Песна 49

Леле Јано

Lele Jano · Oh my Jana

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About this song

A mother-daughter dialogue with a twist. Why do you sit all day at the embroidery frame? Not a silk headscarf, mother: I am embroidering a Macedonian flag, so I can become a young komita and cover (mourn) the voivoda Delčev, who died for Macedonia. The hidden object in the embroidery is a trick that appears in many Balkan songs.

Notes written for this site, partly drafted with an AI assistant. These notes are a draft and have not been checked by a native speaker.

English: from Pesna.org

From Pesna.org

Леле Јано, леле мила ќерко,	Lele Jano, lele mila ḱerko,	Lele* Jana, lele dear daughter,
а што седиш везден на ѓерѓефот?	a što sediš vezden na ǵerǵefot?	why are you sitting all day at that embroidery frame?
А што седиш везден на ѓерѓефот,	A što sediš vezden na ǵerǵefot,	Why are you sitting all day at that embroidery frame,
а што везеш свилена марама?	a što vezeš svilena marama?	what are you embroidering, a silk kerchief?

Леле мајко, леле стара мајко,	Lele majko, lele stara majko,	Lele mother, lele old mother,
не си везам свилена марама.	ne si vezam svilena marama.	I'm not embroidering a silk kerchief.
Не си везам свилена марама,	Ne si vezam svilena marama,	I'm not embroidering a silk kerchief,
тук си везам македонско знаме.	tuk si vezam makedonsko zname.	but I'm embroidering a Macedonian flag.

Да се сторам млада комита,	Da se storam mlada komita,	I'll become a young Komitadji*,
да покријам млад Делчев војвода.	da pokrijam mlad Delčev vojvoda.	so that I can cover young Delchev Vojvoda*.
Да покријам Делчев војвода,	Da pokrijam Delčev vojvoda,	To cover Delchev Vojvoda,
тој загина за Македонија,	toj zagina za Makedonija,	he died for Macedonia,
за Македонија.	za Makedonija.	for Macedonia.

Listen

Performers on Pesna.org: Монистра, Танец, Lola Lafon, Synthesis

Audio samples on Pesna.org

Lyrics: Pesna.org (folk lyrics in the public domain; site content CC BY). View on Pesna.org