Od Lo Ahavti (I haven't Yet Loved)

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Naomi Shemer

Naomi Shemer

Hebrew Lyrics

1.
Be'ele hayadayim od lo baniti kfar,
Od lo matzati mayim be'emtza hamidbar
Od lo tziyarti perakh, od lo giliti eykh
Tovil oti haderekh ule'an ani holekh

Refrain
Od lo ahavti day
Haruakh vehashemesh al panay
Od lo amarti day
Ve im lo, im lo akhshav - eymatay?

2.
Od lo shatalti deshe, od lo hekamti ir,
Od lo natati kerem al kol giv'ot hagir
Od lo hakol asiti mamash bemo yaday
Od lo hakol nisiti, od lo ahavti day.

Refrain

3.
Od lo hekamti shevet, od lo khibarti shir,
Od lo yarad li sheleg be'emtza hakatzir.
Ani od lo katavti et zikhronotay
Od lo baniti li et beyt khalomotay

Refrain

4.
Ve'af alpi she'at po, ve'at kol kakh yafa
Mimekh ani boreakh kemo mimagefa
Od yesh harbe dvarim sheratziti laasot
At betakh tislekhi li gam bashana hazot.

Refrain

Translation

1.
With these hands I haven't yet build a village,
Haven't yet found water in the middle of the wilderness,
Haven't yet painted a flower, I haven't yet discovered how
the path leads me and to where I am going

Refrain
I haven't loved enough,
The wind and sun on my face.
I haven't said "enough",
And if not now - when?

2.
Haven't yet sowed a lawn, I haven't raised a city.
Haven't yet planted a vineyard on every hills of chalk.
Haven't yet done everything with my very own hands.
Haven't yet tried everything, I haven't yet loved enough.

Refrain

3.
Haven't yet raised a tribe, I haven't composed a song yet,
Haven't yet had snow fall for me in the middle of summer.
I haven't yet written my memoirs,
I haven't yet built the house of my dreams.

Refrain

4.
And even though you're here, and you're so very pretty,
From you I flee, as if from a plague.
There are still a lot of things that I wish to do.
You will surely forgive me this year.

Refrain

A humorous and slightly cynical song about a young man who refuses marriage, explaining that he is not ready to settle down because he hasn't built cities and villages, but most importantly, he hasn't loved enough.

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Added September 12th, 1999