Anta Omri/ You are My Life (Om Kalsoum)

Salaamaleykum,

http://jameslogancourier.org/media/quotes/20080503-225px-Umm_Kulthum4.jpg

When I was in Egypt, I noticed that Egyptians are particularly proud of 3 things; their Pharoaic history, their role in Christian/Muslim history, and Her Majesty Queen Om Kalsoum.

http://evelinapapazova.com/img/upl/UMM2-s.jpg

OK, fine, so she wasn't a royalty (though she came close to being one when she was about to marry one of King Farouk's uncle).
Nevertheless, she was larger then life, she's a great a human being then any Queen can ever be.

At first, I was puzzled by the her influence on ordinary Egyptians, who admire and idolise her, decades after her death. I can't come to terms with why even the youngsters who were born way after her death still listen to her songs and get immersed therein.

A simple search of her lyrics translated into English made me realise why so much she was so loved by Arabs in general, and why over 4million mourners attended her funeral.

Here is, her song Anta Omri (you are my life) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4hdaLB6EVk ...

Your eyes took me back to my days that are gone
They taught me to regret the past and its wounds.

Whatever I saw before my eyes saw you was a wasted life.
How could they consider that part of my life?

With your light, the dawn of my life started
How much of my life before you was lost
It is a wasted past, my love.

My heart never saw happiness before you
My heart never saw anything in life other than the taste of pain and suffering.

I started only now to love my life
And started to worry that my life would run away from me.

Every happiness I was longing for before you
My dreams they found it in the light of your eyes.
Oh my heart’s life .. You are more precious than my life
Why I didn't meet your love a long time ago?

Whatever I saw before my eyes saw you was a wasted life.
How could they consider that part of my life?

You are my life that starts its dawn with your light.

The beautiful nights and the yearning and the great love
From a long time ago the heart is holding for you.

Taste the love with me bit by bit from the kindness of my heart
that is longing for the kindness of your heart.
Bring your eyes close so that my eyes can get lost in the life of your eyes.
Bring your hands so that my hands will rest in the touch of your hands.

My love, come, and enough.
What we missed is not little, oh love of my soul.

Whatever I saw before my eyes saw you was a wasted life.
How could they consider that part of my life?
You are my life that starts its dawn with your light.

You are more precious than my days.
You are more beautiful than my dreams,
Take me to your sweetness--
Take me away from the universe
Far away, far away.
I and you far away, far away. Alone.

With love, our days will awaken
We spend the nights longing for each other

I reconciled with days because of you
I forgave the time because of you
With you I forgot my pains
And I forgot with you my misery.

Your eyes took me back to my days that are gone
They taught me to regret the past and its wounds.

Whatever I saw before my eyes saw you was a wasted life.
How could they consider that part of my life?
You are my life that starts its dawn with your light.

Now, having understand this song, how can I not cry?