Lyrics and translation Souad Massi - Samira Meskina

Samira Meskina

البنات كامل شابّين وعندهم الزهر
عندهم شعر طويل ويروحوا للبحر
يلبسوا غير في الحطّات ويروحوا للسهرات
وأنا كي تجي دالتي لا، لا، لا

وأنا من الصّباح للعشية نخدم في الشغل
ليجي يحقر فيّ وعليّ يتمهبل
وكهرت مغسيل لمّاعن لحوايج ولحديد
إنطيب ونعجن خايفة على حليب لا يفيض

آه، آه-آه يا لو كان جيت راجل
آه، آه-آه ما يديروا فيّ هاذ الباطل
آه، آه-آه يا لو كون جيت راجل
آه، آه-آه ما يديروا فيّ هاذ

لي قدّي كامل مزوجات كل واحدة وين راحت
الصغار عليّ جايحات يتبعوا في المسلسلات
مساكن طامعات يجي واحد يديهم
فوق عود أبيض رافد الورد

وخويا خارج فيّ كي نشوفه نتقّلق
يظل يعس فيّ على والو يتقلق
كاش نهار نربطه كي يكون غارق في المنام
فى بير غامق نحطه خاطر يخاف من الظلام

آه، آه-آه يا لو كان جيت راجل
آه، آه-آه ما يديروا فيّ هذا الباطل
آه، آه-آه يا لو كون جيت راجل
آه، آه-آه ما يديروا فيّ هذا

ملّي كنت صغيرة يقولوا لي راكي كبيرة
ما تلعبيش برة ما تنسيش باللّي انتي مرا
وولاد برة يلعبوا وطفلة دير لعقل
هوما يديروا كيما يحبّوا تعاونينا في شغل

يا لو كان جيت راجل
ما تديروا فيّ هذا الباطل
يا لو كون جيت راجل
ما تديروا فيّ هذا الباطل
يا لو كان جيت راجل
ما تديروا فيّ هذا الباطل

ما تديروا فيّ هذا الباطل

يا لو كون جيت راجل
ما تديروا فيّ هذا الباطل
يا لو كون جيت راجل
ما تديروا فيّ هذا الباطل

Samira Meskina

All the girls are wearing makeup, and they have flowers
They have long hair and they go to the beach
They even wear hats and then they go to the parties
But when my turn comes, it is always no, no, no

And me, I work at a job from morning until dusk
The laundry is piled up, and the clothes are a mess
I knead the bread dough, but I'm afraid the milk will boil over
I want to make sure that the milk does not boil over

Oh, oh-oh, if only I were a man
Oh, oh-oh, they would not treat me so badly
Oh, oh-oh, if only I were a man
Oh, oh-oh, they would not treat me like this

All the women my age are married, and each one has gone her way
The little ones come to me and ask me about soap operas
Poor things, they hope that a man will come and give them
A bouquet of white flowers with red roses

And my brother, when I see him, he makes me feel uneasy
He keeps following me around and making me feel nervous
Perhaps I should tie him up when he is deep in sleep
Put him in a dark well so that he will be afraid of the dark

Oh, oh-oh, if only I were a man
Oh, oh-oh, they would not treat me so badly
Oh, oh-oh, if only I were a man
Oh, oh-oh, they would not treat me like this

When I was a little girl, they told me I was a big girl
They said I shouldn't play outside, that I shouldn't forget that I am a woman
And the boys outside were playing, and I was trapped inside
They did whatever they wanted, and we had to help them with the chores

Oh, if only I were a man
They would not treat me so badly
Oh, if only I were a man
They would not treat me so badly
Oh, if only I were a man
They would not treat me so badly

They would not treat me so badly

Oh, if only I were a man
They would not treat me so badly
Oh, if only I were a man
They would not treat me so badly