Iris Farhi - lo hayita rashum (Your Name Wasn't Written)

I was wondering if I could get help with this song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyqJlb3ppl0

Lyrics (posted on that YouTube video) by Iris Farhi.

אלף אנשים עומדים בצפירה
ובוכים
המצב בארץ פשוט נורא
אישה עם כובע שחור אמרה
והתחילה להקריא במיקרופון שירה

כולם מתיישבים
ומסתכלים אל מקהלת הזמר
שירים קשים ומרגשים של נעמי שמר
ומדליקים אש זה הדבר היחיד שיש

אלף אנשים מביטים בך
בכבוד
וכולם נותנים ברכות
למשפחות
"וגומרים ב"נתראה רק בשמחות

רק לא מזמן ישבנו כאן
עם ג'וינט על האנדרטה
וקראנו את כל השמות
מלמעלה עד למטה
מעבר לזה לא ראינו כלום
אתה לא היית רשום
לא היית רשום

Here's my transliteration:

elef anashim omdim be'tzfirah
v'bochim
ha'matzav ba'aretz pashut nora
ishah im kova shachor amrah
v'hit-chilah le'hakri b'mikrofon shirah

kulam mityashvim
v'mistaklim al mak-halat ha'zemer
shirim kashim v'meragshim shel naomi shemer
v'madlikim esh - zeh ha'davar ha'yachid she'yesh

elef anashim me'bitichim becha
be'kavod
v'kulam natnim brachot,
la'mishpachot
v'gomrim be'nitra-ot rak be'smachot

rak lo mizman yashavnu kan
im joint al ha'andrata
v'karanu et kol ha'shemot
mi'le-mala ad le'ma-ta
me'ever la'zeh lo ra-inu klum
atah lo hayita rashum
lo hayita rashum

Here's my attempt at a translation:

a thousand people are standing during the siren
and weeping
the situation in the country is just awful,
a woman with a black hat said
and began to read poetry on a microphone

everyone is sitting down
and watching the choir singer
emotional and difficult songs of Naomi Shemer
and they light a fire - it's the only thing there is???

a thousand people looking at you
with respect
and all give blessings
to the families
and finished seeing you only at celebrations???

not long ago we were sitting here
with a joint on the monument
and read all the names
from top to bottom
beyond that we have not seen anything
your name was not written
was not written

I tried my best but these two lines I don't really understand:

ומדליקים אש זה הדבר היחיד שיש
v'madlikim esh - zeh ha'davar ha'yachid she'yesh
and they light a fire - it's the only thing there is

This line I'm really unsure about:

"וגומרים ב"נתראה רק בשמחות
v'gomrim be'nitra-ot rak be'smachot
and finished seeing you only at celebrations

I'm also wondering why "נתראה רק בשמחות" has quotes around it. Is it a common phrase?

If someone could help me out that'd be great! Thanks.

Hello :-)

ומדליקים אש זה הדבר היחיד שיש
Vemadlikim esh zeh hadavar hayekhid sheyesh
And lighting a fire - that's the only thing there is (the only thing there is **left to do**)
Meaning: there's nothing they can do other than light a fire.

וגומרים ב״נתראה רק בשמחות״
Vegomrim be"nitraEH rak besimkhot" (not "nitraOT")
And they finish up with "may we see each other only in happy times"
Meaning: the thousand people give the families blessings (in Hebrew this can also mean "well wishes", not strictly religious blessings as in English), and then they finish off their wishes with the statement "may we see each other only in happy times". It's kind of a common thing in Jewish culture to say to each other in difficult times, yes :-)!

Thanks for that. I wanted to make sure it was correct, being a sensitive song! I also sent you a private message.

If anyone would like to hear the song while viewing the lyrics in (hopefully) a more friendly format, it has been added here: http://www.singhebrewsongs.com/index.php?p=view&id=63