Sung in Yiddish
Poet: H. Leivick
Mi-ma-amakim
Such a word.
Such a phrase:
"From the depths."
What do you mean by
"From the depths?"
What do you mean for me
"From the depths?"
Why do you hound me?
Why do you persecute me?
From childhood on,
From the kheyder (elementary school) on,
From white midnights on
From the depths.
Mi-ma'amakim.
I call to you
From the depths;
I pray to you,
I extend my hands towards you,
From the depths;
I want to be known to you,
I want to be close to you,
I want to touch you,
I want to reach you,
I want to raise myself towards you
From the depths
Mi-ma'amakim.
What kind of sound are you?
What do you bring with you
From the depths?
What do you possess in yourself
From the depths?
Say it once,
Say it again,
Sing it again
And then again,
Mi-ma'amakim
Whose cry is that?
Who's pouring his heart out so?
Whose singing is so
From the depths?
Say it once,
Say it again,
Sing it again and then again,
From the depths.
Mi-ma'amakim
Poet: H. Leivick
mi-ma'amakim
a vort aza.
a vort aza:
fundertifenish,
vos meynstu mit
"fundertifenish?"
vos bataystu far mir
"fundertifenish"?
favrvos yogstu mikh
farvos farfolgstu mikh
fun kindhayt on,
fun kheyder on,
fun vayse khtsos-nekht un
fundertifenish.
mi-ma'amakim
ikh ruf tsu dir
fundertifenish;
ikh bet tsu dir,
ikh shtrek mayne hent tsu dir
fundertifenish;
ikh vil zayn derkont tsu dir,
ikh vil zayn noent tsu dir,
ikh vil dikh onrirn,
ikh vil dergreykhn dir,
ikh vil zikh ufheybn tsu dir
fundertifenish.
mi-ma'amakim
vos far a klang bistu?
vos trogtstu mit zikh
fundertifenish?
zog es eynmol,
zog es nokhamol,
zing es nokhamol
un take nokhamol,
mi-ma'amakim
ver fargeyt zikh azoy?
Vemes gezang aza
fundertifenish?
zog es eynmol
zog es nokhamol,
zing es nokhamol
un take nokhamol
fundertifenish.
mi-ma'amakim
