Four Spanish-Hebrew Songs

Translations © by Anne Evans

Song Cycle by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist

View original-language texts alone: Quarto Canciones en Ladino

1. A la una yo nací
 (Sung text)
Language: Spanish (Español) 
A la una yo nací
A las dos m'engrandecí
A las tres tomí amante
A las quatro me cazí.
Me cazí con un amor,
alma y vida y coracón.

Dime niña donde vienes?
Que te quiero conocer.
Si tú no tienes amante,
yo dejara de aprender,
alma y vida y coracón.

Yendo me para la Guerra,
dos bezos al aire di,
el uno es para mi madre,
y el otro para tí.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, late 15th century

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
1. I was born at one
Language: English 
I was born at one
At two I grew up
At three  I took a lover
At four I was wed.
I got married with love,
my  soul, life, and heart.

Tell me, young lass, where are you from?
I long to get to know you.
If you do not have a lover,
I will defend you,
my  soul, life and heart.

I'm going off to the war,
I've thrown kisses into the air,
one is for my mother,
the other is for you.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2013 by Anne Evans, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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This text was added to the website: 2013-11-12
Line count: 15
Word count: 84

Translation © by Anne Evans
2. Al deredor de la mi cama 
 (Sung text)
Language: Spanish (Español) 
Al deredor de la mi cama
lleno de doctores sehinchó.
Se miravan uno al otro
salvación nome quedó.
Fostan blanco me cortí
sin estrenar lo dexi.
Que s'acodren la mi jente,
y que lloren por mí.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, late 15th century

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
2. All around my bed
Language: English 
All around my bed 
it's full of doctors.
They look at each other
and it seems there is no cure for me.
I had a white robe made to measure
but will never get to use it.
May people remember me,
may they cry for me.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2013 by Anne Evans, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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This text was added to the website: 2013-11-12
Line count: 8
Word count: 46

Translation © by Anne Evans
3. Ya viene el cativo
 (Sung text)
Language: Spanish (Español) 
Ya viene el cativo
con todas las cativas.
Dientro de ellas
esta la blanca niña.
Ni amanecía
ni era de día
cuando la blanca niña
cantava su manzia.

'O qué campos verdes
O campos de olivas
onde mi madre Gracia
lavava y espandía.
O, qué pino hermozo
onde con mi espozo
baxo su solombra
dormíamos con gozo.
O, qué tombas blancas,
o tombas de avuelos
Paso sobre ellas
como paxaro en su vuelo.'

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, late 15th century

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
3. Here comes the captive
Language: English 
Here comes the captive
with all the women captives.
Among them
is the fair skinned girl
Dawn had not broken
nor was it yet day 
when the fair skinned girl
sang of her sorrows.

'O what green fields
O what fields of olives
where my mother Gracia
washed and hung clothes to dry. 
O, beautiful pine tree
where with my husband
we slept with pleasure 
under your shade.
O, white tombs,
tombs of my grandparents
I fly over you
like a bird in flight.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2013 by Anne Evans, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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This text was added to the website: 2013-11-12
Line count: 20
Word count: 84

Translation © by Anne Evans
4. Avre tu puerta cerrada
 (Sung text)
Language: Spanish (Español) 
Avre tu puerta cerrada,
qu'en tu balcòn luz no hay.
El amor a ti te vela
Partemos Rosa
Partemos de aquí.
      
Yo demandí por la tu hermozura,
como te la dio el Dió.
La hermozura tuya es pura
La meresco sólo yo.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, late 15th century

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
4. Open your locked door
Language: English 
Open your locked door,
for on your balcony there is no light.
May love protect you
Let's go, Rosa
Let's go away from here.

I prayed for your beauty
given to you by God.
Your beauty is pure
Only I deserve it.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2013 by Anne Evans, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Based on:

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This text was added to the website: 2013-11-12
Line count: 9
Word count: 42

Translation © by Anne Evans