Eleftheria Arvanitaki

The sorrows (feel like) heavy bracelets
you didn’t tell me you love me
it’s my complaint my love, my loving lips
and I’d let my body die for it.

I don’t want people anymore around me, my light
upon my lips I’ve got spearmint
it’s my complaint take from me, claim from me
my arrow of oblivion.

I’m sending you with a letter
the blade of the moon
take it and turn it against me my love, my craze
even if your soul is weeping, smile at me.

Mountains high and you sight of the stars.
Misty rivers, fir-trees, laurels, myrtles.

Oh my fire, he who will witness my love
tell him to come to me in haste.
Oh my exile, my love, light and dawn
before the whole world cracks under the sigh of my heart.

Watery canyons, and you caves of dragons
Eagle’s wings and black nests of the winds.

Oh my fire, he who will witness my love
tell him to come to me in haste.
Oh my exile, my love, light and dawn
before the whole world cracks under the sigh of my heart.

You dear nightingale, alluring ash still burning
tell me which wine intoxicates his eyes

Την καρδιά μου, αχ φωτιά μου, όποιος δει
να του πει να ‘ρθει κοντά μου, μην αργεί.
Ξενιτιά μου, ερωτά μου, φως κι αυγή
πριν ραγίσει απ’ το σεβντά μου όλη η γη.

I’m so bored at this coast
where the sun is drying me out.
I’m not a desert, i’m not an island
nor aμ I Helen
and you knew it.

How will i look after some time
you have scarred me
you hold me and i can’t escape
none of us will last
and you knew it.

I fall into the sea and i get wet again
and i still come close
By the waves i get the signals
that call me to the open sea.

I’m so bored at this coast
where you have imprisoned me.
I’m not the wind nor am I a sail
the wind doesn’t want to blow
and you knew it.

What will the visions that we live
look like after some time?
At the coast with the immortal water
we will both get lost
and you knew it.

Πώς θα μοιάζουν μετά από καιρό
οράματα που ζούμε
στην ακτή με τ’ αθάνατο νερό
κι οι δυο μας θα χαθούμε
και το ‘ξερες.

I told you about the clouds
I told you about the eyes swollen with tears
About the marks left by our hands
On the little tables that were wet
In the open and in secret
I told you about the clouds
About you and about me

I told you with the waves
I told you with the dark
With the dog and with the lantern
With the coffee and the woman dealing cards
In a whisper, and shouting out
I told you with the waves
I told you in the night

I told you at midnight
I told you the moment you didn’t speak
When with my mind, only a little, I touched you
And it lit on fire, the dress you were wearing
From a close distance, and from far away
I told you at midnight
With the stars you were looking at

(translation: Eva Johanos)

Σου το ‘πα τα μεσάνυχτα
σου το ‘πα τη στιγμή που δε μιλούσες
που με το νου μου μόνο λίγο σ’ άγγιζα
κι άναβε το φουστάνι που φορούσες.
Από κοντά κι από μακριά
σου το ‘πα τα μεσάνυχτα.
Με τ’ άστρα που κοιτούσες.

The beast of desire does not eat, does not drink
does not rest.
It’s hungry for you, it’s thirsty for me
and is waiting.

I want you by my side
my sleepless guardian
with the kiss, with the sword,
to kill the dragon
and come and save me
from my miserable life.

What I wouldn’t give
to make the round of your body again
even if I would be lost
into the hot lava and the icebergs.
If you love me, don’t say it to me
because I know you will deny me three times
What I wouldn’t give
to make the round of your body again
even if I would be drawn
in the wave that i was cooled with you.
If you love me, keep saying it to me
and for you I will deny
all the Ten Commandments.

In the night of the world
give me your hand,
my comfort,
the way to find, the way to live
my upward gradient. ..

Στη νύχτα του κόσμου
το χέρι σου δωσ’ μου,
παρηγοριά μου,
το δρόμο να βρούμε, τον τρόπο να ζούμε,
ανηφοριά μου.

Σπάω τα πιάτα για τα δυο σου
μαύρα μάτια

Για ποιο ταξίδι κίνησες να πας
να με θυμάσαι και να μ’ αγαπάς
σου κλέβει η ανατολή μικρό φιλί

Δεν κατάλαβε πώς την έσφαξε
κι ό,τι αγαπούσε το έκαψε,
τα λιβάδια, τα κοπάδια,
τα τραγούδια, τα φιλιά
και κανείς δεν έβγαλε μιλιά.
Στάθηκε μπροστά στα χαλάσματα
κι έβαλε Θεέ μου τα κλάματα.
– Να ‘χα σπίτι και γυναίκα
και κοπάδια και σκυλιά
κι ύστερα τον πήραν τα πουλιά.

Today, as if i were you, my love,
hold me like noone’s ever held you before.
I heard you, voices of the wind, speaking
my name and a prayer three times.

A tear rolled down to the edge of my lips,
the first kiss is flowing on the stream,
inside of it I saw you flowing, too.
Do not remember me if you’re not here.

Give to me, as if you’re here, my love,
give me what you have never been bestowed with.

A tear rolled down to the edge of my lips,
and if the smile falls on earth,
she takes it along with her sight,
throws it forward and it differently it all begins.

Έφτασε ένα δάκρυ στων χειλιών την άκρη,
κι αν το χαμόγελο πέφτει στη γη,
με την ματιά της το παίρνει αυτή,
το ρίχνει εμπρός κι όλα αρχίζουν αλλιώς.