TUMBALALAIKA - Yiddish Song
Lyric in Yiddish:
Shtyl a boccher, on un tracht
Tracht un tracht a gatze nacht
Vemen tsu nemen un nit far shemen,
Vemen tsu nemen nit zu far
Refrain
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika,
tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika
Tumbalalaika, shpiel balalaika
Shpiel balalaika, freylacvh zol zayn
Meydl, meydl, ch´vel bay dir fregen,
vos kan vaksn, vaksn on regn?
Vos kon brenen un nit oyfhern?
Vos kon beken, veynen on treren?
Refrain
Narisher bocher vos darfstu fregn?
A shteyn ken vaksn, vaksn, on regn.
Libeh ken brenen un nit oyfhern
A harts kon benkn, veynen on treren
Lyric in English:
A young lad is thinking, thinking all night
Would it be wrong, he asks, or maybe right,
Should he declare his love, dare he choose,
And would she accept, or will she refuse?
Chorus:
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika,
Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika
tumbalalaika, play Balalaika,
tumbalalaika - let us be merry.
Maiden, maiden tell me again
What can grow, grow without rain,
What can burn for many years,
What can long and cry without tears?
Silly young lad, why ask again?
It's a stone that can grow, grow without rain,
It's love that can burn for many long years,
A the heart that can yearn and cry without tears.