Yiddish Songs

1.   Oyfn pripetchik
2.   A mol is geven a mayse
3.   Papir iz dokh vays
4.   Shlof Mayn Kind
5.   Un As Der Rebbe Zingt
6.   Der Rebbe Elimeylech
7.   Yankele
8.   Hey, Dzhankoye
9.   Rozhinkes mit Mandlen

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1.
Oyfn Pripetshik

oyfn pripetshik brent a fayerl
un in shtub iz heys,
un der rebe lernt kleyne kinderlekh
dem alef-beys.

[Refrain:]
zet zhe, kinderlekh, gedenkt zhe, tayere,
vos ir lernt do;
zogt zhe nokh a mol un take nokh a mol:
komets-alef – o!

lernt, kinder, mit groys kheyshek –
azoy zog ikh aykh on:
ver s'vet gikher fun aykh kenen ivre,
der bakumt a fon.

lernt, kinder, hot nit moyre,
yeder onheyb iz shver,
gliklekh der vos hot gelernt toyre –
tsi darf der mentsh nokh mer?

ir vet, kinder, elter vern,
vet ir aleyn farshteyn,
vifl in di oysyes lign trern
un vifl geveyn…

az ir vet, kinder, dem goles shlepn,
oysgemutshet zayn,
zolt ir fun di oysyes koyekh shepn –
kukt in zey arayn!



On the hearth a fire burns,
And in the room it is warm.
And the rabbi is teaching little children
The alphabet.

Refrain:
See, children, remember, dear ones,
What you learn here;
Repeat and repeat yet again,
"Komets-alef-o!"

Learn, children, with great enthusiasm,
So I instruct you:
He among you who learns Hebrew pronunciation faster -
He will receive a flag.

Learn children, don't be afraid,
Every beginning is hard,
Lucky is the one who has studied the Torah,
What more does a man need?

When you grow older, children,
You will understand by yourselves,
How many tears lie in these letters,
And how much lament...

When you, children, will bear the exile
And will be exhausted,
May you derive strength from these letters,
Look at them!
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2.
A mol is geven a mayse

Amol iz geven a mayse,
Di mayse iz gornit freylekh,
Di mayse heybt zikh onet
Mit a yidishn meylekh.

Lyulinke mayn feygele,
Lyulinke mayn kind,
Kh'hob ongevoyrn aza libe,
Vey iz mir un vind.

Der meylekh hot gehat a malke,
Di malke hot gehat a vayngortn,
In vayngortn iz geven a beymele,
Lyulinke, mayn kind.

Dos beymele hot gehat a tsvaygele,
Oyfn tsvaygele iz geven a nestele,
In nestele hot gelebt a feygele,
Lyulinke, mayn kind.

Lyulinke, mayn feygele ...

Der meylekh iz opgeshtorbn,
Di malke iz gevorn fardorbn,
Dos tsvaygele iz opgebrokhn,
Dos feygele fun nest antlofn.

Lyulinke, mayn feygele ...



Once upon a time there was a tale
Once upon a time there was a tale,
The tale is not happy at all,
The tale starts
With a Jewish king.

Chorus:
Lyulinke, my little bird,
Lyulinke, my child,
I have lost such a love,
I am sad and hurt.

The king had got a queen,
The queen had got a vineyard,
In the vineyard there was a tree,
Lyulinke, my child.

(Chorus)

The tree had got a little branch,
On the little branch there was a little nest,
In the little nest there lived a little bird,
Lyulinke, my child.

(Chorus)

The king died,
The queen became desolate,
The little branch broke,
The little bird flew from the nest.

Rubin p. 487 #2
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3.
Papir iz dokh vays

Papir iz dokh vays un tint iz dokh shvarts
Tsu dir mayn zis-lebn tsit dokh mayn harts.
Ikh volt shtendig gezesn dray teg nochanand
Tsu kushn dayn sheyn ponim un tsu haltn dayn hand.

Nekhtn baynacht bin ikh oyf a khasene geven,
Fil sheyne meydelech hob ich dort gezen.
Fil sheyne meydelech - tsu dir kumt nisht gor -
Mit dayn shvartse eygelech un dayn shvartse hor.

