الفرق صعيب عليا غير لا مشيت ترضيني شام

هادول الكناوا هادول الكناوا

هادول الكناوا اصحاب الغيوان طفل بلادي خليني غادي بيهم واسير القمر

واااه وااااه وراسيخ ده سيالي

واه واه واه نايل موجينو

واه واه وراسيخ حبي نو

واه واه نايرو العمرينو

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ضربة /dˤarba/ A1	noun - strike, blow
تقتل /taqtul/ A2	verb - to kill
تحيي /tuhyi/ A2	verb - to revive, to bring to life
الزين /al.ziin/ A1	noun - beauty
فحروفه /fɪħrufa/ B1	noun - in its letters
العقبة /al.ʕaqba/ B1	noun - obstacle
غواص /ɣawaːs/ B2	noun - diver
الحبيب /al.ħabiib/ A1	noun - beloved
بوصيات /buwṣiyaːt/ C1	noun - recommendations, advice
الميدان /al.miidaːn/ B1	noun - square, field
المشماش /al.mɪʃmaːʃ/ B2	noun - apricot
القليب /al.qaliib/ B1	noun - heart
الكناوا /al.kənaːwa/ C1	noun - Gnawa (a spiritual musical tradition)
الغيوان /al.ɣiwaːn/ C1	noun - Nass El Ghiwane (Moroccan musical group)
تقلع /taqlaʕ/ B1	verb - to uproot, to remove
رضيني /ɾaḍiːni/ B2	verb - to satisfy me

Key Grammar Structures

• منزربوش لاش

  ➔ Darija Negation for Verbs

  ➔ In Moroccan Darija, verbs are typically negated by placing `مـ` (m-) before the verb and `ـش` (-sh) at the end. Here, "منزربوش" means "we don't rush."

• ولا تخليني غير واسيني يا الكوينا

  ➔ Imperative with Object Pronouns

  ➔ "تخليني" is a negative imperative ("don't leave me"), where `تخلي` is the verb and `ـني` is the object pronoun "me." "واسيني" is an affirmative imperative ("comfort me"), with `واسي` as the verb and `ـني` as "me."

• وا داير بوصيات بويا وجدادي انا

  ➔ Possessive Suffixes

  ➔ In Arabic and Darija, possession is often expressed by attaching suffixes directly to nouns. "بويا" means "my father" (`بو` + `ـيا` for "my") and "جدادي" means "my grandparents" (`جداد` + `ـي` for "my").

• بسباب الزين فحروفه معدولاشي يغريك

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase for Cause

  ➔ `بسباب` functions as "because of" or "due to," indicating the reason for something. Here, "بسباب الزين" means "because of the beauty."

• غير لا مشيت ترضيني شام

  ➔ Conditional Clause with `لا`

  ➔ In Darija, `لا` can introduce a conditional clause, meaning "if." Here, "لا مشيت" translates to "if you leave/go."

• وا داير بوصيات بويا وجدادي انا

  ➔ Present Participle as a Verb (Darija specific)

  ➔ In Darija, active participles like "داير" (from `دار` - to do/make) are frequently used as verbs to describe a current state or a continuous action, similar to "I am doing" or "I am following." Here, "داير بوصيات" means "I am following the advice/commandments."

• واش كيداوا واش كيداوا يا الحبيب

  ➔ Interrogative Particle `واش`

  ➔ `واش` is a versatile interrogative particle in Darija used to form yes/no questions or to ask "what" or "is it that." Here, "واش كيداوا" can mean "what's wrong?" or "what's happening?"

• وعندي القليب واحد عطيتو انا

  ➔ Expression of Possession with `عند`

  ➔ In Darija, "to have" is expressed using the preposition `عند` (at/with) followed by a possessive suffix. "عندي" literally means "at me" or "with me," but translates to "I have."

• را الفرق صعيب عليا غير لا مشيت ترضيني شام

  ➔ Emphasis Particle `را`

  ➔ `را` is a common particle in Darija used to add emphasis or confirm a statement, similar to "indeed," "it is," or "the fact is." Here, "را الفرق صعيب" emphasizes that "indeed, the difference is difficult."