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Hebrew songs

Prachim BaKane lyrics & English translation

פרחים בקנה

Flowers in the Barrel — IDF Southern Command Band with Chani Nachmias & Aviva Avidan, 1970. Words by Dudu Barak (words), Efi Netzer (music). Below you get the full Hebrew lyrics with nikud, a Latin transliteration and an English translation of every line, plus the words worth memorising.

Sing it karaoke-style

The story behind the song

'Prachim BaKane' ('Flowers in the Barrel') — words by Dudu Barak, music by Efi Netzer — was first sung in 1970 by the IDF Artillery Corps band and became the most beloved of all Israeli army-band songs. It pictures the morning after the last battle: guns with flowers pushed into their barrels, soldiers streaming home, a little girl pinning a yellow wildflower on a soldier's lapel. This version is the 2026 recording by the IDF Southern Command band with Chani Nachmias and Aviva Avidan.

Full lyrics, line by line

  1. כְּשֶׁאָבִיב נִרְדָּם יֵעוֹר בְּחִוָּרוֹןKshe'aviv nirdam ye'or bechivaronWhen sleeping spring awakens, pale
  2. בִּשְׂדוֹת הָאֵשׁ יִתַּם הַקְּרָב הָאַחֲרוֹןBisdot ha'esh yitam hakrav ha'acharonIn the fields of fire the last battle will end
  3. וּבֹקֶר נֶהְדָּר מִן הַבִּקְעָה לָהָרUvoker nehdar min habik'a laharAnd a glorious morning, from the valley to the mountain
  4. אָז יַעֲלֶה בְּזֶמֶר, בְּרֹןAz ya'ale bezemer, beronWill rise then in song, in joy
  5. הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ יִדֹּם בֵּין עַזָּה לְרָפִיחַHashemesh yidom bein Aza leRafiachThe sun will fall silent between Gaza and Rafah
  6. יָרֵחַ יַלְבִּין עַל פִּסְגַּת הַחֶרְמוֹןYare'ach yalbin al pisgat haChermonA moon will shine white on the peak of Mount Hermon
  7. פְּרָחִים בַּקָּנֶה וּבָנוֹת בַּצְּרִיחַPrachim bakane uvanot batzri'achFlowers in the rifle barrel and girls in the turret
  8. יָשׁוּבוּ לָעִיר חַיָּלִים בְּהָמוֹןYashuvu la'ir chayalim behamonSoldiers will come back to the city in crowds
  9. יַלְדָּה אַחַת קְטַנָּה וּבְיָדָהּ זֵרִיםYalda achat ktana uvyada zerimOne little girl, wreaths in her hand
  10. לָעִיר הַלְּבָנָה תֵּצֵא אָז בְּשִׁירִיםLa'ir halevana tetze az beshirimTo the white city she will go out then, with songs
  11. וְלַחַיָּל נִרְגָּשׁ תָּשִׂים סַבְיוֹן בַּדַּשׁVelachayal nirgash tasim savyon badashAnd on a moved soldier's lapel she'll pin a groundsel flower
  12. וְהַשָּׁמַיִם כֹּה בְּהִירִיםVehashamayim ko behirimAnd the skies are so bright
  13. הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ יִדֹּם בֵּין עַזָּה לְרָפִיחַHashemesh yidom bein Aza leRafiachThe sun will fall silent between Gaza and Rafah
  14. יָרֵחַ יַלְבִּין עַל פִּסְגַּת הַחֶרְמוֹןYare'ach yalbin al pisgat haChermonA moon will shine white on the peak of Mount Hermon
  15. פְּרָחִים בַּקָּנֶה וּבָנוֹת בַּצְּרִיחַPrachim bakane uvanot batzri'achFlowers in the rifle barrel and girls in the turret
  16. יָשׁוּבוּ לָעִיר חַיָּלִים בְּהָמוֹןYashuvu la'ir chayalim behamonSoldiers will come back to the city in crowds
  17. הַחַיָּלִים לָעִיר יַגִּיעוּ בְּעַם רָבHachayalim la'ir yagi'u be'am ravThe soldiers will reach the city in a great multitude
  18. עִם נְעָרוֹת וְשִׁיר וְעִם פִּרְחֵי זָהָבIm ne'arot veshir ve'im pirchei zahavWith young women and song and with flowers of gold
  19. וְכָל אֲשֶׁר אֶתְמוֹל יָדַע מַכְאוֹב וּשְׁכוֹלVechol asher etmol yada mach'ov ushcholAnd everyone who yesterday knew pain and bereavement
  20. לֹא עוֹד יֵדַע שַׁלֶּכֶת וּקְרָבLo od yeda shalechet ukravWill know no more falling leaves and battle
  21. הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ יִדֹּם בֵּין עַזָּה לְרָפִיחַHashemesh yidom bein Aza leRafiachThe sun will fall silent between Gaza and Rafah
  22. יָרֵחַ יַלְבִּין עַל פִּסְגַּת הַחֶרְמוֹןYare'ach yalbin al pisgat haChermonA moon will shine white on the peak of Mount Hermon
  23. פְּרָחִים בַּקָּנֶה וּבָנוֹת בַּצְּרִיחַPrachim bakane uvanot batzri'achFlowers in the rifle barrel and girls in the turret
  24. יָשׁוּבוּ לָעִיר חַיָּלִים בְּהָמוֹןYashuvu la'ir chayalim behamonSoldiers will come back to the city in crowds

Words from this song

  • אביבspring
  • נרדםfalls asleep
  • שדהfield
  • קרבbattle
  • בוקרmorning
  • הרmountain
  • זמרsong / singing
  • רוןjubilation
  • שמשsun
  • לדוםto fall silent
  • ירחmoon
  • פסגהsummit / peak
  • פרחflower
  • קנהbarrel (of a rifle)
Practise these words

What does “Prachim BaKane” mean?

פרחים בקנה translates as “Flowers in the Barrel”. It was released in 1970, performed by IDF Southern Command Band with Chani Nachmias & Aviva Avidan with words by Dudu Barak (words), Efi Netzer (music). Read the line-by-line English translation above, or sing it with the words highlighted in time with the music.

About IDF Southern Command Band with Chani Nachmias & Aviva Avidan

Dudu Barak is one of the central lyricists of Israeli song. He wrote 'Prachim BaKane' in the years after the Six-Day War, when the country was full of both victory and grief, and put into it the hope that the last battle had already been fought.

The song was set to music by Efi Netzer, arranged by Benny Nagari, and first performed in 1970 by the IDF Artillery Corps band in its show 'La Bomba', with Yehudit Schwartz as soloist. It topped the Israeli radio chart for two weeks.