The Song That the Pain of the Princess Demands

Inspired by the story of the Sixth Beggar from Rebbe Nachman’s Tales, this song expresses the essence of healing as I have come to know it, both in my own journey and in the journeys of my clients. Rebbe Nachman hid many deep secrets of Kaballah in all of his works. And while we only understand the most accessible layers of meaning, the story touches me deeply, and I have tried to put into these lyrics some of the meaning that has touched me.

In IFS language, the princess represents the exiled parts of the soul, the places within us that once carried love, beauty, and longing, but became trapped in the castles of pain, externality and self-protection. The beggar with no hands symbolizes the Self, whose power is not in grasping or controlling, but in attuned presence, taking the pulse of the princess, understanding her illness and finding ways to heal with love. Knowing how to sing “the song that the pain of the princess demands.”

Healing happens when the Self sings to the exiled places within us, not to fix them, but to know them, see them, and love them home. Through this sacred attunement, the soul begins to remember its own music.

And eventually, the princess herself learns to sing. To let her voice rise from the depths of all she has endured, transforming pain into wisdom, and sorrow into song. Her voice becomes the echo of the Divine within, and eventually the world is healed through her as it harmozies with the song that the "beggar" sings into her.

This song is close to my heart. It was a gift from The One who has formed and cultivated my healing and growth, and the healing and growth of so many souls I’ve had the privilege to accompany. It carries the resonance of compassion, presence, and longing for return, the song that the pain of the princess demands.

🎵 “There is one who heals the princess with the strength of his hands,with the song that the pain of the princess demands…”

To read a complete translation of Rebbe Nachman's original story, click here, and scroll down to the Sixth Day.

Complete lyrics: The princess she comes for the world of the soul

Where pleasure's enduring, honest real deep and whole

While the old king he comes for the world of deceit

Where honor and riches fall flat at your feet.

He desired to take the soul princess to wife

He promised her all of the pleasures of life

Leisure and glory, every desirable thing,

He weighed down her finger with a huge diamond ring.

At first love seemed present and passion was strong,

But empty desire became hate before long

Princess soul yearns for beauty and glory and light

But only in the place where the actions are right

There is one who heals the princess with the strength of his hands, with the song that the pain of the princess demands 2x

And the princess she asked him, Do you know me? Do you know who I am?

She asked him, 'Can you see me. Can you see who I am?

She asked him, 'Can you heal me? Can you bring me back home? Bring me back home...'

One night the king dreamed a most frightful dream.

The princess stood above him with a knife and killed him.

In the morning he was scared and he called his advisors, 

They said the dream would come true and he began to despise her.

The love soon was gone as a result of his fear

So despite her great beauty he didn't want her near.

He considered perhaps he should send her away, 

But then a new husband could help her kill him someday.

The princess could sense that something was wrong.

She decided to leave and by morning was gone.

The king sent his men out to search for the queen, 

She was near the water castle, they told the king what they'd seen.

Now a castle of water is a glorious thing,

Ten walls of water, but you can drown if you go in.

There is one who heals the princess with the strength of his hands, with the song that the pain of the princess demands 2x

And the princess she asked him, Do you know me? Do you know who I am?

She asked him, 'Can you see me. Can you see who I am?

She asked him, 'Can you heal me? Can you bring me back home? Bring me back home...'

The king took his army to try to capture his wife, 

But her hate for the king was stronger than her love for her life.

She fled into the castle, the king gave orders to kill,

The archers shot ten types of poison until the princess fell ill.

She passed through the castle, 10 gates and 10 walls,

In the center of the castle it was there she did fall.

There is one who heals the princess with the strength of his hands, with the song that the pain of the princess demands 2x

And the princess she asked him, Do you know me? Do you know who I am?

She asked him, 'Can you see me. Can you see who I am?

She asked him, 'Can you heal me? Can you bring me back home? Bring me back home...'

There are 10 types of arrows and 10 water made walls

There are 10 types of pulse and 10 songs that heal all

With my 10 fingers every pulse I understand.

Even though I'm the beggar who seems to have no hands.

With 10 types of tzedaka I can enter the walls,

And with my 10 songs I can heal all.

There is one who heals the princess with the strength of his hands, with the song that the pain of the princess demands 2x

And the princess she asks me, Do you know me? Do you know who I am?

She asks me, 'Can you see me. Can you see who I am?

She asks me, 'Can you heal me? Can you bring me back home? Bring me back home...'

Now for you wedding I give you what I have as a gift

If you sing to the world you'll know how to uplift

All the souls that you love all the souls that you know

With the strength of these songs you can help them to grow.

Princess soul years for love and must return to The King,

But to the true king who loves her and together they sing.

Using ten types of song to bring joy they will heal,

And the princess herself will begin to feel...

Perhaps I am precious, perhaps I am loved,

Perhaps from right here I can connect to above,

Perhaps all my destruction can be healed and repaired

Perhaps, though I've had troubles, I need not despair.

Perhaps I am precious, perhaps I am strong, perhaps it is I who must sing this song...

And the princess she told him, I know me, I know who I am.

She told him, I see me, I see who I am,

She told him, I'll heal me, I'm coming back home, coming back home...