Ya Rayah

Oh Traveler

Ya Rayah

Oh traveler, where are you headed, where will you go?Ya rayah win msafar trouh taaya wa twali
How many regrets for the fools before you and me (again)Chhal nadmou laabad el ghaflin qablak ou qabli (bis)

How many countries have I seen, the barren land and sea?Chhal cheft al bouldan laamrine wa lber al khali
How many times have I lost track, how much more will I leave?Chhal dhiyaat wqat chhal tzid mazal ou t'khali
Oh absent one in the land of people, how long will you wander?Ya lghayeb fi bled ennas chhal taaya ma tadjri
You gain the power but time passes and you don’t even knowTzid waad el qoudra wala zmane wenta ma tedri

(Chorus)(Chorus)

Why is your heart heavy, and why do you feel so low?Aalach qalbek hzine waalach hakdha ki zawali
Don’t just sit there, learn and build, don’t let it goMatdoum achadda wila tzid taalem ou tabni
Days don’t last forever, and your youth won’t staymaydoumou layyam walay doum seghrek ou seghri
Oh poor soul who missed the joy like a flower in decayYa hlilou meskine li ghab saadou ki zahri

(Chorus)(Chorus)

Oh traveler, I give you advice, take it early onYa msafer naatik oussaayti addiha el bakri
See what’s good for you before you buy or sellChouf ma yeslah bik qbal ma tbia ou ma techri
Oh sleepy one, my friend, your news is not mine, nor is mine yoursYa nnayem djani khabrek ma sralek ma srali
This is how the heart returns, with the waves of the high seas.Hakdha rad el qalb bel djbine sabhane el aali