No me puso mi madre cośa ninguna, la cara de esta novia como la luna. La onza de la gracia, y a cómo lo venderé? Ni lo vendo por onza ni por cuarterón, la cara d'esta novia como el lucero, La onza de la gracia y acómo lo venderé? No me puso mi madre mas que albayalde, la cara de esta novia como el eśmalte. La onza de la gracia y a cómo 1o venderé? Ni lo vendo por onza ni por cuarterón, por onzas tawía que vale el valor. La onza de la gracia ya cómo lo venderé?
My mother gave me nothing,
no thing at all,
the face of this bride
is like the moon.
The ounce of grace how shall I sell it? I won’t sell it by the ounce,
nor by the quarter,
the face of this bride
is like the morning star.
The ounce of grace how shall I sell it? My mother gave me nothing,
except white lead (makeup),
the face of this bride
is like enamel.
The ounce of grace how shall I sell it? I won’t sell it by the ounce,
nor by the quarter,
for ounces still
it’s worth its worth.
The ounce of grace how shall I sell it?
Jerusalem National Sound Archives placement: Y2910/4 Referenced and notated in: Judeo-Spanish Moroccan Songs for the Life Cycle, pg. 56, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1989 Susana Weich-Shahak. In this song the bride is asked about the source of her beauty. She answers that her mother has put nothing but white make up on her. Often North Moroccan wedding songs, as in this one, are sung consecutively with a continual rhythm accompanied by a single castanet.
This website was created by Orit Perlman with the collaboration and blessings of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak in 2025