Por qué no cantáis la bella (La Reina estava lavrando, La reyna estava lavrando)

This truncated version of the romance ¿Por qué no cantáis la bella? (CMP J4) is rare among the Eastern Sephardi Jews and was known mainly in Sarajevo. It can be assumed that the music was adapted from a Turkish song (not yet identified), together with sections of its lyrics. The opening strophe is in Turkish: "Night is coming, let me have my candles lit / Let us sit, without sorrow, my love / Oh my effendi, oh my sultan, hug me / As you miss (me), my love, with black eyes." (transcription and translation from Turkish: Erol Tunali). More Turkish phrases and words, all unrelated to the romance, can be heard within the Ladino verses. Haim's recording contains only three verses from the opening of the romance, probably because of the need to meet the time-limit of the 78 rpm record. Some versions documented in oral tradition probably reflect Haim's recording (e.g. Hemsi 1995, no. 28).

Akşam olur yaktırayım mumlarımı
Oturalım kasavetsiz yar benim
Ay efendicigim a sultanım sar beni
Özledikça kara gözlü yar beni(m).

La reina estaba asentada,labrando
cabezal de sirma y perla, yar beni.
De la sirma le mancaba, güllerimi,
de mis cabellos la gustaba la rosa.

Por alli pasó un mancibico,
güllerimi aman,
vinidico de la guerra, yardemi.
Özledikça kara gözlü yar beni(m).