Here are two “romances” that form part of the patrimony the Jews expelled from Spain carried with them and continued to recite, to sing, to create in the language of their ancestors.
They are drawn from Poesía tradicional de los judíos españoles (Traditional Poetry of the Spanish Jews) by Manuel Alvar (Editorial Porrúa, Mexico, 3rd edition, 1979). Free translation by Rolland Doukhan and Paule Ferran.
El paso del Mar Rojo (Salonika) / The Crossing of the Red Sea
| El paso del Mar Rojo (Salonika) | The Crossing of the Red Sea |
|---|---|
| En catorse de Nisán — el pueblo de Israël, | On the fourteenth of Nisan the people of Israel, |
| El pueblo de Israel — de Ayifto salió cantando. | the people of Israel, came out of Egypt singing. |
| Quien con las masas al hombro, | Some with the unleavened dough upon their shoulder, |
| Quien con los hijos en brasos, | some with their children in their arms, |
| La mujeres con el oro, — lo que era mas liviano. | the women with the gold, which weighed the least of all. |
| Avoltaron la cara atrás, — por ver lo que hay en camino, | They turned their faces back to see what lay along the road, |
| Vieron venir a Paró, — con un pendón corolado. | they saw Pharaoh coming with his crimson standard. |
| « Ande mos trojites, Moxé, — a muerir en despoblado, | “Where have you led us, Moses, to die in the wilderness, |
| muerir sin simbultura, — y en la mar ser ahogados ? » | to die without a grave and to be drowned in the sea?” |
| — « Hased tefilá jidiós — y yo haré por el mi cabo. » | — “Jews, enter into prayer, and I shall pray to God as well.” |
| Tanto fue sus esclamaciones — que al cielo hizo buraco. | So great was their outcry that it bored a hole in heaven. |
| Salió une voz del cielo, — con Moxé hubo hablado : | A voice came forth from heaven and spoke with Moses: |
| « Toma la vara, Moxé, — toma la vara en tu mano, | “Take up the staff, Moses, take the staff in your hand, |
| Parte la mar en doge calejas — y quita a los jidios a nado. » | part the sea into twelve paths and the Jews shall cross dry-shod.” |
| Ande caminaba jidió — la mar se iba resecando | Where the Jew set his foot, the sea was drying up. |
| Ande caminaba misri — la mar se iba sobreviand[o] | Where the Egyptian went, the sea was raging over him. |
Y un amor que yo tenía (Tetouan) / And a Love I Had (Tetouan)
| Y un amor que yo tenía (Tetouan) | And a Love I Had (Tetouan) |
|---|---|
| Y un amor yo tenía, | And a love I had, |
| mansanitas me diera | golden apples he would give me, |
| cuatro y sinco en una espiga | four and five upon a spike, |
| la mejorsita de eya | the finest one of them |
| para mi amiga ; | was for my dear friend; |
| la mejorsita de eya | the most golden one of them |
| para mi amada. | was for my beloved. |