Very excited to share an English translation of a song in Romani from a recording I made of Dumnezeu singing (which I included in a previous blog post) in Szászcsávás. Huge thanks to Alexandra Vidrașcu for her work translating this song!
I wanted to get a translation of this song because it seems like an important song in Szászcsávás: Dumnezeu played an instrumental version of it, then chose to sing it later, and then in subsequent visits to Szászcsávás I heard Mezei Sanyika playing it, as well as Mezei Alin’s son, who is learning how to play the violin.
Here is the translation from Alexandra:
Threw me out nine times, father, roma people!
And still counting, my father, world!
But nothing remained, only myself and I.
'Don't go, you, womanizer! My longing, roma people!
But it didn't remain only myself and I,
Don't go, you, womanizer!
My longing, roma people!'
This is what people say, oh, poor world!
That they will beat me on the way, oh, poor people!
But leave it! Let them say whatever they want to say,
Only if it' s not the truth! Oh, poor people!
But leave it! Let them say whatever they want to say,
Only if it' s not the truth! Oh, poor people!
And even if it's raining and pouring with rain, oh, poor roma people!
It's raining and pouring with rain, oh, poor roma people!
But my raining boot is throwing with mud, oh, poor roma people!
My woman wants to be kissed, oh, poor roma people!
But my raining boot is throwing with mud, oh, poor roma people!
My woman wants to be kissed, oh, poor roma people!
A note from Alexandra:
“I don't know about the accuracy of the translation in the sense that not all words have been understood in Romany language. In some parts, I've tried to express the meaning, not necessarily the words, because some words cannot be exactly translated in English from Romany. For example the word “womanizer”— I’m not sure if it's the suitable word to use there”.
She said she will ask for input from some Romany speakers and let me know if she’d make any changes to the translation based on what they tell her.