This song was Israel’s Eurovision entry in 1991, sung by Orna and Moshe Datz. It got 3rd place, 7 points away from the winning song.
Sung by anyone else, this simple song would not mean much. When sung by Israelis, about the Israeli experience, it becomes deeply profound and moving. After 2000 years of exile, we are HERE.
KANN - HERE I WAS BORN
Here is my home, here I was born,
On the plain, by the seashore
Here are the friends I grew up with
And I have nowhere else in the world
I have nowhere else in the world
Here's my home, here I played
In the lowland on the back of the mountain
Here from the well I drank water
And I planted grass in the desert.
Here I was born, here my children were born
Here I built my house with my two hands
Here you are with me and here are all my thousand friends
And after two thousand years, the end of my wandering.
Here I played all my songs
And I went on a night trek
Here in my youth I defended my own piece of heaven,
My own piece of heaven
Here I was born ...
Here! Here I set my table
A slice of bread, a fresh flower
I opened the door to my neighbors
And to all who came were greeted, "Ahlan" [=Welcome in Arabic]
Here I was born, here my children were born
Here I built my house with my two hands
Here you are with me and here are all my thousand friends
And after two thousand years, the end of my wandering.
*************************
Transliteration of the Hebrew:
Kan beyti, po 'ani noladeti, ba-mishor 'asher 'al sfat ha-yam
Kan ha-khaverim 'itam gadalti, ve-'en li shum makom 'akher ba-'olam
'En li shum makom 'akher ba-'olam
Kan beyti, po 'ani sikhakti, ba-shfela 'asher 'al gav ha-har
Kan min ha-be'er shatiti mayim, ve-shatalti deshe ba-midbar
Ve-shatalti deshe ba-midbar
Kan noladeti, kan noldu li yeladay
Kan baniti 'et beyti bi-shtey yaday
Kan gam 'ata 'iti ve-khan kol 'elef yediday
Ve-'akhrey shanim alpayim, sof li-nduday
Kan 'et kol shiray 'ani niganti, ve-halakhti be-masa leyli
Kan bi-ne'uray 'ani heganti 'al khelkat ha-'Elohim sheli
'Al khelkat ha-'Elohim sheli
Kan noladeti, kan noldu li yeladay
Kan baniti 'et beyti bi-shtey yaday
Kan gam 'ata 'iti ve-khan kol 'elef yediday
Ve-'akhrey shanim alpayim, sof li-nduday
Kan... kan 'et shulkhani 'ani 'arakhti, pat shel lekhem, perakh ra'anan
Delet la-shkhenim 'ani patakhti, u-mi she-ba, nomar lo " 'Ahalan "
U-mi she-ba, nomar lo " 'Ahalan "
Kan noladeti, kan noldu li yeladay
Kan baniti 'et beyti bi-shtey yaday
Kan gam 'ata 'iti ve-khan kol 'elef yediday
Ve-'akhrey shanim alpayim, sof li-nduday
Kan gam 'ata 'iti ve-khan kol 'elef yediday
Ve-'akhrey shanim alpayim, 'akhrey shanim alpayim
Kan noladeti, kan noldu li yeladay
Kan baniti 'et beyti bi-shtey yaday
Kan gam 'ata 'iti ve-khan kol 'elef yediday
Ve-'akhrey shanim alpayim, sof li-nduday
Kan gam 'ata 'iti ve-khan kol 'elef yediday
Ve-'akhrey shanim alpayim, sof... sof li-nduday