'n Israeliet - Marthie Nel Hauptfleisch

'n Israeliet
Net 'n sigeunermens, 'n Israeliet
altyd op soek na my grondgebied
en altyd op reis na die Beloofde Land
wat oorloop van melk en heuning.

Maar hierdie kortpad maak my oud en grys
in dit wat net moes wees 'n driedag-reis
word veertig jaar se swerf deur woestyn en sand
en dit net vir melk en heuning

En ek is dankbaar vir die manne en kwartels
dankbaar vir die rusplek vir my voet
dankbaar vir die goud en silwer
dankbaar vir my Kanaan

en kyk die Rooisee breek oop
ek volg die wolk en vuur van hoop
miskine sal ek eendag
wel 'n rusplek vind
want dis my siel wat nog loop
en terugverlang na gesuurde brood
verlang na Egipte se oranje blanje blou

En ek is dankbaar vir die manne en kwartels
dankbaar vir die rusplek vir my voet
dankbaar vir die goud en silwer
dankbaar vir my Kanaan

English translation

an Israeli
Just a gypsy, an Israeli
always in search of territory
always on way to the Promised land
overflowing with milk and honey

And I am thankful for the manna and quails
thankful for the footrest
thankful for the gold and silver
thankful for my Canaan.

But this shortcut makes me old and grey
in what should have been a three day journey
turns out to be forty years of drifting through sand and dessert
and that just for milk and honey

Look at the Red Sea breaking open
I follow the cloud of fire and hope
maybe one day I will find rest
because it is my heart that is still searching for
and longing back to soured bread
longing back to how things used to be.

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Twitter #MarthieNel

[marthiewomanonfire]

mmm this is one of my signature songs: I want to sing to x-pat South Africans! what can I say? that's just me... I lived in Canada for 10 years and I wrote this while still living in Regina, Saskatchewan. I love taking stories out of the Bible and putting it into today's context. It is very ironic to me: when you hear the story of how the Israeli's were only suppose to travel three days to the Promised land and ended up taking 40 years because they grumbled too much! man, sometimes we just make it too complicated!

[samaker]

Hi Marthie, die goed om te ontmoet by die Woordfees. Hierdie is 'n great video. Wie het dit gemaak? Like die song ook.