“Habaytik Bisayf ” by Fairuz, one of Lebanon’s biggest stars, if not the very biggest of all time, is one of her legendary songs that generations have now owned and become theirs. The song is a wonderful declaration of love and pain.
My mother used to sing this song every day in our house, and so it became a childhood anthem for us. Mom said she was the best ever…..you be the judge.
Below you will find the phonetic Arabic lyric and the English translation, along with the video of Fairuz herself singing the song live at a concert in France in 1979. Enjoy!
Habaytik Bisayf
Be ayam el bard, be ayam el sheti
Weir raseef boohayra, wishareh ghareek
Teegi hak el bint, men bait el aateeh
Weir eelantaree, ooh tun-tor al tareek
We rouh yinsaha, we tedbel be sheti
Habaytik bisayf, Habaytik be sheti
Nartartik bisayf, Nartartik be sheti
We aoyonak bisayf, we aoyoni sheti
Maliana ya ha-bi-bi, khalf el sayf ooh khalf fe sheti
Mara’et el gharibee, aatatini resalee
Katabiha habibi, bid da-maal hazeen
Fatahit el resalee, houroufha dayyeen
ooh mara’et eyam, ooh gharabit nah-sneen
Wa horof el resalee, mahara el sheti
Habaytik bisayf, Habaytik be sheti
Nartartik bisayf, Nartartik be sheti
We aoyonak bisayf, we aoyoni sheti
Maliana ya ha-bi-bi, khalf el sayf ooh khalf fe sheti
khalf fe-sayf ooh khalf fe-sheti
HabaytIk Bisayf (I Love You in Summer)
In the cold days, in the days of winter
When the sidewalks turn to lakes and the streets overflow with rain
The girl came from her old house, waiting for him by the road
He asked her to wait, then disappeared down the road
And he forgot about her and she goes away in winter.
I loved you in the summer, I loved you in the winter
I waited for you in the summer, I waited for you in the winter
Your eyes are summer, My eyes are winter
My love stretches beyond summer and beyond winter
The stranger passed by and gave me a message
My lover had written with his tears
I opened the letter, its words faded away
And days passed, years made us strangers
While winter had erased the letters of the message
I loved you in the summer, I loved you in the winter
I waited for you in the summer, I waited for you in the winter
Your eyes are summer, My eyes are winter
My love stretches beyond summer and beyond winter
Is beyond summer and beyond winter.
* Translation by Johnny Punish with supervisory assistance from Angele Karma
Punish Sings Haybaytik Bisayf (male version)
Here’s my crazy punk rock Billy Idol meets B52s channeling James Bond version of Habaytik Bisayf! Now, before you listen, note that I had no intention of being a Karaoke of Fayrouz. There is NO point in copying greatness, right? However, a re-imagining of the song into a rock version that might bring it to some new ears sounded like a great challenge. So I went for it, knowing full well traditionalists would get super upset. But I think reaching a 21st-century audience with something new might bring light back to this great song. So listen with eyes and ears wide open and clear.
Hold On!
Here’s it goes!
Resources
My INSTRUMENTAL VERSION is here
thanks for putting this together. language is a huge barrier between cultures and so much great art will never be known outside a certain demographic.
Fairuz one of the best singers of all time.
Your mother was right. voices like this one, are gifts, very rare gifts for all of us who have the chance to appreciate them.
thanks a lot for the english words as well, her songs are the combination of the sincerity and mysterious soul of the east, just great …
Thanks for the translation! I teach a World Music class and have a big Middle East component, I use another Fairuz song for class Ya Moukhtar el Makhatir, but don’t have the full translation for that. I took it to an Egyptian fellow, but he said it was the Lebanese dialect that confused him with some words/phrases. Anyway, thank you.
Hi, from Sweden!
Yes, your mother was right, I love all of Fairuz songs.
when i first heard this song i fall in love instantly and look for its translation on the net.
i love fairuz the best singer
fairuz its the best singer