[HANASHIR:12431] Hafinjan - Singable English translation

[Ros Schwartz <ros_schwartz...>]

Here is my singable translation for Hafinjan.  I include also the Hebrew 
transliteration, 
as well as the word-by-word translation notes provided most kindly by Adina 
Sutlin.  
This will allow those who don't speak Hebrew fluently, to understand the 
original lyrics 
in detail.  You will see where I have stayed close to the original Hebrew 
lyrics, and 
where I have taken poetic licence, while remaining true to my interpretation of 
the 
poetry of the song.

Thanks to everyone who offered help,

- Ros

P.S.  Please note that verse one ends "round and around" vs verse two is 
phrased 
"around and round".  This is important, so the words scan properly. - R


HAFINJAN

Singable English translation by Ros Schwartz (c) September 2002

Word by word translation by Adina Sutlin (c) September 2002

per Rise Up Singing p 152:
Hebrew:  Chayim Hefer (Shireinu p 74 has "Chefer")
Music:  Moshe Wilensky
Hebrew (c) ACUM, Israel (Shireinu has (c) by the composers)

Neither Rise Up Singing nor Shireinu gives a (c) date for the Hebrew lyrics or 
the 
music.  Rise Up Singing does have a singable English translation with a (c) 
date of 
1988, implying that the original song predates 1988.  Any information that 
others can 
provide on the date of publication would be appreciated.

per Rise Up Singing :
"Finjan" is an Arabic name for an old type of coffeepot, held by its long 
handle over an 
open flame.  After a hard day's work, the pioneers in Israel would often build 
a fire, sing 
& relax & pass around the Finjan.


SINGABLE ENGLISH TRANSLATION by Ros Schwartz (c) September 2002

The cool wind is dancing tonight
in the arms of the flickering firelight
Soon the forest will echo with sound
from this circle of song we have found
Each new branch on the fire
sends the flames rising higher
and the finjan goes round and around.

The flames whisper soft as they burn
The branches reply in return
Our voices arising as one
we will sing til the first rays of sun
Every branch, every tree
joins in sweet harmony
as around and round goes the finjan.



HEBREW TRANSLITERATION

from B'kol Echad United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Dept of Youth 
Activities 
p. 107

VERSE ONE
Ha-ruach noshevet k'rirah
Nosifa kisam lam'durah
V'chach bizro-ot argaman
Ba-eish ya-aleh k'korban
Ha-eish m'hav-hevet
Shira m'lavlevet
Soveiv lo, soveiv ha-finjan 


VERSE TWO
Ha-eish lakisam t'lacheish
Admu ko paneinu ba-eish
Im lanu tigboret tuchan
Mikol b'dal anaf shebagan
Kol eitz v'chol keresh
Yashir azai cheresh
Soveiv lo, soveiv ha-finjan.


WORD BY WORD TRANSLATION by Adina Sutlin (c) September 2002

VERSE ONE 
Ha-ruach - The wind 
noshevet- blows 
k'rirah - cool 
Nosifa - We will add more
kisam - splinter, kindling, small piece of wood like a small branch etc ...
lam'durah - la is to;  medura is bon fire or fire built in the open for 
celebration - vs. Aish 
= fire, Lahavot = flames
V'chach - and thus, and so 
bizro-ot - with arms of 
argaman - here it refers to the color created by the fire.  Argaman is the 
biblical word 
used for very dark red or purple.  I think it is a very poetic way of comparing 
the flames 
to dark red arms, in which the twigs and branches burn up like sacrifice.
Ba-eish - in the fire 
ya-aleh - it will rise 
K'korban - like a sacrifice 
Ha-eish - the fire
m'hav-hevet - flickering
Shira - a song 
m'lavlevet - blossoming
Soveiv lo - circling around, rotating  
soveiv hafinjan - go around the finjan

VERSE TWO 
Ha-eish The fire, 
lakisam - la=to, kisam=the kindling wood
t'lacheish - will whisper to
(lakisam t'lachiesh = will whisper to the kindling wood) 
Admu - will turn red 
ko - so much
paneinu - our faces
ba-eish - by the fire 
Im - if
lanu - for us
tigboret - additional, increased strength - here it refers to more wood for the 
fire
tuchan - will be prepared
Mi - from 
kol - all
b'dal - small
anaf - branch
(Mikol b'dal anaf - from every small branch)
Note:  The meaning of the word "B'dal" is small, like "B'dal Cigaria" 
(cigarette) which is 
what is left of the cigarette after one smoked most of it. or "B'dal Ozen" 
which is the tip 
of the ear. The word B'dal is not a very common word in everyday Hebrew and 
here 
it's used in a poetic way to describe a small branch.
shebagan - in the garden
Kol - every 
eitz - tree 
v'chol - and every 
keresh - board, plank
Yashir - will sing 
azai - then 
cheresh - silently, secretly
Soveiv lo sovev - Rotating, circling around
ha finjan. - (is) the Finjan


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