One of the best-known Arabic lullabies of Egypt. A parent hushes a restless little one to rest on a straw mat as night falls, promising that daylight — and a father returning from market day with gifts and warm clothes — will come again. Here you will find a singable English adaptation, the meaning, and chords.
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Verse 1
C F C
Nami, nami, ya sghayri,
F C G7
Ta ghafa ‘al hasiri.
(Sleep, sleep, my little one — until you doze off on the mat.)
C F C
Sleep now, close your eyes, my dear,
F C G7
Rest here on our mat, so near.
Verse 2
C F C
Bukra abuki gayy,
F C G7
Hamel ghallet el-lamoun.
(Tomorrow your father is coming, carrying in the lemon harvest.)
C F C
Tomorrow when the light returns,
F C G7
Papa’s coming home again.
Play it
Chords — guitar & piano
C
Guitar
Piano
F
Guitar
Piano
G7
Guitar
Piano
Good to know
What this song means
Nami Nami (“sleep, sleep”) is one of the best-known Arabic lullabies of Egypt. A parent hushes a restless child to rest on a straw mat as night falls, promising that morning — and a father returning from market day with gifts and warm clothes — will come again. Its soft, circular repetition makes it easy to hum long after the words fade.
Traditional Egyptian lullaby, passed down through oral tradition. The English lines here are a singable adaptation for this arrangement, offered as a respectful tribute — not a literal translation.
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