Dicho me habían dicho que el mi amor está en Venecia tratando y baratando con una nave inglesa. Madre, demes la lecencia, que lo quero ir a servir: con mi amor yo me quiero ir. Con mi amor me quero ir, madre, con aquel que amaba yo. Viva el y lo vea yo. La que debe ser casada no conviene a ser morena sino blanca y colorada, hermosa como la strella. Madre, demes la lecencia, que lo quero ir a servir: con mi amor yo me quiero ir. Con mi amor me quero ir, madre, con aquel que amaba yo. Viva el y lo vea yo. Aunque soy morenica un poco las mis gracias m'acompanian, los mis cabellos son rubios que a los mancebos engaño, a los locos meto sejel, a los bobos hago riír. Con mi amor yo me quiero ir. Con mi amor me quero ir, madre, con aquel que amaba yo. Viva el y lo vea yo.
They had told me
that my love is in Venice,
trading and bargaining
with an English ship.
Mother, give me permission,
for I want to go serve him:
I want to go with my love.
I want to go with my love, mother,
with the one I loved.
May he live, and may I see him. The one who is to be married
should not be dark-skinned,
but fair and rosy,
beautiful like the star.
Mother, give me permission,
for I want to go serve him:
I want to go with my love.
I want to go with my love, mother,
with the one I loved.
May he live, and may I see him. Although I am a little dark,
my graces go with me;
my hair is blond,
so I lead the young men on,
I give sense to the foolish,
and make the dull laugh.
I want to go with my love.
I want to go with my love, mother,
with the one I loved.
May he live, and may I see him.
Jerusalem National Sound Archives placement: Yc2774/2
Referenced and notated in: El ciclo de la vida, pg. 268, Editorial Alpuerto, 2013 Susana Weich-Shahak.
This is a widely spread song in the congregations of Turkey, Saloniki, Sarayevo and Rhodes. This may be true due to the commercial recordings of the well known Rabbino Isaac Algazi (1889-1950).
This website was created by Orit Perlman with the collaboration and blessings of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak in 2025