Lamma Bada Yatathanna is an Arabic muwashshah of the Nahawand maqam.[1] [2] The poem is considered one of the most famous Arabic pieces of its era.[3]
The author of the piece is disputed, and thought to be either Lisan al-Din Ibn al-Khatib (1313 - 1374 AD), which is the most plausible, or (1793 - 1828 AD).
| لما بدا يتثنى (أمان) | When my love appeared walking with a swinging gait (Aman)[4] | |
| حبي جماله فتنى (أمان) | His beauty infatuated me (Aman) | |
| أمرٌ ما بلحظـة أسـرنا | Something captured our hearts at a glance. | |
| غصن ثنى حين مال | A branch bended once tilted. | |
| وعدي ويا حيرتــي | Oh my destiny, my dilemma | |
| مالي رحيم شـكوتي | none will answer my appeal. | |
| في الحب من لوعتـي | for healing me from my ardor of love. | |
| إلا مليك الجمــال | except the Lord of beauty. | |
The song is in 10/8 time.
Its mode is the nahawand maqam (harmonic minor scale).
The song is a standard of Arabic and Middle Eastern musical repertoires. Versions of the song have been recorded by artists including Fairuz,[5] Sabah Fakhri, Souad Massi, Lena Chamamyan, Nabyla Maan, Hamza El Din, Sami Yusuf, Abeer Nehme[6] and Talia Lahoud.