Gad Elbaz ft. Avi Benjamin – Ochi Chernye / Очи чёрные

Update November 2024 by Fien Oudshoorn: Russian-language lyrics and transliterations were added, complying to our new agreement with our partners in Ukraine. Music video and featured image were refreshed due to unavailability.

Song based on the romance by Ukrainian poet Yevhen Hrebinka.
Music video was recorded in Ukraine.

Licensing costs for this share were primarily provided by donations from Israel and Türkiye.

Subtitled Music Video (English)

Lyrics

Years, looking over my shoulder
Getting colder and colder
How to live?
When to go?
Voices – grow louder and louder
Sounding bolder and bolder
As the drama unfolds

Oh, those dark eyes
Mesmerizing
In their touching plea
Speaking to us silently
Reaching to the skies

Очи чёрные, очи мудрые (Ochi chyornye, ochi mudrye)
Часто видели (Chasto videli)
Жизнь вы трудную (Zhizn’ vi trudnuyu)
Как хочу сейчас (Kak khochu seychas)
Очень спеть про вас (Ochen’ spet’ pro vas)
Ее запомнит все (Eye zapomnit vsye)
Блеск еврейских глаз (Blesk yevreyskikh glaz)

Danger, hovering over
Needing rescue and cover
Shaking our core
Dreams growing stronger and stronger
Though we’re weary and older
Hope still it does

Oh, those dark eyes
Tell our story
Piercing through the mist
Eyes of grace and mystery
How can we relieve?

Небеса были чёрные (Nebesa byli chyornye)
Но мы знали (No my znali)
Бог нам поможет (Bog nam pomozhet)
Сердце тревожит (Serdtse trevozhit)
Без Бога и веры не сможет (Bez Boga i very ne smozhet)
Человека уничтожит (Cheloveka unichtozhit)
Не чистая сила Боже… (Ne chistaya sila Bozhe…)

Жить невозможно (Zhit’ nevozmozhno)
Неужели все так положено (Neuzheli vsye tak polozheno)
Дети мы Бога (Deti my Boga)
Моисею дана была дорога (Moiseyu dana byla doroga)
Врагов у нас много (Vragov u nas mnogo)
Жить еврею не просто (Zhit’ yevreyeyu ne prosto)
Издеваются долго (Izdevayutsya dolgo)

Не могу и не хочу, но прощаю (Ne mogu i ne khochu, no proshchayu)
Ни на секунду никому не доверяю (Ni na sekundu nikomu ne doveryayu)
Жалость теряю (Zhalost’ teryayu)

Getting warmer and warmer
Needing rescue and cover

English translation

Years, looking over my shoulder,
getting colder and colder.
How to live, when to go?
Voices, growing louder and louder,
sounding bolder and bolder,
as the drama unfolds.
Oh, those dark eyes,
mesmerizing in their touching plea,
speaking to us silently,
reaching to the skies.
Dark eyes,
wise eyes,
have often seen your difficult life.
How I want to sing about you now
and let everyone remember the radiance of Jewish eyes.
Danger, hovering over.
Needing rescue and cover.
Shaking our core.
Dreams growing stronger and stronger.
Though we’re weary and older,
hope still it does.
Oh, those dark eyes, tell our story,
piercing through the mist.
Eyes of grace and mystery,
how can we relieve?
Dark eyes,
wise eyes,
have often seen your difficult life.
How I want to sing about you now
and let everyone remember the radiance of Jewish eyes.
The skies were dark,
but we knew God would help us.
Heart-troubled,
as without God and faith, man will perish.
Humans will destroy,
it’s not a pure power of God.
It is impossible to live.
Is it really meant to be this way?
We are children of God.
Moses was given the path.
We have many enemies.
It’s not easy to live as a Jew.
They mocked us for a long time,
We can’t and don’t want to, but we forgive.
I don’t trust anyone for a second,
I’m losing my compassion.
Getting warmer and warmer.
Rescue and cover.
Warmer and warmer,
needing rescue and cover.
Warmer and warmer,
needing rescue and cover.
Getting warmer and warmer.
Rescue and cover.
Warmer and warmer,
needing rescue and cover.
Warmer and warmer,
needing rescue and cover.
Dark eyes…
(La, la la, la)
Dark eyes…
(La, la, la, la)
Jewish eyes…