Ven du volst geven der boyre-oylom*

If you were the Creator of the Universe

See lecture: Ashkenazi Food
 

- Ven du volst geven der boyre-oylom,  - If you were Creator of the universe,
Vos volstu geton?  What would you do?
Ven du volst geven der boyre-oylom,  If you were Creator of the universe,
Vost volstu gemakht?  What would you make?
- Kh'volt gemakht un gemakht:  - I would make
Kh'volt gemakht a tsholnt,  a stew so big
Er zol in oyvn nit arayngeyn -  that it couldn't fit into the oven -
Dos volt ikh gemakht.  That's what I would make.
Apikorsim un misnagdim  Non-believers and Hasidic opponents
Volt ikh a krenk gegebn.  would be given an illness.
Nor di khsidimlekh!  Only the Hasidim would enjoy the kugel!
- Halevay, halevay,  - If only, if only
Halevay volt es emes geven!  that would really happen!
  
Ven du volst geven der boyre-oylom,  - If you were Creator of the universe,
Vos volstu geton?  what would you do?
Ven du volst geven der boyre-oylom,  If you were Creator of the universe,
Vos volstu gemakht?  what would you make?
- Khvolt gemakht un gemakht,  - I would make
Kh'volt gemakht a kugl,  a pudding so big
Er zol in tsholnt nit arayngeyn -  that it couldn't fit into the stew -
Dos volt ikh gemakht.  That's what I would make.
Apikorsim un misnagdim  Non-believers and Hasidic opponents
Volt ikh a krenk gegebn.  would be given an illness.
Nor di khsidimlekh!  Only the Hasidim would enjoy the pudding!
- Halevay, halevay,  - If only, if only
Halevay volt es emes geven!  that would really happen!
  
- Ven du volst geven der boyre-oylom,  - If you were Creator of the universe,
Vos volst geton?  what would you do?
Ven du volst geven der boyre-oylom,  If you were Creator of the universe,
Vos volst gemakht?  what would you make?
- Khvolt gemakht un gemakht,  - I would make
Khvolt gemakht a beys-oylom  a cemetry so big
Er zol in parkan nisht arayngeyn -  that it wouldn't fit into the fence -
Dos volt ikh gemakht.  That's what I would make.
Apikorsim un misnagdim  Non-believers and Hasidic opponents
Volt ikh a krenk bagrobn.  would be buried with their illness!
Nor di khsidimlekh!  Only the Hasidim!
- Halevay, halevay,  - If only, if only
Halevay volt es emes geven!  that would really happen!

 


* A variation of this song is called: Ven ikh volt geven der boyre-oylom. It served as the basis for one of the Lodzh Ghetto parodies.

Source: Kipnis, M. 80 Folks-lider, Vol.2, p.87