Les Orientals or Syrina - Qoulou Chihlet laayni

"chilet laayani" or "chehilet laayani" or
"ch'hilet laayani" or "l'chahlet laâyani" and "goulou" instead of
"qoulou"

I need a translation into English please. Here are a few versions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNKYhhhUc24
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hF7gwSinEA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM1VtfPGVjo
Here are the lyrics I could find
Chihlet laayni

Koulou Chihlet laayni
Li Ghramha madhani aqhrani oubakani
El ouelf kif sahel ou lafrek maqdart aânou
El ouelf kif sahel ou lafrek maqdart aânou
Koun ahsabet naâmal janhani
Naqtaa bhar watani
Wanqoulek ya lala hani
Wan iedlek majra biya
Walqalb wesh Ghabnou
Refrain
Koulou Chihlet laayni
Li Ghramha madhani akhrani oubakani
El ouelf kif sahel ou lafrek maqdart aânhou
El ouelf kif sahel ou lafrek maqdart aânhou
Chaâl As'shart layali
Wa ana ghrib wahdani
Wa damaâ tejrah aâyani
Ana jra bya majra Qaïs fi zmanou
Bakite Elibakani
Warite Eli warani
Khalite kima khalini
Wali aâdhbek ya qalbi
Tourqan lih mayebanou
Refrain
Koulou Chihlet laayni
Li Ghramha madhani akhrani oubakani
El ouelf kif sahel ou lafrek maqdart aânhou
El ouelf kif sahel ou lafrek maqdart aânhou
Koun ahsabet naâmal janhani
Naqtaa bhar watani
Wanqoulek ya lala hani
Wan iedlek majra biya
Walqalb wesh Ghabnou
Refrain
Koulou Chihlet laayni
Li Ghramha madhani akhrani oubakani
El ouelf kif sahel ou lafrek maqdart aânhou
El ouelf kif sahel ou lafrek maqdart aânhou

I don't understand a word It's not Syrian

I'm sorry I wish I could help you!

Is it in a Berber dialect ?

Bobo

Yes I think it's a Berber dialect. I hope someone could help you with the translation

Hi, its a traditional Algerian song it's not Syrian and not Berber

i can translate it for you to a point just to let you know what it means. from Arabic Algerian to English

Rabah

Yes please translate it as much as you can. If I have the gist of what each line is, (I can write something from that.

Thanks

Bobo

Well , well , well ..
The most known Chaabi song in Algeria .
This song " Chahlet layani "is a chaabi song ( kind of algiers music ) ..
I don't remember by who it was sang for the 1st time ( I think Abdelhakim Garami )

Then it knew many transformations ;
Like this one in the first link
It was sang in a "Malouf version" ( kind of music of algeria's east )
& especially by Hamdi Bennani which is from my city , Ehem ehem LOL
But the music in the malouf version is surely different from the Chaabi music , because of instrumentals ..Some of lyrics are also changed in the Malouf song .
Its music inspired Cheb Mami as well , to do a song about Algeria called " Bladi hiya el jazayir " , here is the link :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VarW3BUdUE0
Here is the translation for you :
( I think these lyrics are for the Malouf version , because it's a bit longer in the Chaabi version )

Tell the girl with Hazel eyes :
Koulou L'Chahlet laayni
Tell the girl with Hazel eyes
Li Ghramha madhani aqhrani ou bakani
Whose love whetted me, subjugated me & made me cry
El ouelf kif sahel ou lafrek maqdart aânou
How easy was companionship ( or familiarization ) for me but the separation is unbearable ( Couldn't endure it )
El ouelf kif sahel ou lafrek maqdart aânou
How easy was the companionship for me but the separation is unbearable

Koun sabet naâmal janhani
If I knew ( that it's gonna be like that ) , I would have made wings
Naqtaa bhar watani
& I'd cross the seas of my country
Wanqoulek ya lala hani
to tell you "here I am girl !"
Wan iedlek majra biya
& tell you what happened to me
Walqalb wesh Ghabnou
& what hurt my heart

( Chorus )

Men soghri zinek ghwani
Since I was young , your beauty have always seduced me
7obek sken fi knani
Your love occupied my heart
wel yoom 3lach khalani
& Today , why did it ( her love ) leave me ?
hata bkit mefdouh w jmi3 essrar banou
& Here I am now , unguarded ( exposed ) & all my secrets are revealed

( Chorus )

Bakite Elibakani
The one who made me cry , I did the same to him ( I made him cry too )
Warite Eli warani
I hitted back the one who hitted me
Khalite kima khalini
& I left the one who left me
Wali aâdhbek ya qalbi
Oh my heart , the one who tormented you ( Talking to his heart )
Tourqan lih mayebanou
He doesn't even deserve a ?? ( Didn't get the word )
( In this part , He can talk about the girl using the "he" form , it's correct in arabic ^^' )

Chaâl As'shart layali
Oh How many nights I've stayed awake
Wa ana ghrib wahdani
Feeling stranger & Lonely
Wa damaâ kahrat aâyani
& The tears hurt my eyes
Ana jra bya majra Qaïs fi zmanou
What happened to me is just like what happened to " Qais " in his time ( A romantic arabic poet who falled in love with a girl called Layla but her father prevented him from marrying her )

( Chorus )

________________________________________
Any questions , don't hesitate to ask me !
P.S : Very good taste you have , you know
These kind of music ( Chaabi , Malouf & haouzi )
in Algeria are mostly heard by calm & wise people
Who try to find out more about life .. etc
________________________________________

ELEEF

Thank you so much. I will post a link once I have put together my take on Chalet layani. Hopefully you will find it worthy (though not as fine as the original)

Bobo

You are welcome ^^'

ELEEF did a great job
I think its a very good translation

Thank you
You're algerian too ?

yes I am Algerian :-)
and this song is really a lovely song

Ow nice ^^' another algerian here !
Yes it's really a very beautiful song