Der zumer ovnt demert
[The summer sun is setting]
Text by Itsik Manger - Music by Chava Alberstein
(translated by Michael Wex)
See lecture: "The Seasons"
| Der zumer ovnt demert | The summer sun is setting |
| Feygl zingen - tri-li-li, | Birds are singing tri-li-li, |
| Altsding volt gut gevezn | Everything would be just fine |
| Ven du volst gevezn hi. | If you were here with me. |
| Ikh ze di benkshaft efnt' | I see that longing opens |
| Di fenster fun yedn hoyz, | The windows of every house, |
| Un kukt mit getraye oygn | And looks with eyes of devotion |
| Tsu ale vegn aroys. | On all the roads without. |
| Tsigeynertes varfn kortn, | The gypsy women cast fortunes |
| Un lezn arop fun der hant, | And read the palm of your hand. |
| "Zi iz a hoykhe, a sheyne, | "I see a tall, gorgeous woman |
| Un voynt in a fremdn land. | Who lives in a foreign land. |
| Malke tref - zi heyst malke, | "Queen of clubs - she's called Malka. |
| Melekh pik - der sultan, | King of spades - the Sultan, it's plain. |
| Di malke vet kumen tsu forn | Queen Malka's going to be coming |
| Mit der shif un der ban." | By ship and also by train." |
| Ikh shtey baym ofenem fenster, | I stand at the open window |
| Un fiver kholem un vart, | And wait in a dreaming fever; |
| Di tsigeynerstes un di shtern | The gypsy women, like the stars, |
| Hobn nisht eynmol mikh opgenart. | Have often been my deceiver. |
| Fundestn iz gut vos zey kumen | But it's still a good thing that they come |
| In zumer farnakhtn tsu geyn, | On summer nights when you're at home, |
Ven s'lomen der benkshaft di fligl | When the wings of longing are crippled |
| Un du bist eyner aleyn. | And you're all on your own. |
| Di tsigeynerstes un di shtern | Thee gypsy women, like the stars, |
| Hobn nisht eynmol mikh opgenart, | Have often been my deceiver, |
| Fundestn shtey ikh baym fenster | But I stand and wait by my window |
| Mit gloybike oygn un vart. | With the eyes of a believer. |
| Der zumer ovnt demert, | The summer sun is setting, |
| Fligl tsvitshern tri-li-li, | Birds are singing tri-li-li, |
| Altsding volt gut gevezn | Everything would be just fine |
| Ven du volst gevezn hi. | If you were here with me. |
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Source: Disk "Lemele", by Chava Alberstein