A Zuniker Shtral
[A Ray of the Sun]
by Mordechai Gebirtig
(Translated by Hadassah Haskale with Sinai Leichter)
See Lecture: The Seasons
| A zuniker shtral iz aroyf oyf mayn bet, | A ray of the sun has appeared on my bed, |
| Fun libinken friling der ershter shtafet, | Of loveliest springrime the first augury, |
| Un tsertlekh genumen mikh vekn, | And gently to wake me is beckoning: |
| "Shtey oyf, mentsh, es togt shoyn, | "Get up man, it's day now, |
| Der hon hot gekrayt!" | the cock has cried out!" |
| Der friling, der melekh fun libe un freyd, | And springtime, the king of the heart and delight |
| Er kumt on fun ale fir ekn ... | Has lit on all things roundabout. |
| "Shtey oyf, mentsh! Es togt shoyn!" | "Get up man, it's day now!" |
| Der shtral tsu mir redt - | The ray says to me - |
| Un varem - mit libe mikh tsertlt un glet: | With touches so tender and light whispering: |
| "Aroys gey, farshpreyt di yedie - | "Get going and spread the tidings - |
| S'vet bald un gikh kumen oyf vald un feld, | Deliverence is coming to woods and fields, |
| Oyf ale min feygl, oyf mentsh un oyf velt, | For all of the birds, for mankind and the world, |
| Di lang shoyn dervarte yeshue." | The long sought salvation is nigh." |
| "Shtey oy, mentsh! Es togt shoyn!" | "Get up man, it's day now!" |
| Der shtral tsu mir redt, | The ray says to me, |
| Ot shpant shoyn mit freyd, mit a shtraln-buket, | With touches so tender and light whispering |
| Der friling, der onzog fun fridn, | Of springtime, the season of peace, |
| Bald vet fun zayn blik zikh tseblien dos feld | Soon releasing on fields bright flowers unfurled |
| Un likhtik un fray vet bald vern di velt - | And sunny and free will soon |
| Far ale! Un oykh far aykh, yidn." |
Source: Leichter, Sinai. Anthology of Yiddish Folksongs. Vol.5: The Mordechai Gebirtig Volume. Jerusalem, Hebrew University, 2000