Akh du liber Got, her oys mayn farlang
Dem oysher gistu kovid, mit a sheynem gang-
Oy mir gib a shtibele oyf dem groz dem grinem
Az ikh mit mayn zis-lebn zoln voynen drinen.


Paper is but white
Paper is but white and ink is but black,
My heart is drawn to you, my sweet love.
I could sit for three days one after another
Just kissing your sweet face and holding your hand.

Last night I went to a wedding
And I saw many beautiful girls there.
Many beautiful girls, but none of them can compare to you
With your black eyes and your black hair.

O dear God, hear my plea
To the rich you give honor and an easy path -
O give me a little house on the green grass
In which my sweet love and I can live.

Rubin p. 490 #7
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4.
Shlof Mayn Kind

Shlof mayn kind, mayn treyst, mayn sheyner
Shlof zhe, lyu lyu lyu
Shlof mayn lebn, mayn kaddish eyner
Shlof zhe, zunenyu

Bay dayn vigl zitst dayn mame,
Zingt a lid un veynt.
Vest a mol farshteyn mistame
Vos zi hot gemeynt

In Amerike iz der tate
Dayner, zunenyu;
Du bist nokh a kind lesate,
Shlof zhe, shlof, lyu-lyu.

Dos Amerike iz far yedn zogt men, gor a glik.
Un far yidn a gan yedn, epes an antic.

Dort est men in der vokhn khale zunenyu.
Yaykhelekh vet ikh dir kohn,
Shlof zhe, shlof, lyu-lyu

Er vet shikn tsvantik doler zayn portret dertsu.
Un vet nemen, lebn zol er,
Undz ahintsutsu

Shlof mayn kind…

Biz es kumt dos gute kvitl
Shlof zhe, zunenyu.
Shlofn iz a tayer mitl,
Shlof zhe, shlof, lyu-lyu. Sleep, my child, sweet comfort mine.
Sleep, my life, sole kaddish mine,
Sleep my little darling.
_____

By your cradle sits your mama,
Sings a song and weeps.
You’ll understand some day perhaps
What is on her mind

Your father is in America,
My son;
And you are still a child,
So sleep, sleep, lullaby.

That America is for everyone pure luck, they say.
And for Jews it is a paradise, a pure wonder.

There challah is eaten, even on weekdays.
When we get there, I will cook broths for you.
Sleep, sleep, lullaby.

Your father will send us twenty dollars
and his photograph, too.
He will bring us there, may he live long.

Sleep my child…

Until we get the happy letter,
Sleep, my darling one.
Sleeping is a big deal,
Sleep, sleep, lullaby.

Rubin p.516   #46
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5.
Un As Der Rebbe Zingt

Az der rebbe tantst (When the rabbi dances)
Az der rebbe tantst
Tantsn ale khasidim (All the Hasidim dance)
Tantsn ale khasidim
Ay didi day didi day, ay didi day didi day
Tantsn ale khasidim
Ay didi day didi day, ay didi day didi day
Tantsn ale khasidim

Az der rebbe zingt (When the rabbi sings)
Zingen ale khasidim (All the Hasidim sing)
Tshiri biri bim tshiri biri bom
Zingen ale khasidim

Az der rebbe trinkt (When the rabbi drinks)
Trinken ale khasidim (All the Hasidim drink)
Yaba baba bay
Lekhayim! Yaba baba bay
Lekhayim! To life!
Trinken ale khasidim

Az der rebbe lakht (When the rabbi laughs)
Lakhn ale khasidim (All the Hasidim laugh)
Ha ha....
Lakhn ale khasidim

Az der rebbe veynt  (When the rabbi cries)
Veynen ale khasidim (All the Hasidim cry)
Oy oy oy oy oy vey’z mir, oy oy... Oh, woe is me
Veynen ale khasidim

Az der rebbe shloft (When the rabbi sleeps)
Shlofn ale khasidim (All the Hasidim sleep)

