Rachamim
Kol ha-gvarim she-ba-shkhuna
Elai nos’im einayim
Omrim yafa at kmo tmuna
Kmo shemesh bein arbayim
Ve-kulam porsim li reshet
Ve-kulam rotzim, rotzim
Akh ani rak mevakeshet rachamim

Rachamim, ya Rachamim
Histakel ve-ayin sim
Ve-ulai tasim gam lev
Eikh ba-kerem telablev
Shoshana bein ha-chokhim
Bishvilekha, ya Rachamim
Bishvilekha, ya Rachamim

Kulam shorkim li ba-chalon
Ani eini shoma’at
Etzli ha-lev kmo telefon
She-bi-lishkat ha-sa’ad
Tafus mi-ze chodeshayim
Ein kesher, ein kavim
Ve-kulam al ha-birkayim
Rachamim

Rachamim, ya Rachamim
Histakel ve-ayin sim
Ve-ulai tasim gam lev
Eikh ba-kerem telablev
Shoshana bein ha-chokhim
Bishvilekha, ya Rachamim
Bishvilekha, ya Rachamim

Rachamim, Rachamim
Shoshana bein ha-chokhim
Bishvilekha, ya Rachamim
Bishvilekha, ya Rachamim

Akh im etze le-lo manos
Raglay holkhot elekha
Hoy Rachamim matai tifros
Alai et rachamekha
Az netze la-rechov be-yachad
Chabukim ke-zug yonim
Va-anu kuli zorechat
Rachamim

Rachamim, ya Rachamim
Histakel ve-ayin sim
Ve-ulai tasim gam lev
Eikh ba-kerem telablev
Shoshana bein ha-chokhim
Bishvilekha, ya Rachamim
Bishvilekha, ya Rachamim

Shoshana bein ha-chokhim
Bishvilekha, ya Rachamim
Bishvilekha, ya Rachamim

Rachamim
All the men in the neighborhood
Raise their eyes to me
They say “You’re pretty, like a picture,
Like the sun at twilight.”
They all cast their net for me
And they all long for me
But I only want Rachamim!

Rachamim, oh Rachamim
Look at me
And maybe you’ll also notice
How in the vineyard** will blossom –
A rose among the thorns
For you, Rachamim,
For you, Rachamim!

Everyone whistles to me at the window
But me, I don’t hear
My heart is like a telephone
Ringing in the Welfare office
Busy for two months already,
No connection, no lines
And everyone’s on their knees
Rachamim!

Rachamim, oh Rachamim
Look at me
And maybe you’ll also notice
How in the vineyard** will blossom –
A rose among the thorns
For you, Rachamim,
For you, Rachamim!

Rachamim, Rachamim

A rose among the thorns
For you, Rachamim,
For you, Rachamim!

But when I go out, inescapably,
My feet walk towards you.
Oh, Rachamim, when will you
spread your mercy over me?
Then we’ll go out to the street together
Hugging like a pair of doves
And I would be radiant with joy
Rachamim!

Rachamim, oh Rachamim
Look at me
And maybe you’ll also notice
How in the vineyard** will blossom –
A rose among the thorns
For you, Rachamim,
For you, Rachamim!

A rose among the thorns
For you, Rachamim,
For you, Rachamim!

* Rachamim is a man’s name and also means Mercy.

** Kerem means vineyard – but here it might mean
a Tel Aviv neighborhood, Kerem HaTeimanim (the Yemenite vineyard)