DONA, DONA (Zeitlin / Secunda)

Oyfn furl ligt dos kelbl,
Ligt gebundn mit a shtrik,
Hoykh in himl flit dos shvelbl,
Freyt zikh, dreyt zikh hin un krik.

Chorus:
  Lakht der vint in korn,
  Lakht un lakht un lakht,
  Lakht er op a tog a gantsn
  Mit a halber nakht.
  Dona, dona, dona, dona...

Shrayt dos kelbl, zogt der poyer:
Ver zhe heyst dikh zayn a kalb?
Volst gekert tsu zayn a foygl,
Volst gekert tsu zayn a shvalb.

(chorus)

Bidne kelber tut men bindn
Un men shlept zey un men shekht,
Ver s’hot fligl, flit aroyftsu,
iz bay keynem nit keyn knekht.

(chorus)

DONA, DONA (trans: Kevess / Schwartz)

On a wagon bound for market,
There’s a calf with a mournful eye.
High above him there’s a swallow
Winging swiftly through the sky.

Chorus:
  How the winds are laughing,
  They laugh with all their might,
  Laugh and laugh the whole day through,
  And half the summer’s night.
  Dona, dona, dona, dona…

“Stop complaining,” said the farmer,
“Who told you a calf to be,
Why don’t you have wings to fly with,
Like the swallow so proud and free?”

(chorus)

Calves are easily bound and slaughtered,
Never knowing the reason why,
But whoever treasures freedom,
Like the swallow has learned to fly.

(chorus)

OY, MAMMA! BIN IKH FARLIBTE! (Ellstein)

Ven er tsushpilt zikh oyf zayn fidl,
A sheyn hartsig Yidish lidl.
Oy, Mamma, vert mir gut on a shir.
Mit zayne sheyne shvartse oygn,
Hot er dan mir tsugetsoygn.
Oy, Mamma, voyl un gut iz mir.
Un ven er zogt, “Hey, du meydl,
Bist doch a zoy lib un eydl,”
Un zayn shpiln krikht in hartsn arayn,
Vilt zikh tantsn, vilt zikh zingen,
Oy gevalt ikh ver tsushpringen.
On im, oy ken ikh mer nit zayn.
Oy, Mamma, bin ikh farlibt. (2x)

A klezmer yingle, Mamma getrayer,
Ligt mir nor im zin.
Ikh veyn un lakh un veys nit, Mamma,
Oyf velcher velt ikh bin.
Oy, Mamma, bin ikh farlibt.
Oy, Mamma, bin ikh farlibt.
‘Khvolt di gantse velt arumgenumen,
Un tsugedrikt tsu zich.
Oy! Oy, Mamma, bin ikh farlibt!

OH, MAMA AM I IN LOVE! (trans: unknown)

When he starts playing on his fiddle,
I stop short right in the middle.
I’m happy as I can be.
And when I look into those dark eyes,
I can’t hold back all my sweet sighs.
Oy, Mamma, I wish you could only see.
And when he says, “Hey, girl, you’re really
Awfully good and so delightful,”
And then his music slips right in my heart.
I start dancing, I start singing,
Oh, my God, I just start tingling.
I hope that we will never part.
Oy, Mamma, am I in love. (2x)

That klezmer guy, Oh, my dear Mamma,
Is always on my mind.
I cry and laugh and I can’t tell you
If there is rain or shine.
Oy, Mamma, am I in love.
Oy, Mamma, am I in love.
I feel that I could take on the whole world
And make it work for me.
Oy! Oy, Mamma, am I in love.

DU MEYDEL, DU FAYNS (traditional)

Du meydele, du fayns, Du meydele, du sheyns,
Ich vel dir epes fregn, A retenish a kleyns:
Vos is hecher fun a hoyz?
Un vos iz flinker fun a moyz?

Du narisher bocher, du narisher chlop!
Host doch nit kayn seychl in dayn kop!
Der roych iz hecher fun a hoyz.
A katz iz flinker fun a moyz.

