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Translated Songs
Vaudeville
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Yiddish Theater
Original language
Title
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Original lyrics
In dem land fun piramidn Geven a kenig, beyz un shlekht, Zaynen dort geven di Yidn Zayne diner, zayne knekht. Zaynen dort geven di Yidn Zayne diner, zayne knecht. Shver hot zey geplogt der kenig, Laydn hot dos folk gemuzt, Vayl es hot farshtanen veynik, Veynik mut farmogt in brust. Vayl es hot farshtanen veynik, Veynik mut farmogt in brust. Pitzlekh kinder ayngemoyert, Ven a tzigl hot gefelt, Okh, vi lang es volt gedoyert Ot di viste shklafnvelt. Okh, vi lang es volt gedoyert Ot di viste shklafnvelt. Ven in land fun piramidn Volt nit geven kayn shtarker held, Vos hot gekemft far ale Yidn Mit zayn khokhme, mit zayn shverd. Vos hot gekemft far ale Yidn Mit zayn khokhme, mit zayn shverd.
Translated lyrics
In the land of pyramids, There was a king, cruel and wicked, There were the Jews, His servants, his slaves. There were the Jews, His servants, his slaves. The king oppressed them heavily, The people had to suffer, Because they understood little, Little courage was there in their chests. Because they understood little, Little courage was there in their chests. Little children were oppressed, When a brick was missing, Oh, how long it would have lasted In the desolate slave world. Oh, how long it would have lasted In the desolate slave world. When in the land of pyramids There had not been a strong hero, Who fought for all Jews With his wisdom, with his sword. Who fought for all Jews With his wisdom, with his sword.
Notes
This Passover song can be found in a book of Yiddish songs. The entire book is written in Yiddish, in Hebrew characters and in transliteration...no English translation. The music is printed all in the treble cleft: single notes. The English translation of the title of the song book is "Songs for Shule and Home." The song book was printed in the United States in 1946. I first heard this song about 20 years ago from an elderly woman who had learned it as a small child in Lithuania. I heard about this song from my mother who learned it at the Peretz shule in Winnipeg in about 1930. I was thrilled to find it here!
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