at KLEZCADIA’s Festival Finale Concert…
Abi Gezunt (As Long As You’re Healthy)
- Yiddish lyrics by Molly Picon, to music by Abraham Ellstein
- singable English translation by Laura Rosenberg
Eyner zikht ashires,
Eyner zikht gvires,
Eynemen di gantse velt.
Eynem meynt dos gantse glik,
Hengt nor op in gelt.
Zoln ale zikhn,
Zoln ale krikhen,
Nor es trakht bay mir.
Ikh darf es oyf kapures,
Dos glik stet bay mayn tir.
A bisl zin, a bisl regn,
A ruik ort dem kop tsu legn,
Abi gezunt, ken men gliklekh zayn.
A shik, a zok, a kleyd on lates,
In keshene a dray, fir zlotes.
Abi gezunt, ken men gliklekh zayn.
Di luft iz fray far yeden glaykh.
Di zin, zi shaynt far yeden eynem,
Orem oder raykh.
A bisl freyd, a bisl lakhn,
Amol mit fraynt a shnepsl makhn.
Abi gezunt, ken men gliklekh zayn.
Some would live forever,
Some would gather treasure,
Some just want to rule the earth.
Some folks only learn to count,
Their lives in money’s worth.
Let them have their visions,
Let them chase illusions,
My life might seem poor.
But I know my good fortune,
‘Cause luck stands by my door.
A little sun, then raindrops falling,
A place to rest when sleep is calling,
A healthy life, luck is by my side.
A pair of shoes could come in handy,
Some pocket change for penny candy,
A healthy life, luck is by my side.
The air is free for one and all.
The sun shines bright for ev’rybody,
Summer, spring, and fall.
A little joy, a little laughter,
A drink to share with friends thereafter,
A healthy life, luck is by my side.
Di Tsukunft (The Future)
- Yiddish lyrics by Morris Winchefsky, updated by Josh Waletzky
- Translation via the Yosl and Chana Mlotek Yiddish Song Collection at the Workers Circle, updated by Josh Waletzky and Laura Rosenberg
O, di velt vet vern yinger,
Un dos lebn laykhter, gringer,
Yeder kloger vert a zinger
Vern brider bald!
Loz dos folk nor vern kliger,
Un faryogn dem batriger,
Im, dem fuks, un oykh dem tiger
Fun zayn sheynem vald.
O, di velt vet vern shener,
Libe greser, sine klener,
Tsvishn froyen, tsvishn mener,
Tsvishn land un land;
O, di velt vet vern frayer,
Frayer, shener, yinger, nayer,
Un in ir di emes tayer,
Tayer vi a fraynd.
O, di velt vet vern dreyster
Un es vet nit zayn a mayster,
Nit di kroyn un nit der tayster,
Nit dem zelners shverd.
Alzo mutik in di reyen,
In di reyen, tsu bafrayen,
Tsu bafrayen un banayen
Undzer alte velt!
Oh, the world will get younger,
and life will be brighter, easier,
Every complainer will become a singer,
soon, comrades, soon!
If only our people become smarter,
and chase away the deceiver,
the fox, and the tiger, too,
from our beautiful forest.
Oh, the world will grow more beautiful.
Love will increase, enmity diminish,
between women and men,
between land and land.
Oh, the world will become freer,
Freer, finer, younger and fresher,
and the truth will be treasured,
treasured as a friend.
Oh, the world will become bolder
and there will be no master,
not the crown and not the purse,
nor the soldier’s sword.
Thus, take heart in the ranks,
in the ranks to liberate,
to liberate and renew
our old world!
Haleluye (Hallelujah)
- music by Leonard Cohen
- Yiddish lyrics by Daniel Kahn, with help from Michael Alpert, Mendy Cahan, and Josh Waletzky
Geven a nign vi a sod,
Vos Dovid hot geshpilt far Got.
Nor dir volt’s nisht geven aza yeshue.
Me zingt azoy: a fa, a sol,
A misheberekh heybt a kol,
Der duler meylekh vebt a haleluye…
Dayn emune iz gevorn shvakh,
Basheva bodt zikh afn dakh,
Ir kheyn un di levone dayn refue
Zi nemt dayn guf, zi nemt dayn kop,
Zi shnaydt fun dayne hor a tsop
Un tsit fun moyl arop a haleluye…
O tayere, ikh ken dayn stil,
Ikh bin geshlofn af dayn dil,
Kh’hob keynmol nisht gelebt mit aza tsnue
Ikh ze dayn shlos, ikh ze dayn fon,
A harts iz nisht keyn meylekhs tron,
S’iz a kalte un a kalye haleluye…
Oy vi amol, to zog mir oys
Vos tut zikh dortn in dayn shoys?
To vos zhe darfst zikh shemen vi a bsule?
Nor gedenk vi kh’hob in dir gerut,
Vi di shkhine glut in undzer blut,
Un yeder otem tut a haleluye…
Zol zayn mayn got iz gor nishto
Un libe zol zayn kol-mumro,
A puster troym tsebrokhn un mekhule,
Nisht keyn geveyn in mitn nakht,
Nisht keyn bal-tshuve oyfgevakht,
Nor an elnte kol-koyre haleluye…
An apikoyres rufstu mikh,
Mit shem-havaye lester ikh,
Iz meyle, ikh dervart nisht keyn geule.
Nor s’brent zikh heys in yedn os
Fun alef beys gor bizn sof
Di heylike un kalye haleluye…
Un dos iz alts, s’iz nisht keyn sakh.
Ikh makh dervayle vos ikh makh.
Ikh kum do vi a mentsh, nisht keyn shiluye.
Khotsh alts farloyrn say vi say
Vel ikh farloybn “Adoynay”
Un shrayen vi l’khayem “haleluye.”
Ale Brider (All Brothers)
- Traditional; adapted from a poem by Morris Winchevsky; updated many times, including by Josh Waletzky and Laura Rosenberg for this occasion
Un mir zaynen ale brider – oy, oy, ale brider,
Un mir zingen sheyne lider – oy, oy, oy.
Un mir haltn zikh in eynem – oy, oy, zikh in eynem,
Ale minem, ale shkheynem – oy, oy, oy.
Oy, oy, oy, oy-oy-oy…
Un mir zaynen ale shvester – oy, oy, ale shvester,
Azoy vi rokhl, rus un ester – oy, oy, oy.
Un mir zaynen freylekh munter – oy, oy, freylekh munter,
Zingen lider, tantsn unter – oy, oy, oy.
Oy, oy, oy, oy-oy-oy…
Un mir zaynen ale eynik – oy, oy, ale eynik,
Tsi mir zaynen fil tsi veynik – oy, oy, oy.
Un mir shteyen do tsuzamen – oy, oy, do tsuzamen,
Khotsh mir filn andere tamen – oy, oy, oy.
Oy, oy, oy, oy-oy-oy…
Frum un fray fareynikt ale – oy, oy, fareynikt ale,
Vi a beygl mit a byale – oy, oy, oy.
Vi dos fendl mitn tepl – oy, oy, mitn tepl,
Vi der honik mitn epl – oy, oy, oy.
Oy, oy, oy, oy-oy-oy…
And we all are brothers,
And we sing beautiful songs.
And we stick together,
All kinds, all genders, all neighbours.
And we all are sisters,
Just like Rachel, Ruth and Esther.
And we are happy and joyous,
Singing songs and dancing along.
And we all are united,
Whether we are many or few.
And we all stand together,
Though we have different tastes.
Religious and secular all united,
Like a bagel with a biale.
Like the pot with the pan,
Like apple with honey.
KLEZCADIA 