Aven mande mure pena Kone vena jaba prima (x2) Que gelem te lepra lensa
Gelem gelem lepra lensa Anda lama shukar lasha (x2)
Jovta mange pevu ruro Kenov tuke shukar slaga (x2) Te shoy dikhen lebo troma
Shukar slaga kenov tuke Ay te shermelen landa tute (x2)
A peine entré dans les pesme J’appelle les perosi, perivar Toi le perdesh, toi l’é etranger Ajde Djordje vamos a cantar
Gelem, Gelem, srce romale Moja pesma n’est qu’un aparté
Gelem Gelem, ô gadjikane Ada n’ichi de donde viene
Comme le perdad, nema pare Comme la perday, tout mon or est passé J’avais d’mandé, j’avais mendié La calor du sunakay printanier
Gelem, Gelem, srce romale Moja pesma n’est qu’un aparté Gelem Gelem, ô gadjikane Ada n’ichi de donde viene
Thanks a lot to Erika Serre, Toma Feterman and Cherenxia for providing the lyrics and the translations to all languages!!
Verse 1 Lyrics Offered by Erika Serre (from Hungary) Verse 2 Lyrics Written by Toma Feterman (from French) Translated by Cherenxia (from South Korea) Thanks to Feterman & The Freylekh Trio
Aven mande mure pena Come with me, my sister
(Romani) Aven : come (Romani) Mande : with me (Romani) Mure : my (Romani) Pena : sister (Romani) Penav : to say
Kone vena jaba prima. If I’m lucky, I will gofirst
(Romani) Kane : if (Romani) Vena : have luck (Romani) Jaba : i will go (Romani) Yaba : already, yet (Italian) Prima : first, primary, best
Que gelem te lepra lensa. I went to my lover, later you may be with them
(Romani) Kuc : lover (Romani) Gelem : I went (Romani) Lensa : with them (Romani) Lepta : later (Romani) Lerma : a sound (Romani) Te : and, may
Gelem gelem lepra lensa. I walked, I walked, later we’re with them
(Romani) Gelem : I went (Romani) Lensa : with them, to them (Romani) Lensar : With them. (Romani) Lepta : later
Anda lama shukar lasha She is gorgeous and beautiful
(Romani) Ando : in (Romani) Anda : the (Romani) Rasa : race, tribe (Romani) Lashav : shame, honor (Romani) Lasa : girl, her (Romani) Shukar : beautiful (Arabic) Lama : gorgeous, pretty
Jovta mange pevu ruro Tells me I’m a mature lover
(Swahili) Pevu : mature (Russian) Jovta : to tell (South Africa) Lulo : love, happiness (Romani) Rura : time (Romani) Mange : to me
Kenov tuke shukar slaga I’ll put on beautiful earrings to you
(Romani) Slaga : earing (Romani) Tuke : to you (Romani) Shukar : beautiful
Shukar slaga kenov tuke Beautiful earrings, i’ll put on you
(Romani) Slaga : earing (Romani) Tuke : to you (Romani) Shukar : beautiful
Te shoy dikhen lebo troma And gratitude to romani visitors, friends who take a look
(Arabic) Lebo : gratitude, thanks (Romani) Te shai dikhav : to take a look // in “Gelem Gelem (Romani Anthem)” (Romani) Troma : courage (Romani) Rroma : romani men
Shukar slaga kenov tuke Beautiful earrings, i’ll put on you
(Romani) Slaga : earing (Romani) Tuke : to you (Romani) Shukar : beautiful
Kenov tuke shukar slaga I’ll put on beautiful earrings to you
(Romani) Slaga : earing (Romani) Tuke : to you (Romani) Shukar : beautiful
Ay te shermelen landa tute And Shermelen with you
(Romani) Ay : oh (Romani) Te : and, may (Romani) Tute : to you (Romani) Landa : with them
En Aparté
A peine entré dans les pesme The song enters, just before
(French) à peine : the song (French) entré : enter (French) dans : just before (Serbian) Pesme : chansons, poèmes
J’appelle les perosi, perivar I call the neighbors, family
(French) J’appelle: I call (Romani) perosi : voisins : neighbors (Romani) perivar : famille : family
Toi le perdesh, toi l’é etranger. You the foreigners, you the strangers
(French) Toi le : you the (Romani) Perdesh : foreigner, stranger (French) Etranger : foreigner, stranger
Ajde Djordje vamos a cantar. Come on Georges, we’re going to sing
(Serbian) Ajde Djordie : go Georges (Español) Vamos a : we are going to, we will (Español) Cantar : sing
Gelem, Gelem, srce romale I walked, I walked, with romani heart
(Romani) Gelem : I went (Serbian) Srce romale = le coeur rom : with Romani heart
Moja pesma n’est qu’un aparté My song is just an aside
(Serbian) Moja : my (Serbian) Pesme : chansons, poèmes (French) N’est qu’un aparté : just an aside
Gelem Gelem, ô gadjikane I walked, I walked it doesn’t matter
(Romani) Gelem : I went (Romani) Gadjikane : non-romani
Ada n’ichi de donde viene I don’t care if he is not gypsy or where he came from
(Romani) Ada n’ichi : It’s not important (Español) De donde viene : Where he came from
Comme le perdad, nema pare Like the great grandfather, has no money
(French) Comme : like (Romani) Perdad : great grandfather (Serbian) Nema : does not have (Serbian) Pare : money
Comme la perday, tout mon or est passé . Like the great grandmather, all my gold is gone
(French) Comme : like (Romani) Perday : great grandmother (French) Tout mon or est : all my gold (French) Passé : be gone
Gypsy Bohemians – Tockolotoc composed this song about their band leader, who once married a white – non gypsy – woman, or gadza. This song is from the original album Kale bala, kale jakha (Black hair, black eyes)
Parni Romni
Kana nane e chaj pati vaľi ta mi čhivel pes andro pani. Kana hiňi igen barikani nane šoha lačhi chulaňi.
