Arrorró, mi alma, arrorró, mi flor, arrorró, pedazo de mi corazón. Por que lloras, niño, por qué lloras, flor? por una manzana que me se perdió. Pasa por mi puerta, yo te vo dar dos, una para 'l neni y otra para vos. Este chico niño, nacido de día, quiere que lo lleven a la confetería. Este chico niño, nacido de noche, quiere que lo lleven a pasear en coche. Dú rmete, mi alma, dú rmete, mi flor, dúrmete, pedazo de mi corazón.
Lullaby, my soul, lullaby, my flower, lullaby, piece of my heart. Why are you crying, child, why are you crying, flower? Because of an apple that I lost. Come to my door, I'll give you two, one for the baby and one for you. This little boy, born during the day, wants to be taken to the candy store. This little boy, born at night, wants to be taken for a ride in the car. Sleep, my soul, sleep, my flower, sleep, piece of my heart.
Jerusalem National Sound Archives placement: Y 5823a/29 Referenced and notated in: El ciclo de la vida, pg. 131, Editorial Alpuerto, 2013 Susana Weich-Shahak. There are very few lullabies amongst the Sephardic Jews, neither from the Eastern Mediterranean nor from North Morocco, since in both areas the Romansero (ballads) fulfill the function of putting babies to sleep. This well-known lullaby is sung by non-Jews in both Spain and South America and probably reached the Sephardic community through immigrants from South America.
This website was created by Orit Perlman with the collaboration and blessings of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak in 2025