Trili Trilili (Fray)

poem Mordekhai Gebirtig 
                          Adaptation and music Lenka Lichtenberg 2010
 
1. Zingt a feygele oyf a beymele,  a harbst vintl blozt in feld
Vayt avek iz mayn khosn Shloymele, zukhn arbet in der velt.
 
2. Zingt dos feygele a klog lidele,  ergets shtarbt un feld a blum
Gehat fun Shloymelen a troyrik brivele:  noyt un elnd umetum.
 
Trili, trilili,  a gezang, shikt dos feygele arop tsu mir.
Trili, trilili, oy, vi bang, iz undz beyde, mir un dir.
 
 
3. Zingt dos feygele akh, fun grinem groz, bintelekh shoyn trukn hey
S’geyen arbeter arum dort arbetsloz, Shloymele oykh tsvishn zey.
 
4. Zingt dos feygele, vey, vey, fun beymele, bletlekh rayst der vint mit kas
makhnos arbeter un oykh mayn shloymele hungern in mitn gas.
 
Trili, trilili, a gezang, -----
Trili, trilili, oy, vi bang, ------
 
5. Fli, mayn feygele, tayer briole ! Iber yamen, vayt un breyt,
  brengt fun Shloymelen a gut yediele,  un dertseyl im, vi ikh layd !
 
Trili, trilili, a gezang, shikt dos feygele arop tsu mir,
Trili, trilili, oy, vi bang, iz mir Shloymele, on dir,
 
Trili, trilili, ah…..Trili, trilili, ah…. Iz undz beyde, mir un dir.
 
Zists a feygele oyf a beymele….
 
English translation by Simcha Simchovitch :
 
A little bird sits in a tree, an autumn wind blows across the field-
My bridegroom Shloymele is far away, looking for work anywhere in the world.
 
Trili, trilili, a song the little bird sends me,
Trili trilili, oh how sorrowful we both are, you and me.
 
The little bird sings a mournful song, a flower fades somewhere in the field,
I got a sad letter from Shloymele- want and loneliness are everywhere….
 
The little bird sings of green grass, of small bundles of dried hay,
Workmen are going without work, Shloymele among them.
 
The little bird keeps singing from the tree, the wind tears the leaves angrily,
Crowds of working men, my Shloymele among them, go hungry in the streets

Es khlipen di malokhim (Fray)

Yiddish poem by Haike Beruriah Wiegand

Adaptation and music by Lenka Lichtenberg ©2010

 

Es khlipen di malokhim.
Mistome hobn zey a sibe.
Zey hobn zeyere drokhim.
Efsher a malakhs a farbotene libe?

A gantser mabl fun trern
funem hekhstn malokhim-rot.
A kleyner malekh yogt zikh nokh a shtern
un blaybt af Gots barot.

Tsi ken den a malekh ton an aveyre? 
Er ken dos nit farshteyn.
Tsi hot er den gehat a breyre?
Dos veyst eyn Got aleyn.

Es khlipen di malokhim.
Mistome hobn zey a sibe.
Zey hobn zeyere drokhim.
Efsher a malakhs a farbotene libe...

....................................................................................................................

Weeping Angels 

The angels are weeping.
They probably have a reason.
They have their own ways.
Perhaps it’s about some angel’s forbidden love?

An entire flood of tears
from the highest council of angels.
A little angel chases after a star
and remains completely forsaken.

Can an angel really commit a sin?
He cannot fathom such a concept. 
Did he really have any choice?
Only one God knows.

The angels are weeping.
They probably have a reason.
They have their own ways.
Perhaps it’s about some angel’s forbidden love...

English verse by Lenka Lichtenberg:

Angels weeping high above – a flood of tears will fall.
Could it be forbidden love?
Only God knows if angels can sin at all.

Hey tsigelekh (Fray)

Song Mordekhai Gebirtig   Arrangement Lenka Lichtenberg

Hey, tsigelekh, kumt aher tsu mir geshvind.
A sheyn lidele vel ikh oyfzingen aykh atsind.
Fun a pastekhl heybt dos lidele zikh on
Un a meydele vos hot kishuf im geton.
 
Hey, tsigelekh, hert vos vayter iz geshen:
Lustik, lebedik iz amol s’patekhl geven,
Haynt vi umetik, kukt di shefelekh nisht on,
Benkt nokhn meydele vos hot kishuf im geton.
 
Hey, tsigelekh, hert fun lidele dem sof :
Vi y’somimlekh blondzen itst zayne bidne shof.
Tif in taykhele ligt dos pastekhl nokh haynt
Un dos meydele zitzt baym vaserl un veynt.
Translation:
Hey, little goats, come here quickly
I will now sing you a pretty song:
It begins with a shepherd boy and a girl who has enchanted him.
Hey, little goats, hear what happened next:
The shepherd was once cheerful and lively
Now he is sad, does not glance at the sheep,
but yearns for the girl who has enchanted him.
Hi, little goats, listen to the end of the song:
Like little orphans his poor flock now wanders about.
The shepherd boy lies deep in the river
and the girl sits by the water and cries.

