בית

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!