Yiddish Lyrics

1.
Sheyn bin ikh sheyn
Sheyn iz mayn nomen
Vegt men mir shidikhim
Fun same rabonim
Rabonishe toyre
Iz dokh zeyer groys -
Vin ikh bay mayn mamen
A likhtige royz

Refrain
A sheyn meydele bin ikh
Royte zekelekh trog ikh
Gelt in di tashn
Vayn in di flashn
Milekh in di kregelekh
Kinder in vigelekh
Shraen ale sheyn -
Sheyn bin ikh sheyn

2.
Beser a melamed
Afile a beyzn
Eyder a student!
Mti tzerisene hoyzn
Veser a behelfer
Mit a tutz kleyne kinder
Eyder gor a dokter
Mit a tzebrokhenen tzelinder

Refrain

3.
Beser a proster klayznik
Afile nisht kayn guter
Eyder an apteker
Vos preglt fleysh oyf puter
Ikh vil nemen a khosid
Mit a por lange pees
Un er vet mir brengen
Fund undzer rebn kamees

Translation

1.
Pretty am I, pretty,
Pretty is my name.
They propose the finest of matches for me,
Even to a rabbi.
One who knows the Torah
Is very important -
And now my mother thinks of me
As a blooming rose.

Refrain
I am a pretty maiden,
I wear red socks,
I have money in my pocket,
I have a flask of wine,
I have a crock of mead.
Babies in their cradle
Are all crying out,
"How pretty she is!" Pretty am I.

2.
Better a Hebrew teacher,
Even a bad-tempered one,
Than a schoolboy
Wearing torn pants.
Better an assistant
To the teacher,
With a dozen children of his own,
Than a doctor
With a torn high hat.

Refrain: Pretty am I...

3.
Better a simple Talmud student,
Even if he is not so good-natured,
Than an apothecary,
Who can afford butter with his meat.
I'll take a pious bridegroom
With long payes (earlocks),
And he'll bring me
Blessings from our rabbi.

Refrain: Pretty am I...