Morenica a mi me llaman blanca yo nací: el sol del enverano m'hizo a mi ansí. Morenica, graciosica sos, morenica y graciosica y mavra matiamu. Morenica me llaman los marineros, si otra vez me llaman me vo con ellos. Morenica... Decilde a la morena si quere vinir la nave ya sta 'n vela, que ya va a partir. Morenica... Decilde a la morena: ¿por que no me queres? con oro y con tiempo a mí me rogares. Morenica... Ya se viste la morena y de yul yagi ansina es la pera con el siftili. Morenica... Ya se viste la morena de'amarillo, ansí es la pera con el bembrillo. Morenica... Escalerika l’hizo d’oro y de krystal Ke venga el nuestro novio a dar berakha Morenica... Escalerika l’hizo d’oro y de marfil Ke venga el nuestro novio a dar kidushim Morenica...
They call me "little dark one",
Though I was born fair;
The summer sun,
Made me this way. Little dark one, you are so graceful,
Dark-skinned and graceful,
And black-eyed They call me "little dark one",
The sailors do;
If they call me again,
I’ll go with them. Little dark one... Tell the dark girl
If she wants to come,
The ship is already sailing,
It’s about to leave. Little dark one... Tell the dark girl:
Why don’t you love me?
With gold and with time,
You will beg me. Little dark one... Now the dark girl dresses herself
In bright red Like the pear,
With a peach Little dark one... Now the dark girl dresses herself
All in yellow—
like the pear,
With the quince Little dark one... We will make a ladder of gold and crystal so that our groom can give his blessing Little dark one... We will make a ladder of gold and ivory so that our groom can give his "kidushim" Little dark one...
From Morenika Izmirlia - Judeo-Spanish songs from Smyrna, 2020
This wedding song weaves together several recurring themes:
As a cantiga, the song does not follow a strict narrative sequence, but its verses are grouped in thematic pairs.
This website was created by Orit Perlman with the collaboration and blessings of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak in 2025