IRISIM
IRISES
 

Irisim -
Yafot eineha - irisim
U'l'vavi homeh la -
Ela, ela, ela!**

Mot amut!
Ektof ha perach - mot amut!
Ad shachar achakeh la -
Ela, ela, ela!

Erev yored v'shuv overet hi
Ubilvavi halo k'cherev hi -
Ha'od er'eh et shtei einayich - ela?

Shemesh rad,
B'siftoteha shemesh rad,
Or hashki'a yafeh lah -
Ela, ela, ela!

Ruach shat,
B's'ara haruach shat,
Hoy, eich leili koreh la:
Ela, ela, ela!

Shachar oleh v'shuv overet hi
Ubilvavi halo k'cherev hi
Ha'od eshak et siftotayich - ela?

Irisim -
Kawl ha'olam hu irisim -
Rak l'vava hu sela -
Ela, ela, ela!

Irises -
Her eyes are beautiful - irises
And my heart longs for her -
Come!*

I will surely die
I'll pick a flower for her - I'll surely die!
Till dawn I'll wait for her
Come!

Evening descends and again she passes by
And in my heart, it's like a sword
Will I again see your two eyes? - Come!

The sun sets
In her lips, the sun sets
The light of sunset is beautiful on her
Come!

The wind sails
Through her hair, the wind sails
Oh, how my night calls to her:
Come!

Dawn rises and again she passes by
And in my heart, it's like a sword
Will I again kiss your lips? - Come

Irises -
The whole world is irises -
Only her heart is a stone -
Come!

   
 
Interpreter's note: ** Ela - Greek word for "come"
Contributor's note:
Irisim is based on a Greek song from 1947 with the title "Yirise, se perimeno, yirise".

Composer: Yannis Vellas
Lyricist: Nikos Fatseas
Singer: Toni Marouda

The Greek version is a so-called "light" (European-style) song, which has remained popular until this day.
Watch this lovely Hebrew-Greek duet with the late Ofra Haza and Greek songstress Glykeria

 

Hebrew words pdf

LYRICS Chaim Chefer    (from his Songbook, Sefer Hapizmonim)
MUSIC Greek Folk Song
SINGER Ofra Haza  z"l
CD Shirei Moledet A & B   Track 17  
CD The Other Days: The Beautiful Songs of Chaim Chefer   Track 10
DANCE CHOREOGRAPHER Yo'av Ashriel  1986
DANCE FORMAT Circle
DANCE INSTRUCTION VIDEO Click here to purchase
 

Words transliterated and translated by Malka Tischler of New York USA
Contributor's note and video link: Eva Broman
Contact the publisher of Hebrew Songs.com
 



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