Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Rivkele - Rebeka Yiddish Tango

7 comments:

  1. Beautiful! Can you please post the Yiddish lyrics?

    ReplyDelete
  2. It is imperative that we read blog post very carefully. I am already done it and find that this post is really amazing. prywatnoscwsieci

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sorry I'm french and can't read at all the link you gave just up there... Where can I find the lyrics in german and partition of this wonderfull song ? Thanks in advance as I can't read polish at all and I can't find any link to translate the site you indicate. Lise

    ReplyDelete
  4. I found an English translation of a Yiddish version of this song, if that's of any help. Apparently, there were different versions of the text in Polish and Yiddish that had this scenario:

    He saw her first when he went to buy something
    And after that time would go often and ask her "Be mine,
    I'll shower you with gold. I'm the town's nobleman.
    Put aside your pauper's clothes.
    Wait, I'lll make you a queen. I won't ask more than a small dowry.
    For me you'll convert [to Christianity], and in my palace I'll take you to me..."

    Oh, you my destined one, your sweet words are as beautiful as you are
    But my father and mother and the whole town will curse me:
    "Rivkele the small charming beautiful one has run off with a Christian
    And instead of a synagogue she goes to church."
    I'll only be your friend. A huge outcry in town, that would be a real horror
    My father and mother would cry, my brother and sister and the whole house
    This is my beloved. Your sweet words shall remain holy and pure
    But our love, our holy love, must remain a dream.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I´ll find the text in origine - is there anybody who knews? Thank yer for Information, God bless you - Greatings from genaro

    ReplyDelete
  6. YEs please, I'd love to see the yiddish lyrics in print
    !!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. The lyrics from the book "Yiddish Songs from Warsaw 1929-1934: The Itzik Zhelonek Collection:"


    Rivkele

    Tsum ershtn mol hot er ir gezen
    Un ir gebetn aleyn
    Ven er hot koyfn dos gevolt
    Un zayt shoyn dan flegter nisht optretn
    Oft nor bay ir gebetn,
    Zay mayn, ikh shit dikh on mit gold.
    Ikh bin der poritz fun gantsn shtetl
    Leyg dayn kabtsonish kleydl
    Vart, a beys malke makh ikh dikh
    Ikh vil gor fun dir gor a kleynem nadn
    Zolstu zihk far mir opshmadn

    In mayne palatsn nem ikh dikh tsu zikh
    O, du mayn basherte dayne zise verter
    Zenen azoy sheyn vi du
    Ober, tate, mame, un dos gantse shtetl
    Sheltn veln mikh
    Rivkele di kleyne di tsniesdike sheyne
    Iz antlofn mit a goy
    Un onshtot a shul gor in a kloyster dort
    Vel ikh nor zayn ir fraynd
    A yomer, a gevald, a geshrey in
    Shtetl oy dos vet zayn zeyer groyl
    Der tate, mame es veynt der bruder shvester un oykh di gantse hoyz
    Dos is mayn basherter
    Zayne zise verter
    Zoln blaybn heylik reyn
    Ober undzer libe und zer heylike libe zol bloyz a kholem zayn

    Translation:

    He saw her first when he went to buy something
    And after that time would go often and ask her "Be mine,
    I'll shower you with gold. I'm the town's nobleman.
    Put aside your pauper's clothes.
    Wait, I'lll make you a queen. I won't ask more than a small dowry.
    For me you'll convert, and in my palace I'll take you to me..."

    Oh, you my destined one, your sweet words are as beautiful as you are
    But my father and mother and the whole town will curse me:
    "Rivkele the small charming beautiful one has run off with a Christian
    And instead of a synagogue she goes to church."

    I'll only be your friend. A huge outcry in town, that would be a real horror
    My father and mother would cry, my brother and sister and the whole house
    This is my beloved. Your sweet words shall remain holy and pure
    But our love, our holy love, must remain a dream.

    ReplyDelete