Rivkele Di Shabesdike
Pesakh KAPLAN
Pesakh KAPLAN
Yiddish Lyrics
rivkele di shabesdike arbet in fabrik,
zi shpint a fodem nokh a fodeml, flekht tsunoyf di shtrik.
oy di geto, di fintstere, doyert azoy lang,
'vert mayn harts farumet, tut mir azoy bank.'
zifst zikh rivkele fun benkshaft, oy oy oy farshmakht,
vegn ir tayer hershele shtendik nor zi trakht.
'oy vi biter iz im dort, fintster iz mir do,
zint fun yenem shabes, zint fun yener sho.'
zitst zikh rivkele un treyst ir eyn-un-eyntsik kind,
'kumen vet der tate, kumen vet geshvind.
brengen vet er esn, gor a sakh broyt.'
nit gevust hot rivkele az hershele iz toyt.
Translation
Rivkale, "De Shabbatdike", works in factory, spoins yarn
and plaits rope. "Oh this dark and cursed ghetto has been
lasting for too long". Her heart is pained and sad. Her
darling Hershele has disappeared and gone. Since that
Sabbath day, since that time, Rivkale sits and weeps at
her
spinning loom day and night.
"Where is my love? Is he still alive? Is he in a
cencentration camp? In a labor camp? Oh, how black is it
for him there and how bitter here for me. Since that
Sabbath, since that time."
this song was recorded by Sarah Gorby. Composed after a pogrom in Bialystok on july 12, 1942. I have a recording of this song made by Chava Alberstein on her CD Yiddish Songs Collection. The lyrics are slightly different. I will add them here: Rivkele di shabbesdicke, arbet in farbriq, s'breyt a fodem tsu a fodem, Flekhtn oykh der shtrik, Oy du getto finstere, Doyert shoyn zo lang, in dos harz azoy farklemt, tut mir azoy bang! Ir getrayer Hershele iz avek nishto, Zint fin yenem Shabes on, zint fin yener shoah. Iz fartroyert Rivkele, yommerts tog un nakht, Un atsind baym ridele zitse zikh un trakht. Vu iz er mayn libinker? Leybter nok vu? Hefker in a konzentrationlagger, arbet shver on ru? Oy vi biter iz im dokh! finster iz im dokh! Zint fin yenem shabbes on, zint fin yener shoah. Women whose husbands were murdered in the Bialistock pogrom called themselves Shabbesdicke.
Media
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOptCFlyzGE&list=OLAK5uy_koOQr3hQdyFMmK2gDcO-mrLhcPH3tTpL8&index=8
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHkyBw0LXwc
Added December 16th, 1999