Alexander Olshanetsky

Bella Meisell

Yiddish Lyrics

Ikh shtey atzind un trakht
Vos far a shtarke makht,
Der shikzal hot oyf yedn mentchn
Ot makht er zikh a shpas
Ot vert er bald in kas,
Er ken dikh shtrofn un oykh bentchn
Ven s'iz on mir gevent,
Ven ikh volt nor gekent
Dayn modnem zhikzal do far tretn
Volt ikh dikh yetst bafrayt
Dayn lebn oykh banayt
Un far dayn glik volt ikh gebetn

Glik, du bist gekumen tsu mir
Ober a bisl tsushpet
Glik, du host genumen un farshaft mayn harts azoy fil freyd
Kh'vil yetst gornit klern, vos der morgn vet brengen far mir
Azoy lang ikh hob khotch eyn moment,
Dos glik yetst in mayne hent,
Un ikh tants dem letstn tants mit dir

Translation

Good fortune, why did you reach me so late?
You provided me but a moment of joy,
But Iwon't think of what tomorrow may bring
As long as we have these brief moments together

This song, a Yiddish theater standard, was first introduced in "Der Letster Tantz" starring Mikhel Mikhalesko and Bella Meisell at the Prospect Theatre in Bronx.

Media

Added November 7th, 1999