When We Come

 

Shekshenavo

 

שכשנבוא

babayit.jpg
Arik Einstein		  Miki_Gavrielov.jpg
Miki Gavrielov		  shekshenavo.jpg
Shlomi Shabat, Yuval Dayan et al.
Vowels : with without

Time will erase the years  Ha-zman ’èt ha-shanim yanis 
הַזְּמַן אֶת הַשָּׁנִים יָנִיס
And some wisdom in the heart will put.  U-qtsat bina ba-lév makhnis. 
.וּקְצַת בִּינָה בַּלֵּב מַכְנִיס
But there are things it's yet to tell me.  ’Aval yeshnam dvarim shèhu `od lo gila li. 
.אֲבָל יֶשְׁנָם דְבָרִים שֶׁהוּא עוֹד לֹא גִּילָה לִי
Will another lily bloom for me?  Ha’im yifraẖ li `od shoshan? 
?הַאִם יִפְרַח לִי עוֹד שׁוֹשָׁן
Will an ancient spark awaken in me?  Ha’im ne`or bi nitsots noshan? 
?הַאִם נַעוֹר בִּי נִיצוֹץ נוֹשָׁן
Is there at the end of the road an answer waiting for me?  ha’im be-sof ha-dèrèkh meẖaka tshuva li? 
?הַאִם בְּסוֹף הַדֶּֽרֶךְ מְהַכָּה תְּשׁוּבָה לִי
 
And how will we know  Ve-’ékh néda` 
וְאֵיךְ נֵדַע
If there is hope  ’Im yésh tiqva 
אִם יֵשׁ תִּקְוָה
That when we come, when we come,  Shèkshènavo, shèkshènavo, 
,שֶׁכְּשֶׁנַבוֹא, שֶׁכְּשֶׁנַבוֹא
We'll find an answer?  Nimtsa tshuva? 
?נִמְצָא תְּשׁוּבָה
 
Where does the track lead?  Le’an nimshèkhèt ha-msila? 
?לְאָן נִמְשֶֽׁכֶת הַמְּסִלָּה
Where does the prayer go?  le’an holèkhèt ha-tefila? 
?לְאָן הוֹלֶֽכֶת הַתְּפִלָּה
And who will answer the question and who will hear me?  U-mi yashiv la-she’éla u-mi yishma` li? 
?וּמִי יָשִׁיב לַשְּׁאֵלָה וּמִי יִשְׁמַע לִי
And who will open their heart to me?  U-mi yiftaẖ li levavo? 
?וּמִי יִפְתַּח לִי לְבָבוֹ
And if I'll go, where will I arrive?  Ve-’im ’élékh le’an ’avo? 
?וְאִם אֵלֵךְ לְאָן אָבוֹא
Is there at the end of the road an answer waiting for me?  ha’im be-sof ha-dèrèkh meẖaka tshuva li? 
?הַאִם בְּסוֹף הַדֶּֽרֶךְ מְהַכָּה תְּשׁוּבָה לִי
 
It's just me and just you,  Zè rak ’ani ve-zo rak ’at, 
,זֶה רַק אֲנִי וְזוֹ רַק אַתְּ
And that's a lot and that's so little.  Ve-zè harbé ve-zè ko me`at. 
.וְזֶה הַרבֵּה וְזֶה כֹּה מְעַט
And how will we know if our lives have not been in vain?  Ve-’ékh néda` ’im lo larik `avru ẖayénu? 
?וְאֵיךְ נֵדַע אִם לֹא לָרִיק עַבְרוּ חַיֵֽינוּ
Has our labor been in vain?  Ha’im `amalnu lo lashav? 
?הַאִם עֲמָלְנוּ לֹא לַשָּׁוְא
Will our home not be destroyed?  Ha’im béyténu lo yiẖrav? 
?הַאִם בֵּיתֵֽינוּ לֹא יִחְרַב
Will love survive even after us?  Ha’im tiẖyè ha-’ahava gam aẖarénu? 
?הַאִם תִּחְיֶה אַהֲבָה גַם אַהֲרֵֽינוּ

Lyrics in Hebrew: Eli Mohar, music: Argyris Kounadis.
The melody is that of a Greek song, "Τι θέλεις γέρο;" [What do you want, old man?]