Yiddish Lyrics

Egel rach kashur bechevel

Al ha'agala mutal

Ulemala bashamayim

Efronim mamri-im el al

Ruach stav tzochek lo

Tzochek umit-holel

Tzchok ootzchok miboker or

Ve'ad chatzi haleyl

Dona dona,-- dona dona dona do-ona

Dona dona dona do

Dona dona dona do-ona

Dona dona dona do...

"Al teetlonen" omer ikar

Leehyot egel mee l'cha amar?

Lamah ayn l'cha knafayim

C'mo efron chofshi v'nehedar?

Ruach stav tzochek lo

Tzochek oomitholel

Tchak utzchak miboker or

Ve-ad chatzi haleyl

Agalim Bli Da'at Lama

El hatevach hochlim tamid

Va'asher libam lachofesh

Mamri-im ke-efronim

Ruach Stav Tzochek lo

Tzochek umit-holel

Tzchok ootzchok miboker or

Ve-ad chatzi haleyl

Dona chorus

Translation

On a wagon bound for market;

there's a calf with a mournful eye.

High above him, there's a swallow

Winging swiftly through the sky.

How the winds are laughing:

They laugh with all their might.

Laugh and laugh the whole day through,

and half the summer's night.

Dona, dona dona dona

Dona dona dona do

Dona dona dona dona

dona dona dona do

Stop complaining said the farmer

Who told you, a calf to be?

Why don't you have wings to fly with

Like the swallow so brave and free?

How the winds are laughing

They laugh with all their might

Laugh and laugh the whole day through

And half the summer's night.

Calves are easily bound and slaughtered;

Never knowing the reason why,

But whoever treasures freedom;

like the swallow has learned to fly.

How the winds are laughing

They laugh with all their might

Laugh and laugh the whole day through

And half the summer's night

Dona..Dona..dona dona dona dona

Dona dona dona do

Dona dona dona dona

DONA dona dona do!