Let’s learn Hebrew with the song “Waiting” (מחכה) by Idan Haviv! In this post, we’ll explore the song word by word, going through all the Hebrew vocabulary and giving examples of how to use each word in context. Then, we’ll provide a direct translation of the lyrics so you can fully understand each phrase.
Here’s the best way to learn from this song: start by reading the Hebrew vocabulary list carefully, then move on to the direct translation section to see how the words are used in the lyrics. After that, listen to the song while following along, pausing as needed to catch the words you’ve learned. With repeated listening throughout your day, these words and phrases will naturally stick, helping you improve your Hebrew while enjoying beautiful music.
What is the Song About?
Conext always helps for better leaning. The song is a heartfelt reflection on love, longing, and devotion. It tells the story of someone deeply connected to their partner, waiting patiently and feeling a mix of hope and yearning.
The lyrics speak of an enduring love—“the old love”—that stays with them through time, alongside moments of emotional struggle. Images like a field of thorns and a field of cotton show both the pain and comfort that love can bring. Overall, the song captures the beauty and complexity of being in love, highlighting patience, closeness, and the quiet intensity of waiting for someone you care about.
Hebrew Vocabulary For the Song
Let’s look at all the words one by one in the song in order to see:
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| מי | mi | who |
| עולה | olé / olá | goes up, rises |
| ראשונה | rishoná | first (feminine) |
| זו | zo | this (feminine) |
| אהבה | ahavá | love |
| הישנה | hayeshaná | the old (feminine) |
| עד מתי | ad matái | until when / how long |
| שאתעורר | she’et‘orér | that I wake up |
| פה | po | here |
| שוכבת | shokhévet | lying down (feminine) |
| לידך | leyadécha / leyadáyich | beside you (m. / f.) |
| תנסה | tenasé | try (masculine, future) |
| להירגע | lehiragá | to calm down |
| מי כמוני | mi kamóni | who is like me |
| כך | kach | like this / so |
| איתך | itchá / itách | with you (m. / f.) |
| אותו | otó | the same (masculine) |
| חלום | chalóm | dream |
| משפט | mishpát | sentence / saying |
| מוכר | mukár / mukár | familiar / known |
| לא עוזב | lo ozév | does not leave |
| אותי | otí | me |
| במנוחה | bemnuchá | in rest / peacefully |
| אני | aní | I / me |
| כאן | kan | here |
| תמיד | tamíd | always |
| מחכה | mechaké / mechaká | waiting (m. / f.) |
| שדה | sadé | field |
| קוצים | kotzím | thorns |
| או | o | or |
| כותנה | kutná | cotton |
| שוב | shuv | again |
| רק | rak | only |
| עומדת | omédet | standing (feminine) |
| יחפה | yefefá | barefoot (feminine) |
| על | al | on / upon |
| אדמה | adamá | ground / earth |
| חמה | chamá | warm / hot (feminine) |
Waiting Hebrew Song Lyrics Analysis
Ok now let’s look at the song lyrics one by one. As best as possible this is a direct translation of Idan Haviv’s song, without trying to make it sound too right in English.
- מי עולה ראשונה – Who goes up first?
- זו אהבה הישנה – This is old love
- עד מתי שאתעורר – Until when I wake up
- פה שוכבת לידך – Here lies need you
- תנסה להירגע – Try to calm down
- מי כמוני כך איתך – Who like me (who as myself) like this with you
- אותו חלום משפט מוכר – The same dream, (a) known sentence
- לא עוזב אותי במנוחה – Doesn’t leave me alone (bemenuha here is like doesn’t leave me alone)
- אני כאן איתך תמיד מחכה – I’m here with you always waiting
- שדה קוצים או שדה כותנה – A field of thons or a field of cotton
- אני שוב אני – I’m again me
- אני רק אני – I’m only me
- עומדת יחפה על אדמה חמה – Standing barefoot on hot ground
More detailed analysis
So now we’ve got the raw vocabulary and the direct translation, it’s time to learn a bit more about how the words convey what the song writer wishes to express. If we first look at this song just as a reading exercise of reading a story in Hebrew. We can look at it as a page in a story but with just the key sentences left.
מי עולה ראשונה , who comes up first can mean many things. From whos come up to the building apartment to who comes up in the authors mind (מי עולה לי בראש).
In the second sentence we get the main theme, he says זו אהבה הישנה , technically this sentence is not grammatically if you’d just say it as one sentence. (The correct way is זו האהבה הישנה). However since there’s a pause he’s basically saying “This is love… The old one”. That way it could work.
The next three phrases are pretty strait forward. “Until I wake up, lies here next to me, try to calm down/relax”.
The next sentence is interesting “אותו חלום משפט מוכר” (same dream, familiar sentence). Here the familiar sentence symbolizes for of a familiar pattern rather than an actual sentence. It’s more of an analogy/metaphor.
Next here is saying it doesn’t leave him alone – לא עוזב אותי במנוחה. The word מנוחה (bemenuha) actually means rest. The more natural translation to English is leaving me in peace.
The sentence about the field in Hebrew is a metaphor. A field of cotton would represent a positive feeling and the field of thorns would represent negativity.
