“The Love That Was” (الحب اللى كان – El Hob Elly Kan), a classic Arabic song by Egyptian singer Mayada El Hennawy from the album El Hob Elly Kan, released in the 1970s. This soulful Tarab ballad lasts approximately 5 minutes and 30 seconds. The song was written by Morsi Gamil and composed by Baligh Hamdi.
Translated Lyrics
Verse 1
كان ياما كان كان ياما كان
Once upon a time, once upon a time.
Kan yama kan, kan yama kan.
الحب مالي بيتنا ومدفينا الحنان
Love fills our home and our hearth with tenderness.
El hob mali beitna w madfina el hanan.
زارنا الزمان سرق منا فرحتنا والراحه والامان
Time visited us, stealing from us our joy, comfort, and security.
Zarna el zaman, saraq minna farhatna wel raha wel aman.
Verse 2
حبيبي كان هنا مالي الدنيا عليا في الحب والهنا
My beloved was here, filling my world with love and bliss.
Habibi kan hina, mali el donya ‘alaya fi el hob wel hana.
حبيبي يا أنا يا اغلى من عنيا نسيت من انا ؟
My beloved, you are my identity—more precious than my eyes; have I forgotten who I am?
Habibi ya ana, ya aghla min ‘einy, naseet min ana?
انا الحب الي كان اللي نسيته اوام من قبل الاوان
I am the love that was, the one I forgot long before its time.
Ana el hob elli kan, elli nsiteh awam min gabl el awan.
نسيت اسمي كمان نسيت يا سلام على غدر الانسان
I even forgot my name; oh, the treachery of man!
Naseet ismi kaman, naseet, ya salam ‘ala ghadar el insan.
والله زمان يا هوى زمان والله زمان يا هوى زمان
By God, it’s been ages, oh love, ages; by God, it’s been ages, oh love, ages.
Wallah zaman ya hawa zaman, wallah zaman ya hawa zaman.
Verse 3
حبيبي جيت انا ليه في الدنيا ديا الا عشان احبك
My beloved, why have I come into this world except to love you?
Habibi geit ana leh fi el donya diya ella ‘ashan ahebbak.
عشان يدوب عمري من جرح غدرك بدري
So that my life may melt away from the wound of your betrayal quickly.
Ashan yadoob omri min garh ghadrak badri.
شمعه ورا شمعه وتعيش انت لفرحك
Candle after candle, and you live for your joy.
Sham’a wara sham’a, w te’eesh enta le farhak.
حبيبي فداك انا وسنيني اللي جايه
My beloved, I offer myself for you and for the coming years.
Habibi, fedak ana w senini elli gaya.
فداك قلبي اللي حبك
My heart, which loved you, is for you.
Fedak albi elli habbak.
امشي فوق همي فوق دمعي وغني
I walk above my sorrow, above my tears, and sing.
Emshi foq hammi, foq dima’i, w ghanney.
ولا تنزلش دمعه ليله فوق خدك
And do not let a tear fall on your cheek tonight.
Wala tenzalesh dam’a leila foq khaddak.
Verse 4
وآه من حرقة الآه داب الحجر
Oh, the burning ache—so intense that even stone seems to melt.
Wa ah min har’et el ah, daab el hager.
وآه من قلب جواه حب تقتل
Oh, from a heart harboring a love that can kill.
Wa ah min qalb gawah hob yi’tel.
وآه على عاشق هواه من غير آمل
Oh, for a lover of his passion, without hope.
Wa ah ‘ala ‘ashiq hawa, min gher amel.
وآه والشكوى لله مش للبشر
And oh, all complaints are to God, not to man.
Wa ah, wel shakwa lillah, mesh lel bashar.
Verse 5
عسل ومر انت وفاء وغدر انت وحب العمر انت
You are both sweetness and bitterness, fidelity and treachery—you are the love of a lifetime.
Asal w mor enta, wafa’ w ghadar enta, w hob el ‘omr enta.
