בית

Drey dreydl

[Turn, dreidel]

Lyrics by Moyshe Oysher *

[See lectures: "Hanukkah" / "Ashkenazi Food"]
 

Oy, breng mir broyt un breng mir vayn,Oh, bring me bread and bring me wine,
Veln mir ale freylekh zayn,Let's all be happy,
     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay,     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay,
Kh'hob shoyn latkes, fleysh un fish,I already have latkes, meat and fish, 
Un a vays badektn tish,And a white tablecloth on the table,
     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay.     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay.
Kh'hob di brokhes shoyn gemakht,I've already recited the bessings,
Di menoyre shaynt a prakht,The menora is shining proudly,
     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay,     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay,
Toyznt zinen yeder flam,Every flame has a thousand souls,
Shtolts bin ikh mir mit mayn shtam,I am proud of my origin,
     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay.     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay.
  
     Drey dreydl fun nun tsu gerotn,     Turn, dreidel, from nothing to all,
     Drey dreydl tsum gerotn,     Turn, dreidel, and turn out well,
     Kumt di vokh fun khanike,     When the Hanukka week comes
     Iz alts bay mir gerotn.     I feel very lucky.
  
Yeder likhtl hot a zin,Every little candle has a soul,
Es dermont mikh ver ikh bin,It reminds me who I am,
     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay,     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay,
Di menoyre iz oysbashaynt,The menora looks brilliant,
Ale zenen mayne fraynt,Everybody is my friend,
     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay.     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay.
Apikorsim ruf arayn,Call the non-believers in,
Zoln zey nisht gerekhnt zayn,They will not be counted,
     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay,     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay,
Zoln zey take zen aleyn,They will be alone,
S'iz a groyser nes geshen,A great miracle has occurred,
     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay.     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay.
  
     Drey dreydl ...     Turn, dreidel, ...
  
Ver hot zikh oyf dem gerekht,Who feels vindicated
Aza shtikl brekl lekht,By this tiny sliver of light,
     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay,     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay,
Brenen vet dokh doyres lang,It has burnt for generations
Un balaykhtn unzere gang,And lit up our way,
     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay.     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay.
Breng afile soynem mit,Bring even enemies with you,
Shrek zey got nor shtroft zey nit,They will fear God and not dispute,
     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay,     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay.
Breng mir broyt un breng mir vayn,Bring me bread and bring me wine,
Veln mir ale freylekh zayn,Let's all be happy,
     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay.     Tray-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay.

* The melody is the same as that of Itsik Manger's "Yosl Ber", composed by D. Beygelman [see "Pearls of Yiddish Song", by Chana & Joseph Mlotek, p.173]. According to the Mloteks, the melody has also been used for the Holocaust song, "Ikh leb in geto in kavkaz" [I live in the ghetto in the Caucasus], by Khane Kheytin, and for the song "Vi der zeyger tut a klung" [When the clock strikes], by Sam Liptzin.