A Chazandl Oyf Shabes
Traditional
Traditional
Yiddish Lyrics
1. Iz gekumen tsu forn a chazan in a kleyn shtetl davenen a shabes.
Zaynen gekumen im hern di dray shenste balebatim fun shtetl:
Eyner a shnayderl, der tzveyter a kovaltshikl,
Un der dritter, a balegoltshikl.
Ruft zich opet der shnayderl,
Oy! hot er gedavnt, hot er gedavnt!
Azoy vi men git
Mit der nodl a shtoch
Un mitn ayzn, oy, a press
Oy, hot er gedavnt!
2. Ruft zich opet der kovatshikl,
Oy! hot er gedavnt, hot er gedavnt!
Azoy vi men git
Mitn hammer, oy, a zets!
Un mit di kletshes, oy, a kvetch,
Oy, hot er gedavnt!
3. Ruft zich opet der balegoltshikl,
Oy, hot er gedavnt, hot er gedavnt!
Azoy vi men git
Di leytse, oy, a tsi,
Un mitn baytchl, oy, a chvotsh.
Oy, hot er gedavnt!
Translation
1. Once a cantor arrived in a shtetl to chant the Shabbes
service. Three prominent men of the village came to listen
to him sing: One was a tailor, the second was a blacksmith,
and the third was a wagon driver.
The tailor spoke up:
How he did sing!
The way that a needle would give a quick stitch.
Or the hot iron a good press!
Then the blacksmith spoke up,
Yes, the blacksmith spoke up, and said,
"Oh, how he did sing!
The way that a hammer would give a sharp blow,
Or the bellows a hard squeeze,
Oh, how he did sing!
Then the driver spoke up,
"Oh, how he did sing, how he did sing!
The same way that a driver would pull on the reins,
Or crack his whip hard in the air!
Oh how he did sing!"
A great humorous song about men who are married to their work. Cantor Seymour Rockoff, currently in Harrisburg PA has recorded a more modern version of the song-- still in Yiddish-- featuring a radiologist, a dentist,and an 'entertainer' as the congregants.
Media
Added May 27th, 1999