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The unknown author of this plaintive pizmon - a prayer for good health - seems to have mimicked the structure of a similar pizmon by R. Yehudah Lalevi: 'אלי רפאני וארפא'.
The sweet, pensive and classical-sounding melody below was transcribed by the late Hazan Abraham Lopes Cardozo at whose Shabbat table it was sung by a Jew from Baghdad, though he conceded that it doesn't sound Middle-Eastern at all. My family fell in love with the melody and we have been singing it for over twenty years. You can hear our rendition below.
God of my strength,Heal me and I will be healedSend a cure for my illnessSo I do not die and be gathered up I will praise You as long as I liveIn the midst of my family and friendsI will never stop praising YouWith a pleasant voice and beautiful expression
Your salvation will come to meYou will make me walk upright againI will return to my postI await your goodness
Listen! For my heart achesLike a fire that burns within meNo breath remains within meAnd I am very weak
Cover me with Your graciousnessSupport me wherever I goEvery day and every nightI will praise You with sweet words
Erase my wrongs like a passing cloudIn the shade of Shaddai I will dwellI will see and understandThe place of sapphires and jasper.
Your salvation will come to meYou will make me walk upright againI will return to my postI await your goodness
Listen! For my heart achesLike a fire that burns within meNo breath remains within meAnd I am very weak
Cover me with Your graciousnessSupport me wherever I goEvery day and every nightI will praise You with sweet words
Erase my wrongs like a passing cloudIn the shade of Shaddai I will dwellI will see and understandThe place of sapphires and jasper.
Note: I was fascinated to discover in 2018 an almost identical version recorded by members of the Cochin community. As the Paradesi part of that community is formed of Portuguese Jews, this seems to indicate a Spanish and Portuguese origin for the melody, which makes more sense musically than a Middle-Eastern origin.
To hear the Cochin version, click here.
[Sadly in 2020 this recording is no longer available.]Google Sites
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