Hebrew Folksongs

Song Cycle by Darius Milhaud (1892 - 1974)

View original-language texts alone: Chants Populaires Hébraïques

1. La séparation
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Celui qui distingue le sacré profane,
Nous pardonne nos péchés.
Il multipliera comme le sable et les astres
Notre argent et nos enfants,
Bonne semaine, Bonne semaine,
Bonne semaine, Bonne semaine.

Que faire? Ç ne va pas.
Des enfants il y en a, 
Mais de l'argent il n'y en a pas
Et le pain s'obtient péniblement.
Bonne semaine, Bonne semaine.
Bonne semaine, Bonne semaine,

Le jour tombe le Sabbat s'éloigne
Comme l'ombre d'un arbre.
Dans les plats plus une miette
Et bientôt arrive la semaine heureuse.
Bonne semaine, Bonne semaine,
Bonne semaine, Bonne semaine.

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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
1. Separation
Language: English 
 He who distinguishes between the sacred and the profane
 pardons our sins. 
 He will multiply our money and our children 
 like the sand and the stars.
 Good week. Good week. 
 Good week. Good week. 
 
 What shall we do? Something is all wrong. 
 There are plenty of children, 
 but no money, 
 and it is hard to get bread. 
 Good week. Good week. 
 Good week. Good week.
 
 Night falls and the Sabbath retreats 
 like the shadow of a tree. 
 Not a crumb is left on the plates, 
 and soon the happy week will be here. 
 Good week. Good week. 
 Good week. Good week.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2002 by Faith J. Cormier, (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 between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 102

Translation © by Faith J. Cormier
2. Le chant du veilleur
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Holà! Qui va là? triste veilleur,
Pauvre sentinelle, je traverse la nuit,
Le sommeil me fuit terriblement.
Suis-je donc fait de fer?

Tout le monde dort et repose en paix
Et oublie les tracas du jour.
Moi seul je cherche en vain du repos sur la pierre,
Moi, moi seul - je cherche en vain du repos sur la pierre.
Holà! Qui va là?

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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
2. Song of the Watchman
Language: English 
 Halt! Who goes there? Sad watchman, 
 poor sentinel, I move through the night.
 Sleep flees from me. 
 Am I then made of iron? 
 
 All sleep and rest in peace, 
 forgetting the day's troubles. 
 I alone search in vain for rest on the stones. 
 I, I alone, I search in vain for rest on the stones. 
 Halt! Who goes there?

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2002 by Faith J. Cormier, (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 between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 9
Word count: 60

Translation © by Faith J. Cormier
3. Chant de délivrance
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Pour la grâce de mon ami mon coeur
Se consume en amour craintif,
Je supplie Dieu pour qu'il apaise ma douleur.
Si j'appelle il m'entendra lui
Mon épée, mon bouclier, ma cuirasse
Tout mon être s'élance vers lui.
Et je prierai le jour et la nuit
Pourqu'il apporte la consolation à tout son peuple,
Alors, j'oublierai toutes mes douleurs
Et je me mettrai au service de Dieu...
Vois Isaac ne désespère plus
Ses ennemis s'enfuient devant lui.
La bénédiction de Dieu
Me protège et me soutient.
L'envoyé de Dieu viendra.
Oui, le voici,
Il apportera à mon deuil le soulagement que je demandais,
Sa droite me soutiendra.
Tous les jours et toutes les nuits
Et déjà voici la délivrance.

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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
3. Song of Deliverance
Language: English 
 For mercy for my friend, my heart
 is consumed with fearful love. 
 I beg God to calm my pain. 
 If I call, he will hear me,
 my sword, my shield and my breastplate. 
 My whole being is drawn to him, 
 and I will pray night and day
 that he may bring consolation to all his people. 
 Then will I forget all my pain 
 and will I serve God. 
 See, Isaac is no longer in despair. 
 His enemies flee before him. 
 The blessing of God 
 protects and sustains me. 
 The one sent from God will come. 
 Yes, here he is. 
 He will bring to my mourning the ease which I asked for. 
 His right hand will uphold me, 
 all the days and all the nights. 
 See! Deliverance is already here.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2002 by Faith J. Cormier, (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 between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 130

Translation © by Faith J. Cormier
4. Berceuse
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Dors, dors, dors, 
Ton papa ira au village
Et rapportera une pomme
Et caressera ta petite tête.

