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الحب المستحيل
El Hob El Mostaheel

(The Impossible Love)

 

 

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the Iraqi song "El Hob El Mostaheel", which was popularized by Kazem el-Saher. Also included is a transliteration of the Arabic lyrics into the Roman alphabet so you can sing along if you like.

  • El Hob El Mostaheel (The Impossible Love), 2000
  • Song Title in Arabic: الحب المستحيل
  • Album: El Hob El Mostaheel
  • Lyricist: Nizar Qabbani
  • Composer: Kazem el-Saher
  • Original Artist: Kazem el-Saher

Song lyrics are provided for educational purposes. If you like the song, please purchase either the album or a download from an authorized source.

Other ways to spell the song title include "Al Habu Al Mustahil" and "Al Hob Al Mostahil".

About Kazem el-Saher

Kazem el-Saher is an Iraqi singer, composer, and songwriter, sometimes known by the nickname "The Caesar of Arabic music". Over the course of his career, he has achieved spectacular success throughout the Arabic-speaking world and beyond. His biggest hit has been Ana Wa Laila.

When el-Saher was growing up, he was influenced by hearing music on the radio by composers such as Mohamed Abdel Wahab. He started learning to play guitar as a child, then later switched to oud. At age 21, he enrolled in the prestigious Baghdad Institute of Music and studied there approximately 6 years.

El-Saher found it difficult to break into the music business because he wanted to perform his own compositions, whereas music producers were more interested in artists who would perform their material. He collaborated with a friend who happened to be a television director to create a music video featuring one of his own songs, "Ladghat El Hayya". It was broadcast on Iraqi television in 1987, immediately generating controversy due to the content of its lyrics. A year later he released another hit, "Obart Al Shat".

After moving to Lebanon in 1996, el-Saher teamed up with Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani, who served as his lyricist on more than 30 songs. By 1998, el-Saher had released 10 albums and elevated his reputation from "pop star" to "artist". He won a UNICEF award for his song "Tathakkar", which he was invited to perform for the U.S. Congress and the United Nations.

El-Saher began his career as a songwriter creating music for other Iraqi singers, but eventually moved on to become a recording artist in his own right. He relocated to Cairo, Egypt, and built a following as the voice of Iraqi exiles.

Kazem el Saher has often been compared to legendary Egyptian singer Abdel Halim Hafez because of his emotive singing style. Like Hafez, he has also been a heartthrob in the eyes of many young Arab women. Al-Saher has been at the forefront of a return to romantic classicism in Arabic music, steering clear of the pop sound that is so prevalent today. El-Saher is known for his perfectionism and attention to detail, and praised for his non-traditional use of long-forgotten maqamat (musical building blocks) in his compositions.

El-Saher has released over 20 albums, toured the world, and achieved international popularity.

Other ways to spell his name include "Kathem el-Saher", "Kadhum El Sahir", and "Kadim Al Sahir".

 

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Lyrics

Numbers in parentheses refer to footnotes that appear at the bottom of the translation.

Arabic Lyrics

Transliteration

English Translation

     

Part 1

Part 1

Part 1

أحبك جداً وأعرف أن الطريق الى المستحيل طويل Ahiboki jidan wa arifo an al tarik illa al mostaheel taweel. I love you so much, and I know that the road to the impossible is long.
وأعرف أنك ست النساء.. ست النساء Wa arifo anaki sitol nisaa. But I also know that you are the queen of women.
ست النساء.. وليس لدي بديل Sitol nisaa. Wa laysa lazi badilon. The queen of women, and no one can take your place.
وأعرف أن زمان الحنين أنتهى ومات الكلام الجميل Wa arifo an zaman al haneen entaha wa matal kalam al jamilon. I also know that the time of love has ended, and the beautiful words have died.
     
لست النساء ماذا نقول Last al nisaa maza takool. What can I say about the best of all women?
أحبك جداً أحبك جداً Ahiboki jidan, ahiboki jidan. I love you so much, I love you so much.
     

