Geven amol a yid mit a yidene
Words: Peretz Hirshbein (1880-1848); Music: Lazar Weiner (1897-1982)
See topic: "Shabbat"
| Geven a mol a yid mit a yidene, | Once upon a time lived a Jew and his wife |
| Kabtsonimlekh groyse vi di velt; | in great poverty; |
| Hobn zey tekhterlekh tsvey gehat, | They had two daughters |
| Nor on a groshn gelt. | But not a penny. |
| Oy, vu nemt men khotsh nadn, | Oh, where can one get a dowry |
| Di tekhter khasene makhn? | So that the daughters can marry? |
| Hert nor, hert, vos iz geshen - | Just listen to what happened |
| A mayse gornit tsum lakhn. | It's not a very happy tale. |
| Kumt oyf shabes an oyrekhl; | Once a guest came for Sabbath, |
| Efnt men breyt di tir far im. | The door was opned wide for him. |
| Un geven iz dos, ay, geven - | And it was - |
| Eyliyohu hanovi. | Elijah the Prophet. |
| Greyt men im fun al dos guts, | They prepared a delicious meal for him |
| Dos ort far im gelozn; | and gave him a place; |
| Nokh havdole shtil avek, | After Havdalah, he left quietly, |
| A brokhe ibergelozn. | Leaving them a blessing. |
| Emer milkh, taykhn vayn, rendlekh a yam | Pails of milk, rivers of wine, a sea of coins |
| Hot dos mazl zey gebrakht; | Fortune showered upon them. |
| Iz gevorn karg far zey di velt, | The world became too small for them. |
| Nit far keyn yidn gedakht. | May this never happen to you. |
| Gekumen iz di groyse shtrof | They were punished severely |
| far dem khet dem harbn; | for their sin; |
| Oysgerunen milkh un vayn, | The milk and the wine ran dry, |
| Fun rendlekh nor a sharbn. | Nothing remained of the coins. |
| Geven a mol a yid mit a yidene, | Once there lived a Jew and his wife |
| Kabtsonimlekh groyse vi di velt, | Beggars, very poor, |
| Hobn zey tekhterlekh tsvey gehat, | They had two daughters |
| Nor a groshn gelt ... | But not a penny ... |
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