Du meydele du fayns, du meydele du sheyns,
Ich vel dir epes fregn, a retenish a kleyns:
Vos fara keyser iz on a land?
Un vos fara vaser iz on zamd?

Du narisher bocher, du narisher chlop!
Host doch nit keyn seychl in dayn kop!
Der keyser fun harts hot nit keyn land.
Trern fun di oygn zenen on zamd.

YOU PRETTY LITTLE GIRL (trans: unknown)

You pretty little girl, You apple of my eye,
I have a riddle for you, So answer it, please try:
What is taller than a house?
And what is faster than a mouse?

You foolish boy, well, you sure are so dense!
Don’t you have a bit of common sense?
For smoke is taller than a house.
A cat is faster than a mouse.

You pretty little girl, you apple of my eye,
I have a riddle for you, so answer it, please try:
Where is the king who has no land?
And where is the water without sand?

You foolish boy, you sure are so dense!
Don’t you have a bit of common sense?
The king of hearts, he has no land.
The tears that fall, they have no sand.

ZING SHTIL

S’hot mir mayn tate nokh kindvayz gezogt:
Gut iz tsu oyfshteyn baginen;
Un ver nor a harts un an oyer farmogt
Der vet shoyn a nign gefinen.

Chorus:
  Zing shtil, gor shtil,
  Az keyner khuts undz zol nit hern,
  Un zol undz farvign der hartsiker nign
  Biz ayndrimlen veln di shtern,

Ikh hob mayn tatn dem klugn gefolgt,
Un zayne werter banumen;
Ikh hob oyf di felder baym feygishn folk,
Dem nign dem shenstn gefunen.

(chorus)

SING SOFTLY (trans: R. Wave)

My father told me when I was a child
It’s good to get up with the dawn,
And who but possesses a heart and an ear
Will surely discover a song.

Chorus:
  Sing soft, so soft,
  So you and you only can hear it,
  And let the sweet melody tenderly rock us
  ‘Til the stars fall asleep in the new light.

I listened well to my father’s advice
And took his wise words to heart
I found the most beautiful melody
From the birds out in the fields

(chorus)

DIE GRINE KUZINE (Prizant / Schwartz)

Tzu mir iz gekumen a kuzine,
Shein vie gold iz sie geven die grine.
Beckelach vie roite pomerantzen,
Fiselach vus beyten sich tzum tantzen,
  (repeat last 2 lines of each verse)

Nisht gegangen iz zi nor geshprungen,
Nisht geret hot zi nor gezungen.
Lebedik un freylekh yeder mine,
Ot azoy geven iz mayn kuzine.

Un azoy ariber zaynen yorn,
Fun mayn kuzine iz atel gevoren.
Peydis hot zi yorn lang geklibn,
Biz fun ir iz gornisht nit geblibn.

Haynt az ikh bagegn mayn kuzine,
Un ikh freg ir, “‘s’makhstu epes grine?”
Zifst zi op un ikh leyn in der mine —
“Brenen zol Columbus’s medine.”

THE GREENHORN COUSIN (trans: unknown)

Have you heard about my greenhorn cousin?
She has boys around her by the dozen.
Her red and rosy cheeks just draw your glance in,
Her dainty feet just begging to go dancin’.
  (repeat last 2 lines of each verse)

And when she walked, it seemed like she was dancin’,
And when she talked, her voice was so entrancin’.
Pretty as a doll, you should ‘a seen ‘er,
That’s how I remember my kuzine.

As time went by, I saw my greenhorn cousin,
Working day and night, it seemed for nothin’.
Her payday checks just barely had her eatin’,
A life of toil just simply had her beaten.

Not long ago, I saw my greenhorn cousin,
And I asked her, “Grine, so what’s buzzin’?”
She sighed and said, “The sweatshop has undone me,
Curses on Columbus’ discovery.”