Az der rebbe tantst! (When the rabbi dances)
Tantsn ale khasidim (All the Hasidim dance)
Ay didi day didi day, ay didi day didi day
Tantsn ale khasidim
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6.
Der Rebbe Elimeylech

un az der rebe elimelekh,
iz gevorn zeyer freylekh,
zeyer freylekh iz gevorn elimelekh,
hot er oysgeton di tfiln,
un hot ongeton di briln,
un geshikt nokh di fidler di tsvey.

un az di fidldike fidler
hobn gefidlt un gefidlt,
un gefidlt un gefidlt hobn zey.
un di fidldike fidler
hobn gefidlt un gefidlt,
un gefidlt un gefidlt hobn zey.

un az der rebe elimelekh,
iz gevorn nokh mer freylekh,
nokh mer freylekh iz gevorn elimelekh,
hot er opgemakht havdole,
mitn shames reb naftole,
un geshikt nokh di paykler di tsvey.

un az di paykldike paykler,
hobn gepayklt un gepayklt
un gepayklt un gepayklt hobn zey.
un di paykldike paykler,
hobn gepayklt un gepayklt
un gepayklt un gepayklt hobn zey.

un az der rebe elimelekh,
iz gevorn gor shtark freylekh,
gor shtark freylekh iz gevorn elimelekh,
hot er oysgeton dos kitl,
un hot ongeton dos hitl,
un geshikt nokh di tsimbler di tsvey.

un az di tsimbldike tsimbler
hobn getsimblt un getsimblt,
un getsimblt un getsimblt hobn zey.
un di tsimbldike tsimbler
hobn getsimblt un getsimblt,
un getsimblt un getsimblt hobn zey.

un az der rebe elimelekh,
iz gevorn gor gor freylekh,
gor gor freylekh iz gevorn elimelekh,
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7.
Yankele

Schlof sche mir schoyn Jankele mayn scheyner,
di Eygelach di schwatsinke mach tsu.
A Jingele wos hot schoyn ale Tseyndelech,
muss noch di Mame singen "ay lyu lyu".
A Jingele wos hot schoyn ale Tseyndelech
muss noch di Mame singen "ay lyu lyu",

A Jingele wos hot schoyn ale Tseyndelech
un wet mit Mazel bald in Kheyder geyn.
un lernen wet er Khumesh un Gemore,
sol weynen wen di Mame wigt ihm ayn ?
Un lernen wet er Khumesh un Gemore,
sol weynen wen di Mame wigt ihm ayn ?

A Jingele wos lernen wet Gemore,
ot schteyt der Tate, kvelt un hert sich tsu.
A Jingele wos wakst a Talmid-Khokhem,
lost gantse Nacht der Mamen nit tsu Ru ?
A Jingele vos wakst a Talmid-Khokhem,
lost gantse Nacht der Mamen nit tsu Ru ?

A Jingele wos wakst a Talmid-Khochem,
un a Geniter soycher oych tsuglaych.
A Jingele a kluger Khosn bokher,
sol lign azoy nas, wi in a Taych ?
A Jingele a kluger Khosn bocher,
sol lign azoy nas, wi in a Taych ?

Nu schlof sche mir, mayn kluger Khosn bocher,
dervayl ligstu in Wigele bay mir.
S'wet kostn fil mi un Mame's Trern,
bizvanen s'wet a Mentsch aroys fun dir!
S'wet kostn fil mi un Mame's Trern,
bizvanen s'wet a Mentsch aroys fun dir!


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8.

Hey, Dzhankoye

Az men fort kine Sevastopol
Iz nit veit fun Simfereopol
Dortn iz a stantziye faran
Ver darf zuchen niye glikken
S'iz a stantziye an antikel
In Zhankoye, Dzahn, dzahn, dzahn

Hey Zhan, Hey Zhankoye,
Hey Zhanvili, hey Zhankoye,
Hey Zhankoye, dzahn, dzahn, dzahn

When you go from Sevastopol
On the way to Simferopol,
Just you go a little farther down.
There's a little railroad depot
Known quite well by all the people,
Called Zhankoye, Dzahn, dzahn, dzahn.
Hey Zhan...

