The Hasidic song Szól a kakas már

By Getta Neumann

Szól a kakas már was composed by Rabbi Isaac Taub (1744-1828) of Kaliv (Nagykálló), Hungary. For almost 60 years, the long-awaited song performed by the First Rabbi Dr. Ernest Neumann (1917-2004) at every Seder organized at the Jewish Community of Timisoara was long awaited. It expresses the hope of living in the Promised Land, which in the nineteenth century was still a mirage, like a rare, wonderful bird, but also the longing for love and fulfillment.

Szól a kakas már                                
Majd meg virrad már                                                 
Zöld erdöben, sik mezöben                                           
Sétál egy madár                                


De micsoda madár ?!                                        
De micsoda madár ?!                                                           
Sárga lába, kék a szárnya     
Engem oda vár      

Várj madár, várj!       
Te csak mindig várj        
Ha az Isten néked rendelt     
Tiéd leszek már       

De mikor lesz az már?       

De mikor lesz az már!       
K’She Yibone HaMikdosh Ir Tzion temale
       
Akkor lesz az már
De miért nincs az már!
De miért nincs az már!
U’Mipnei Chatoeni Golini M’Artzeni
Azért nincs az már

The roster crows now
The sun is rising now
In the green forest and open fields
Walks a little bird


But what a bird?!
But what a bird?!
Its feet are yellow, its wings blue,
Waiting for me there

Wait, bird, wait!
Do wait for me!
If God gave me to you
I will be yours then.

But when will that be?

But when will that be!
When the Temple stands again and Zion is rebuilt
Then it will be.
Why doesn’t it happen now?
Why doesn’t it happen now?
Because of our sins we were exiled from our homeland
That’s why it still does not happen.