KUM AHER, DU FILOZOF (traditional)

Kum aher, du filozof
Mit dayn kortzn maychl
Un zets zich tsu tsum rebn’s tish
Dort vestu lernen seychl.
Yam, bam, bam, bam…

A damfshif hostu oysgeklert
Un nemst zich mit dem iber;
Der Rebe shpreyt zayn tichl oys
Un shpant dem yam ariber.
Yam, bam, bam, bam...

A luft-balon hostu oysgetracht
Un meynst du bist a chorets;
Der Rebe shpot, der Rebe lacht—
Er darf dos oyf kapores.
Yam, bam, bam, bam...

Tsu veystu vos der Rebe tit
Beshas er zitst bi’ychides—
In eyn minut er in himl flit
Un pravet dort shalesh-sides.
Yam, bam, bam, bam...

COME HERE YOU PHILOSOPHER (trans: T. Bikel)

Come here, you philosopher,
You with your short-sighted brain,
Come and sit by the Rabbi’s table
So you may learn some sense.
Yam, bam, bam, bam…

You thought up the steamship,
And pride yourself on this achievement,
Our Rabbi spreads out his handkerchief,
And with it spans the ocean.
Yam, bam, bam, bam …

You invented an air- balloon,
And think you’re really something,
Our Rabbi scoffs, our Rabbi laughs,
He needs no help with flying.
Yam, bam, bam, bam …

Do you know what our Rabbi does
When no one else is with him?
He flies to heaven instantly
And eats his Sabbath dinner.
Yam, bam, bam, bam …

DER REBE ELIMELECH (traditional)

Az der Rebe Elimelech
Iz gevoren zear freylach
Iz gevoren zear freylach, Elimelech,
Hot er oysgeton di tfilen
Un hot ongeton di brilen
Un hot geshikt noch di fidlers di tsvey.

Un az di fideldike fidlers hobn fideldik gefidelt
Hobn fideldik gefidelt hobn zey. (2x)

Un az der Rebe Elimelech
Iz gevoren noch mer freylach
Iz gevoren noch mer freylach, Elimelech
Hot er oysgeton dem hitl
Un hot ongeton dem kitl
Un hot geshikt noch di tsimblers di tsvey.

Un az di tsimbeldike tsimblers...

Un az der Rebe Elimelech
iz gevoren gor gor freylach
Iz gevoren gor gor freylach, Elimelech

Hot er zich gemacht havdole
Un hot geshikt rifn dem shames Naftole
Un hot geshikt noch di payklers di tsvey.
Un az di paykeldike payklers...

THE RABBI ELIMELECH (trans: T. Bikel)

When the Rabbi Elimelech
Felt a happy mood upon him,
Felt a happy mood upon him, Elimelech,
He took off his phylacteries
And put on his glasses
And sent for the two fiddlers.

And the fiddling fiddlers fiddled in a fiddling way,
In a fiddling way the fiddling fiddlers fiddled. (2x)

When the Rabbi Elimelech
Felt happier still,
Felt happier still, the Rabbi Elimelech
He took off his mantle,
And put on his cap,
And sent for the two cimbalom players. And the cimbalom players...

And when the Rabbi Elimelech
Felt very happy indeed,
Felt very happy indeed, did Elimelech,

He said Havdole,
Called for the beadle, Naftole,
And called for the two drummers.
And the drummers...

YANKELE (traditional)

Shlofzhe mir shoyn, Yankele, mayn sheyner
Di eygelech di shvartsinke mach tsu
A yingele vos hot shoyn ale tseyndelech
Zol noch di mame zingen aylyulyu?
  (repeat last 2 lines of each verse)

A yingele vos vakst a Talmid-chochem
Un a geniter soycher oych tsuglaych
A yingele, a kluger chosen-bocher
Zol ligen azoy nas vi in a taych?

