Dos Lid fun der Goldener Pave

Iz di goldene pave gefloygn avek,

 The Golden Peacock flew away,

Keyn mizrekh zukhn di nekhtige teg,

 Eastward to look for yesterday,

Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

Flit zi un flit, biz zi treft in di berg,

 She flew and flew, till in the hilly track

Oyf a vayser shkape an altn terk,

 She met an old Turk on a white hack,

Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

Tut im di goldene pave a freg:

 To him did the Golden Peacock say:

"Tsi hostu gezen di nekhtige teg?"

 "Have you perchance seen yesterday?"

Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li?

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li?

Farkneytsht der terk dem shtern un klert:

 The Turk puckered his brow and shook his head,

"Di nekhtige teg nisht gezen, nisht gehert."

 "Yesterday? No, I haven't," he said,

Un a tsi di leytses, un "vyo" tsum ferd.

 And pulling his reins, away he sped.

Un es klingt in di berg zayn "Ha, ha, ha, ha -

 And over the hills his laughter was heard:

A goldener foygl un a nar aza!"

 "Such a fool, that golden bird!"

Iz gefloygn di goldene pave avek,

 Then the Golden Peacock flew away,

Keyn tsofn zukhn di nekhtige teg,

 Northward, to look for Yesterday,

Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

Treft zi a fisher baym breg fun yam,

 She saw a fisherman by the sea,

Er shpreyt oys zayn nets un zingt tsum gram:

 Spreading his net, and singing was he,

Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

Tut im di goldene pave a freg:

 The Golden Peacock to him did say:

"Tsi hostu gezen di nekhtige teg?"

 "Have you perchance seen Yesterday?"

Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li?

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li?

Farkneytsht der fisher dem shtern un klert:

 He puckered his brow, and shook his head,

"Di nekhtige teg nisht gezen, nisht gehert -

 "Yesterday? No, I haven't," he said -

Di nekhtige teg nisht gezen, nisht gehert."

 Yesterday? No, I haven't," he said.

Un farendikt zayn lid mit "Tra-la-la-la -

 And he ended his song with a laughing word:

A goldener foygl un a nar aza."

 "Such a fool, that golden bird!"

 Iz gefloygn di goldene pave avek,

 The Golden Peacock flew away,

 Keyn dorem zukhn di nekhtige teg,

 Southward, to look for Yesterday,

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

 Treft zi a neger im mitn feld,

 A negro in a field he saw,

 Farrikhtn mit shtroygold zayn orem getselt,

 Mending his poor tent with golden straw,

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

 Tut im di goldene pave a freg:

 And to him did the Golden Peacock say,

 "Tsi host du gezen di nekhtige teg?"

 "Have you perchance seen Yesterday?"

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li?

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li?

 Fartshiret der neger di vayse tsen,

 The negro grinned, his teeth showed white,

 A shmeykhl aza, vos iz mole kheyn,

 In a broad smile of huge delight,

 A shmeykhl aza, vos iz mole kheyn.

 In a broad smile of huge delight.

 Un er entfert gornisht, er zogt nor "Ha? -

 He did not answer, he spoke no word -

 A goldener foygl un a nar aza!"

 "Such a fool, that golden bird!"

 Iz gefloygn di goldene pave avek,

 The Golden Peacock flew away,

 Keyn mayrev zukhn di nekhtige teg,

 Westward, to look for Yesterday,

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

 Treft zi a froy in shvartsn vos knit,

 She met a woman who in black was clad,

 Nebn a keyver dershlogn un mid,

 Who knelt at a grave, grief-stricken, sad.

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

 Fregt gornisht di pave, zi veyst aleyn,

 The Peacock now had nothing to say,

 Az di froy in shvartsn, vos shpreyt ir geveyn,

 There was no need to ask her, "Tell me, pray ..."

 Ibern keyver baym rand fun veg,

 The weeping woman at the edge of the way,

 Iz di almone fun di nekhtige teg:

 She knew was the widow of Yesterday,

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.

 Tri-li, tra-la, tri-li.