Yiddish Lyrics

1.
Az der rebe Elimeylekh
Iz gevorn zeyer freylekh
Iz gevorn zeyer freylekh, Elimeylekh,
Hot er oyzgeton di briln, un ot ongeton di tfiln
Un geshikt nokh di fidlers di tzvey.

Un di fidldike fidlers
Hobn fidldik gefidlt,
Hobn fidldik gefidlt, hobn zey

2.
Az der rebe Elimeylekh
Iz gevorn nokh mer freylekh
Iz gevorn nokh mer freylekh, Elimeylekh,
Hott er opgemakht havdole
Mitn shames reb Naftole
Un geshikt nokh di payklers di tzvey

Un di paykldike payklers
Hobn paykldik gepayklt,
Hobn paykldik gepayklt, hobn zey

3.
Az der rebe Elimeylekh
Iz gevorn gor shtark freylekh
Iz gevorn gor shtark freylekh, Elimeylekh,
Hot er oyzgeton dos kitl
Un ot ongeton dos hitl
Un geshikt nokh di tzimblers di tzvey

Un di tzmbldike tzimblers
Hobn tzimbldik getzimblt,
Hobn tzimbldik getzimblt, hobn zey

4.
Un az der rebe elimeylekh
Iz gevorn shiker-freylekh
Hot er opgedavnt neeleh
Mit a hartsediker tfile
Un geshikt nokh di klezmer di tsvey

Un az di fidldike paykler hobn tsimbldik gefidlt
Hobn paykldik getsimblt hobn zey
Un di tsimbldike paykler
Hobn paykldik gefidlt
Hobn fidldik gepayklt
Hobn zey!

Translation

1.
When the Rabbi Elimeylekh
became very cheery
He took off his pylacteries and put on his glasses
And sent for his two fiddlers

did the fiddley fiddle
did fiddley fiddle, did they

2.
And when the Rabbi Elimeylekh
became even cheerer
He celebrated Havdale with reb Naftole
and sent for his two drummers.

3.
When the Rabbi Elimeylekh became very very cheery
He took off his robe
and put on his cap
and sent for his two cymbalists

4.
And when the Rabbi Elimeylekh became very very drunk
He finished off the service with a soulful prayer
And he sent for his musicians (klezmorim)

And the fiddling drummers, cymbalishly fiddled
Drummingly cymballed, did they
And the cymbal-like drummers
drummingly fiddled
and fiddlingly drummed, did they!