Eybik (Fray)

poem: Simcha Simchovitch
              Adaptation and music Lenka Lichtenberg    
                                 
 
verse 1    eybik, eybik iz der mentsh in zayn gang;
               eybik, gleybik iz der kval fun gezang
               eybik, groys iz dos garn nokh glik;
               eybik, likhtik iz di lebns muzik.
 
             
verse 2    eybik, fartzerndik, iz dos fayer in brust,
               vos tsint on di hertser mit libe, layd un lust.
               Eybik - der troyer, di din-tunkele fleyt,
               Vos ir kumer-nign in di hertser zi shpreyt.
 
Chorus:    eybik, eybik, un gleybik,
                eybik, eybik, un gleybik
                groys, un prakhtik, un makhtik, eybik, ey!
                eybik, ey….     
 
verse 3    eybik, almakhtik der toyt,
               der shtreng-groyzamer har,
               vos leyst oys ayedn, vos leyst oys ayedn
               dem khokhem vi dem nar,
               dem khokhem vi dem nar.
 
 
   1. eternal is man and his march forward,
    eternal is believing in the source of song
    eternal, great, powerful is yearning for happiness
    eternal, bright, splendid is life’s music.
 
   2.  eternal, infuriating is the fire in your chest
   that kindles in the hearts with love, pain, desire;
   eternal is the sadness, thin -somber flute
  that is like a mournful nign filling our hearts.
 
    3. eternal, almighty is death, the strict, cruel lord
   redeems each person, the wise one and the fool.
 
 

Nje buditche (Fray)

Nje buditche  (Don’t Wake me up)  - Roma traditional song                     As learned in Auschwitz by Ester Berajano
                   English lyrics Lenka Lichtenberg
 
 
  German translation- Ester Berajano
 
  O weckt mich doch nicht
  Ich mochte diese Welt nicht verstehen,
  Damit ich nicht die Qualen meines Volkes sehen muss.
 
  Mein Madchen, meine Geliebte,
  Denk nur an die schone Zeit,
  Schau nicht hin,
  Wie einer von uns behandelt wird.
  Es gibt keine Freude,
  Kein Lagerfeuer mehr.
  Denk an die Wurde,
  Die uns einst zuteil wurde.
  Fur uns gibte es nur noch Nacht,
  Tag nur noch im Traum.
 
 
  Don’t wake me up.
I don’t understand this world.
I will never see my people again.
 My girl, my beloved, think
  Only about the beautiful times.
 Don’t think about what will happen to all of us.
 There is no more joy, no more campfires.
 For us, there is only night. Day exists only in dreams.
 
English lyrics on recording by L.Lichtenberg :
  Oh, let me sleep, I can’t face the dawn.
  The days bring pain so deep,
It’s hard to carry on.
 
 Oh, my love…I’m so scared to tell you
  What I know for sure, we’ll never meet again.
 
  

Dancing on the Titanic (Fray)

Dancing on the Titanic by Lenka Lichtenberg Yiddish verse by Simcha Simchovitch (adapted) 

 For a brief moment in time, anticipating, united we dance
in fear of the iceberg to hit the Titanic.
Barriers of yesteryear dissipating, religion and race,
Rich or poor don’t mean much when you dance on the Titanic.
 
Dance away, dance away,
I am the answer blowing in the wind
Dance away, dance away,
The little mermaid of Copenhagen.
Dance away, dance away,
Shut your eyes if you really want to see
Dance away, dance away,
Roman ships on the bottom of the sea.
 
Himl un khvalyes un vintn, un untn, in tif fun der shif
Geyt a tants, gikh un gikher,, vi a vikher.
Klapt di muzik tsu tsum takt un verter knoyln zikh vi roykh,,
Aroyf in fer hoyf un s’flekhten zikh tsunoyf gereyd, gelakhn in tsen shprakhn.
 
Dance away,….
Embrace, embrace the timeless Shechinah….
 
Dance away, dance away,  Planet of Apes, the Ship of Fools,
Dance away, dance away, Not much time to change the rules
Dance away, dance away,       Shut your eyes if you really want to see
Dance away, dance away,         Roman ships on the bottom of the sea.
 
Dance away, dance away…
We’re from the same place,
Going the same place,
On the same boat….     We’re from the same place, going the same place, on the same boat…

A kol (Fray)

poem by Haike Beruriah Wiegand, adaptation and music by Lenka Lichtenberg
 
 
A sakh shtarker nokh vi s’iz geven –
derklingt a kol : Ikh muz dikh zen !
 
In der bloykeyt
fun troyer,
bay der shvel fun toyer
fun frayheyt – mit umet in blik...
 
In der groykeyt
fun nekhtike teg
un nekhtike nekht,
vos kumen keyn mol nit tsurik...
 
In der roytkeyt
fun funken fun varemkeyt,
fun a khaverish gemit –
in umglik un in glik...
 
A sakh shtarker nokh vi s’iz geven –
derklingt a kol : Ikh muz dikh zen !
 
