El Hatzipor ("To the Bird") is Nahman Bialik's first published poem (1892).
This song expresses the longing for Jerusalem, sung by a bird returning from the Promised Land to a European window border.
The original poem is longer than the examples below and includes 16 stanzas. The Sharon region, Mount Hermon as well as the Jordan River and Jerusalem are evoked.
You can hear via these YouTube videos three different interpretations by Israeli singers and musicians:
Avi Toledano (with lyrics),
and a recent version from Hadag Nahash.
Translation of the first stanza:
Welcome upon your return sweet bird,
From the warm countries to my window -
How my soul longs to hear your pleasant voice
in winter when you leave my dwelling.
On this link, you'll find the full Hebrew version, and on this one, a shorter version translated into English.
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