The me mange iľom gadža ma kamavas čhajen romanen kaj te dikhen ola Roma hoj man hiňi parňi romňi romňi, parňi romňi.
La gandžaha menge me dživavas so kamavas mange keravas hoj ča imar adaďives džanav kaj la romaňa ča me kamav. Lakre šukar jakhora lakre kale balora.
The me mange iľom gadža ma kamavas čhajen romanen kaj te dikhen ola Roma hoj man hiňi parňi romňi romňi, parňi romňi.
Baro devla dikh dikh dikh tu devlea Akava them na dikhlja Sveti djordje azdajenca Sa andjelja mustakjenca Bahtale romenca Sa bijavenca Baro devla dikh dikh dikh tu devlea
Akava them na dikhlja Bibija sa pe chavenca Bahtale romenca Sa bijavenca
Djamutrea djamutrea Suza terna tu avea A tu devla sar o mace Te bijangon chave lace Ka vazdolpe viski viski Ka pijolpe malboro Majbut majbut rakija Bijav si amaro
Kavijari kavijari Kavijari nane Deni trube deni trube Kurav ta cemane Star babe trin teze Sel selea ka han meze
Shukar san shukar keles Pala mande tu meres Tigda da da da shukar sa kiri iaca Shukar san shukar keles Pala mande tu meres Tigdalalala shukar sa kiri iaca
Ref
Hei na na na me mamo pa la la Hei mamo da ciumidau me che ushtea Hei na na na me mamo pa la la Hei mamo da ciumidau me che ushtea
Str 2 Che romie belgali Ma che tuche mai bari Tigdadada da shukar sa kiri iaca Che romnie belgali Ma che tuche mai bari Tigdalalala shukar sa kiri iaca
Ref Hei na na na meu mamo pa la la Hei mamo da ciumidau me che ushtea Hei na na na meu mamo pa la la hei mamo da ciumidau me che ushtea
Shukar san shukar keles Pala mande tu meres Tigdalalala shukar sa kiri iaca Shukar san shukar keles Pala mande tu meres Tigdalala da shukar sa kiri iaca
Ref:
Hei na na na mer mamo pa la la Hei mamo da ciumidau me che ushta Hei na na na meu mamo pa la la Hei mamo da ciumidau me che ushta
Ya Rayah performed by Shantel. The song is originally from Dahmane El Harrachi.
Sorry I couldn’t find the lyrics in Romani, I’ll keep on trying!
Translation:
Hey departing Traveler, where are you heading?
Your journey is bound to failure… How many travelers before you… Have sought the path with similar results?
How many cities and deserts have I roamed? How much time have I wasted Touring from one place to another?
Oh lost one, no matter how much you run away Your destiny will end in exhaustion… Time has passed you by… And you have yet to notice it.
Original lyrics in arabic:
Ya rayah win msafar trouh taâya wa twali Ch’hal nadmou laâbad el ghaflin qablak ou qabli
Ch’hal cheft al bouldan lâamrine wa lber al khali Ch’hal dhiyaât wqat ch’hal tzid mazal ou t’khali Ya lghayeb fi bled ennas ch’hal taâya ma tadjri Tzid waâd el qoudra wala zmane wenta ma tedri
Aâlach qalbek hzine waâlach hakda ki zawali Matdoum achadda wila tzid taâlem ou tabni maydoumou layyam wala ydoum seghrek ou seghri Ya hlil ou meskine li ghab saâdou ki zahri
Ya msafer naâtik oussaayti addiha el bakri Chouf ma yeslah bik qbal ma tbiî ou ma techri Ya nnayem djani khabrek ma sralek ma srali Hakdha rad el qalb bel djbine sabhane el âali