Amol iz geven a mayse
[Once upon a time there was a story] [See lecture: Kings and Queens] | |
| Amol iz geven a mayse, | Once upon a time there was a story, |
| Di mayse iz gornit freylekh, | The story is not happy, |
| Di mayse heybt zikh onet | The story began |
| Mit a yidishn meylekh. | With a Jewish king. |
| Lyulinke mayn feygele, | Hush, my little bird, |
| Lyulinke mayn kind, | Hush, my child, |
| Kh'hob ongevoyrn aza libe, | I have lost such a love, |
| Vey iz mir un vind. | Oh, woe is me. |
| Der meylekh hot gehat a malke, | The king had a queen, |
| Di malke hot gehat a vayngortn, | The queen had a vineyard, |
| In vayngortn iz geven a beymele, | In the vineyard was a tree, |
| Lyulinke, mayn kind. | Hush, my child. |
| Dos beymele hot gehat a tsvaygele, | The tree had a branch, |
| Oyfn tsvaygele iz geven a nestele, | On the branch was a nest. |
| In nestele hot gelebt a feygele, | In the nest lived a bird, |
| Lyulinke, mayn kind. | Hush, my child. |
| Lyulinke, mayn feygele ... | Hush, my little bird ... |
| Der meylekh iz opgeshtorbn, | The king died, |
| Di malke iz gevorn fardorbn, | The queen became desolate, |
| Dos tsvaygele iz opgebrokhn, | The branch broke, |
| Dos feygele fun nest antlofn. | The bird flew away from the nest. |
| Vu nemt men aza khokhem | Where can one find a wise person |
| Er zol kenen di shtern tseyln? | That can count the stars? |
| Vu nemt men aza dokter, | Where can one get a doctor |
| Er zol kenen mayn harts heyln? | Who can heal my heart? |
| Lyulinke, mayn feygele ... | Hush, my little bird ... |
Source: Vinkoventzky, A., Kovner, A. & Leichter, S. Anthology of Yiddish Folksongs. Volume I. Magnes Press, Jerusalem, 1989. P.118.
