Hilà Lahav (Israel/Germany) was born in Zikhron Ya’akov, Israel, now she lives in Berlinas a musician and a poet.Lahav has studied recorders at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, and has been performing as a recorder player and a Nay/Ney (Arabic reed flute) player as a soloist and in various ensembles – both chamber and orchestral, among which the Young Arab-Jewish orchestra, the Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra and others, Mainly focusing on Historically-informed performances of both classical Middle-Eastern Music, Early Music and contemporary music. She is collaborating with musicians and artists of various genres and media, composing, performing and consulting on musical and performative themes, alongside her educational work, which includes instrumental lessons, ensemble leading and workshops with children and adults.

 

English

 

 

Hebrew


 

Alberto

 

 

The skies weigh me down, Alberto

It's not their weight, but

how they

steal my

air.

 

A thousand and twenty deep breaths left

to the sky, Alberto

Higher than the highest note

ever sung in space

 

Ask me not if I know the earth,

Alberto

Ask how many breaths

keep me away.

 

 

 

 

Iddit

 

                              To Lot's wife, looking back

 

 

I see you now: your eyes are white.

Now I know the looks of a mother's face.

We were always too short for even a glance.

And you were staring straight forward and up.

 

It was always on midday, whatever happened to us,

On that mother's asleep, don’t be loud.

I knew you'd eventually get up and rise,

But I was short. I didn't utter a sound.

 

 

And there- -!

 

You get up (mommy, wake up)

And you go, you two are going, side by side.

 

Only this time it happens – you are looking,

And it’s with pity, not with fear,

That you are petrified.

 

 

אלברטו

 

 

הַשָּׁמַיִם כְּבֵדִים לִי, אַלְבֶּרְטוּ

אֵין זֶה מִשְׁקָלָם כִּי

הָאֲוִיר שֶׁהֵם

גּוֹנְבִים

מֵרֵאוֹתַי

 

יֵשׁ אֶלֶף וְעֶשְׂרִים נְשִׁימוֹת עֲמֻקּוֹת עַד

הַשָּׁמַיִם אַלְבֶּרְטו

גָּבוֹהַּ מֵהַצְּלִיל הַגָּבוֹהַּ בְּיוֹתֵר

שֶׁאֵי פַּעַם הוּשַׁר בֶּחָלָל

 

אַל תִּשְׁאַל אִם אֲנִי מַכִּירָה אֶת הָאֲדָמָה

אַלְבֶּרְטוּ

שְׁאַל כַּמָּה נְשִׁימוֹת עֲמֻקּוֹת

בֵּינִי וּבֵינָהּ.

 

עידית

                    לאשת לוט, במבט לאחור

 

אֲנִי רוֹאָה אוֹתָךְ: עֵינַיִךְ לְבָנוֹת.

עַכְשָׁו אֲנִי יוֹדַעַת אֵיךְ נִרְאִים פָּנִים שֶׁל אִמָּא.

תָּמִיד הָיִינוּ נְמוּכוֹת מִכְּדֵי לִרְאוֹת.

תָּמִיד אַתְּ הִסְתַּכַּלְתְּ לְמַעְלָה וְקָדִימָה

 

כָּל מָה שֶׁקָּרָה לָנוּ קָרָה תָּמִיד בַּצָּהֳרַיִם

בְּאִמָּא יְשֵׁנָה, תִּהְיִי בְּשֶׁקֶט.

אֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי שֶׁבַּסּוֹף אַתְּ תַּעַמְדִי

אֲבָל הָיִיתִי נְמוּכָה וְלֹא הוֹצֵאתִי הֶגֶה.

 

 

וְהִנֵּה -!

 

אַתְּ קָמָה (אִמָּא קוּמִי)

וְהוֹלֶכֶת. הוּא הוֹלֵךְ. אַתֶּם הוֹלְכִים בְּיַחַד.

 

 

אֲבָל הַפַּעַם זֶה קוֹרֶה   אַתְּ מִסְתַּכֶּלֶת

וְאַתְּ קוֹפֵאת מֵרַחֲמִים וְלֹא מִפַּחַד.

 


Translated from Hebrew to English by Fani Schwarz

 

Fani Schwarz is a Berlin based translator from Hebrew, a writer and a visual artist.