Nu shlof-zhe mir, mayn kluger chosen-bocher
Dervayl ligstu in vigele bay mir.
S’vet kosten noch fil mi un mame’s trern
Bizvanen s’vet a mensh aroys fun dir.

YANKELE (trans: T. Bikel)

Sleep, my little son, my boy, my only one
Quickly, baby, sleep and close your eyes
To a big &strapping boy like you why should your ma
Be sitting here and singing lullabies?
  (repeat last 2 lines of each verse)
A genius boy, who’ll be a famous lawyer
And for him soon we’ll bake a wedding cake
Think of your ma, oh why must you annoy her—
And how much wetting can your bedding take?

So sleep, my bridegroom, little lawyer, slumber
For your success we’ll wait a few more years
Until with great and wise men you can number
We’ll have to do much work and shed some tears.

DER NAYER SHER (Ellstein)

Hey, du klezmer nemdem fidl,
Shpil dem naye lidl,
Tantsn vet men dem nayem sher.
In a karahod men dreyt zikh,
Un dos harts der freyt zikh,
Nor ven men tanst dem nayem sher.
Hekher, hekher biz di stelye,
Shpringt der zeyde Elye.
Es vilt zikh lebn im vos mer.
Un di bobe Sosye, kvelt fun nakhes,
Sonim oyf tsulokhes,
Tantsn vet men dem nayem sher.
Ny, zet, nor zet vi yeder freyt zikh
Un vi men dreyt zikh,
Un men tupet mit di fis.
Dos harts tsegeyt, nor tantsen bet zikh
Vayl ven men tantst vert
Dan dos lebn azoy zis.
Freylekh zayn atsind darfn mir ale,
Troyrik zayn dos vert men shoyn nisht mer.
Vayl bazetsn vet men bald di kale,
Un tantsn vet men gor dem nayem sher.

THE LATEST DANCE (trans: unknown)

Hey, there, klezmer, grab your fiddle,
Play the latest number,
We’ll play and dance the latest sher.
All go in a circle dancing,
With your spirit racing,
Now when we dance the latest sher
Higher, higher to the ceiling,
Grandpa Elye’s reeling.
No one can just sit in his chair.
And Grandma Sosye brims with joy,
She laughs away her troubles
While she can dance the latest sher.
Oh see, just see, how they get happy,
When they are dancing,
And they’re stomping with their feet.
Our hearts get lighter as we keep dancing,
For when we’re dancing, that’s when
Life is really sweet.
Now’s the time for us to get together,
Show the world that we don’t have a care.
The bride will dance as lightly as a feather,
And we’ll all join her in the latest sher.

ROZHINKES MIT MANDLEN (Goldfaden)

In dem beys ha mikdash in a vinkl cheyder,
Zitst di almone, bat Tsion aleyn.
Ir ben yochidl Yidele vigt zi keseyder,
Un zingt im tsum shlofn a lidele sheyn:

Untern yidele’s vigele,
Shteyt a klorvays tsigele.
Dos tsigele iz geforn handlen,
Dos vet zayn dayn baruf.
Rozhinkes Mit Mandlen,
Shlofzhe, yidele, shlof. (2x)

Es vet kumen a tsayt fun ayznbanen,
Zey veln farfleytsn a halbe velt;
Ayzerne vegn vestu oysshpanen,
Un vest in dem oych fardinen fil gelt.

Un az du vest vern raych, Yidele,
Zolstu zikh dermonen in dem lidele,
Rozhinkes mit mandlen,
Dos vet zayn dayn baruf.
Yidele vet alts handlen,
Shlofzhe, Yidele, shlof (2x)

RAISINS & ALMONDS (trans: T. Bikel)

In a corner of the Temple
The widowed daughter of Zion sits,
Rocking her only son Yidele to sleep.
She sings a tender lullaby:

Under Yidele’s cradle
Stands a snow-white kid.
The kid has been to market.
That will be Yidele’s calling, too
Trading in raisins and almonds.
Sleep now, Yidele, sleep. (2x)

There will come a time of railroads.
They will cover half the earth
You’ll travel the iron roads
And on them you will earn great wealth.

