Di khasene
See lecture: "Jewish Weddings"
See video by Leibu Levin: "Tsu der khupe"
| 1. Es rasht un zidt der unterhalt | The rejoicing is noisy, seething, |
| Me hot kimat fargesn - | We almost forgot - |
| Khosn-kale fastn, gevalt, | The bride and groom are fasting, oy! |
| Zey viln beyde esen! | They'll both want to eat! |
| Shrayt der badkhn: Oy-oy-oy! | The jester shouts: Hey! |
| Libe mekhutonem, | Dear in-laws, |
| Halt dem oylm nit azoy, | don't delay, |
| Me falt shoyn oyfn ponem. | We're feeling faint with hunger. |
| Shoyn tsayt tsu shteln di khupe, | It's time to set up the canopy, |
| Di khupe, di khupe, | The "chupah", the "chupah", |
| Shoyn tsayt tsu shteln di khupe, | It's time to get |
| Di khupe, nu shoyn, nu! | the "chupah" ready! |
| 2. Danken got zikh opgekrigt | 2. Thank God the two sides |
| Shoyn di tsdadim beyde, | have already fought it out, |
| Atsinder, yidn, nor gerikt | Quickly, friends, let's go |
| Tsu der khupe, heyde! | straight to the canopy! |
| S'vartn dortn bay der shul, | At the synagogue, |
| Khevre maysim-tovim, | "do-gooders" are waiting, |
| Yingen, meydn, azoy fil, | Young men and women |
| Shtipn, rashn, voyven. | are pushing and shoving noisily. |
| Plutsem, koylos shtil shoyn, | Suddenly, voices are still, |
| Me geyt shoyn, me rikt shoyn, | We're going, we're moving, |
| Plutsem koylos shtil shoyn, | Suddenly voices are quiet - |
| Me geyt shoyn, m'iz shoyn do! | We're already there! |
| 3. Faroys klezmer ershte klas, | 3. In front are first-class klezmers, |
| Fidler - Moyshe Rimpel, | Fiddler - Moyshe Rimpel, |
| Khayim-Yokl mit dem bas, | Chaim-Yokl - bass, |
| Berl mit dem tsimbl. | Berl with the cimbalon. |
| Klapt Avreyml oyf der poyk, | Avreyml's striking the drum, |
| Yone mit di tatsn; | Yone the chimes, |
| Wolf trumeyter git a hoykh, | Wolf's playing the trumpet, |
| Es hilkht in ale gasn: | All the streets are resounding: |
| Ta-ta-ta-ta, ta-ta-ta | Ta-ta-ta-ta, ta-ta-ta |
| Ta-ta-ta, ta-ta, | Ta-ta-ta, ta-ta, |
| Ta-ta-ta-ta, ta-ta-ta | Ta-ta-ta-ta, ta-ta-ta |
| Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta! | Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta! |
| 4. Itster geyn kol-miney adets, | 4. Now all the important people, |
Ful a gantse makhne, | A whole tribe of them, |
| Mekhutn Zerakh, mekhutn Zets, | Uncle Zerach, Uncle Zets, |
| Mekhutn Sholem Shakhne. | Uncle Sholem Shachna. |
| Prakht a yidene mit tsvey berd, | Here's a lady with two chins, |
| Breyt vi Noyekhs teyve, | As broad as Noah's ark, |
| Oysgetsirt vi dem keysers ferd. | Decorated like the kayser's horses - |
| Ver iz di nekeyve? | Who is this woman? |
| Dos iz der kales mame, | This is the bride's mother, |
| Di mame, di mame, | The mother, the mother, |
| Dos iz der kales mame, | That's the bride's mother, |
| Di mame, an antik. | The mother, a rarity! |
| 5. Itst geyt eyner opgerut, | There goes somebody |
| Shive, Shive, Shivke, | very complacently, |
| Un zayn beykhl iz gut genit, | His belly is well cared for, |
| S'iz motn Zipke. | It's Uncle Zipke. |
| Itst shpant eyner ongeton | Here comes somebody |
| In a rozevulke, | dressed in a rozevulke, |
| A kapote in a shtram, | A kapote and a fur-trimmed hat, |
| A shtekn mit a gulke. | a walking stick with a knob. |
