Thread: Tahtil Shibbak

I love the song "Tahtil Shibbak." From the lyrics page I found on Shira's website (thank you, Shira!), I can tell that obviously this is a song about love. Apart from that, though, I'm having a hard time getting the gist of the story the song is trying to tell. Can anyone enlighten me? Thanks!

(Here are the lyrics on Shira.net, for reference: http://www.shira.net/tahtill.htm )

The way I understood it, or maybe somebody explained it to me... There is a lady looking down from her window at a man who passes by, possibly everyday. She's flirting with him, like telling him not to look up because that's not proper, but of course wanting this macho man to notice her.

I mean there more in the details of the song, but I'm not certain enough on that stuff to really expound further. Maybe somebody else will give you more info.

I have these lyrics from a workshop by Yasmeen el Qa'hira:


I say, oh sweet one, wearing the dress, I want to repent on your hands.
I say, oh sweet one, wearing the dress, I want to repent on your hands.
Your eyelashes are a surgeon
Your eyelashes are a surgeon
My heart is healed by your hand
Because I love you
You want me to kiss your hand
Under the window, I caught sight of you, oh macho one.
What else is with you? Why don't you tell me, oh macho one?
Under the window, I caught sight of you, oh macho one.
What else is with you? Why don't you tell me, oh macho one?
Under the window, I caught sight of you, oh macho one.
What else is with you? Why don't you tell me, oh macho one?
Under the window, I caught sight of you, oh macho one.
What else is with you? Why don't you tell me, oh macho one?
You passed by in front of the house.
I kiss your feet, please do not look up
I beg you with ardent love. It is a faithfulness on your part.
Look & indulge on my eyes, oh macho one.

Oh greetings say hello -- on my eyes, oh macho one.

Ah, look and talk -- on my eyes, oh macho one.

Oh greetings say hello --
Under the window, I caught sight of you, oh macho one.
What else is with you? Why don't you tell me, oh macho one?
Under the window, I caught sight of you, oh macho one.
What else is with you? Why don't you tell me, oh macho one?
Your cheeks are apples; let me taste them, oh macho one.
Slaughtering apples. Go away, oh macho one.

Your cheeks are apples; let me taste them, oh macho one.

Slaughtering apples. Go away, oh macho one.

You passed by in front of the house.
You passed by in front of the house.

I kiss your feet, please do not look up.

I beg you with ardent love. It is a faithfulness on your part.
Look and indulge -- on my eyes, oh macho one.
Oh greetings say hello -- on my eyes, oh macho one.
Ah, look and talk -- on my eyes, oh macho one.
Oh my night, oh my eye, oh, oh, oh my night.
Oh my night, my night, oh, oh, oh my night, oh, oh, oh, oh my night.

Old Tahtil Shibbak threads:

http://ads.bhuz.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18892
http://ads.bhuz.com/forum/topic.asp?...&TOPIC_ID=9059

You might find something useful there!
D

I don't know why - but the word "macho" always makes me giggle. ..l;,

Originally Posted by elljay

I don't know why - but the word "macho" always makes me giggle. ..l;,

We were just talking about that in class tonight, discussing the concept of bint al-beled in relation to milaya dances. There really isn't a good one-word translation (that I know of) for the word ghadaa, which is what is normally translated as "macho one." van Nieuwkerk, quoting Messiri, describes the quality this way: "the awlad al-balad are known for their gad’ana, honorability and toughness, and for their masculinity and virility."

There's gotta be a better translation than "macho one"... ..c::

Originally Posted by bintbeled

We were just talking about that in class tonight, discussing the concept of bint al-beled in relation to milaya dances. There really isn't a good one-word translation (that I know of) for the word ghadaa, which is what is normally translated as "macho one." van Nieuwkerk, quoting Messiri, describes the quality this way: "the awlad al-balad are known for their gad’ana, honorability and toughness, and for their masculinity and virility."

There's gotta be a better translation than "macho one"... ..c::

Especially since van Nieuwkerk also notes that it can apply to the baladi businesswomen ..g.:

Originally Posted by badriya_al_ahmar

Especially since van Nieuwkerk also notes that it can apply to the baladi businesswomen ..g.:

Yup, similar attributes, different gender.