But even when you are rich, Yidele,
Remember your mother’s lullaby.
Trading in raisins and almonds.
That will be your calling
Yidele will be a great merchant
Sleep now, Yidele, sleep. (2x)

ZHANKOYO (traditional)

Az men fort kayn Sevastopol,
Is nit vayt fun Simferopol,
Dortn iz a stantsie faran.
Ver darf zuchn naye glikn?
S’iz a stantsie an antikl,
In Zhankoye, zhan, zhan, zhan.

Refrain:
  Hey zhan, hey Zhankoye,
  Hey Zhanvili, hey Zhankoye,
  Hey Zhankoye, zhan, zhan, zhan.

Entfert yidn oyf mayn kashe,
Vu’z mayn bruder, vu’z abrasha?
S’geyt bay im der trakter vi a ban.
Di Mume Leye bay der kosilke,
Beyle bay der molotilke,
In Zhankoye, zhan, zhan, zhan.

  (refrain)

Ver zogt as yidn konen nor handlen
Esn fete yoych mit mandlen,
Nor nit zayn kayn arbetsman?
Dos konen zogn nor di sonim!
Yidn! Shpeyt zey on in ponim!
Tut a kuk oyf zhan, zhan, zhan!

  (refrain)

ZHANKOYE (trans: T. Bikel)

On the road to Sevastopol,
Not too far from Simferopol,
There’s a railroad station.
Why go looking high and low?
There’s no finer station, no!
Than Zhankoye, zhan, zhan, zhan.

Refrain:
  Hey zhan, hey Zhankoye,
  Hey Zhanvili, hey Zhankoye,
  Hey Zhankoye, zhan, zhan, zhan.

Tell me brothers, if you can,
Where’s Abrasha? Where’s that man?
His tractor’s racing like a fan.
Aunt Leye is at the reaper,
And Beyle is at the thresher,
In Zhankoye, zhan, zhan, zhan.

  (refrain)

Who says Jews can only trade,
Eat fat soups and not create,
Nor be sturdy workingmen?
Enemies can talk like that!
Jews! Let’s spit right in their eye!
Just you look at zhan, zhan, zhan.

  (refrain)

A BRIVELE DER MAM’N (Shmulowitz)

Mayn kind, mayn treyst, du forst a vek
Te zay a zun a guter
Dikh bet mit trern un mit shrek
Dayn traye libe muter.
Du forst mayn kind, mayn eyntsik kind
Ariber vayte yamen,
Akh kum a hin nor frish gezunt
Un nit farges dayn mamen.
Oy for gezunt, un kum mit glik,
Ze yede vokh, a brivl shik
Dayn mames harts mayn kind derkvik.

Chorus:
  A brivele der mamen
  Zolstunit farzamen
  Shrayb geshvind libes kind
  Shenk ir di nekhome,
  Di mame vet dayn brivel lezn
  Un zi vert genezn
  Heylst ir shmerts ir biter hartz
  Derkvikst ir di neshome.

Dos akhte yor ikh bin aleyn
Mayn kind iz vayt farshvumen
Zayn kindersh harts iz hart vi shteyn
Kayn eyntsik briv bakumen
Vi ken mayn kind, gor hobn mut
Vi geyt im ayn dos lebn
Es muz im geyn dort zeyer gut
Vayl er keyn nakhrikht gebn
Kh’hob im geshikt a hundert briv
Un er hot nokh keyn shum bagrif
Az mayne shmertsn zenen tif.

(chorus)

A LETTER TO MAMA (trans: R. Wave)

My child, my comfort, you’re going off
To be a proper son
I say goodbye with tears and cries,
Your loving, faithful mother.
You cross, my child, my only child,
A river wide, an ocean.
Oh, come back soon, and in good health
And don’t forget your mama.
Oh travel safe, and with good luck,
And send a letter every week
To mend your mama’s broken heart.