| Dos iz undzer "Reyfl", | It's our Rafael, |
| Dos Reyfl, dos Reyfl, | Rafael, Rafael, |
| Dos iz undzer Reyfl, | It's our Rafael, |
| Reyfele, der rov. | Rafael the rabbi. |
| 6. Itst shpant eyner ongeton, | 6. Here comes somebody |
| Futer malbush godl, | dressed in a fur coat, |
| A kapote un a shtram | A kapote and a shtreimel |
| Ersht gey fun der nodl. | newly stitched. |
| Tsvey, tsi dray hor in der bord, | Two, three hairs in his beard |
| Peyelekh - nishkoshe, | His sideboards - not bad, |
| Dakht zikh mir er iz partoret - | He looks preoccupied - |
| Er khazrt zikh di droshe. | He's going over his speech. |
| Hura! Es geyt der khosn, | Hurray, it is the bridegroom, |
| Der khosn, der khosn! | The groom, the groom, |
| Hura! Es geyt der khosn, | Hoory! Here comes the groom, |
| Der khosn, der "khasan"! | The bridegroom. |
| 7. Firt men vi a blinde ku | 7. Lead like a blind cow, |
| Epes eyns a meydl, | She was once a young girl, |
| Dos ponim mit a dektokh tsu | She's now covered up with a cloth |
| Fun hintn mit a veydl. | and a veil. |
| Dakht zikh mir azoy kimat, | I think I see her |
| Zi visht zikh di oygn, | wiping her eyes, |
| Fayft dos fleytelen a zayt | The flutes start playing a dance, |
| Glaykh vi s'volt zi fregn: | just when we'd like to ask her: |
| "Kalenyu, vos veynstu? | Bride, why are you crying? |
| Vos veynstu? Vos veynstu? | Crying, crying, |
| Kalenyu, vos veynstu? | Bride, why are you crying? |
| Vos veynstu, kalenyu?" | Bride, what's up? |
| 8. Voszshe veynstu gor atsind, | 8. Why are you suddenly crying |
| Far dem khupe-ringl? | at the chupah, |
| Oy, dos sheyne libe kind | Oh, that lovely beautiful child |
| Libt an ander yingl. | loves another boy. |
| Ire yinge yor farmiyust, | Her young years are wasted, |
| Hot men ir oyf tomid, | now and always, |
| Fayft dos fleytl azoy zis - | The flutes are playing so sweetly |
| Es tsipt aroys di neshome: | The soul is moved: |
| Sheyn iz er gevezn, | He was so handsome, |
| Gevezn, gevezn, | so handsome, so handsome, |
| Sheyn iz er gevezn, | He was so good-looking, |
| Gevezn iz er sheyn! | He was really handsome. |
| 9. Kuk nor, meydele, nit vayt, | |
| Shteyt far dir der keyver, | |
| Kuk nor dortn dem khasan, | |
| Er rirt nit mit keyn eyver. | |
| Tsindt hovdoles on a shir, | |
| Khasn, oy, a zingl, | |
| Arumgedreyt zikh zibn mol, | |
| Ir ongeton dos ringl. | |
| Trakh, tseknapt a gleyzl, | |
| A gleyzl, a gleyzl, | |
| Trakh, tseknapt a gleyzl, | |
| A hertsele a kleyns. | |
| 10. Efsher tut gor got a nes, | |
| Vi se shteyt in bikhlekh, | |
| Meydele, farges, farges, | |
| In di kinder-shikhlekh! | |
| Kuk, di mame halt dort fest | |
| Dem tatn dem meyukhes - | |
| Skripet unter im der bas | |
| Beyz vi toyznt rukhes: | |
| A yidishe moyd bagrobn, | |
| Bagrobn, bagrobn, | |
| A yidishe moyd bagrobn, | |
| Tsu alde gute yor! | |
| 11. Khantse-Khaye, di gebayte, | |
| S'tantst oyf ir der tshipik, | |
| Hefket di mekhuteyneste, | |
| Der mekhutn mit dem pipik; | |
| Geloybt iz der, mit zayn gever, | |
| Vos tut eybik lebn! | |
| Kh'bin mit mazl gevorn a shver, | |
| Di mezinke oysgegebn! | |
| Mazl tov undz ale, | |
| Undz ale, undz ale! | |
| Mazl tov undz ale! | |
| Undz ale mazl tov! |

