Bearvot Hanegev - Leibele Jinich, Yaffa Yarkoni

Israeli Folk Song, haunting or touching?

Yiddish - Leibele Jinich

Hebrew - Yaffa Yarkoni


HT: YC

BE'ARVOT HANEGEV

Be'arvot haNegev meetnotzetz hatal.

Be'arvot haNegev eesh magen nafal.

In the plains of the Negev the dew glitters.

In the plains of the Negev a defender has fallen.

Lo noshem hana'ar venadam halev

Et bloreet hasa'har roo'akh telatef. (X2)

The lad is not breathing and the heart has stopped

The wind strokes the moon's forelock. (X2)

Haloomat atzevet veyagon nora

Em zkena neetzevet venoset dvara.

Stricken with sadness and a dreadful grief

An old mother stands and says her piece.

Hadeem'ah neegeret me'eyney eemkha,

Ba kadoor oferet vayfalakh leebkha. (X2)

The tears pour from your mother's eyes,

A bullet of lead came and pierced your heart. (X2)

Az tza'ad kadeema na'ar gva-koma

Vayomar la: Eema, al lakh bedeem'ah.

Then a tall lad strode forward

And said to her: Mom, do not cry.

Bakhooreynoo, Eema, bee'ymey pkooda

Mool son'eynoo, Eema, kekhomat plada. (X2)

Our boys, Mom, in days of command

Face our foes, Mom, like an iron wall. (X2)

Mool shoded vamelekh tzmeh dameem oyen,

Tneenee ve'ehyeh lakh anokhee leven.

Facing a marauder and a bloodthirsty, hostile king,

Allow me and I shall be a son to you.

Be'arvot haNegev hoo lakhatz yada

Eem teertzoo, khevraya, eyn zo agada. (X2)

In the plains of the Negev he pressed her hand.

If you like, friends, this is no fable. (X2)