Darkness descends
On Alpujara’s golden land.
My guitar invites you, come out my dear!

Whoever says that there are others
Who can be compared to you,
Whoever burns for your love,
I challenge them all to a duel!

Now the moon has set the sky alight,
Come out Nisetta, Oh, come out Nisetta,
On to your balcony, quickly!

From Seville to Granada
In the silence of the nights,
One can hear the sound of serenades
and the clashing of swords.

Much blood, many songs,
Pour forth for the lovely ladies;
And I, for the loveliest one of all.

I am ready to give my song and my blood.
Now the moon has set the sky alight,
Come out Nisetta, Oh, come out Nisetta,
On to your balcony, quickly!

English: M H Rolle

It was in early spring,
The grass had barely sprouted,
Streams were flowing, it was still cool,
The groves were newly green.

In the mornings, the clear sound
Of shepherds’ pipes was still silent,
In the pinewoods the slender ferns
Were still tightly curled.

It was in early spring,
In the shade of the birch trees,
When you smiled and lowered
Your eyes before me …

It was in reply to my love
That you lowered your gaze.
O life! O forest! O sunlight!
O youth! O hopes!

And I wept before you,
Looking into your beloved face.
It was in early spring,
In the shade of the birch trees.

It was the morning of our life!
O happiness! O tears!
O forest! O life! O sunlight!
O the fresh scent of the birches!

English: Andrew Huth © 2009

In the midst of the noisy ball,
Amid the anxious bustle of life,
I caught sight of you,
Your face, an enigma.

Only your eyes gazed sadly.
Your divine voice
Sounded like pipes from afar,
Like the dancing waves of the sea.

Your delicate form entranced me,
And your pensiveness,
Your sad yet merry laughter,
Has permeated my heart since then.

And in the lonely hours of the night,
When I to lie down to rest,
I see your pensive eyes,
Hear your merry laugh …

And wistfully drifting
Into mysterious reveries,
I wonder if I love you,
But it seems that I do.

English: M H Rolle

At a noisy ball, quite by chance,
In the tumult of worldly bustle,
I caught sight of you, but mystery
Veiled your features.

Your eyes betrayed your sadness,
Yet your voice had a lovely ring,
Like the sound of a distant flute
Or the playful waves of the sea.

Your slim figure entranced me,
As well as your dreamy appearance;
And your sad but ringing laughter
Has since then echoed in my heart.

In the lonely hours of the night,
I like to lie down when I am weary
And conjure up your sad eyes
And the sound of your cheerful talk.

And sadly, so sadly, I fall asleep
And sink into strange dreams.
Am I in love with you? I don’t know,
But yes, I think I am in love.

English: Andrew Huth © 2009