Saturday 8 August 2009

DON'T ASK THE SKY


“Who, being loved, is poor?” - Oscar Wilde

For Song Saturday tonight, a Greek song by the great composer Manos Hadjidakis (1925-1994). This song has been sung by many famous singers, both Greek and foreigners. In this contemporary recording, the singers are Dimitra Galani and Alkinoos Ioannidis. The lyrics are a combination of Greek and English:

Μην τον ρωτάς τον ουρανό

Λόγο στο λόγο και ξεχαστηκάμε
Μας πήρε ο πόνος και νυχτωθήκαμε
Σβήσε το δάκρυ με το μαντήλι σου
Να πιω τον ήλιο από τα χείλη σου

Μην τον ρώτας τον ουρανό
Το σύννεφο και το φεγγάρι.
Το βλέμμα σου το σκοτεινό
Κάτι απ’ τη νύχτα έχει πάρει.

Ότι μας βρήκε κι ότι μας λύπησε
Σαν το μαχαίρι κρυφά μας χτύπησε.
Κρύψε το δάκρυ με το μαντήλι σου
Να πιω τον ήλιο από τα χείλη σου

Don’t ask the Sky


All alone am I, ever since your goodbye
All alone, with just a bit of my heart
People all around, but I don't hear a sound
Just a lonely beating of my heart.

We talked and talked and lost the sense of time
Pain carried us away and night fell
Wipe the tear with your handkerchief
So I can drink the sun from your lips.

Do not ask the sky
Nor the cloud and the moon
Your darkling glance
Has taken something from the night.

What came our way and filled us with sorrow,
Like a knife that struck us secretly.
Hide the tear with your handkerchief
So I can drink the sun from your lips.

3 comments:

  1. Oh I adore this.
    I love the song anyway but it is so much more sung in Greek.
    Just beautiful.

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  2. What a beautiful, beautiful song! I had never heard this before.
    Thanks for the translation!

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  3. I love this title as well as all these lyrics - thank you for posting this, Nicholas.

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