Part 2

Part 2

Part 2

أحبك جداً وأعرف أني أعيش بمنفى وأنت بمنفى Ahiboki jidan, wa arifo anni aeisho be manfaa. Wa anti be manfaa. I love you so much and I know you live in isolation, and I live in isolation.
وبيني وبينك ريح وغيم وبرق ورعد وثلج ونار Wa baini wa bainak: rihon wa ghaymon wa barkon wa raadon wa taljon wa naaron. And separating us there is wind and clouds and lightning and thunder and ice and fire.
     
وأعرف أن الوصول لعينيك وهم Wa arifo an al wisola la einaiki wahmon. And I know that reaching your eyes is an illusion.
وأعرف أن الوصول إليك انتحار Wa arifo an al wisola elaiki entahar. And I know that reaching you would be suicide.
     
ويسعدني ويسعدني ويسعدني Wa yesedoni, wa yesedoni, wa yesedoni. And it would make me happy, make me happy, make me happy.
أن أمزق نفسي.. لأجلك.. أيتها الغالية An amazika nafsi, le ajliki, ayatohal ghalya. To tear myself to pieces for your sake, my precious one.
     

Part 3

Part 3

Part 3

ولو خيروني.. ولو خيروني Wa law khayaroni, wa law khayaroni, And they gave me the opportunity, if I had to choose,
لكررت حبك.. في المرة الثانية La kararto hoboki, bil marat el thanya. I would choose your love all over again.
يا من غزلت قميصك من ورقات الشجر Ya man ghazalto kamisaki min awraq al shagar? How many times did your likeness appear in the leaves of the trees?
أيا من حميتك بالصبر من قطرات المطر Ya man hamaytoki bel sabr men katarat el matar? How many times did I shower you with patience like drops of rain?
أحبك جداً.. أحبك.. أحبك Ahibokia jidan... ahiboki... ahiboki... I love you... I love you... I love you...
أحبك جداً وأعرف أن الطريق الى المستحيل طويل Ahiboki jidan wa arifo an al tariqa illa al mostaheel taweel. I love you so much and I know that the road to the impossible is long.
     

Part 4

Part 4

Part 4

أحبك جداً وأعرف أني أسافر في بحر عينيك دون يقين Ahiboki jidan wa arifo anni yosafiro fe bahr ainaiki, doona yakini. I love you so much and I know that I travel in the ocean of your eyes, without a destination.
وأترك عقلي ورائي وأركض Wa atroko akli waraai wa arkodo, And I leave my mind behind me and run,
أركض.. أركض خلف جنوني Arkodo, arkodo khalfa jinooni. I run, I run back to my madness.
أيا امرأة.. أيا امرأة.. تمسك القلب بين يديها Aya amraatan, aya amraatan tomsiko al qalb baina adaiha. Oh you are a woman, a woman who holds my heart between her hands.
     
سألتك بالله لا تتركيني Saaltoki billah, la tatrokini. I have asked you, by God, do not leave me!
لا لا لا لا.. لاتتركيني La, la, la, la, la tadrokini. No, no, no, no, don't leave me!
فماذا أكون أنا.. أنا اذا لم تكوني Fa maza akoon ana. Ana aza lam takoni. For what would I be without you?
     
أحبك جداً وجداً وجداً Ahiboki jidan wa jidan wa jidan. I love you so much, so much, so much.
وأرفض من نار حبك أن أستقيلا Wa arfodo bil nar hoboki an astakilan. And I refuse to give up the fire of your love,
وهل يستطيع المتيم بالعشق.. أن يستقيلا Wa hal yastatiaa al matim balashq, an astakilan. for can someone who is captivated by love refuse it?
     
وما همني.. ان خرجت من الحب حيا Wa ma hamani, an kharajto min al hob hayan. And I don't care if I emerge from your love alive.
وما همني.. ان خرجت قتيلا Wa ma hamani, an kharajto katilan! And I don't care if I emerge dead!

 

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Translations of
Kazem el-Saher's Songs On This Site

Translations on this web site of songs performed by Kazem el-Saher include:

 

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About the Translation Source

This translation and transliteration of the song's lyrics are courtesy of www.arabic-lyrics.com.

 

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