Unter di grininke beymelekh

 [Under the little green trees]

H.N. Bialik – Leo Kopf

[See lecture: Tree of Life]

Unter di grininke beymelekh

Under the little green trees

shpiln zikh Moyshelekh, Shloymelekh,

Little Moyshe's and Shloyme's play,

Tsites, kapotkelekh, shtreymelekh,

Fringed garments, coats and earlocks -

Yidelekh, frish fun di eyelekh.

just like newly-hatched Jews.

 

 

Gufimlekh shtroy, roykh un federlekh,

Bodies like straw, smoke and feathers,

Khotsh nem un tsebloz zey oyf gliderlekh,

They can be blown away,

Khapn zey oyf gringe vintelekh

Little breezes catch them

un es tsetrogn zikh feygelekh.

And little birds disperse them.

 

 

Nor eyn zakh farmogn zey - eygelekh,

One thing they have is little eyes,

Di eygelekh farmogn tsvey pintelekh,

The eyes have two little pupils

Vos glien un finklen un tukn zikh

which glow and shine

un epes vi neviish un vunderlekh.

prophetically and wonderfully.

 

 

Fartrakhtn zikh tif un farkukn zikh

Pensively they contemplate

oyf nekhtige teg un oyf feygelekh,

the past and look at the birds,

Oy, mir zol zayn, yidishe kinderlekh,

O Jewish children, what would I give

far ayere koshere eygelekh!

for your pure little eyes!