Chorus:
  A little letter to your mama,
  Above all don’t forget to send her.
  Write with haste, darling child,
  Tell her how you’re doing.
  Your mama will read every letter,
  And she’ll feel so much better.
  Heal her pain, her bitter heart
  Soothe her soul and write her.

For eight long years I’ve been alone,
My child has swum the ocean.
His childish heart is hard as stone
Not one word has he written.
How is my child, I must be brave,
Is his new life a happy one?
It must be going very well,
For he has told me nothing.
I’ve written him a hundred times,
And I’ve received not one reply,
My grief grows deeper every day.

(chorus)

YID’L MIT’N FID’L (Manger / Ellstein)

Iber felder, vegn, oyf a vogn hey,
Mit zun unvint un regn, forn klezmer tsvey.
A khidish, oy, a khidish! Zog, ver zeynen zey?

Chorus:
  Yid’l mitn fid’l, Arye mitn bas,
  Dos leb’n iz a lid’l,
  To vozhe zayn in kas, hey!
  Yid’l, fid’l, shmidl, hey,
  Dos leb’n iz a shpas! Hey!

A tsig shteyt oyf der lonke un meket troyrik: me!
Hey, du tsig, du shoyte, troyrik zayn iz fe!
Shokit er dos berdl: Take, take, fe!

(chorus)

A foygl flit: gutmorgn, Gutmorgn, a gut yor!
Di troyer un di zorgn tsu al di shvartse yor!
Dem vint a lakh in ponem un yidl, yidl, for!

(chorus)

YID’L WITH A FIDDLE (trans: unknown)

O’er the fields and roads, on a wagon full of hay,
With sun and wind and rain, two klezmers ride along
Hey, what a surprise! Say, who could they be?

Chorus:
  Yid’l with his fiddle, Ari with his bass,
  Life is just a song,
  So why the angry face
  Yid’l, fiddle, shmiddle, hey!
  The world’s a happy place!

A goat stands in the meadow bleating sadly - meh!
Hey, you silly billy goat, to be so sad is - feh!
He grabs him by the beard and says: Well, same to you!

(chorus)

A bird soars overhead, Good morning to you all!
The sadness and the worries, to blazes with them all!
The wind is in your face, but Yid’l, laugh and travel on!

(chorus)

TUM-BALALAIKA (traditional)

Shteyt a bocher un er tracht
Tracht un tracht a gantse nacht:
Vemen tsu nemen un nit farshemen? (2x)

Refrain:
  Tum-bala, tum-bala, tum-balalaika, (2x)
  Tum-balalaika, shpil balalaika,
  Tum-balalaika, freylik zol zayn.

Meydl, meydl, ch’vel bay dir fregn:
Vos kon vaksn, vaksn on regn?
Vos kon brenen un nit oyfhern?
Vos kon benken, benken on trern?

(refrain)

Narisher bocher, vos darfstu fregn?
A shteyn kon vaksn, vaksn on regn.
Libe kon brenen, un nit oyfhern.
A harts kon benken, veynen on trern.

(refrain)

TUM-BALALAIKA (trans: unknown)

A lad stood thinking all the night through,
Thinking, thinking, what to do?
Whose heart to take? Whose heart not to break? (2x)

Refrain:
  Tum-bala, tum-bala, tum-balalaika, (2x)
  Tum-balalaika, shpil balalaika,
  Tum-balalaika, happy we’ll be.

Maiden, maiden, tell me true,
What can grow, without the dew?
What can burn for years and years?
What can cry and shed no tears?

(refrain)

Silly lad, here’s the answer true:
A stone can grow, grow without dew.
Love can burn for years and years.
A heart can cry and shed no tears.

(refrain)

SHA! SHTIL! (traditional)

Chorus:
  Sha! shtil! Macht nisht keyn gerider!
  Der Rebe geyt shoyn tantsen vider.
  Sha! shtil! Macht nisht keyn gevalt!
  Der Rebe geyt shoyn tantsSen bald.

