Ir me quero, madre, a Jerusalem
La alabanza de Jerusalem
[In praise of Jerusalem]
See lecture: "Home"
| Ir me quero, madre, a Yerushalayim, | Mother, I wish to go to Jerusalem, |
a besar la tierra, y gozar de ella. | to kiss the land/ground/earth and to enjoy it. |
| En El me arrimo yo, | I'll lean on Him, |
| en El me abrigo yo, | I'll be sheltered by Him, |
| en el Siñor del mundo. | by the Lord of the world. |
| A Yerushalayim lo veigo de enfrenti, | To Jerusalem, when I see her in front of me, |
| me pareci la luna, cuando sta'n creciente. | She resembles the moon filling out. |
| En El me arrimo yo, | I'll lean on Him, |
| en El me abrigo yo, | I'll be sheltered by Him, |
| en el Siñor del mundo. | by the Lord of the world. |
| A Yerushalayim, dejo todo para verte, | To Jerusalem, I have left everything to see you, |
| olvido mis hijos y toda la mi gente. | I have forgotten my children, and everybody. |
| En El me arrimo yo ... | I'll lean on Him ... |
| A Yerushalayim, como un libro se abre, | To Jerusalem, which opens up like a book, |
| de todas las partes, ahí van y caben. | People come and go into every aperture. |
| En El me arrimo yo ... | I'll lean on Him ... |
| A Yerushalayim, damos muevas fiestas, | To Jerusalem we will give new festivities, |
| los de husleares entren por siete purertas. | Those coming from abroad will enter via the seven gates. |
| En El me arrimo yo ... | I'll lean on Him ... |
| La noche anochece y el dia amanece, | Night falls and day arises, |
| miro por cuatro partes por ande esclarece. | I look in all four directions for enlightenment. |
| En El me arrimo you, | I'll lean on Him, |
| en El me abrigo yo, | I'll be sheltered by Him, |
| en el Siñor del mundo. | by the Lord of the world. |
Source: This version, sung by Rosa Avzadarel from Rhodes, was copied from "En Buen Siman!" by Susana Weich-Shahak (2006), pp.141-2. There are multiple versions of this song, another of which may be found here.
The origin of the song is not known; it was first notated at the end of the eighteenth century. It was sung in the context of immigration to the Land of Israel, but was also sung on other occasions.
The text may possibly related to the romansa "Irme quiero, la mi madre", which functioned as a lamentation (endecha) for Spanish Jewry, and was thus not often sung or heard.
