Lyrics and translation: Mario Cordina
Is-Sirena tolfoq u tingħi karba,
Min jaf lil-minn ser tolqot din id-darba?
Beraq u rgħad tal-polvri fil-Port il-Kbir,
Din il-ġzira zgħira, ulieda ta’ kuraġġ kbir.
The siren sobs and wails in sorrow,
Who knows who’s turn it is this time?
Gunpowder lightning and thunder in the Grand Harbour (Valetta’s Port)
This little island, its outstanding children full of great courage.
Ara ġejja il-mewt għalik,
Biex taqlik, biex tixwik,
Ara ġejja, ara ġejja,
Din id-daqqa min tagħilek?
This is a child’s chant used during play. They sing this tune and at the end one of the children is slapped by one of the others. The child has to guess who it is. However I find the words connected with death sung by children ringing a dark note and probably rooted in Malta’s wartime experience. In this song it rings out with great irony.
The translation reads:
See Death coming to pick you up,
It will boil, it will roast you,
See Death come, see it come,
Who slapped (hit) you?
Is-sirena tolfoq u tingħi karba,
Għal-dawk ulieda li illum ġew imdarba,
Il-Festa ta Santa Marija dalwaqt magħna,
Il-Konvoy riesaq biex jitmagħna.
The siren sobs and wails in sorrow, In mourning for her children who have lost their life today, The Feast of Santa Marija will soon come, The convoy approaches, it will feed us. The Convoy which actually made it through the Axis barrage into the port saved a starved nation from surrender. The convoy made it into the harbour iin stages during the month of August 1942. The Ohio made it on the 15th August and the convoy has always been dubbed The Santa Maria Convoy.
For the Original Lejla Maltija Video for Is-Sirena Click here.
Below is a Picture Story about the War in Malta followed by a video compilation about the country's role and involvement as it got caught up in the historic run of events between the Axis and Allied powers.
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