HU LO YADA ET SHMA
 

Halach hu yom echad baderech liVersheva,
Haru’ach min hayam et hasichim litef,
Lyiad ilan zaken hi et roshah esseva,
Vetzamatah yardah yarod min hakatef.

Hagdud himshich litz’od, ve’im hagdud halach hu,
Ve’et panav nashkuh gam ru’ach, gam chama.
Aval bachanayah leyilit achat nochach hu
Nochach hu ki shachach lish’ol ota lishma

Hu lo yad’a et shma,
Aval otah tzamah
Halcha imo le’orech kol haderech,
Ve hu yada, yesh yom
Bo yipagshu pit’om,
Im shachar shel tlalim o shemesh erev.

Hakayitz hasheni hechlif gonim vatzeva,
Patrol si’ur chazar milayla shel Sivan.
Miher ha’ambulas, baderech liVersheva
Vehi chikta chikta lo bechaluk lavan.

Vehu sha’al: “ha’im?” vehi anta: “zocheret”
Veko dibru sha’ot, ish lo yed’a al ma.
Ukshe alach bli shuv, vehi notra chiveret,
Zachra hi ki shachach lish’ol ota lisma.

Hu lo yad’a et shma…

HE DIDN’T KNOW HER NAME
 

He walked some day on the road to Beer Sheba,
The wind from the sea fondled the bushes,
By an old tree, she turned her head,
Her plait dropping along her shoulder.

The battalion marched on, he went with it,
Wind and sun kissing his face.
But during a night camp he paid attention
Paid attention that he forgot to ask her name.

He didn’t know her name,
But that plait
Went whit him all the way long,
And he knew, the day will come
That they will suddenly meet,
In a dew-dawn or with evening sun.

The second summer changed shades and color,
A commando came back from a June night
The ambulance rushed on the road to Beer Sheba
And she was waiting, waiting for him, in a white (nurse’s) dress.

And he asked: “Do you…?”. And she answered: “Remember”.
So they talked for hours, nobody will know about what,
And when he went, not to return, and she was left behind, pale,
She remembered that he forgot to ask her name.

He didn’t know her name…




Hebrew words

Italian Translation   

Translator's note:
During the early 50’s, the southern part of the newborn State of Israel had been subjected to frequent incursions coming mainly from the Gaza strip and Egypt. The Israelis retaliated mainly with nighttime commando actions. This was part of the precursor that led to the 1956 Sinai War.

LYRIC Chaim Hefer
MUSIC Sasha Argov
SINGER
Esther Ofarim
Arik Einstein
Lehakat Hanachal
CD
Hayu Leilot Track 6
Livkot Lach Collection Track 12

Words transliterated and transliterated by Daniel Shalev of Rishon le Zion, Israel.
Italian translated by Daniel Shalev of Rishon le Zion, Israel.
Contact the publisher of Hebrew Songs.com

Italian translation
IL NOME NON LO SA

Andava un giorno sulla strada per Beer-Sheva ,
il vento sui cespugli lieve si posò.
La treccia sulle spalle bionda ricadeva,
lei si voltò a guardarlo e poi lo salutò.
Continuò a marciare insieme al reggimento,
il vento in faccia, il sole cocente sopra sta.
Pensando a lei una notte, però, gli venne in mente
gli venne in mente che il nome suo non sa...
Il nome non lo sa,
ma quella treccia è là
che l’accompagna, andando per la via
e lui lo sa, lo sa,
che un dì la rivedrà
all’alba o al tocco dell’ “Ave Maria”.
Passò l’Estate. Anche l’Autunno era finito.
Tornavan da un’azione al sorgere del dì.
Un’ambulanza andava in fretta, col ferito
e in bianco all’ospedale lei apettava lì.
Lui chiese: -Ti ricordi?- Lei disse: -Di quel giorno..-
Parlarono per ore, di cosa non lo so.
Poi quando se ne andò, per non far più ritorno,
di chiederle il suo nome di nuovo si scordò...
Il nome non lo sa...

 




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