This is a good example of an Egyptian “shaabi” song, the kind you might hear at a belly dancing club on Haram Street. This particular song crossed over and enjoyed mainstream success due to being featured in the 2014 comedy film “Ocean 14.”
Someone who has money loses sleep — so how much worse is it for someone in debt! | اللي له قرش مبينامشى ما بالك بقى من اللي عليه |
Cursed be poverty, which puts me in need of vile people | ملعون ابوك يا فقر يا حوّجني للأندال |
You debased an honorable man because he was in need of money | زليت عزيز النفس عشان عديم المال |
Damn you, need, the shame of asking [for something] is deadly | ملعون ابوكي ياعوزه زلة السؤال قتال |
Oh if the dice were rolled and situations were reversed | اه لو لعبت يا زهر واتبدلت الأحوال |
And I rode the first wave on the path to riches | وركبت أول موجة فى سكة الأموال |
I would go to the first one I made a request to in need | لأروح لأول واحد احتجتله في سؤال |
Who treated me brusquely at the time and made me feel my straitened circumstances | كسر بخاطري ساعتها ودوّقتني ضيقة الحال |
In order to do the right thing by him and lift him up if he stumbles | لأعمل معاه الصح أنا وأسنده لو مال |
Standing by him in tribulations and being patient | واقف جمبه فى المحن وأكون أكون طويل البال |
I would let him know that money, money doesn’t make you a man | أعرفه إن الفلوس الفلوس مبتعملش رجال |
Need is bitter, need is bitter and many a time it has laid heroes low | الحوجه مره الحوجه مره وياما بهدلت أبطال |
But enough, I’ve gotten fed up after I reached my hand out to a vile man | بس خلاص أنا نفسي اتسدت بعد ما ايدي للواطي اتمدت |
I was treating everyone with respect and wishing them well | كنت عامل خدي مداس بأحب الخير لكل الناس |
I ended up on the ground being stepped on, people betraying me and people selling me | بقيت ع الطراب بنداس ناس تخونى وناس تبيعني |
Oh if the dice were rolled and situations were reversed | اه لو لعبت يا زهر واتبدلت الأحوال |
And I rode the first wave on the path to riches | وركبت اول موجة فى سكة الأموال |
I would go to the first one I made a request to in need | لأروح لأول واحد احتجتله فى سؤال |
Who treated me brusquely at the time and made me feel my straitened circumstances | كسر بخاطري ساعتها ودوّقتني ضيقة الحال |
In order to do the right thing by him and lift him up if he stumbles | لأعمل معاه الصح أنا وأسنده لو مال |
Standing by him in tribulations and being patient | واقف جمبه فى المحن وأكون أكون طويل البال |
Nothing mattered for me, I didn’t have a cent in tough times | الدنيا كانت ولا فارقه مشلتش أنا قرش في زنقة |
Everything I wished for, I lost. I laughed for a minute and grieved for weeks | كل ما أتمنى حاجة تضيع أضحك دقيقة أحزن أسابيع |
I’m fed up with too much moving around, I can’t find solid ground | زهقت من كتر الترقيع ومش لاقيلي بر ارسا |
I lived life naively, and got nothing from this world | عشت الحياة بكل سذاجة مطلعتش من الدنيا بحاجة |
Who comes away from life with anything? Everyone will leave it behind and depart | وهو مين واخد حاجة ما كله هيسيبها ويمشي |
Oh if the dice were rolled and situations were reversed | اه لو لعبت يا زهر واتبدلت الأحوال |
And I rode the first wave on the path to riches | وركبت أول موجة فى سكة الأموال |
I would go to the first one I had made a request to in need | لأروح لأول واحد أحتجتله في سؤال |
Who treated me brusquely at the time and made me feel my straitened circumstances | كسر بخاطري ساعتها ودوّقتني ضيقة الحال |
In order to do the right thing by him and lift him up if he stumbles | لأعمل معاه الصح أنا وأسنده لو مال |
Standing by him in tribulations and being patient | واقف جمبه فى المحن وأكون أكون طويل البال |