Μες στου Βοσπόρου τα στενάο Γιάννης κλαίει τα δειλινάκαι ο Μεμέτης πλάϊ τουπίνει και τραγουδάει του
Τούρκος εγώ κι εσύ Ρωμιόςκι εγώ λαός κι εσύ λαόςεσύ Χριστός κι εγώ Αλλάχόμως κι οι δυό μας άχ και βάχ
Με λίγη αγάπη και κρασίμεθάω κι εγώ μεθάς κι εσύπιές λίγο από το τάσι μουαδέλφι και καρντάση μου
In the straits of the BosphorusYiánis sobs at sunset
And Mehmet by his sidedrinks and sings to him
And Mehmet by his sidedrinks and sings to him
A Turk I am and you are Greek (Romiós)I belong to a people and you belong to a people too
You Christ and I AllahBut we both sigh "ááh" and "váh" (it means both sigh with melancholy, the blues)
You Christ and I AllahBut we both sigh "ááh" and "váh"
With a little love (agápi) and wine (krasì)I Intoxicate myself and you Intoxicate yourself
Drink a little from my cupMy brother (adelfi) and my kardasi too
Drink a little from my cupMy brother (adelfi) and my kardasi too
A Turk I am and you are Greek (Romiós)I belong to a people and you belong to a people too
You Christ and I AllahBut we both sigh "ááh" and "váh"
You Christ and I AllahBut we both sigh "ááh" and "váh"
Some translations of the words in the song. The words are written in English characters and indicate where to put the emphasis.
stená = straits, Vospórou = Bosphorus, Tùrkos = Turk, Romiós = another word for a Greek, adèlfi = brother, ááh = a sigh in despair, sad sound, váh = a sigh in despair, sad sound, kè = and, Yiánis = John, kley = sobs, agápi = love, krasì = wine
The Turkish word in the song: kardási = brother