Onur Bayraktar and Turgut Eryılmaz bring us Cefa, a heartfelt Turkish ballad about love’s painful aftermath. Turgut Eryılmaz writes the poetic lyrics and composes the melody. The song tells the story of a man grappling with betrayal after giving everything to a relationship.
Turgut Eryılmaz describes the shock of seeing someone move on after claiming love didn’t exist. The poet mixes images of sailing toward romance with the harsh reality of being replaced. He confesses the relationship’s true nature, admitting the lover only made him endure suffering (CEFA). The narrator asks if anyone cares about his pain while declaring he has executed the memories he once cherished.
YELKENLER AÇMIŞSIN DA KOŞUYORSUN AŞKAYou’ve set sail and you’re running toward love.
YA HANİ AŞK YOKTU SÖYLE NASIL BU BAŞKAI thought love didn’t exist, so tell me how this is different?
HEP KENDİMİ ETTİM UĞRUNA YAR FEDA (YAR FEDA)I always sacrificed myself for you, my love (my love),
AMA ÇEKTİRDİN SEN BANA SADECE CEFA (CEFA)but you only made me endure suffering (suffering).
BİR KERE SORMAZ MI İNSAN HALİMİWouldn’t someone ask how I’m doing just once?
NE DE SEVDİM BEN O HAİNİOh, how deeply I loved that traitor.
BU DA ONUN EN SON HALİDİRAnd this is her final state;
BİR BAŞKASINI KOYDU YERİME KOYDU DA GİTTİshe replaced me with someone else and walked away.
BİR KERE SORMAZ MI İNSAN HALİMİWouldn’t someone ask how I’m doing just once?
NE DE SEVDİM BEN O HAİNİOh, how deeply I loved that traitor.
BU DA ONUN EN SON HALİDİRAnd this is her final state;
BİR BAŞKASINI KOYDU YERİME KOYDU DA GİTTİshe replaced me with someone else and walked away.
ARTIK GİTTİĞİN O BAŞKALARI SARSIN BÜTÜN YARALARINILet those others you ran to heal all your wounds now.
SON BİR KEZ GEL VE ALIP GİT BENDEN KALAN EŞYALARINICome one last time and take whatever belongings you left with me.
NE OLURSUN NE OLURSUN GERİ DÖNME NE OLURSUN BİR KEZ OLSUN BENİ DİNLEPlease, please don’t come back, please just listen to me for once,
ÇÜNKÜ BEN İDAM ETTİM İÇİMDE YAŞIYOR SANDIĞIM ANILARIMIbecause I’ve executed the memories I thought were still living inside me.
BİR KERE SORMAZ MI İNSAN HALİMİWouldn’t someone ask how I’m doing just once?
NE DE SEVDİM BEN O HAİNİOh, how deeply I loved that traitor.
BU DA ONUN EN SON HALİDİRAnd this is her final state;
BİR BAŞKASINI KOYDU YERİME KOYDU DA GİTTİshe replaced me with someone else and walked away.
BİR KERE SORMAZ MI İNSAN HALİMİWouldn’t someone ask how I’m doing just once?
NE DE SEVDİM BEN O HAİNİOh, how deeply I loved that traitor.
BU DA ONUN EN SON HALİDİRAnd this is her final state;
BİR BAŞKASINI KOYDU YERİME KOYDU DA GİTTİshe replaced me with someone else and walked away.
The English lyrics of ‘Cefa’ confront the bitter truth of one-sided sacrifice. This powerful Turkish ballad from Onur Bayraktar offers a raw look at heartbreak and self-preservation.