Enfert Yidden of mine Kashe
Vi'z mine brider, vi'z Abrashe
S'gayt ba im der traktor vi a bahn.
Di mime Laye ba der kosilke
Bayle ba der molotilke
In Zhankoye, dzahn, dzahn, dzahn...

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(Em)Az men fort kine /Se-vas-to-pol
(A)Iz nit [Am]veit fun (Em)Sim-fere-o-pol
(Am)Dor-in [Em]iz a (Am)stan-tzi-ye fa- ran
(Em)Ver darf zu-chen /ni-ye glik-ken
(A)S'iz a [Am]Stan-tziye (Em)an an-ti-kel
(Am)In Zhan-[Em]ko-ye,) (Am)Dzahn, [B7]dzahn, (Am)dzahn . . / . . . .
(Am)Hey Zhan, (D7)Hey Zhan-ko-ye,
(Em)Hey Zhan-vi-li, (Bm)hey Zhan-ko-ye,
(Em)Hey Zhan-ko-ye, (Am)dzahn, [B7]dzahn, (Em)dzahn[C] . . (D) . . [Bm] . .
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Now if you look for paradise
You'll see it there before your eyes.
Stop your search and go no farther on.
There we have a collective farm
All run by husky Jewish arms
At Zhankoye, dzahn, dzahn, dzahn.

Ver zogt as Yidden kenen nor handlen,
Essen fette yoich mit mandlen
Nor nit zine kine arbetsman?
Doss kenen zogen nor di sonim
Yidden, shpite zay on in ponim!
Tit a kik of dzahn, dzahn, dzahn...

Aunt Natasha drives the tractor
Grandma runs the cream extractor
While we work we all can sing our songs.
Who says that Jews cannot be farmers?
Spit in his eye, who would so harm us.
Tell him of Zhankoye, dzahn, dzahn.

One other verse, by Edith Allaire:

Work together, all as brothers,
Jew and Gentile, White and Negro,
For that better world to come.
All must work, for work is good,
In work may man find brotherhood,
As in Zhankoye, dzahn, dzahn, dzahn...

Source: The People's Song Book (Waldemar Hille, 1948, page 46)
from Muscat
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9.
Rozhinkes mit Mandlen

Abraham Goldfaden (1840 -1908) Opera - Schulamis

In dem Beis-Hamikdosh
In
a vinkl cheyder

Zitst di almone, bas-tsion, aleyn

Ihr ben yochidle yideln vigt zi keseider

Un zingt im tzum shlofn a ledeleh sheyn.

Ai-lu-luUnter Yidele's vigele

Shteyt a klor-vays tsigele

Dos tsigele iz geforn handlen
Dos vet zayn dayn baruf

Rozhinkes mit mandlen

Slof-zhe, Yidele, shlof.



In dem lidl mayn kind,

Lign fil nevues 

Az du vest amol

zayn tsezeyt oyf der velt.

A soykher vest du zayn fun ale tvues, 

Un vest  fardinen in dem oykh fil gelt.

Ai-lu-lu


Un az du vest raykh yidele. 

Zolzt du zikh dermonen in dem  lidele.

Rozhinkes mit mandlen, 

Dos vet zayn dayn baruf.

Yidele vet  alts ding handlen, 

Shlof-zhe, Yidele, shlof.

English

In the Temple,
in a corner of a room, 
Sits the widowed daughter of Zion, alone.
She rocks her only son, Yidele, to sleep
With a sweet lullaby.
Ai-lu-lu

 Under Yidele's cradle
Stands a small white goat.
The goat travelled to sell his wares
This will be Yidele's calling, too.
Trading in raisins and  almonds.
Sleep, Yidele, sleep.

 In that song, my child, lie many wonders,
When you will at some time
Be scattered throughout the world
A merchant of all grains,
Earning from your trade a lot of money.
Ai-lu-lu

 And when you become  rich, Yidele, 
Remind yourself of this lullaby.
Raisins and almonds.
This will be your calling.
You'll be a merchant of all wares, 

But for now, sleep, Yidele, sleep.