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Folk Dance Federation of California, South, Inc.

Bulgarian Song Words
Compiled by Dick Oakes


Eleno Mome
        Helen, dear Helen

/ Eleno, mome Eleno, /
/ Ne gazi sino zeleno! /
 
        Chorus:
        / (Ah) Eleno, mome Eleno, /
        / Ne gazi sino zeleno! /
 
Štom padne seno zeleno,
Mladi go moci kosili.
 
     Chorus
 
Mladi ge momci kosili,
A mladi bulki plastili.
 
     Chorus
 
Mladi go lulki plastili,
A Mladi kone paseli.
 
     Chorus:
 
  Helen, dear Helen,
Don't tread on the green hay.
 
        Chorus:
        Helen, dear Helen, 
        Don't tread on the green hay.  
 
When the green hay began to droop,
The young lads mowed it.
 
     Chorus
 
The young lads mowed it,
The young brides tedded it.
 
     Chorus
 
The young brides tedded it,
The young horses grazed on it.
 
     Chorus:
 
(Tedded means turned and spread for drying.)
 

Idam ne Idam
        Will I Go?

Oj, ela mi Felidže,
Na maloto djukance,
Oj, ela mi Felidže,
Na maloto djukance.
 
        Chorus:
        / Idam ne idam,
        Sama kje dojdam kje dojdam,
        Idam ne idam,
        Sama kje dojdam. /
 
Koga dojda libe,
Proti da otvoriš,
Proti da otvoriš,
Poritite šoroki.
 
        Chorus:
        / Idam ne idam,
        Sama kje dojdam kje dojdam,
        Idam ne idam,
        Sama kje dojdam. /
 
Mene da plrecekaš,
Mene da pregârneš,
Mene da pregârneš,
Mene da celuneš?
 
        Chorus:
        / Idam ne idam,
        Sama kje dojdam kje dojdam,
        Idam ne idam,
        Što kje mi ciniš. /
 
  Come visit me, Felidza, in my little shop.



 
        Chorus:
        Will I go or not? I shall go alone.



 
When I arrive, you will open the large doors.



 
        Chorus
        Will I go or not? I shall go alone.



 
What else will you do to me?



 
        Chorus
        You will be waiting for me and then hug me and kiss me.



 

Jove Malaj Mome
        Oh, young Jova

/ Jove, malaj mome, lele,
Po poleka oro vodi. /
Sama si sakala, lele,
Na oro da ideš,
Na oro da ideš, lele,
Momče da izbereš.
 
/ Jove, malaj mome, lele,
Što me se maduvaš, /
/ Što me se maduvaš, lele,
Ta ne mi sboruvaš. /
 
/ Jove, malaj mome, lele,
Sama si sakala /
Sofijeki momčeta, lele,
S rusi mustačeta,
Sofijski momčeta, lele,
S vezani menteta.
  Oh, young Jova,
Lead the oro-dance more gently.
You yourself wished
To come to the dance,
To come to the dance,
To choose a young lad.
 
Oh, young Jova,
Why are you so haughty?
Why are you so haughty?
Why don't you speak to me?
 
Oh, young Jova,
You yourself preferred
The lads from Sofia
With their fair mustaches,
The lads from Sofia
With their embroidered jackets.


Karamfil
        Carnation

Kaži mi, kaži, mladi le momko,
Kaži mi, alen Karamfil,
De rasna, momko, rasna porasna,
Sila i hubost koj li ti dade?
 
        Chorus:
        Eh, eh, Karamfil,
        Partizanski majko, slaven komandir.
 
Az veren sin sŭm, sin na Balkana
I Rozovata Dolina.
Sila i hubost dar mi dariha,
Kak da se borja te me učiha.
 
     Chorus
 
Goro le goro, goro hajduška
I ti graniten naš Balkan,
Dnes nije rasnem mladi junaci
Na Karamfila verni potomci.
 
     Chorus
 
  Tell me, tell me, young lad,
Tell me, you purple Karamfil,
Where were you born and did you grow up?
Who gave you strength and beauty?
 
        Chorus:
        Eh, eh, Karamfil,
        You partisan mother, true commander.
 
I am a true son of the Balkan Mountains
And the Valley of the Roses.
Strength and beauty they gave to me,
It was they who taught me how to fight.
 
     Chorus
 
Forest, you forest of the Hajduks,
And you, our granitic Balkan.
Today we raise young heroes,
Faithful descendants of Karamfil.
 
     Chorus
 
Karamfil is a nom de guerre, literally 'carnation'.
 

Rusi Kosi Imam
        My hair is blond

/ Rusi kosi imam,
Grebenče si nemam. /
 
        Chorus:
        Eleno, vino červeno.
        Eleno, dve červeni jabuki.
 
/ Grebenče si nemam.
Nema koj da kupi. /
 
     Chorus
 
Belo lice imam,
Belilce si nemam.
Belilce nemam.
Nema koj da kupi.
 
     Chorus
 
Tanka snaga imam,
Kolance si nemam,
Kolanče si nemam.
Nema koj da kupi.
 
