Shakespearean Sonnet Based on Tabib Garah (George Wassouf)

Hi everyone,

So I had an assignment in my English class where we had to re-write a pop song into Shakespearean English, following William Shakespeare's rhyme scheme and use of the iambic pentameter. Naturally, I despise American pop music, so I chose an English translation of "Tabib Garah," by George Wassouf; now, I'd like to share the poem with you. It doesn't include EVERY lyric, as I was limited to only fourteen lines, but it still includes the majority of them. It was a bit of a challenge, but I think it came out well!

Here's my poem:

'Thou know’st mine art as a surgeon for hearts.
I can heal those who find themselves infirm;
But, alas, I remain awake at night,
With the wounds that doth cause my mind to squirm.
They hath seen me, thinking I live with wealth,
Serenading with happiness and glee...
Nay; pray ask in regards to my rough state.
No medico can fix mine injuries.
Thou know’st mine art as a surgeon for hearts,
But come night I conceal my fateful pain.
Mine darlings, I remain a broken man;
How could ye relinquish mine love so plain?
Much I’ve ached in biting ruination,
Mine laugh a mere moan of desolation.'

These are the lyrics from which I worked:

'Tabib garra7, oloub en-nas adaweeha / I'm a surgeon, that cures people's hearts
yama graa7, sehert el-leil adareeha / but I've stayed up all night to hide many wounds
(2x)
Shafouny 2alo methanny / they saw me and said that I was living in luxury...
men kotr el far7 beyghanny / ... singing from all the happiness
(2x)
ta3alo wes2alo 3anny / come and ask about me
(2x)
ana elly beya graa7 ateba el kon ma teshfeeny / I have many wounds in me that all the doctors of the world couldn't heal

tabib garra7, oloub en-nas adaweeha / I'm a surgeon, that cures people's hearts
w yama graa7, sehert el-leil adareeha / but I've stayed up all night to hide many wounds

ya 3ashe2een alby, zay el gharee, / oh lovers, my heart is like a wounded man
zay el ghareeb ba2alo zaman / like a wounded man for a long time now
ya nasyeen 7oby, neseeto ezzay, / oh you who forgotten my love, how could you forget it
neseeto ezzay 7oby elly kan / how could you forget my love that used to be...
(2x)
feen el wo3ood, feen el 3ohood / where are the promises, where are the treaties
(2x)
feen el ma7aba wel 7anan, wel 7anan / where is the love and kindness, and the kindness

ya 3ashe2een alby, zay el gharee, / oh lovers, my heart is like a wounded man
zay el ghareeb ba2alo zaman / like a wounded man for a long time now
ya nasyeen 7oby, neseeto ezzay, / oh you who forgotten my love, how could you forget it
neseeto ezzay 7oby elly kan / how could you forget my love that used to be...
feen el wo3ood, feen el 3ohood / where are the promises, where are the treaties
(2x)
feen el ma7aba wel 7anan, wel 7anan / where is the love and kindness, and the kindness

Shafouny 2alo methanny / they saw me and said that I was living in luxury...
men kotr el far7 beyghanny / ... singing from all the happiness
(2x)
ta3alo wes2alo 3anny / come and ask about me
(2x)
ana elly beya graa7 ateba el kon ma teshfeeny / I have many wounds in me that all the doctors of the world couldn't heal

tabib garra7, oloub en-nas adaweeha / I'm a surgeon, that cures people's hearts
w yama graa7, sehert el-leil adareeha / but I've stayed up all night to hide many wounds

yama 2aseet yama, samty maraar, / I've suffered a lot, my silence is bitter
samty maraar, de7ky aneen / my silence is bitter, my laugh is a moan
da3et lebtesama, wel atr faat, / the smile was lost, and the train has left
el atr faat men seneen / the train has left years ago (an expression means it's too late)
(2x)
feen el wo3ood, feen el 3ohood / where are the promises, where are the treaties
(2x)
feen el ma7aba wel 7anan, wel 7anan / where is the love and kindness, and the kindness

yama 2aseet yama, samty maraar, / I've suffered a lot, my silence is bitter
samty maraar, de7ky aneen / my silence is bitter, my laugh is a moan
da3et lebtesama, wel atr faat, / the smile was lost, and the train has left
el atr faat men seneen / the train has left years ago (an expression means it's too late)
feen el wo3ood, feen el 3ohood / where are the promises, where are the treaties
(2x)
feen el ma7aba wel 7anan, wel 7anan / where is the love and kindness, and the kindness

Shafouny 2alo methanny / they saw me and said that I was living in luxury...
men kotr el far7 beyghanny / ... singing from all the happiness
(2x)
ta3alo wes2alo 3anny / come and ask about me
(2x)
ana elly beya graa7 ateba el kon ma teshfeeny / I have many wounds in me that all the doctors of the world couldn't heal

tabib garra7, oloub en-nas adaweeha / I'm a surgeon, that cures people's hearts
yama graa7, sehert el-leil adareeha / but I've stayed up all night to hide many wounds'

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What made is so difficult to create is that, for one, the English translation from which I was working was not done in the most perfect English; also, the format I had to follow was restrictive. I had to make 12 lines of quatrains, with a couplet at the end. Each line could have no more (and no fewer) than ten syllables, and there was a specific rhyme scheme associated with it. And, of course, I had to use that archaic-sounding English.

Anyway, 'Thank' me if you found it interesting, and please leave some feedback. I'd like to know what others think!

wow, this is really good!! Amazing job!!!! must have been SUPER tough doing this - i can't even make Shakespearean poems out of English songs themselves, but Arabic??? WOWWWWWWW. Respect.

I did not see your message earlier! Thank you for reading and enjoying. I am now in the process of learning Arabic in college, so perhaps I can one day read Arabic lyrics themselves instead of using translations/transliterations.

Cheers!