Un az der Rebe tantst, tantsen doch di vent;
Lomir ale plyesken mit di hent.

(chorus)

Un az der Rebe tantst, tantst doch mit der tish.
Lomir ale tupen mit di fis.

(chorus)

Un az der Rebe zingt Dem Heylign nign,
Blaybt der Sotn a toyter lign.

(chorus)

HUSH! QUIET! (English: T. Bikel)

Chorus:
  Hush! Quiet! Don’t make a commotion!
  The Rabbi’s going to dance again.
  Hush! Quiet! Silence all the noise!
  The Rabbi is about to dance.

And when the Rabbi dances the walls dance with him,
So let us all clap our hands.

(chorus)

And when the Rabbi dances the table dances too.
So let us all stamp our feet.

(chorus)

And when the Rabbi sings The Holy melody,
The Devil lies a corpse upon the floor.

(chorus)

ZOG NIT KEYNMOL (Glik / Pokras)

Zog nit keynmol as du geyst dem letztn veg,
Chotsh himlen blayene farshteln bloye teg,
Vayl kumen vet noch undzer oysgebenkte sho,
Es vet a poyk ton undzer trot: mir zeynen do!
   (repeat last 2 lines of each verse)

Fun grinem palmen-land biz vaytn land fun shney,
Mir kumen on mit undzer payn, mit unzer vey,
Un vu gefaln s’iz a shprits fun undzer blut,
Shprotsn vet dort undzer gvure, undzer mut.

Dos lid geshriben iz mit blut un nit mit blay,
S’iz nit a lidl fun a foygl oyf der fray.
Dos hot a folk ts’vishn falndike vent
Dos lid gezungen mit naganes in di hent!

DON’T EVER SAY (trans: unknown)

Oh, never say that you have reached the very end,
Though leaden skies a bitter future may portend.
Because the hour for which we yearned will yet arrive
And our marching steps will thunder: We survive!
   (repeat last 2 lines of each verse)

From land of palm trees to the land of distant snow,
We are here, with our pain, with our woe,
And wherever our blood was shed in pain,
Our fighting spirits will resurrect again.

Not lead, but blood, inscribed this song we sing,
It’s not a caroling of birds upon the wing.
But ’twas a people midst the crashing fires of hell,
That sang this song, and fought courageous till it fell!

A BIS’L LIBE, UN A BISELE GLIK (Rumshinsky / Picon)

Ven ikh ben geven akind
Gedenk ikh punkt vi a tzind
Geven iz mir da-moltst gut
Gevust hob ikh dan fun kayn zorg nit

Ven ikh bin gevorn groys,
Ikh bin in der velt aroys.
Gezen vi mentchn zey zaynen farshtelt,
Gevorn iz mir fintster mayn velt.

A bis’l libe un a bisele glik,
Di zun zol shaynen
Nor oyf eyn oygnblik
Ven ikh zol kenen in mayn
Hartz arayn Brengen zonnenshayn
oyf eyn minit

A bisl libe un a bisele glik
Di zun zol shaynen
Nor oyf eyn oygnblik
Der liber Got hot yedn gegebn
Azoy fil glik in lebn
Nor mir keyn zakh nit.

A LITTLE LOVE AND A LITTLE LUCK (trans: R. Wave)

When I was a little child,
I still can recall the time,
Ah, those were the good old days.
I knew not a care nor a worry.

When I was at last full grown
I wandered the world around
Seeing how people are hollow and false,
My world was a darker place.

A little love, and just a morsel of luck,
Why can’t the sun shine
Just a little for me?
When in my heart the rain is
Falling down,
Bring the sun around a minute, please.

A little love, and just a morsel of luck,
Why can’t the sun shine
Just a little for me?
To every one our dear lord has given
A bit of luck in living,
Don’t deny me mine.