     Chorus
 
  My hair is blond,
But I have no comb.
 
        Chorus:
        Eleno, red wine.
        Eleno, two red apples.
 
I have no comb.
There is no one to buy it for me.
 
     Chorus
 
I have a white skin,
But I have no powder.
I have no powder.
There is no one to buy it for me.
 
     Chorus
 
I have a slender waist,
But I have no belt.
I have no belt.
There is no one to buy it for me.
 
     Chorus
 

Sadi Moma
        A girl planted (a vine)

/ Sadi moma bela loza.
Vinena, libe, vinena. /
 
/ Den ja sadi, dva se kae.
Vinena, libe, vinena. /
 
/ Porasnala bela loza.
Vinena, libe, vinena. /
 
/ Napâlnila devet bâčvi
sâs vino, lele, sâs vino. /
 
/ I deseta bistra,
ljuta rakija, lele, rakija. /
 
/ Naučil se mlad soldatin
da pije, lele, da pije. /
 
/ Pil e dva dni, pil e tri dni,
nedelja, lele, nedelja. /
 
/ Ta si izpil vrano konče
pod sebe, lele, pod sebe. /
 
  A girl planted a vine,
a white wine grape vine.
 
For one day she planted. For two she
regretted the white wine grape vine.
 
The vine grew up.
The white wine grape vine.
 
It filled nine barrels with wine.
 
 
The tenth with clear,
strong rakija plum brandy.
 
A young soldier learned to drink.
 
 
He drank for two days,
he drank for three days, for a week.
 
He drank up his black
horse from under him.
 

Stojne, Stojne, Bjala Stojne (Trakijska Rŭčenica)
        Stojna, Stojna, fair Stojna (Rŭčenica from Ensemble Trakija)

Stojne, Stojne, bjala Stojne
Zal jubila bjala Stojna
Zal jubila vak'l Ivan
Vak'l Ivan, vak'l ovčar
 
Dokato se zaljubili
Toj pri stado ne otide
Toj pri stado ne otide
Stadoto si do obidi
 
Če otide vak'l Ivan
Stadoto si do obidi
Stadoto si do obidi
Na ovčari hljab da nosi
 
Kučeta go ne pusnali
Ne pusnali, zalali go
Stadoto si razpr'snalo
Ovčari go zarjukali
 
Če izvadi meden kaval
Ta zasviri žalno, milno
Ta osmiri kučetata
Ta zav'rna sivo stado
 
  Stojna, Stojna, fair Stojna!
Fair Stojna fell in love
With black-eyed Ivan,
Black-eyed Ivan, the black-eyed shepherd.
 
While they were falling in love,
He didn't go to be with his flock,
He didn't go to be with his flock,
To look over his flock.
 
Black-eyed Ivan went out
To look over his flock,
To look over his flock,
And to bring bread to the shepherds.
 
The dogs didn't let him in
And barked at him (kept him away by barking).
The flock scattered
And the shepherds swore at him.
 
Ivan brought out his honey-sweet kaval
And began to play sweetly, sadly.
He calmed down the dogs
And brought back the grey flock.
 

Trŭgnala Rumjana
        A girl went out

Trŭgnala Rumjana, za voda studana, lele,
Trŭgnala Rumjana, za voda studana,
Vse sutrin rano, po ladovino, lele,
Vse večer kâno, po mesečina.
 
Na srešta ide, edno ludo mlado, lele,
Na srešta ide, edno ludo mlado,
Ta na Rumjana, tihom govori, lele,
Ta na Rumjana, tihom govori.
 
Ja kaži Rumjano, kakvo da ti storja, lele,
Ja kaži Rumjano, kakvo da ti storja,
Kitki da ti zema, drugi šte nabereš, lele,
Kitki da ti zema, drugi šte nabereš.
 
Stomni da ti ščupja, drugi šte si kupiš, lele,
Stomni da ti ščupja, drugi šte si kupiš,
Hem pohubavi, hem pošareni, lele,
Hem pohubavi, hem pošareni.
 
Ja togaz Rumjano, daj da te celuna, lele,
Ja togaz Rumjano, daj da te celuna,
Hem pohubavi, hem pošareni, lele,
Hem pohubavi, hem pošareni.
 
Če celuvkata e, mehlem na sârceto, lele,
Če celuvkata e, mehlem na sârceto,
Mehlem na sârceto, balsam na dušata, lele,
Mehlem na sârceto, balsam na dušata.
 
  Rumjana went for cool water
 
Early each morning in the morning coolness,
Late each evening in the moonlight.
 
Towards her came a young lad.
 
He said quietly to Rumjana:  

 
"Tell me now, Rumjana, what shall I do to you?
 
If I steal your flowers, you’ll just pick others.  

 
If I break your jugs, you’ll buy yourself new ones,
 
Even prettier and more colorful.  

 
So now, Rumjana, let me kiss you,
 
For a kiss cannot be bought with money.  

 
For a kiss is a salve for the heart,
 
A salve for the heart, a balm for the soul.