Cuando El Rey Nimrod (When King Nimrod)

Ladino Folksong

Las Suegras de Ahora

Judeo-spanish Lyrics

Cuando el rey Nimrod al campo salia
Mirava en el cielo y en la estreyeria
Vido una luz santa en la giuderia
Que havia de nacer Avraham <B style="color:black;background-
color:#A0FFFF">avinu</B>

Avraham <B style="color:black;background-color:#A0FFFF">avinu</B>
padre querido
Padre bendicho luz de Israel

Luego a las cumadres encombedaba
Que toda mujer que preqada quedara
si no pariera al punto la matara,
que habia de nacer Abraham <B style="color:black;background-
color:#A0FFFF">avinu</B>.

Avraham <B style="color:black;background-color:#A0FFFF">avinu</B>
padre querido
Padre bendicho luz de Israel

La mujer de Terah quedo prenada
E de dia en dia el la preguntaba:
- ?De que tenes la cara demudada?
Ella ya sabia el bien que tenia.

Avraham <B style="color:black;background-color:#A0FFFF">avinu</B>
padre querido
Padre bendicho luz de Israel.

En fin de mueve mezes parir queria:
Iva caminando por campos y vinyas,
A su marido tal ne le descubria
Topo una meara, alli lo pariria.

Avraham <B style="color:black;background-color:#A0FFFF">avinu</B>, ...

Saludemos agora al compadre y tambien al mohel
que por su zehut nos venga el goel
y rihma a todo Israel,
cierto loaremos al Verdadero.

Avraham <B style="color:black;background-color:#A0FFFF">avinu</B>, ...

En akeya ora el nasido avlava:
"Andadvos mi madre, de la meara.
Yo ya topo kyen m'aletchara,
Malah del scyelo me akompanyara,
Porke so kriyado del Dyo bendicho.

<B style="color:black;background-color:#ffff66">Avram </B><B
style="color:black;background-color:#A0FFFF">avinu</B>, ...

Translation

When King Nimrod went out into the fields
He looked at the heavens and at all the stars
He saw a holy light above the Jewish quarter
A sign that Abraham our father was about to be born

Abraham our father, beloved father
Blessed father, light of Israel

Then he commanded the midwives
to kill every pregnant woman
if she didn't give birth at once (?)
for Abraham our father was going to be born.

Terach's wife became pregnant
An day after day he asked her:
Why do you look so distraught?
She already knew the good that she had.

This song is also known as "Avram Avinu" (Abraham, our father) Clip featured here is from Shirim Klezmer Orchestra's CD Oy, It's Good! here is a page devoted to this song: http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/2679/copla02.htm stanzas 4-6 are from CD's by Lena Rothstein and Dominique Thibaudat. The text is from the period of Alfons X (1245-1289) influenced by a school in Toledo [from the booklet to a CD by Dominique Thibaudat]. The text exists already in the period of Alphonse X (1245-1280) in Toledo, and part of the melody is from the "Cantigas de Nuestra Senora) although subject to several more modern changes. It is the metric where the medieval influence is still recognized.

Media

Added September 22nd, 1999