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Translated Songs
Vaudeville
Work
Yiddish Theater
Original language
Title
Composer
Lyricist
Original lyrics
Oyfn pripetchik brent a fayerl, un in shtub is heys. Un der rebe lernt kleyne kinderlekh Dem alef-beyz. Refrain: Zet zhe kinderlekh, Gedenkt zhe, tayere, vos ir lernt do, Zogt zhe nokh a mol un take nokh a mol: "Komets-alef: o!" Lernt, kinder, mit groys kheyshek, Azoy zog ikh aykh on, Ver s'vet gikher fun aykh kenen ivre, Der bakumt a fon. Az ir vet, kiderlech, elter vern, vet ir aleyn farshteyn, vie'fl in die oysiyos liegn trern un vie fiel geveyn. Az ir vet, kinder, dem goles shlepn, Oysgemutshet zayn, Zolt ir fun di oysyes koyekh shepn, Kukt in zey arayn!
Translated lyrics
At the fireplace a little fire burns And in the room it's warm, And the Rabbi teaches little children The aleph-bet Refrain: See you [affectionately] children-dear, Remember dear (ones), what you're learning here [alternate version: what I'm teaching here ("vos iCH lern do")], Say once again, and then once again, "Komets-alef: o!" Learn, children, with great desire, Thus say I to you, [WHOMEVER AMONGST YOU MOST QUICKLY LEARNS HEBREW, HE SHALL RECEIVE AN AWARD!] When you will, children-dear, older become, You yourselves will understand How many tears in the letters lie, And how much weeping When you will, children-dear, bear the exile, (and) wrought-out be, You should from the letters draw strength, Look in them inside !
Notes
Here is another recording of this song from the beautiful CD "The Best Yiddish Songs"by Tzipi Zarenkin, click here to listen to the clip.
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