Mit farmakhte oygn
[With closed eyes]
From: Di reyd funem shnayder-gezeln Note Manger tsum poet
[Tailor-Apprentice Note Manger's Speech to the Poet]
Text by Itsik Manger (1948)
Melody by Nurit Hirsh
[Thanks to Ruth Levin for help in translating this song]
[See lecture: The Golden Peacock]
| Mit farmakhte oygn | With closed eyes |
| herstu nenter dem yam, | the sea sounds closer, |
| Mit fiberndike finger | With feverish fingers |
| filstu gringer dem gram. | you feel the rhyme more easily. |
| Di goldene pave | The golden peacock |
| derkenstu in fli, | you recognize in flight, |
| Un a benkshaft vert shener | And yearning is lovelier |
| ven zi iz fun nisht-hi. | when it is from somewhere else. |
| Di midkeyt vert mider | Weariness becomes more weary |
| bay der shvel fun a hoyz, | at the threshold of a house, |
| Ven du knist filstu sharfer | When you kneel you feel more sharply |
| az got iz groys. | that God is great. |
| Got kivyokhl iz groys | God the Invisible is great, |
| haynt punkt vi a mol, | today just as before, |
| Nisht vayl er dunert in himl | Not because He thunders in heaven |
| nor vayl er khlipet in tol. | but because He sobs in the valley. |
| Az voyl iz tsu dem | Happy is the person |
| vos hot dos khlipen derhert, | who has heard the sobbing, |
| Dir iz aza herung | You were fated |
| gevezn bashert. | to have such hearing. |
| Un a trer iz gefaln | And a tear has fallen |
| in dayn gemit. | upon your spirit, |
| Un mit vund un mit vunder | And with wound and with wonder |
| zikh tseblit in dayn lid. | it has flourished in your song. |
