Ya Mal el-Sham

Oh treasure of Damascus, oh my God, my treasure.
The time is so long, my beauty, come here to me.

The time is so long and in my mind’s eye,
I see a beauty mark appearing high on her cheek.

The time is so long and it grows longer,
the beauty paces back and forth, oh God,
bring back that wonderful day in that past that escape me.

The time is so long, my eyes spill tears
and my heart is so full I can’t talk, oh my God.

If my love becomes my own it will be a day too wonderful to imagine; It is so long since we have seen each other.

It was a dark day where we said goodbye to them,
oh God, how I wish you could bring us together again,
such a wonderful day I can hardly imagine.

The authentic old Damascene song “Ya Mal el-Sham” was composed and set to music by the Damascene artist Abu Khalil al-Qabbani.
Translated by Andrea Rugh, Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.

To hear the song click here.