Con grande verguenza vo lo digo que irme quiero con mi marido a servirlo y a honrarlo. Y mires mi hija, y paraje mientres que el hijo ajeno vo lo haras pariente. Cuando veres, novia, al vuestro esfuegro almada en mano: asentes padre bueno. Cuando veres, novia, a vuestra esuegra almada en mano: asentes, madre buena. Cuando veres, novia, a vuestros cuñados, almada en mano: asentes mis hermanos
With great shame I say it,
that I wish to go with my husband,
to serve him and to honor him. And look, my daughter, and take heed meanwhile,
that another’s son you will make your own kin. When you see, bride, your father-in-law,
with cushion in hand, say: “Sit, good father.” When you see, bride, your mother-in-law,
with cushion in hand, say: “Sit, good mother.” When you see, bride, your brothers-in-law,
with cushion in hand, say: “Sit, my brothers.”
Jerusalem National Sound Archives placement: Y 5982a/19 Referenced and notated in: El ciclo de la vida, pg. 273, Editorial Alpuerto, 2013 Susana Weich-Shahak. This is a parting song between daughter and mother. The daughter tells her mother that with great shame she wants to leave her mother and go serve her new husband. The mother replies by saying that soon she will have a new family, and how each of them should be treated with respect.
This website was created by Orit Perlman with the collaboration and blessings of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak in 2025