English Lyrics

Shlof zhe mir shoyn yankele mayn sheyner,
Di eygelach di shvartzinke mach tsu.
A yingele vos hot shoyn ale tseyndelekh,
Muz nokh di mame zingen: ay lyu lyu

A yingele vos hot shoyn ale tseyndelekh
Un vet mit mazel bald in cheyder geyn
Un lernen vet er, Chumesh un gemore,
Zol veynen ven di mame vigt im ayn?

A yingele vos lernen vet gemore
Ot shteyt der tate, kvelt un hert zikh tsu,
A yingele vos vakst a talmid-chochem,
Lozt gantse nacht der mamen nit tsuru?

A yingele vos vakst a talmid-chochem
Un a geniter soycher oych tsuglaych
A yingele a kluger khosn bokher
Zo lign azoy nas, vi in a taych?

Nu shlof-zhe mir, mayn kluger khosn bokher -
Dervayl ligstu in vigele bay mir,
S'vet kostn fil mi unen mame's trern,
Bizvanen s'vet a mentsh aroys fun dir!

Translation

Sleep, sleep, Yankele, my handsome son.
Close your little black eyes.
My little one, now that you have all your teeth -
must you make your mother sing you to sleep?

The little boy who has all his teeth
and who, God permitting, will soon go to kheyder
And learn Torah and Talmud -
must he cry when his mama rocks him to sleep?

The little boy who will learn Talmud -
and how glad and proud in his heart
your father is that you'll be learning Talmud -
must he make his mother stay awake all night?

Sleep then, my little one, my clever one
who will be a bridegroom yet.
Sleep while you are still in your cradle by my side.
It will cost your mother many tears to make a man of you.