كدبه انت كدبه لكن احلى كدبه بعتهالي الزمان
You are deceit, deceit indeed, yet the sweetest deceit that time sent me.
Kadba enta, kadba, lakin ahla kadba ba’thaali el zaman.
رقه انت رقه لكن شوق ودمعه وبحر من الاحزان
You are delicate, delicate indeed, but filled with longing, tears, and a sea of sorrows.
Raqa enta, raqa, lakin shawq w dama’a w bahr min el ahzan.
Verse 6
حبيبي كان هنا مالي الدنيا عليا في الحب والهنا
My beloved was here, filling my world with love and bliss.
Habibi kan hina, mali el donya ‘alaya fi el hob wel hana.
حبيبي يا أنا يا اغلى من عنيا نسيت من انا ؟
My beloved, you are my identity—more precious than my eyes; have I forgotten who I am?
Habibi ya ana, ya aghla min ‘einy, naseet min ana?
انا الحب الي كان اللي نسيته اوام من قبل الاوان
I am the love that was, the one I forgot long before its time.
Ana el hob elli kan, elli nsiteh awam min gabl el awan.
نسيت اسمي كمان نسيت يا سلام على غدر الانسان
I even forgot my name; oh, the treachery of man!
Naseet ismi kaman, naseet, ya salam ‘ala ghadar el insan.
والله زمان يا هوى زمان والله زمان يا هوى زمان
By God, it’s been ages, oh love, ages; by God, it’s been ages, oh love, ages.
Wallah zaman ya hawa zaman, wallah zaman ya hawa zaman.
Verse 7
زمان لما جيت زمان
In those old days, when you arrived, those were truly the times.
Zaman lamma geit, zaman.
بعد غيابك سنين و على قلبى ناديت
After your years-long absence, I called out to my heart.
Ba’d gheyabak senin, w ‘ala qalbi nadeyt.
رديت حبيبي جاني، اشتاق لحبيبه تانى
My beloved replied and came to me; I longed for my love once more.
Raddit habibi gani, eshte’aaq le habibuh tani.
لحبي، لحناني، و ياريتني ما رديت
For my love, my solace—and oh, how I wish I had not replied.
Lehobi, lahnani, w yareitni ma raddit.
زمان كان لينا بيت زمان
In those bygone days, we had a home.
Zaman kan leena beit zaman.
و اصحاب طيبين يبكوا لو يوم بكيت
And kind friends would weep if you cried even for a day.
W as’hab tayyibin yebku law yom bekeit.
و يخافوا عليك يا غالي وعليا من الليالى
And they would worry about you, oh precious one, and about me because of the nights.
W yikhafu ‘alayk ya ghali, w ‘alaya min el layali.
من همسه، من كلمه و يدوبوا لو غنيت
From his whisper, from his word, they would melt if you sang.
Min hamasuh, min kilmitu, w yedooboo law ghannayt.
Verse 8
حبيبي كان هنا مالي الدنيا عليا في الحب والهنا
My beloved was here, filling my world with love and bliss.
Habibi kan hina, mali el donya ‘alaya fi el hob wel hana.
حبيبي يا أنا يا اغلى من عنيا نسيت من انا ؟
My beloved, you are my identity—more precious than my eyes; have I forgotten who I am?
Habibi ya ana, ya aghla min ‘einy, naseet min ana?
انا الحب الي كان اللي نسيته اوام من قبل الاوان
I am the love that was, the one I forgot long before its time.
Ana el hob elli kan, elli nsiteh awam min gabl el awan.
نسيت اسمي كمان نسيت يا سلام على غدر الانسان
I even forgot my name; oh, the treachery of man!
Naseet ismi kaman, naseet, ya salam ‘ala ghadar el insan.
والله زمان يا هوى زمان والله زمان يا هوى زمان
By God, it’s been ages, oh love, ages; by God, it’s been ages, oh love, ages.
Wallah zaman ya hawa zaman, wallah zaman ya hawa zaman.