Dors, dors, dors,
Ton papa ira au village
Et rapportera une noix
Et caressera ton petit pied.

Dors, dors, dors,
Ton papa ira au village
Et rapportera un canard
Et caressera tes petites mains.

Dors, dors, dors,
Ton papa ira au village
Et rapportera la soupe
Et caressera ton petit ventre.

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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
4. Lullaby
Language: English 
 Sleep, sleep, sleep. 
 Papa will go to the village 
 and bring back an apple, 
 and stroke your little head. 
 
 Sleep, sleep, sleep. 
 Papa will go to the village 
 and bring back a nut, 
 and stroke your little foot. 
 
 Sleep, sleep, sleep. 
 Papa will go to the village 
 and bring back a duck, 
 and stroke your little hands. 
 
 Sleep, sleep, sleep. 
 Papa will go to the village 
 and bring back some soup, 
 and stroke your little tummy.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2002 by Faith J. Cormier, (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 between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 77

Translation © by Faith J. Cormier
5. Gloire à Dieu
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Mon Dieu est ma force et ma tour,
Et moi je suis si pauvre! 
Tout mon espoir en Dieu
Et toute ma confiance en toi mon Dieu,
Mon Dieu, Dieu Zebaoth.
Je suis brûlé à vif,
Transpercé par une flèche de feu
De mon Seigneur, de mon Dieu.
Il m'a percé le coeur
Et il a brûlé dans mon coeur
Mon arrogance et ma fierté;
Dieu Zebaoth!

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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
5. Glory to God
Language: English 
 My God is my strength and my tower, 
 and I am so poor. 
 All my hope is in God 
 and all my trust in Thee, my God, 
 my God, God of Hosts. 
 I am burned alive, 
 pierced by a flaming arrow 
 by my Lord and my God. 
 He has pierced my heart 
 and his flame in my heart 
 has consumed my arrogance and my pride, 
 the God of Hosts!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2002 by Faith J. Cormier, (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 between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 70

Translation © by Faith J. Cormier
6. Chant hassidique
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Que te dirai-je et que te raconterai-je
Qui peut te dire et t'expliquer ce que signifie
Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept.
Sept c'est le Sabbat
Et six le parts du Talmud
Et cinq les parties de la Bible
Et quatre les aïeux 
Et trois les patriarches 
Et deux les tables de la loi
Et un c'est notre Dieu,
C'est notre Dieu unique,
Il n'a pas son pareil,
Notre Dieu est un,
Notre Dieu est un.
Un c'est notre Dieu 
Et deux les tables de la loi
Et trois les patriarches
Et quatre les aïeux
Et cinq les parties de la Bible
Et six les parts du Talmud
Et sept c'est le Sabbat
Mais un c'est notre Dieu,
Et un c'est notre Dieu,
Et un c'est notre Dieu.

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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
6. Hassidic Song
Language: English 
 What will I say to you and what will I tell you? 
 Who can tell you and explain to you what 
 one, two, three, four, five, six and seven mean? 
 Seven is for the Sabbath, 
 and six for the parts of the Talmud, 
 and five for the parts of the Bible, 
 and four for the ancestors, 
 and three for the patriarchs, 
 and two for the tables of the law, 
 and one is for our God. 
 He is our only God, 
 and there is none other like him. 
 Our God is one, 
 our God is one. 
 One is for our God, 
 and two for the tables of the law, 
 and three for the patriarchs, 
 four for the ancestors, 
 and five for the parts of the Bible,
 and six for the parts of the Talmud, 
 and seven for the Sabbath. 
 But one is for our God 
 and one is for our God 
 and one is for our God.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2002 by Faith J. Cormier, (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:

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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 157

Translation © by Faith J. Cormier