Zumerteg
[Summer days]
by Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman
See lecture: "The Seasons"
| Avek, iz avek der zumertog yunger, | Gone, gone is the young summer day, |
| Bleter fargelte lign afn rog. | Yellowed leaves lie on the corner, |
| Un di rayoynes, alte khaloymes, | And the thoughts, old dreams, |
| Zey geyen tsurik tsum zumertog. | Return again to the summer day. |
| Rozever himl blot iber bergelekh, | Pink sky turns blue over the hills, |
| Beymer tsetsvaygte grin bay der zayt; | Green branched trees at the roadside; |
| Un di rayoynes, zise khaloymes, | And the thoughts, sweet dreams, |
| Goldene funken blishtsen fun vayt. | Golden sparks glitter from afar. |
| Vu iz es ven, du bist shteyn geblibn, | Where was it that you suddenly stopped |
| Arumgekukt zikh az shir nisht tsu shpet, | And realized – not a moment too soon? |
| Shir nisht farfaln, shir nisht farloyrn, | Nearly passed it, nearly lost it, |
| Shir nist farfelt di zumerteg. | Nearly missed the summer days. |
| Vuhin iz dos loyfn, vos iz dos ayln? | Where are they running, what is the rush? |
| Kop iber kop, ver vemen tsetret … | Crowded together, they tread on each other |
| Geyt men bazunder in shtile fartogn, | So you walk alone in quiet dawns, |
| Vu s'varemt dos likht fun di zumerteg. | Warmed by the light of the summer days. |
| Avek, iz avek der zumertog liber, | Gone, gone is the lovely summer, |
| Fargrot in a shkiye vu in a hek. | Turned gray in some distant sunset, |
| Un s'sheptshet di verbe, fun vintn gevigte, | And rocked by the wind, the willow whispers |
| A benkendik lid tsu diz zumerteg. | A longing song to the summer days. |