De que lloras, probe esclavo 2

From Morenika Izmirlia, 2021, From Merendjenas, 2023 

This is a song of a slave’s longing for his wife Tamar Pesá, mother of his children, who is far away embroidering a shirt for the son of the queen. This romansa which is unknown in the Hispanic tradition, is cited by Armistead  to have several sources that indicate a theme derived from the Greek ballad: Ho niópantros sklabos (“The Newly Married Galley Slave”).

Lyrics:
- ¿De qué lloras, probe esclavo?  ¿De qué lloras, probe sclavo?
tú bien comes, tú bien bebes,   no t’acosan cuando duermes.
- Yo bien como, yo bien bebo,    no m’acosan cuando duermo,
Lloro yo por una dama   Lloro yo por una dama
que se llama Tamar Pesá, que se llama Tamar Pesá,
ella es mi mujer primera, ella es mi mujer primera, 
la madre de los mis hijos, la madre de los mis hijos.
labrando sta una camisa    labrando sta una camisa
para el hijo de la reina   un cabezón de sirma y perla.
Si le mancare un clavedón,   de sus cabellos la ajusta,
y si le mancare una perla,   de sus lágrimas la ajusta.    

Translation:
- Why are you crying, poor slave? Why are you crying, poor slave?
You eat well, you drink well, they do not harass you when you sleep.
- I eat well, I drink well, they do not harass me when I sleep,
I weep for a lady, I weep for a lady 
Her name is Tamar Pesá, her name is Tamar Pesá,
she is my first wife, she is my first wife,
the mother of my children, the mother of my children.
She is embroidering a shirt, she is embroidering a shirt
For the queen's son, with a collar of silk and pearls.
If she is missing a gold thread, She takes from her hair,
If she is missing a pearl, she takes from her tears.