Intro:
Song Name (English): The Story of Love
Song Name (Arabic): سيرة الحب (Siret El Hob)
This is an Arabic classic song by the Egyptian icon Umm Kulthum from the album “Siret El Hob”, released in the 1960s. It is a soulful, evocative piece with a full rendition lasting approximately 60 minutes. The song was written by Ahmed Rami and composed by Riad al-Sunbati.
Translated Lyrics:
طول عمرى باخاف من الحب وسيرة الحب وظلم الحب لكل أصحابه
All my life I have feared love, the story of love, and the injustice love brings to all its companions.
Tool omri bakhaf men el hob w seeret el hob w zolm el hob lekol ashaboh
وأعرف حكايات مليانه آهات ودموع وأنين والعاشقين دابوا ما تابوا
And I know tales filled with sighs, tears, and moans, and lovers who melted without repentance.
We a’raf hekayat maleyana aahat w domou’ w anein w el asheqeen daba ma tabou
طول عمرى بأقول لا أنا قد الشوق وليالى الشوق ولا قلبى قد عذابه
All my life I have said, “I cannot match the longing and its endless nights, nor can my heart bear its torment.”
Tool omri ba’oul la ana ‘ad el shawq w layali el shawq w la albi ‘ad 3azaboh
وقابلتك انت لقيتك بتغير كل حياتى
And when I met you, I found that you changed my entire life.
W abaltak enta leqaytak betghayar kol hayati
ما أعرفش إزاي انا حبيتك ما أعرفش إزاى ياحياتى
I don’t know how I loved you; I don’t know how, oh my life.
Ma a’rafsh ezay ana habbeitak, ma a’rafsh ezay ya hayati
من همسة حب لقيتنى باحب وأدوب فى الحب وصبح وليل على بابه
From a whisper of love, I found myself falling in love and melting in passion, with morning and night at its door.
Men hamset hob leqaytini baheb w adoub fel hob w sobh w leil 3ala baboh
فات من عمرى سنين وسنين شفت كتير و قليل عاشقين
Years upon years passed by in my life; I witnessed many lovers and also just a few.
Fat men omri sineen w sineen, sheft kteer w qaleel asheqeen
اللى بيشكى حاله لحاله واللى بيبكى على مواله
Those who lament their own state, and those who weep for their cherished one.
Elly beyshka haloh lehaloh w elly beybka 3ala mawaloh
أهل الحب صحيح مساكين
Indeed, lovers are truly pitiable.
Ahl el hob sa7ee7 masakeen
ياما الحب نده على قلبى ما ردش قلبى جواب
Many times, love called out to my heart, yet my heart gave no reply.
Yama el hob nedah 3ala albi ma reddesh albi jawab
ياما الشوق حاول يحايلنى واقول له روح يا عذاب
Many times, longing tried to deceive me, and I told it, “Go, oh torment!”
Yama el shawq 7awel y7ayelni w a’oul loh ro7 ya 3azab
ياما عيون شاغلونى لكن ولا شغلونى
Many eyes have distracted me, yet none have truly engaged me.
Yama 3youn shaghlouni lakin wala shaghlouni
إلا عيونك انت دول بس اللى خدونى وبحبك أمرونى
Except your eyes—they alone have captivated me and compelled me with your love.
Ella 3younak enta dol bas elli khedouni w behibbak amrouni
أمرونى احب لقيتنى باحب وأدوب فى الحب وصبح وليل على بابه
They compelled me to love; I found myself loving and melting in love, with morning and night at its doorstep.
Amrouni aheb, leqaytini baheb w adoub fel hob w sobh w leil 3ala baboh
ياللى ظلمتوا الحب وقلتوا وعدتوا عليه قلتوا عليه مش عارف إيه
O you who have wronged love and made promises about it, you claim you don’t really know what it is.
Ya elli zolmtu el hob w oltu wa3adtou 3aleih, oltu 3aleih mesh 3aref eh
العيب فيكم يا فى حبايبكم أما الحب ياروحى عليه
The fault lies with you and your dear ones, yet love, oh my soul, remains above all.
El 3eib feekom ya fe habayibkom, amma el hob ya ro7y 3aleih
فى الدنيا ما فيش أبدا أبدا أحلى من الحب
In this world, there is never, ever anything more beautiful than love.
Fe el donya ma feesh abadan abadan a7la men el hob
نتعب نغلب نشتكى منه لكن بنحب
We grow tired, we struggle, we complain about it—but still, we love.
Net3ab, neghlab, neshtaka mennoh, lakin benheb
ياسلام ع القلب وتنهيده فى وصال وفراق
Oh, how wonderful is the heart and its sighs in both union and parting.
Ya salaam 3ala el albi w tenheedo fel wasal w firaq
وشموع الشوق لما يقيدوا ليل المشتاق
And the candles of longing, when they bind the night of the one who yearns.
W shomou3 el shawq lamma yeqeydou leil el moshtaaq
يا سلام ع الدنيا وحلاوتها فى عين العشاق
Oh, how splendid is life and its sweetness in the eyes of lovers.
Ya salaam 3ala el donya w 7alawetha fe 3ein el 3oshaq
أنا خدنى الحب لقيتنى باحب وأدوب فى الحب وصبح وليل على بابه
Love took me in; I found myself loving and melting in love, with morning and night at its door.
Ana khadni el hob, leqaytini baheb w adoub fel hob w sobh w leil 3ala baboh
يا اللى مليت بالحب حياتى أهدى حياتى إليك
O you who have filled my life with love, I have dedicated my life to you.
Ya elli malleit bel hob hayati, ahda hayati ileik
روحى..قلبى..عقلى..حبى كلّى ملك ايديك
My soul, my heart, my mind, all my love belongs to your hands.
Rou7i..albi..3a2li..hobi kolli melk eideik
صوتك..نظراتك..همساتك شىء مش معقول
Your voice, your glances, your whispers—something beyond belief.
Soutak..nadharatak..hemassatak shay2 mesh ma3’oul
شىء خللى الدنيا زهور على طول وشموع على طول
Something made the world bloom continuously, with endless flowers and eternal candles.
Shay2 khallaly el donya zuhoor 3ala tool w shomou3 3ala tool
الله ياحبيبى على حبك وهنايا معاك الله يا حبيبى يا حبيبى الله الله
Oh God, my beloved, for your love and the bliss I share with you—oh my beloved, oh my beloved, God, God!
Allah ya 7abibi 3ala hobak w hanaaya ma3ak, Allah ya 7abibi ya 7abibi, Allah Allah
ولا دمعة عين جرحت قلبى ولا قولة آه
Not a single tear from my eye has wounded my heart, nor has any cry of “ah” been uttered.
W la dam3et 3ein gar7at albi w la 2awla ah
ما بقولش فى حبك غير الله الله يا حبيبى على حبك الله الله
I speak of your love only with “God, God”—oh my beloved, for your love, God, God.
Ma ba’oulsh fe hobak gheir Allah Allah, ya 7abibi 3ala hobak, Allah Allah
من كتر الحب لقيتنى باحب وأدوب فى الحب وصبح وليل على بابه
From the abundance of love, I found myself loving and melting in passion, with morning and night at its door.
Men kutr el hob leqaytini baheb w adoub fel hob w sobh w leil 3ala baboh