All the soul which you placed in me…..Elohi

YouTube – Ofra Live, Elohi, from La Reine Margot

Ofra Haza came to fame in the late ’80s, with her album SHADAY and her single Im Nin’alu which reached #1 on several European charts in 1988 and remained for nine straight weeks in top position on the German charts. Then she impressed the whole world with her album Yemenite Songs, which was later released in the US as Fifty Gates Of Wisdom. She added more high-tech elements and worked with producers such as Thomas Dolby and Don Was.

Her voice has been described as mezzo-soprano, of near-flawless tonal quality, capable of lending itself to a variety of musical styles with apparent ease. Her style, including elements of Hebrew pop, sounds tasty, yet exotic, and the strength of her voice gained her many admirers.

Ofra Haza died at the age of 42 in 2000 – the cause being widely reported as organ failure or pneumonia, reportedly arising from HIV/AIDS complications. Her family declined to confirm or deny these reports however, stating that it was Haza’s wish that the matter should remain private. There was considerable media interest into the circumstances of her death. Ofra Haza married Doron Ashkenazi in 1997, who died in 2001 of an overdose of crystallized cocaine. He was suspected of having infected Haza with the HIV virus.

~ Source: Asherah

Fig tree growing out of a abandoned garage

Kawl han’shama she’natata bi
All the soul which you placed in me –
Elohi……
My God…

Ken, yesh harbei hester panim
Yes, there is a lot of secrecy and deceit.
V’ahavot she’i efshar
And loves that cannot be.
Kmo she’anu noladim
As we are born
El toch hachayim
Into this life.
Mah nish’ar?
What remains?

Ken, al yamim, yamim rabim
Yes, about the many, many days
Al hak’ev shelo chadal
About the pain that hasn’t stopped
Kmo she’anu noladim
As we are born
U-m’vakshim k’tzat rachamim
And ask for a little mercy
Elohi….
My God…

Elohi, kawl han’shama she-natata bi
My God, all the soul which you placed in me
Elohi, kawl han’shama
My God, all the soul
Mah, mah hi?
What, what is it?

Elohi, ten rak ko’ach l’chulam
My God, give only strength to everyone
Elohi, ten rak ko’ach l’olam
My God, give only strength forever