 
A Voice     translation by the author
 
A lot stronger than it has been –
a voice resounds : I must see you !
 
In the blueness
of sadness,
at the doorstep of the gate
of freedom – with gloom in my glance...
 
In the greyness
of yesterdays
and yesternights,
which will never come back...
 
In the redness
of sparks of warmth,
a spirit of friendship –
in unhappiness and in happiness...
 
A lot stronger than it has been –
a voice resounds : I must see you !

A lid vet farblaybn (Fray)

Yiddish poem and translation: Simcha Simchovitch  (SIMCHA WRITES/SOCAN)  music: Lenka Lichtenberg   (LENKAL MUSIC/SOCAN)
 
a lid vet farblaybn, a gezang
fun fayer un flamen aroys;
fun dor tsu dor vet es geyn,
nisht vern farshtumt un oys.
              
a shir-hashirim fun payn,
fun blut, fun vey un vind;
fun tate-mames, yungfroyen,
fun mener, zokn un kind.
 
fun yidishe shtet un shtetlekh
oysgeglaykhte mit dr’erd,
fun retsakh, hefker-umzinikn –
in roykh, fayer un shverd.
 

a gezang, a demome-geyomer,

a makhtiker shal un gehayl -

fun vaytste sfern, mazoles,

biz tsu der zindiker koyl.

 
 
A song will remain, a chant of woe
out of fire and sword;
from generation to generation
carried like a holy watchword.
 
A Song of Songs – of suffering,
of anguish, grief and torment,
of fathers, mothers and babes,
of maidens and of old men.
 
Of Jewish towns and hamlets
erased from dear homey ground,
of murder, wanton and senseless,
by merciless, blood-stained hands.
 
A ditty, a still-voiced song,
a mighty resounding lament
from far-away constellations
to the sinful earth’s end.

Teg mayne (Fray)

Yiddish poem and translation: Simcha Simchovitch  (SIMCHA WRITES/SOCAN)  music: Lenka Lichtenberg   (LENKAL MUSIC/SOCAN)
 
a lid vet farblaybn, a gezang
fun fayer un flamen aroys;
fun dor tsu dor vet es geyn,
nisht vern farshtumt un oys.
              
a shir-hashirim fun payn,
fun blut, fun vey un vind;
fun tate-mames, yungfroyen,
fun mener, zokn un kind.
 
fun yidishe shtet un shtetlekh
oysgeglaykhte mit dr’erd,
fun retsakh, hefker-umzinikn –
in roykh, fayer un shverd.
 

a gezang, a demome-geyomer,

a makhtiker shal un gehayl -

fun vaytste sfern, mazoles,

biz tsu der zindiker koyl.

 
 
A song will remain, a chant of woe
out of fire and sword;
from generation to generation
carried like a holy watchword.
 
A Song of Songs – of suffering,
of anguish, grief and torment,
of fathers, mothers and babes,
of maidens and of old men.
 
Of Jewish towns and hamlets
erased from dear homey ground,
of murder, wanton and senseless,
by merciless, blood-stained hands.
 
A ditty, a still-voiced song,
a mighty resounding lament
from far-away constellations
to the sinful earth’s end.

Di goldene pave (Fray)

Yiddish poem S. Simchovitch.
English lyrics  L. Lichtenberg
 
verse 1    gekumen is di goldene pave    tsuflien fun fremder vayt,
 kh’hob yorn-lang gevart oyf ir in troyer,   in benkshaft tsesheydt
     
        
verse 2  goldene pave, eyntsike, traye, kum bavayz zikh mir tsurik
    shveb un zing in geflater              dos alte lid fun troyer un glik.
 
 
ChorA goldene pave,eyntsike, traye, vos hot dos lebn on dir a zin?
   S’zaynen di teg on dayne kolirn          Farvebt in groy vi a shpin.
 
The golden peacock’s flown away , tempted by exotic lands
One thousand days all painted in gray, fallow mind, idle hands
And after years of trepidation, unexpected dance in my hips

Colourful inspiration, powerful song on my hips

Golden peacock, come back to me, touch me with your rainbow wings,
Only with you is my life worth living, only with you my heart sings.
 
Golden peacock, hear me calling, put your rainbow wings on the shelf,
Don’t you worry, I’m not falling, I found my way out by myself.
 
un s’hot di pave fun merkhakim gehert mayn tfile, mayn gebet
un tsurik gekumen tsu heyln              derfreyen s’harts fun poet.
 
itst flatter zi, in bunte kolirn            Arum mir, in mayn gemit
Un s’preplen di lipn fun zikh aleyn            A nayem nign, a lid.
 
 goldene pave, eyntsike, traye    Vos hot dos lebn on dir a zin
 S’zaynen di teg on dayne kolirn              Farvebt in groy vi a shpin.
 
goldene pave, eyntsike, traye,  kum bavayz  zikh mir tsurik
Shveb un zing in geflater             dos  alte lid fun troyer un glik

Tsar fun Yiddish (Fray)

Arum dem fayer (Fray)

Lider fun lebn un loyb (Fray)